Innovative toilet, self-closing doors among WorkSafe Awards finalists

The finalists of the 2016 WorkSafe Awards have been announced, with 28 Victorian businesses and individuals making the list.

A wide range of industries is represented by the finalists, including health care, local government, manufacturing, emergency services and education, with the awards recognising outstanding contributions to workplace health and safety and to helping injured workers return to work.

One of the finalists is Dinkum Industries, which has developed a safer portable toilet to eliminate the risk of contact with contaminated waste material. The innovative design effectively creates a barrier between service personnel and harmful exposure to waste material during the servicing or removal of the toilets.

M C Herd Pty Ltd identified a fall risk for drivers who deliver and unload cattle up to 10 times a day during meat processing operations. The company designed a motorised unloading ramp with self-closing doors that open inwards, eliminating the need for drivers to climb up or walk on top of the crates.

Showing a similar concern for injury prevention, Bendigo Health developed a disposable repositioning sling to protect staff that move obese patients after their death. The sling remains under the patient through the entire transfer to the funeral home, which reduces the risk of sprains and strains and other manual handling injuries for staff and funeral service employees.

“Our finalists may come from diverse backgrounds and fields but they share an incredible passion for keeping workers safe and supporting injured workers return to safe work,” said WorkSafe Chief Executive, Clare Amies.

“WorkSafe is delighted to recognise them for their outstanding contributions to workplace health and safety.”

She said that each finalist should be enormously proud of their achievements in helping to make Victorian workplaces safer.

The winners will be announced during Health and Safety Month at the Regent Plaza Ballroom on 7 October.

To see the full list of finalists, click here.

Image credit: ©iStockphoto.com/ARENA Creative