Queensland WorkSafe and Return to Work awards

Friday, 30 October, 2009

The Queensland Industrial Relations Minister, Cameron Dick, announced the winners of the 2009 Queensland WorkSafe Awards and inaugural Return to Work Awards, stating: “The awards attracted nearly 600 entries, with winners coming from a diverse range of industries and workplaces in both private and public sectors.

“The Return to Work Awards - run by Q-COMP, the statutory authority overseeing workers’ compensation in Queensland - showcased the state’s top employers who understand the importance of helping injured workers make a successful return to work.”

WorkSafe Award winners:

  • Best workplace health and safety management system:
    • Winner - S&N Civil Constructions, Townsville, for expansion of its quality management system to an integrated, certified management system.
  • Best solution to an identified health and safety issue:
    • Winner - Frook, Townsville, for a safer and more cost-effective temporary bracing method to install building trusses.
    • Highly commended - Bovis Lend Lease for prevention of falls from heights for workers while erecting crane and gantries on Brisbane Supreme and District Courts project.
    • Highly commended - University of Queensland Library for inventing a device that prevents wheels of book lifts, used to transport library materials, from falling into gap between lift and floor.
  • Best workplace health and safety practice in small business:
    • Highly commended - Matt Electric, Burleigh Heads, for ‘SafetyConnect’ safety plan to improve OHS practices.
  • Best individual contribution to workplace health and safety:
    • Winner - John Harris of Phoenix Drilling Services for inventing a safer compressor radiator top-up system.
    • Highly commended - Paul Gibson of ARA Group for developing a ‘court room scenario’ to determine effectiveness of safety management systems.
    • Highly commended - Reg O’Brien of Boyne Smelters for OHS improvements in the carbon section at Boyne Smelters.
  • Best solution to identified electrical safety issues:
    • Winner - Stanwell Corporation for safe method of managing arc-flash hazards through registers and electrical panel-door labelling.

Return to Work Award winners:

  • Small employer (<200 employees): Visy PET - Return-to-work efforts at plastic bottle manufacturing plant.
  • Medium employer (200–2000 employees): Cement Australia - Commitment to caring for all of its Queensland employees through innovative return-to-work practices and ensuring injured workers’ needs were prioritised, while supporting families.
  • Large employer (>2000 employees): Department of Public Works - Innovative rehabilitation and return-to-work programs to support injured workers.
  • Self-insured employer: University of Queensland - Rehabilitation initiatives resulting in positive outcomes for injured workers.
  • Injured worker - return-to-work same employer: Tony Seng - Confronted challenges of injury to successfully make the most of situation, inspiring work colleagues, friends and family.
  • Injured worker  - return-to-work new employer: Lesley Crawley - Remarkable turnaround after serious work injury, driven by determination and a positive attitude.
  • Rehabilitation and return-to-work co-ordinator: Penny Wright (Alphapharm) - Dedication to looking after injured workers and their families during rehabilitation.
  • Rehabilitation and return-to-work co-ordinator - self-insured employer: Ursula Lone (Scenic Rim Regional Council) - Friendly and caring persona makes injured workers feel supported through rehabilitation, with a successful return to work as her number-one priority.
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