Centennial Park bags safety award

An online one-stop shop to manage occupational health, safety and welfare has won the state’s largest cemetery a major safety award. Centennial Park, in South Australia, picked up the Major Metropolitan Award for Best Practice in Occupational Health and Safety (OHS) in the Local Government Association Workers Compensation Scheme 2011 OHS and RTW Awards.

In March 2010, Centennial Park adopted and implemented an intranet that would become the main vehicle for the management of all occupational health, safety and welfare procedures for staff members. Centennial Park’s intranet manages accidents, incidents, hazards and internal audits all in the one space. It also documents all first aid officers, first aid kit locations, kit checklists and first aid treatment reports and assessments. The award recognised the innovation and proactive commitment shown by Centennial Park’s occupational health, safety and welfare (OHSW) committee and staff members, said Centennial Park’s Chief Executive Officer, Bryan Elliott.

"The development of a central electronic management system for all OHSW policies and procedures, as well as intensive training sessions, has encouraged our entire team to demonstrate a positive and preventative mindset to safety. It's also increased their appetite for further education in risk assessment.

"As OHSW continues to evolve as a major component of the cemetery industry, it's vital that our staff members have easy and efficient access to these policies and procedures at the click of a button. Winning this award is exceptional recognition of Centennial Park's innovation in this area and is a credit to our OHSW committee, who were responsible for identifying and implementing the training and procedures."

In 2007, Centennial Park won the LGA's Major Metropolitan Award for Best Practice in OHS for identifying graves as a confined space. Centennial Park Cemetery is the state's largest provider of burial, cremation, funeral and memorial services. Set on 40 acres of parkland, Centennial Park boasts an award-winning chapels complex, modern crematorium and more than 50 individually themed gardens, including South Australia's only memorial island.