Categories
The WorkSafe Awards has the following categories:
- Health and Safety Representative of the Year
- Health and Safety Committee of the Year
- Best Design for Workplace Safety
- Best Health and Safety Initiative for Small Business
- Best Solution for Preventing Musculoskeletal Disorders
- Best Solution to a Health and Safety Risk
- Best Strategy for Health and Safety Management
- Outstanding Leadership and Contribution to Health and Safety
Health and Safety Representative of the Year
This category acknowledges a health and safety representative (HSR) who has made a difference to health and safety within their Designated Work Group (DWG) by demonstrating commitment to representing members of their DWG and bringing OHS issues to the attention of the employer. It also recognises HSRs who are able to facilitate positive outcomes and/or demonstrate persistence in difficult environments.
Entries are assessed against the following criteria:
- Commitment: How does the HSR demonstrate commitment to his or her role?
- Consultation: How does the HSR facilitate consultation in the workplace?
- Representation: How well does the HSR represent his or her DWG?
- Achievements: What are the achievements of the HSR, and how were barriers overcome in attaining these achievements?
Characteristics being sought include:
- a demonstration of long-term commitment to the role e.g. lengthy term of office
- persistence in addressing an identified issue
- leadership qualities e.g. preparedness to take up an issue on behalf of a number of HSRs at the workplace
- ability to research OHS matters
- ability to influence management.
Notes:
- HSRs must be elected to represent their DWG in accordance with s.54 of the OHS Act.
- Deputy HSRs are not eligible for this award.
- In light of their representational role, it is preferable for HSRs to be nominated by members of their DWG.
Health and Safety Committee of the Year
This category acknowledges a Health and Safety Committee (HSC) that has demonstrated a high level of commitment to health and safety, represents all interests in the workplace and is highly consultative.
Entries are assessed against the following criteria:
- Commitment: How does the committee demonstrate commitment to its role?
- Consultation: How does the committee foster consultation in the workplace?
- Representation: How well does the HSC represent the OHS interests of the workplace?
- Achievements: What are the achievements of the committee, and how were barriers overcome in attaining these achievements?
Characteristics being sought include:
- a well organised committee in relation to structure and process, compliant with s.72 of the OHS Act
- representative of management and employee interests in the workplace
- an effective consultative mechanism for employers and all employees
- the ability to facilitate cooperation between employers and employees in instigating, developing and implementing measures designed to secure health and safety of employees
- the ability to proactively formulate and review the health and safety standards, rules and procedures that are to be carried out or complied with at the workplace, and making them known to employees
- persistence in dealing with OHS matters.
Notes:
- The HSC's membership, structure and activities must comply with OHS legislation (s.72 of the OHS Act e.g. must meet at least quarterly, at least half of the members must be employees – and so far as practical HSRs or deputy HSRs, a Health, Safety & Environment Committee may be a HSC if it meets these requirements).
Best Design for Workplace Safety
Acknowledges a design organisation for the innovative design of a building, structure or plant that eliminates or significantly reduces a workplace risk.
Entries are assessed against the following criteria:
- Transferability: Is there potential for wider application of the initiative to other sites, organisations, industries?
- Innovation: The design meets a workplace health and safety need and is an improvement/breakthrough on existing workplace situations. Design excellence is demonstrated through exceeding existing standards and professional benchmarks.
- Risk control: Type of control measure chosen, why chosen, where it fits within hierarchy of control (elimination…….engineering…… administrative …), how control measure addresses the risk, and the level of implementation (e.g. pilot scheme).
- Risk profile: The design takes into account health and safety in the full lifecycle – manufacture/ construction through to disposal/demolition and provides a sustainable improvement.
- Commitment: Resources allocated to development of initiative, willingness of organisation to share knowledge about the initiative, hiring and use of external expertise.
- Consultation: Consultation is a requirement of the OHS Act. How and to what degree were employees, health and safety representatives, health and safety committees, other users, and external specialists consulted throughout the development of the initiative, and their feedback incorporated?
Best Health and Safety Initiative for Small Business
Acknowledges the work done by an individual or organisation which is aimed at improving occupational health and safety in small business, or by an individual small business to achieve substantial health and safety improvements in its own workplace. This category may address a workplace issue specific to that workplace, or it may be something that could be utilised by other small businesses.
Entries are assessed against the following criteria:
- Transferability: Is there potential for wider application of the initiative to other sites, organisations, industries?
- Innovation: What is the level of improvement in safety, is this a big issue within the industry, compare to similar initiatives and show why this is better.
- Risk control: Type of control measure chosen, why chosen, where it fits within hierarchy of control (elimination…….engineering…… administrative …), how control measure addresses the risk, and the level of implementation (e.g. pilot scheme).
- Risk profile: How has this initiative affected the overall risk profile of the workplace - what are the other risks at the workplace, how are they related and how has the initiative impacted on other areas of risk for the organisation.
- Commitment: Resources allocated to development of initiative, willingness of organisation to share knowledge about the initiative, hiring and use of external expertise.
- Consultation: Consultation is a requirement of the OHS Act. How and to what degree were employees, health and safety representatives, health and safety committees, other users, and external specialists consulted throughout the development of the initiative, and their feedback incorporated?
Notes:
- Small business for the WorkSafe Awards is defined as a business employing less than 20 employees (Australian Bureau of Statistics definition), and includes non-employing businesses – sole proprietorships and partnerships without employees.
Best Solution for Preventing Musculoskeletal Disorders
For an innovation or invention that eliminates or significantly reduces the risk of musculoskeletal disorders (MSDs). This could be a solution such as a single engineering control or a number of risk controls packaged together.
Entries are assessed against the following criteria:
- Transferability: Is there potential for wider application of the initiative to other sites, organisations, industries?
- Innovation: What is the level of improvement in safety, is this a big issue within the industry, compare to similar initiatives and show why this is better.
- Risk control: Type of control measure chosen, why chosen, where it fits within hierarchy of control (elimination…….engineering…… administrative …), how control measure addresses the risk, and the level of implementation (e.g. pilot scheme).
- Risk profile: How has this initiative impacted on the overall risk profile of the workplace – how does it impact on overall risk of MSDs, what are the other risks at the workplace, how are they related if at all, and how has the initiative impacted on other areas of risk for the organisation?
- Commitment: Resources allocated to development of initiative, willingness of organisation to share knowledge about the initiative, hiring and use of external expertise.
- Consultation: Consultation is a requirement of the OHS Act. How and to what degree were employees, health and safety representatives, health and safety committees, other users, and external specialists consulted throughout the development of the initiative, and their feedback incorporated?
Best Solution to a Health and Safety Risk
For an innovation or invention in workplace health and safety that eliminates or significantly reduces a risk. This could include a specific issue or a group of initiatives such as changes to the work environment, new equipment, an engineering control or design solution or it could be an entirely new work process.
Entries are assessed against the following criteria:
- Transferability: Is there potential for wider application of the initiative to other sites, organisations, industries?
- Innovation: What is the level of improvement in safety, is this a big issue within the industry, compare to similar initiatives and show why this is better.
- Risk control: Type of control measure chosen, why chosen, where it fits within hierarchy of control (elimination…….engineering…… administrative …), how control measure addresses the risk, and the level of implementation (e.g. pilot scheme).
- Risk profile: How has this initiative impacted on the overall risk profile of the workplace - what are the other risks at the workplace, how are they related and how has the initiative impacted on other areas of risk for the organisation.
- Commitment: Resources allocated to development of initiative, willingness of organisation to share knowledge about the initiative, hiring and use of external expertise.
- Consultation: Consultation is a requirement of the OHS Act. How and to what degree were employees, health and safety representatives, health and safety committees, other users, and external specialists consulted throughout the development of the initiative, and their feedback incorporated?
Best Strategy for Health and Safety Management
Acknowledges the various ways organisations manage and improve workplace health and safety. Entries may vary from effective contribution management processes, effective ways of consulting with employers and contractors, programs for psychological health, to the inclusion of occupational health and safety processes into other aspects of an organisation’s activities.
Entries are assessed against the following criteria:
- Transferability: Is there potential for wider application of the initiative to other sites, organisations, industries?
- Innovation: What is the level of improvement in safety, is this a big issue within the industry, compare to similar initiatives and show why this is better.
- Risk control: Type of control measure chosen, why chosen, where it fits within hierarchy of control (elimination…….engineering…… administrative …ring), how control measure addresses the risk, and the level of implementation (e.g. pilot scheme).
- Risk profile: How has this initiative impacted on the overall risk profile of the workplace - what are the other risks at the workplace, how are they related and how has the initiative impacted on other areas of risk for the organisation.
- Commitment: Resources allocated to development of initiative, willingness of organisation to share knowledge about the initiative, hiring and use of external expertise.
- Consultation: Consultation is a requirement of the OHS Act. How and to what degree were employees, health and safety representatives, health and safety committees, other users, and external specialists consulted throughout the development of the initiative, and their feedback incorporated?
Outstanding Leadership and Contribution to Health and Safety
At the discretion of the WorkSafe Awards Recipient Panel an award may be granted for the significant work undertaken by an individual or organisation over a substantial period of time, showing leadership in a particular field resulting in a demonstrable improvement in health and safety.
Nominations are not sought for this category.
