Air New Zealand takes out top national health and safety award
AUCKLAND, New Zealand, Wednesday 29 May 2019
Air New Zealand has taken overall honours at this year’s New Zealand Workplace Health and Safety Awards.
Sixteen awards were presented at a gala dinner at SKYCITY Convention Centre in Auckland last night, where an audience of
600 celebrated a variety of successful health and safety initiatives and the people behind them.
The awards, which began in 2005, are organised by Safeguard magazine and proudly supported by WorkSafe New Zealand. The
awards are judged by a panel which includes representatives from WorkSafe, NZ Council of Trade Unions, Safeguard, and an
industry health and safety practitioner.
Peter Bateman, convenor of the judging panel and editor of Safeguard, said the way Air New Zealand organised a worldwide
election for health & safety reps provides a model of workplace democracy that other organisations could learn from.
“Health and safety representatives have a critical role to play, yet all too often little attention is paid to how they
are elected.
“In many cases, people are simply appointed rather than elected, which leaves them vulnerable to the accusation that
they are just a tool of management.
“Air New Zealand’s commitment to a full election process, widely publicised and available to staff around the world, is
to be commended because it is highly democratic and enables a worker-centred approach to health and safety.”
The winners were:
The WorkSafe New Zealand/ACC best overall contribution to improving workplace health and safety in New Zealand
Air New Zealand
Kensington Swan best initiative to address a work-related safety risk
Auckland District Health Board
A new electronic system lets staff in the emergency department swiftly report violent incidents, generating good data so
that the effectiveness of interventions can be measured.
WorkSafe New Zealand best initiative to address a work-related health risk
Road Science
Eliminated potentially fatal exposures to hydrogen sulphide at bitumen plants by the addition of scavenger materials –
and improved the quality of bitumen produced.
Vitae best initiative to improve worker health
Vodafone NZ
Created a trained volunteer staff network to be the first point of contact for staff with concerns about bullying,
sexual harassment and domestic violence.
NZ Safety Blackwoods best initiative to encourage worker involvement in health & safety
Air New Zealand
Held a highly transparent online election for health & safety representatives which resulted in high numbers of nominations and voting from staff around the world.
3M best use of New Zealand design/technology
CPB HEB Joint Venture
Complex, highly elevated crane lifts next to live power lines in Transmission Gully were able to be carried out due to
3D imaging software giving crane operators good oversight, even at night.
Site Safe best health and safety initiative by a business of no more than 50 staff
Rabo Construct
Identified mental health as an issue for its staff and for the sector, so used the Five Ways to Wellbeing to create
monthly activities, lifting productivity and reducing absenteeism.
Impac best collaboration between PCBUs
North Canterbury Transport Infrastructure Recovery Alliance
Created a safety system from the different approaches of the Alliance partners and others, with a particular focus on
mental wellbeing and fatigue, given that post-Kaikoura quake workers faced long hours in isolated sites and extended
periods away from home.
Simpson Grierson best board level engagement in health & safety
Department of Corrections
Members of the executive team undertake a comprehensive and extended immersion in health and safety risks faced by their
staff and by prisoners, including multiple site visits.
ACC best leadership of an industry sector or region
Government Health and Safety Lead
This initiative has created multiple successful projects to lift the public sector’s focus on health & safety and has used collaboration and innovation to build partnerships beyond it.
NZISM health and safety practitioner of the year
Bridget Smaill, Bank of New Zealand
Identified mental health as a critical risk and arranged training for 200 people leaders, and integrated health & safety into the response to traumatic events like robberies.
edenfx HSE Recruitment health & safety representative of the year
Brent Armitage, Air New Zealand
Reorganised the safety committee to focus on fixing issues, is part of a working group to develop a peer assistance
network, and led the board on a tour of the ramp area.
Business Leaders’ Health & Safety Forum leader of the year
Michelle Henderson, PowerNet
Her ‘coaching by kilometre’ initiative has engaged supervisors and team leaders in field trips and intensive practical
coaching with staff and work-as-done, helping spread good ideas.
Countdown Lifetime Achievement Award
Dr Hillary Bennett
Recognised for her work in safety culture assessment and growth, and for her work in measuring and changing how chief
executives and other leaders think about health and safety.
Fonterra judges’ commendation awards went to:
Lion New Zealand
For working with Lifeline to develop resources for and to successfully trial the Zero Suicide Workplace programme.
Herwin Bongers
As a member of the New Zealand Airline Pilots’ Association, for his work in developing the Aviation Peer Assistance
Network to support the mental health of people in the aviation sector.
ENDS