What WorkCover NSW said:

Eraring Energy is a state owned corporation that manages a diverse set of electricity-generating assets located throughout New South Wales, Australia. Eraring Energy’s portfolio comprises a number of generators including thermal power station, New South Wales' first wind farm, hydro sites, and pumped storage schemes.

Eraring’s Safety Leadership Initiatives:

Eraring Energy has identified that safety leadership and its goal of injury and illness free workplace could only be achieved through the engagement and involvement of their people at all levels of the OHS process.

The involvement of all levels of staff in a range of initiatives, committees, planning days, working parties, and workplace change and improvement is a key driver of the organisations culture and commitment to the value that they place in their employees. The establishment of the ‘Three Pillars’ of safety approach ‘People, Plant and Systems' allows Eraring Energy to identify risks in all these areas and manage them effectively. The overall aim of their safety approach is to create and maintain a 'Mindful Organisation' where positive OHS leadership leads to the elimination of workplace injury and illness.

Judge’s Comments : “Eraring Energy's leadership and involvement in injury prevention and management has clearly been expanded beyond the bounds of the organisation and delivers an exceptional OH&S package”.

What SafetyWorks said:

Congratulations Eraring for this exceptional achievement. As an organisation, your constancy of purpose to strive towards excellence and improve the health and safety of your entire workforce, both at work and at home, demonstrates outstanding Safety Leadership. Your award for Safety Leadership is very well deserved and very much represents the effort you have all put into the wellbeing of all people at Eraring.

WINNER - Category 5 Best Individual Contribution to Workplace Health and Safety is Paul Waters

What WorkCover NSW said:

Paul Waters - Eraring Energy Initiative

Paul Waters is a Power Worker at Eraring Power Station with 27 years power industry experience. His Power Worker duties have involved assisting Instrumentation and Control System Technicians carry out the installation, repair and calibration of power station instrumentation. Recently Paul has taken up a new role of administering a number of contractor groups at Eraring Power Station including cleaners, plumbers, fencers, and mowing and slashing groups. Paul is very passionate about the health and safety of his workmates and also about the health and fitness of the local community and for disabled people. His dedication and commitment takes him well beyond the call of his normal duties in initiating and following through many health and safety projects.

The program involves over 250 trained volunteer participants carrying out peer observations and analysing safe and at-risk behaviours in the workplace. Paul has led by example in initiating observations between different work groups, he has volunteered to demonstrate observations in Safety Leadership Training Courses, and he has developed a Team Coach Plan where volunteers from each team assist team mates in improving the quality of, and participation in, their team’s observations

Judge’s Comments: “Paul has demonstrated a long-term, enthusiastic approach to promoting health and safety in the workplace.  Employee participant levels and reducing health problems statistics, indicates Paul's hard work is paying dividends.  Additionally Paul's work within the local community is inspiring”.

What SafetyWorks said:

Paul has been an amazing force behind the Bsafe Program at Eraring. He was the 2007 winner of the SafetyWorks “Alex Jankiewicz Passion for Making a Difference Award” for the work he has done with regard to influencing the safety of his peers at Eraring.

Some examples of his behaviours which led to these awards include:

• Preparing for and chairing B Safe Meetings on rostered days off
• Attending B Safe meetings when he has been on Annual Leave to help run local school sports camps
• Arranging guest speakers to present to B Safe meetings (eg Kahi Puru - Sydney 2000 Paralympic Games Power Lifter)
• Encouraging Eraring observers to observe workers in other teams - new eyes on new jobs.
• Demonstrating observations for Precision Leadership attendees at 3 training courses.
• Developing a team coach plan where each team is encouraged to provide a B Safe coach to assist the team leader in safety related activities and problem solving.
• Key mover and shaker in establishing the Eraring Power Station on-site gym which enjoys high participation rates and which Paul manages.
• Unanimously voted Deputy Chair of Eraring Power Station OHS Committee.
• Head Coach of the NSW Disabled Power Lifting Association
• NSW Head Coach of the NSW Wheelchair Sports Association
• Has officiated at the Far East and South Pacific Games for the Disabled
• Has won 15 Australian Championships in power lifting.
• Has played 1st Grade Soccer for the Christian Churches Soccer Association in Newcastle.

Congratulations Paul. It is wonderful to see you being recognised for the outstanding contribution you continue to make to safety. Your hard work and discretionary effort towards the safety of your peers is exceptional and it is right that you should be honoured by NSW WorkCover in this way.

Well done.

About the Safe Work Awards

Established in 2004, the WorkCover NSW Safe Work Awards was designed to promote and recognise high standards of occupational health and safety in workplaces around New South Wales.

These Awards seek to recognise those organisations and individuals who go the extra mile and lead the way towards safer workplaces. In addition, the Awards create an opportunity to share innovations and improvements with others – an important way we can help improve health and safety in all NSW workplaces. In 2007, one hundred & eleven entries were received from across a wide range of industries. Although quite different, all these entries had one thing in common: the aim of reducing risk and harm to workers in their workplaces. For 2008, there are five Award categories. These categories are:

• Best workplace health and safety management system
• Best solution to an identified workplace health and safety issue
• Best workplace health and safety practices in a small business
• Public sector leadership award for injury prevention and management
• Best individual contribution to workplace health and safety

Winners in each category are automatically entered in the National Safe Work Australia Awards. The judging panel for the Awards included senior representatives from WorkCover NSW, trade unions, employer groups and specialist OHS advisory bodies.

Reference:About-the-Awards