2022 Work Health and Safety Excellence Awards winners and finalists

The Work Health and Safety Excellence Awards were held at the State Reception Centre on 28 October 2022.

These award recognise outstanding solutions and innovations to specific workplace health and safety problems in Western Australia.

This year 71 submissions were received with 36 companies recognised as finalists.  Eight finalists were recognised with a winner’s trophy and seven finalists received a certificate of merit.  An outline of all finalists and winners are available in the Work Health and Safety Excellence Awards 2022 booklet

The Department would like to congratulate the Work Health and Safety Excellence Awards winners and finalists. 

Work health and safety invention of the year - 199 employees or less

Finalists

  • Engentus Pty Ltd – TopTorque™ precision reactionless bolting system
  • Heat Trap Solutions Pty Ltd – Water cooled heat stress vests
  • RM Surveys – New observations of hazards and risk management (NOHARM)
  • Yurra Pty Ltd – The process playbook

Winner

Heat Trap Solutions Pty Ltd – Water cooled heat stress vests

Heat Trap Solutions Pty Ltd, in conjunction with FMG, developed a small compact cooler to provide chilled water to water cooled vests.  The water cooled vest is worn under protective clothing, and the water flow can be varied to suit individuals with different metabolic rates and activity levels.

2022 Work health and safety invention of the year - 199 employees or less Winner - Heat Trap Solutions
2022 Work health and safety invention of the year - 199 employees or less Winner - Heat Trap Solutions, by Department of Mines, Department of Mines Industry Regulation and Safety - Worksafe
Work health and safety invention of the year - 199 employees or less - Heat Trap Solutions, by - WorkSafe

Work health and safety invention of the year - 200 employees or more

Finalists

  • Barminco – Re-design of steel bollards for the prevention of inadvertent machine access to open holes
  • BHP – Thermal lance feeder
  • BHP and Epiroc – Improving safety in grade control through the innovative use of the blast hole assay tool (FastGrade)
  • Ranger Drilling – The sample chute
  • Rio Tinto – Remote operated rescue initiative (R.O.R.I.)
  • Rio Tinto and Weir ESCO – GET handling and changing project

Winner

BHP – Thermal lance feeder

The crushers of ground engaging tools (GETs) are regularly jammed by debris.  Typically the methods require workers to be close to the crusher to release the stuck object.  BHP developed an innovative technological solution to minimise hazards.

2022 Work health and safety invention of the year - 200 employees or more winner BHP
2022 Work health and safety invention of the year - 200 employees or more winner BHP, by Department of Mines Industry Regulation and Safety - Worksafe
2022 Work health and safety invention of the year - 200 employees or more winner BHP, by Worksafe

Certificate of merit recipient

Rio Tinto and Weir ESCO – GET handling and changing project

Best solution to a work health and safety risk – 199 employees or less

Finalists

  • Arexion Pty Ltd – Asbestos sheet removal / extraction / lifting tool
  • Built Pty Ltd and Raw Civil – Wet cropping solution on foundation piles
  • Cortex Intelligence Systems Pty Ltd – Cortex – delivering a game changing safety for drilling
  • Fenix Newhaul – Measuring force applied to the body in the transport industry
  • GCG Health Safety and Hygiene – Real-time monitoring (RTM) app
  • Hero Engineering – Mine winders risk reduction with improved operational efficiency
  • MiCone Australia Pty Ltd – The future in delineation
  • Nexxis – Magneto

Winner

Nexxis – Magneto

Nexxis has developed Magneto, an autonomous robotic crawler that uses dexterity and manipulation to traverse complex terrains.  The spider-like, climbing inspection robot can navigate hazardous and confined space inspections without a human operator.

2022 Best solution to a work health and safety risk – 199 employees or less winner - Nexxis – Magneto
2022 Best solution to a work health and safety risk – 199 employees or less winner - Nexxis – Magneto, by Department of Mines Industry Regulation and Safety - Worksafe
2022 Best solution to a work health and safety risk – 199 employees or less winner - Nexxis – Magneto, by Worksafe

Certificate of merit recipient

GCG Health Safety and Hygiene – Real-time monitoring (RTM) app

Best solution to a work health and safety risk – 200 employees or more

Finalists

  • Alcoa – Elimination not prevention of risk
  • BHP – BOS standardised work @ BHP
  • Fortescue Metals Group – Aircraft towable conveyor belt
  • Monadelphous – Ergonomic poly weld stands
  • Newmont Boddington Gold – Wireless blast initiation technology (WebGen™) – Safe, efficient and productive blasting

Winner

Monadelphous – Ergonomic poly weld stands

Positioning high-density polyethylene (poly) welding stands requires significant manual handling, putting workers at risk of sprain and strain injuries.  Monadelphous developed a towable sled and front stand with wheels to reduce manual handling by over 50%. 

2022 Best solution to a work health and safety risk – 200 employees or more winner - Monodelphous
2022 Best solution to a work health and safety risk – 200 employees or more winner - Monodelphous, by Department of Mines Industry Regulation and Safety - Worksafe
2022 Best solution to a work health and safety risk – 200 employees or more winner - Monodelphous, by WorkSafe

Certificate of merit recipients

  • Alcoa – Elimination not prevention of risk
  • Fortescue Metals Group – Aircraft towable conveyor belt

Best intervention to address a psychosocial hazard in the workplace

Finalists

  • City of Rockingham – CORE wellness
  • Kmart – Recognise, React, Refer (RRR)
  • Lifeline WA – Resourceful mind

Winner – 199 employees or less

Lifeline WA – Resourceful mind

Lifeline WA partnered with the Chamber of Minerals and Energy to co-design Resourceful mind, a peer support initiative designed and customised for the resources sector.  The program provides mental health training for line managers, addresses mental health stigma, and increases workers’ mental health literacy.

2022Best intervention to address a psychosocial hazard in the workplace winner - Lifeline
2022Best intervention to address a psychosocial hazard in the workplace winner - Lifeline, by Department of Mines Industry Regulation and Safety - Worksafe
2022Best intervention to address a psychosocial hazard in the workplace winner - Lifeline, by WorkSafe

Winner – 200 employees or more

City of Rockingham – CORE wellness

The City of Rockingham developed the City of Rockingham Employee (CORE) wellness program, a targeted approach to identify and minimise the risks of psychosocial hazards in the workplace.  The program includes resources and training, with a focus on managing psychosocial hazards, mental health and general wellbeing.

2022 Best intervention to address a psychosocial hazard in the workplace winner - City of Rockingham
2022 Best intervention to address a psychosocial hazard in the workplace winner - City of Rockingham, by Department of Mines Industry Regulation and Safety - Worksafe
2022 Best intervention to address a psychosocial hazard in the workplace winner - City of Rockingham, by WorkSafe

Leadership excellence award 

Finalists

  • Al-Ameen College – Work health and safety campaign
  • BHP – Taxonomy program
  • Brownes Dairy – Think Safe, B-Safe
  • Crime Stoppers Western Australia and Piper Alderman – Safe2Say

Winner

Al-Ameen College – Work health and safety campaign

Al-Ameen College embarked on a work health and safety campaign resulting in improved workers wellbeing and a reduction of incidents.  In addition to establishing a WHS policy and committee, the College developed a mental health policy to support workers, promote mental wellbeing and train managers to proactively identify workplace issues. 

2022 Leadership excellence award - Al-Ameen College
2022 Leadership excellence award - Al-Ameen College , by Department of Mines Industry Regulation and Safety - Worksafe
2022 Leadership excellence award - Al-Ameen College , by WorkSafe

Certificate of merit recipient

BHP – Taxonomy program

Health and safety representative of the year 

Finalists

  • Tony Booth – Cecil Andrews College
  • Darcy Connolly – East Metropolitan Health Service
  • Nathan Dearing – Joondalup Resort
  • Mary Koutalis – BHP
  • Robert Nankivell – BHP
  • Kevin O’Gorman – RAAFAWA – Gordon Lodge Resident Care

Winner

Tony Booth – Cecil Andrews College

Tony has driven numerous WHS improvements throughout Cecil Andrews College and has implemented concussion testing for students with head injuries and upgraded first aid facilities and equipment.  In addition, Tony audited chemical use and reduced the number of chemicals used by cleaning staff, established a safety procedure for sausage sizzles and repainted the canteen floor in non-slip paint.

2022 Health and safety representative of the year - Tony Booth
2022 Health and safety representative of the year - Tony Booth, by Department of Mines Industry Regulation and Safety - Worksafe
2022 Health and safety representative of the year - Tony Booth, by WorkSafe

Certificate of merit recipients

  • Darcy Connolly – East Metropolitan Health Service
  • Nathan Dearing – Joondalup Resort

Work Health and Safety Excellence Awards booklet

The Work Health and Safety Excellence Awards booklet provides an outline of all the finalists and winners

Download the awards booklet

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