The winners of the WA Work Health and Safety Excellence Awards 2023, which recognise outstanding innovations and solutions to specific workplace health and safety issues by individuals, groups or organisations, were announced in October.

The winners are:

• work health and safety invention of the year: Wallis Drilling Pty Ltd for the Aircore automated rod-handling system that eliminates the manual handling of drill rods;
• best solution to a work health and safety risk (199 or less employees): Epigroup for its Alter Ergo service that helps prevent musculoskeletal disorders using 3D modelling and motion sensors to better manage tasks;
• best solution to a work health and safety risk (200 or more employees): City of Canning for the LBin tail lift platform at its waste transfer station that provides a safe work area between a truck and the waste disposal edge;
• best intervention to address a psychosocial hazard in the workplace: Town of Port Hedland for reducing the impact of antisocial behaviour and psychosocial hazards with a suite of initiatives;
• leadership excellence (199 or less employees): Macco Feeds for implementing work health and safety improvements, including the redesign and application of a comprehensive safety management system specific to their business;
• leadership excellence (200 or more employees): Good Sammy Enterprises for safety management initiatives designed specifically for its workplace and staff requirements; and
• health and safety representative of the year: Rob Curtis of St John Western Australia for effectively advocating for the health and safety of his fellow workers, including championing numerous safety initiatives applied across St John.

Acting WorkSafe WA Commissioner Sally North said, “My sincere congratulations to all the award winners on your commitment to the health and safety of all Western Australian workers.”

The winners were selected among 25 finalists from 65 nominations for the awards.

“This year’s finalists have been of a very high standard to which all workplaces can aspire, and I encourage anyone who has an interest in workplace health and safety to begin considering a nomination for next year’s awards,” Ms North said.