NZ Workplace Health & Safety Awards 2022: Finalists Announced

The finalists in the New Zealand Workplace Health and Safety Awards for 2022 have been decided. The winners in each of the categories, and an overall winner, will be announced at a gala dinner at the Cordis Hotel in Auckland on 21 June.

The awards are organised by Thomson Reuters, publisher of Safeguard magazine, and proudly supported by WorkSafe New Zealand and ACC. 

Since their inception in 2005 the awards have become established as an annual highlight for everyone involved in the prevention of work injury and ill-health.

Peter Bateman, Safeguard editor and convenor of the five-person judging panel, says this year’s entries demonstrate a wide variety of effective health, safety and wellbeing initiatives and an admirable group of individuals who are behind them.

“These awards serve two purposes: to publicly recognise good work, and to ensure good ideas are spread as widely as possible so that they inspire action elsewhere. The judges congratulate all finalists and we look forward to seeing their initiatives challenge and inspire others.”

The category finalists, in alphabetic order within category, are:

SAFETY

Dentons Kensington Swan best initiative to address a work-related safety risk

• Constellation Brands NZ
• Icon Co Pty (NZ)
• Piritahi

HEALTH

WorkSafe New Zealand best initiative to address a work-related health risk

• Capital & Coast District Health Board
• Douglas Pharmaceuticals
• Silver Fern Farms

WELLBEING

Vitae best initiative to promote better worker wellbeing

• Air New Zealand
• Meridian Energy
• PowerNet

ENGAGEMENT

NZ Safety Blackwoods best initiative to encourage worker engagement in health & safety

• KiwiRail
• Link Alliance
• Northpower

INNOVATION

Anthony Harper best use of innovative New Zealand design or technology to eliminate or manage a risk

• Hawkins
• KiwiRail/Downer/Aurecon
• Tauranga City Council

SAFETY-II

Fonterra best initiative based on Safety-II principles

• Energyworks
• Northpower
• Te Ahu a Turanga Alliance

COLLABORATION

IMPAC best collaboration between PCBUs

• Christ Church Cathedral Reinstatement Project
• University of Auckland
• Waka Kotahi/NZTA

GOVERNANCE

Simpson Grierson best board level engagement in health & safety

• Ara Poutama Aotearoa/Department of Corrections
• Dairy NZ/Beef & Lamb/MPI
• PowerNet

INDUSTRY LEADERSHIP

ACC best leadership of an industry sector or region

• Air New Zealand
• Business Leaders’ Health and Safety Forum and Leading Safety
• Fletcher Building

PRACTITIONER

NZISM health & safety practitioner of the year

• Dr Ben Johnston, Air New Zealand
• Karen Martin, Ministry for Primary Industries
• Miriska Gerber, Douglas Pharmaceuticals

EMERGING PRACTITIONER

edenfx emerging practitioner of the year

• Andy Colclough, Icon Co Pty (NZ)
• Angel Duvenage, Link Alliance
• Jessie Bourke, Logic Forest Solutions

H&S REPRESENTATIVE

Vero Liability health & safety rep of the year

• Bevan Thompson, Silver Fern Farms
• Lester Udy, New Zealand Steel
• Mike Hill, St John
• Wendy Ellis, Auckland Council

MENTAL HEALTH CHAMPION

Site Safe champion of mentally healthy work

• Andrew Everiss, St John
• Neroli McDougall, Firstgas Group
• Nicky Primrose, Mitre 10 (NZ)
• Trish Allen, Meridian Energy

LEADER

Business Leaders’ Health & Safety Forum leader of the year

• Hugh Goddard, Pipeline & Civil
• Jeremy Lightfoot, Ara Poutama Aotearoa/Department of Corrections
• Simon Mander, Metro Performance Glass

ecoPortal special commendation award

Four special commendation awards will be announced at the gala dinner.

Countdown lifetime achievement award

A lifetime achievement award will be presented to Associate Professor Ian Laird from Massey University for his work in teaching and influencing a generation of health & safety practitioners.

The WorkSafe New Zealand/ACC best overall contribution to improving workplace health and safety in New Zealand

This award will be made to one of the winners of the organisational categories

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