Awards to spotlight safety in WA workplaces

DMIRS will host the inaugural Work Health and Safety Excellence Awards
Date: Monday, 25 February 2019

This year will see the inaugural Work Health and Safety Excellence Awards hosted by the Department of Mines, Industry Regulation and Safety (DMIRS).

The awards combine the former Work Safety Awards and the Safety and Health Resources Sector Awards to create one awards ceremony celebrating safety across Western Australian workplaces.

Nominations for the awards will be opening soon and the awards ceremony will be held in October.

DMIRS Deputy Director General Safety Ian Munns said the 2019 Work Health and Safety Excellence Awards will recognise outstanding solutions and innovations in health and safety in the State.

"The previous awards recognised and celebrated incredible achievements in health and safety across the resources sector and across WorkSafe regulated workplaces," Mr Munns said.

"These combined awards will continue that tradition, but expand the potential for these innovations and solutions to be applied across WA workplaces.

"Winners of the Work Health and Safety Excellence Awards set an example to industry of outstanding solutions and innovations in workplace health and safety and excellence.  They will have the opportunity to share their experiences with government, industry and the community."

The new awards will feature five categories and will cover both small and medium organisations and large organisations.

The categories are:

  • Work health and safety invention of the year - recognises development of plant/equipment engineering and/or infrastructure to enhance health and safety
  • Best solution to a work health and safety risk - recognises innovation, implementation and/or design of systems or procedures to improve health and safety
  • Best workplace health and wellbeing initiative - recognises an organisation’s commitment to the health and wellbeing of their workforce
  • Leadership excellence award - recognises an organisation’s excellence in leadership in improving health and safety in the workplace
  • Safety and health representative of the year - recognises an elected safety and health representative who has made a significant contribution and demonstrable difference to health and safety in the workplace.

More information, including when nominations open and how to apply, will be provided via the department's website and e-newsletters in the coming weeks.