Electricity supply contractor wins big
Electricity supply contractor wins big at annual health and safety awards
AUCKLAND, New Zealand, 2 June
2011
Electrix has won the Supreme Award at this year’s New Zealand Workplace Health and Safety Awards.
The company won two category awards – wellness and design – and impressed the judges by its willingness to experiment to see what worked, to overcome multiple issues, and then implement the best solution. The judges felt the gym challenge programme (wellness category) and the solution to equipotential zones in live line work (design category) both demonstrated an admirable degree of commitment to protecting the health and safety of people.
Awards were presented in 11 categories at a gala dinner at SKYCITY Convention Centre in Auckland last night, where an audience of over 400 celebrated achievements and best practice in the New Zealand health and safety industry.
The awards, now in their seventh year, are organised by Safeguard magazine and supported by the Department of Labour. The awards are judged by an independent panel representing the Department of Labour, ACC, NZ Council of Trade Unions, Safeguard, and an industry health and safety practitioner.
Peter Bateman, managing editor of Safeguard magazine and a member of this year’s judging panel, said the more than 120 entries reflected the significant, diverse, creative but usually unsung efforts put in by organisations and individuals around the country to help ensure people at work remain safe and healthy.
The winners were:
The Supreme Award - The
Department of Labour/ACC best overall contribution to
improving workplace health and safety in New
Zealand
Electrix, Auckland
Kensington Swan best
initiative to address a safety hazard
Progressive
Enterprises, Auckland
The risks associated with bandsaws
in meat processing were addressed by eliminating 114
bandsaws from stores and completely redesigning others in a
package which included training, operator licensing, and
control over the work area.
Department of Labour best
initiative to address a health hazard
Royal New Zealand
Air Force
A successful pilot project to test hazardous
substances management led to the replacement of the previous
uncoordinated, ad-hoc approach with a strategic initiative
to fully manage hazardous substances across the entire
organisation. This comprehensive approach included
occupational hygiene surveys and personal health monitoring,
and made good use of the multiple disciplines and skills
available internally.
Vitae best initiative to improve
employee wellness
Electrix, Auckland
Linemen’s
continuing musculoskeletal injuries prompted considerable
research and the development of a 12-week gym challenge
programme for existing staff and for new recruits. A
parallel programme has been developed for office staff.
Applicants are tested for physical capacity before being
accepted into an unusually arduous job. Injuries have
declined and the company’s culture has benefited.
NZ
Safety best initiative to encourage engagement in health &
safety
Victoria Park Alliance, Auckland
Used staff
workshops and a psychologist to formulate the best way to
engage project staff. Developed powerful on-site graphics
featuring staff who had been injured, and the consequences
for them and their family. Also used safety observations to
generate positive conversations and recognition around site
safety.
SICK best design or technology
initiative
Electrix, Auckland
Designed an efficient
and effective means of creating an equipotential zone while
working on live overhead power lines, significantly reducing
the risk of shock. Multiple design issues were overcome
involving di-electric boots, pole shrouds and bonding leads.
Transfield Services best health and safety initiative by
a small business
EIS, Invercargill
Recognised that
staff awareness of the hazard presented by electrical
flashover arc was insufficient, so researched international
best practice and developed new policies and procedures.
Staff were issued with appropriate protective equipment,
signage and rescue kit, and a training presentation was
developed.
Impac best significant health and safety
initiative by a large organisation
Fonterra,
Temuka
Reduced the incidence of milk tanker rollovers by
developing a new tanker driver training programme. Used
multiple video cameras placed around a tanker on a trip,
including some cameras mounted within the tanker’s barrel,
to demonstrate the instability of milk loads. The resulting
training DVD and associated discussions have achieved the
desired behaviour change.
ACC best leadership of an
industry sector
Taranaki Safety Construction Group, New
Plymouth
Has regularly brought together over 100 regional
stakeholders to brainstorm the key health and safety issues
to be tackled. Runs monthly sessions on topics defined by
the group, and organises an annual apprentice safety
challenge to focus attention on the need to take particular
care of young people entering the workforce.
Safeguard
health and safety practitioner of the year
Jay Lauten,
Fletcher Construction, Auckland
On the Manukau Harbour
Crossing project he built strong relationships with staff
and contractors at all levels, resulting in respect for his
leadership and a willingness to try to achieve the standard
he articulated, resulting in no lost-time injuries for the
last 18 months of the project. He also mentored others into
health and safety roles, building capacity for the future.
Ross Wilson – NZCTU most influential employee
Greg
Chaffey, Fonterra, Mataura
A tanker driver and health &
safety representative, he is actively involved in audits,
first aid and permits to work. He regularly challenges
management and has ensured health and safety reps are
involved in all incident investigations. He has persuaded
colleagues to do safety training in the off-season, and has
championed design changes to the plant to make it safer.
A
Lifetime Achievement award was made to: Douglas Hay
The
founder of New Zealand’s first academic course in
workplace safety management set up Massey University’s
programme in 1979. He retired from the university in 2005,
having taught and influenced hundreds of people who have
gone on to practice health and safety at many workplaces
around the country and around the world. He has also worked
for the International Labour Organisation in China, Nepal,
the Philippines, Thailand and Bangladesh, setting up health
and safety training programmes and reviewing legislation.
A special commendation was made to: Skylight,
Wellington
This charitable agency responded to the
February earthquake in Canterbury by pulling together in the
space of only a week an employer handbook titled When Trauma
and Grief Come to Work, then distributed 10,000 copies to
Canterbury employers and others. This initiative delivered
material that was directly relevant to the needs of
thousands and did it in double-quick
time.
ENDS