Browse Past Winners and Entries

Membrane Deployment Device - Water Resources Alliance

Best solution to a workplace health and safety issue - 2012 Awards

The Water Resources Alliance was formed to deliver a program of works for Melbourne Water. Over the duration of the Alliance we will deliver more than $650 million dollars worth of critical infrastructure to the community. Our project at the Werribee Treatment Plant will mitigate odour emissions, optimise treatment processes and ensure biogas security by removing the existing 42,000 m2 anaerobic cover that is damaged and replacing it with a much larger 93,000 m2 (4 times bigger than the MCG) segmented HDPE cover on the 55 East sewerage lagoon. Improvements to work methods were identified to reduce the high risk of manual handling injuries given the weight of the roll of HDPE material (refer image 1) being used to replace the old damaged cover. We had a Membrane Deployment Device (MDD) manufactured (refer images 2 & 3) ) to act as a dispenser for the rolls of HDPE material (7 metre wide x 105 metre long and 2mm thick, approximately 1.5 tonne) to reduce the risk of manual handling injuries from the push – pull force required to move the material.

Health and Wellbeing - Holistic Philosophy - Metropolitan Express Transport Services

Commitment to workplace health and wellbeing - 2012 Awards

Metropolitan Express Transport Services is the provider of Transport, Logistics and Warehousing services and solutions. We are a privately owned company, trading since 1986 having grown from a fleet of 12 vehicles, to now running in excess of 200 vehicles. Our corporate philosophy is that SAFETY is our No 1 Priority and in line with this the company has invested extensively in WHHMS, employee training safety consultation and innovation over the last decade.

Building safety culture behaviours into an OHS System - Water Resources Alliance & Alinea Consulting

OHS Management System of the Year - 2012 Awards

The Water Resources Alliance (WRA) is a partnership between Baulderstone, Sinclair Knight Merz, United Group Infrastructure, Beca, MWH and Melbourne Water. WRA is improving, maintaining and expanding the water storage system and the water distribution network to ensure the provision of reliable, high quality water. We also maintain and enhance existing treatment processes for the continued provision of reliable, high quality and efficient waste water treatment. WRA is actively working on closing the gap on injuries. We introduced the Livesafe 24/7 everybody, every day program, with assistance from Alinea Consulting, to create an embedded culture of people acting as drivers of safety, impacting people’s awareness and behaviours for safety at work and also at home and play. This program has seen our OHS Management System move from just forms, procedures and legislation, to encouraging each person to take personal responsibility for safety for themselves and each other.

Manual handling, slip, trip & fall solution for Fire Fighting vehicles - Department of Sustainability & Environment

Best solution to a workplace health and safety issue - 2012 Awards

The Department of Sustainability and Environment (DSE) leads the Victorian Government's efforts to sustainably manage water resources and catchment, climate change, bushfires, parks and other public land, forests, biodiversity and ecosystem conservation. DSE and Parks Victoria have increased the level of planned burning by 29%. This year, 748 planned burns have been conducted to treat 188,997 hectares of public land. The Retro fit slip on unit has been redesigned to eliminate and reduce manual handling injuries and slip, trip and fall injuries when operating the Fire Fighting appliance. The Retro fit slip on unit is being fitted to 100 DSE fire units across Victoria.

DPI Attwood Health and Safety Representative Group - Dept. of Primary Industries

Health and safety representative of the year - 2012 Awards

DPI Attwood is currently undergoing significant capital works that require demolition of about 1/3 of the existing building. While the capital works are in progress it is business as usual for the onsite DPI businesses. Simply, the capital works could not proceed safely without the ongoing consultation between contractors, project management and the Attwood site Designated Work Groups facilitated by the HSRs.

Alex Kitanoski - Health & Safety Representative of the Year - Downer Australia

Health and safety representative of the year - 2012 Awards

Mr Alex Kitanoski is electrician at the Norther Water Treatment plant in Corio. Alex is currently facilitating with the electrical installation and is also the elected Health & Safety Representative for his DWG of 35 members. Alex was elected in April of 2012 and although has been a HSR for a short time, has had an immediate impact in driving cultural change, and reducing inherent safety risks. Alex's key achievements include assisting in the development of energization procedures, site traffic management plans and incident investigations. Although relatively new to the OH&S role his ability to raise concerns and follow them through has been commended by his organization.

DPI Mildura OHS Committee - Dept. of Primary Industries

Health and safety committee of the year - 2012 Awards

The Health and Safety Representatives and Management Representatives of the Dept. of Primary Industries Mildura site have participated in the development and maintenance of the Mildura site OHS Management System (SafetyMAP Initial Level). The OHSMS was first implemented in 2003 and has evolved to what is recognised by the auditing organisation as an 'exemplar' for safety risk management. The site OHS Committee is the catalyst for ensuring DWGs are actively involved in the integration of safety into all work activities and the continual improvement of safety systems.

Senior Constable Returning to Work - Victoria Police

Worker return to work achievement award - 2012 Awards

After suffering two prolapsed discs, I underwent 12 months of intensive physiotherapy and 6 months of return to work re-assimilation to regain enough fitness to return to pre-injury duties (on a trial basis at the moment but hopefully on a permanent basis after that). I work for Victoria Police.

Lauren Allison - Return to Work Co-ordinator - Barwon Health

Return to Work Coordinator excellence - 2012 Awards

Barwon Health is the largest regional Health provider in Victoria. I wish to nominate Lauren Allison - Return to Work Co-ordinator of Barwon Health for her dedication, commitment, passion and ability to perform her demanding role in such a large organisation.

Meritor Hub Bearing and Seal Press - Meritor Heavy Vehicle Systems Aust. Ltd

Best solution to a workplace health and safety issue - 2012 Awards

Meritor is a global leader in providing innovative drivetrain mobility and braking solutions for original equipment manufacturers of trucks, trailers and specialty vehicles. A major manual handling risk did exist during the process of installing bearings and seals into axle hub and drum assemblies. This was a very manual, heavy and labour intensive process that exposed operators to a number of risks including crushing and strain injuries. These risks to the operators have now been eliminated with the unique design and installation of a new hub bearing and seal press. This equipment is now being considered by other Meritor plants worldwide.