Thirty finalists from across Australia competed for this year’s awards, covering a broad range of industry and organisation types from both the public and private sector.

The award for Best workplace health and safety management system went to the Catholic Schools Office, Diocese of Broken Bay, for developing a comprehensive online hazard identification and control system to improve safety and eliminate risks.

The online system has seen injury rates within the 43 schools managed by the Diocese decrease by ten per cent, resulting in a 40 per cent reduction in their workers compensation premiums.

Central Coast based business, Sharpe Bros Australia Pty Ltd won the award for Best workplace health and safety practices in a small business for the application of an innovative awareness campaign to tackle complacency about workplace safety.

The company developed an iconic character to act as a safety champion in the workplace with stickers and posters complimented a themed website and safety tips sent to staff by mobile phone text message.

The Safe Work Australia Awards provide recognition to Australia’s OHS champions, who are committed to making Australian workplaces safer.

Finalists for each of the five award categories were winners of OHS awards in their state or territory jurisdiction with an independent judging panel selecting the winners.

Mr Blackwell also commended two other workplaces from NSW that were among the finalists at the national awards, and who were winners in their respective categories at the 2007 WorkCover NSW Safe Work Awards.

 “These inventive solutions to occupational health and safety, are tangible examples of how employers and workers are determined to create safer workplaces in this State,” he said.

Mr Blackwell said entries open for the 2008 WorkCover NSW Safe Work Awards on 5 May.

“The annual WorkCover NSW Safe Work Awards showcase innovation and excellence and recognise best practice by highlighting industry achievement in workplace safety.

“There are six categories in the awards and employers and workers from workplaces around NSW are invited to submit written entries into any category.

“WorkCover NSW is committed to assisting industry improve workplace safety and workers compensation in this state,” he said.

“Continued improvement in occupational health and safety have seen injuries in NSW fall to their lowest levels in two decades and I encourage all workplaces to highlight their safety achievements by submitting an entry in this years State awards,” Mr Blackwell said.

For information about the WorkCover NSW 2008 Safe Work Awards, including award categories, visit the website at www.safeworkawards.com.au

Media contact: Wendy McKenzie or John Kirby 02 4321 5474 or 0143 186 799

New South Wales finalists in the national awards:

Best individual contribution to workplace health and safety went to:

Woolworths Baulkham Hills store employee Jason Painter for his redesign of a bandsaw table.

Mr Painter developed a sliding barrier fitted to the bandsaw table, designed to prevent the risk of injuries to fingers from the bandsaw blade. The innovation resulted in reduced injuries and increased productivity. 

Best solution to an identified health and safety issue went to:

NSW Rape Crisis Centre for its multi-faceted risk management framework for monitoring and managing the impact of vicarious psychological trauma for its counselling staff.

The centre ensures that as part of its OHS practices, each counsellor receives various levels of support including formal supervision, a personal care plan and ongoing monitoring of trauma indicators.

The success of the initiative has resulted in no workers compensation claims for vicarious trauma since the program was implemented in 2001.