Victorian inventors help improve safety

A number of innovative inventions have been recognised as finalists in the 2010 Annual WorkSafe Victoria Awards, to be awarded at a dinner on 28 October.

Commenting on these finalists, WorkSafe Victoria’s Trevor Martin said: “These companies have identified safety issues in their day-to-day work and come up with new ways to get the job done without putting anyone at risk.”

This year’s WorkSafe Award finalists include:

• Wodonga patisserie Kooka Brotha's developed a lightweight tray so food could be carried without risking back injuries.
• FreshBins in Warrnambool invented a robot that collects domestic and commercial wheelie bins, sterilises them and returns them to their original position in 20 seconds. This protects workers from risks including exposure to chemicals and lifting and twisting injuries.
• Workers at Coliban Water in Bendigo designed a secure workbox which can lower workers down 15 m wells without relying on ladders or harnesses.
• Staff at Glen Eira City Council in Moorabbin invented a device that can be lowered down into drains to check for gas pipes and other blockages while clearing stormwater drains.
• The Melbourne Tenix team designed a solution to ensure workers are safe when using conduit coils (plastic piping that protects electrical wiring). These coils, which can weigh up to 450 kg each, can flick out of control when unwound and cause injury.
• No Bolt Operations and BlueScope Distribution designed a portable guardrail system to attach to truck trailers, to protect workers during loading and unloading of goods.

Other finalists in the 2010 WorkSafe Awards include:

• Health and Safety Representative of the Year
  • Dave Jones - Ambulance Victoria
  • Glen Barber - Loy Yang Power
  • Keni Navusolo - Woolstar
  • Marten Kelders - Heidelberg Graphic Equipment
• Best OHS Management System
  • GHD
  • Compass Group