2008 Work Safe Award categories
- Best workplace health and safety management system
- Best solution to an identified health and safety issue
- Best workplace health and safety practices in small business
- Best individual contribution to workplace health and safety
- Best solution to an identified electrical safety issue.
Category 1
Best workplace health and safety management system
This award recognises demonstrated commitment to continuous improvement of workplace health and safety through the implementation of an integrated systems approach.
Assessment criteria
For entry in this category your submission must show the following.
- How clearly does the system achieve a demonstrated commitment to workplace health and safety?
- Information provided could include demonstrated management commitment to the systematic management of occupational health and safety (OHS) and injury management, ongoing planning of OHS improvement and evaluation of the system, systematic identification, assessment and control strategies for the organisation’s hazards.
- To what extent was the integrated approach developed in consultation with workplace parties and, where appropriate, with outside organisations?
- How well is the approach integrated into the overall operations of the company?
- Has there been a demonstrated improvement in health and safety in the workplace as a result of the integrated approach?
- How much potential is there for the system to have broader application across other workplaces and industry?
Please provide evidence of your organisation’s systems approach by including in your submission:
- an external audit report conducted within the previous two years.
- evidence of control measures in place.
- claims or incident/injury data for at least the previous 12 months.
- evidence of occupational health and safety reporting and consultation.
- any other evidence to show a systems-based approach.
For example, a systems approach demonstrates that all elements function according to fundamental rules, that analysis of the elements can be completed with a consistent auditing approach and each part of the overall system can itself be studied as a complete system. In a systematic approach, short term goals are continually set and met and are seen as contributing to the ‘higher’ goal of elimination of risks to health and safety, improving the viability of the business and contributing to the well-being of anyone affected by the business operations.
See also:
Category 2
Best solution to an identified workplace health and safety issue
This award recognises excellence in developing and implementing a solution to an identified workplace health and safety issue. Entries for this award may include a product solution, design/engineering innovation, a training program, awareness-raising activity or other risk control measure that reduces the risk of work-related injury and disease.
Assessment criteria
For entry in this category your submission must show the following.
- What was the workplace health and safety issue?
- What form of risk management system or process was used to identify the issue?
- How was the hierarchy of control applied to develop the solution?
- How effective was the solution for the control of the identified hazard?
- To what extent was the solution developed in consultation with workplace parties and, if appropriate, outside organisations?
- How original and innovative was the solution?
- How well did the solution impact on the overall operations of the company?
- Has there been a demonstrated improvement in health and safety in the workplace as a result of the solution? (Provide claims or incident/injury data and any other OHS reporting as evidence.)
- How much potential is there for the solution to have broader application across industry?
See also:
Category 3
Best workplace health and safety practices in small business
This award recognises high standard workplace health and safety practices in small business. This may include, but is not limited to, any of the following:
- solutions to identified risks
- a demonstrated commitment to safety
- improved consultation
- training programs
- toolbox meetings where occupational health and safety is discussed; or
- any other practice that has improved occupational health and safety performance in your business.
This category is limited to small businesses that have less than 20 employees or full-time equivalents.
Assessment criteria
To enter in this category your submission needs to detail the following.
- What are the workplace health and safety practice/s that have been implemented?
- How did you identify the need for the health and safety practice/s? For example:
- did you talk to your employees?
- did you do a ‘walk around’ inspection?
- did you review past records?
- did you identify a hazard?
- To what extent were staff and/or organisations or other people involved in the development of the health and safety practice/s in your workplace? How did your staff contribute to this process?
- Where hazards have been addressed, how did you identify them and assess the risk or likelihood they may result in an injury or illness?
- How did you consider all possible risk control measures when developing or improving the health and safety practice/s in your workplace? Control measures include:
- eliminating the risk
- substitution
- engineering controls
- administrative controls
- personal protective equipment.
- How did you record your health and safety work practices? How can staff access them?
- How did you communicate to staff about the health and safety work practices? For example, how were they trained or made aware of the practices?
- What effect have these practices had on your business? For example:
- health and safety
- productivity
- morale
- consultation
Please provide evidence to support your application where possible.
For example:
- control measures that you have put in place (you may wish to include photos of these)
- OHS reporting and consultation (minutes of meetings where OHS is discussed, injury and incident reports, etc.)
- testimonials and/or acknowledgements (from clients, contractors etc.)
- collection of OHS performance data (showing reduced claims or injuries since you implemented changes); and
- any other evidence to support your entry.
Category 4
Best individual contribution to workplace health and safety
This award recognises an individual such as a health and safety representative who is not a management employee, whose contribution has made an exceptional difference to health and safety in their workplace.
Assessment criteria
For entry in this category your submission must show the following.
- What were the individual’s health and safety achievements/contributions and how were they accomplished?
- What barriers, if any, were encountered while implementing them?
- How were the improvements in health and safety performance measured?
- In what way was the individual’s approach and contribution innovative in achieving better OHS performance?
- Describe how the individual’s impact on health and safety management and performance was above and beyond their immediate field/area of responsibility.
- What is the potential for the individual’s contribution to have broader application?
- What communication and consultation processes were required/used to implement their achievements/contribution?
See also:
Category 5
Best solution to an identified electrical safety issue
This award recognises excellence in developing and implementing a solution to an identified workplace electrical safety issue. Entries for this award may include a product solution, engineering innovation, a training program, an awareness raising activity or other risk control measure that reduces the risk of electrocution and electrical-related injury.
Assessment criteria
For entry in this category your entry must show the following:
- the workplace electrical safety issue
- the risk management system used to identify the issue
- how effective the solution for the control of the identified hazard has been
- the extent to which the solution was developed in consultation with workplace parties and, if appropriate, outside organisations
- the original and innovative nature of the solution
- the potential for the solution to have broader application across industry (this would be a consideration, not something that has to be achieved)
- the impact the solution has on the overall operations of the company
- the demonstrated improvement in electrical safety in the workplace as a result of the solution (provide claims data and any other electrical safety reporting as evidence)
- how the hierarchy of controls was applied to develop the solution.
See also:
Supporting material can be supplied to assist in demonstrating claims to the above criteria, this could include but is not limited to: claims and incident/injury data and other OHS reporting information.
Please note this category is not included in the national Safe Work Australia Awards.
Last updated 18 August 2008