NZ Workplace Health & Safety Awards: finalists announced

AUCKLAND, New Zealand, 15 April 2019

The finalists in the New Zealand Workplace Health and Safety Awards for 2019 have been decided. The winners in each of the categories, and an overall winner, will be announced at a gala dinner at SKYCITY Convention Centre in Auckland on 28 May.

A lifetime achievement award will be presented to Dr Hillary Bennett for her pioneering work in health & safety leadership and in the forestry sector.

The awards are organised by Thomson Reuters, publisher of Safeguard magazine, and proudly supported by WorkSafe New Zealand. The awards dinner coincides with the annual Safeguard National Health and Safety Conference.

Since their inception in 2005 the awards have become established as an annual highlight for everyone involved in the prevention of work injury and ill-health.

Safeguard editor Peter Bateman says the more than 150 entries received this year illustrated the wide variety of approaches being taken to prevent injury and illness and to promote wellbeing. The entries also celebrated individuals who are going above and beyond to make these initiatives happen.

“Health and safety is all about people, so it is always a pleasure each year to read the award entries and learn about some of the people who work behind the scenes to protect their fellow workers. They do tremendous work and these awards are all about acknowledging and celebrating that.”

The category finalists, in alphabetic order within category, are:

Kensington Swan best initiative to address a work-related safety risk

• Auckland District Health Board

• Fulton Hogan

• Mr Apple New Zealand

WorkSafe New Zealand best initiative to address a work-related health risk

• Constellation Brands

• George Weston Foods

• Road Science

Vitae best initiative to promote better worker health

• Aviation Peer Assistance Network

• Christchurch International Airport

• Vodafone NZ

NZ Safety Blackwoods best initiative to encourage worker involvement in health & safety

• Air New Zealand

• Hancock Forest Management NZ

• Spencer Henshaw

3M best use of innovative New Zealand design or technology to eliminate or manage a risk

• CPB HEB Joint Venture

• Genesis

• PowerNet

Site Safe best health and safety initiative by a business of no more than 50 staff

• Peryer Construction

• Rabo Construct

• Recreation Aotearoa

IMPAC best collaboration between PCBUs

• Christchurch International Airport

• North Canterbury Transport Infrastructure Recovery Alliance

Simpson Grierson best board level engagement in health & safety

• Christchurch International Airport

• Department of Corrections

• Spark NZ

ACC best leadership of an industry sector or region

• Farmstrong

• Forest Industry Safety Council/Leading Safety/Tuakiri/Forestsafe

• Government Health & Safety Lead

NZISM health & safety practitioner of the year

• Bridget Smaill, Bank of New Zealand

• Malika Rose, AJ Hackett Bungy NZ

• Sue Mills, George Weston Foods

edenfx health & safety rep of the year

• Brent Armitage, Air New Zealand

• Frans de Groot, Department of Corrections

• Mel Brown, AsureQuality

Business Leaders’ Health & Safety Forum leader of the year

• James Fletcher, Treescape

• Jono Brent, Connetics

• Michelle Henderson, PowerNet

Fonterra Special Commendation Award

Two special commendation awards will be announced at the gala dinner.

The WorkSafe New Zealand/ACC best overall contribution to improving workplace health and safety in New Zealand

This award will be made to one of the winners of the organisational categories

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