Back again in its fifth year, The Hunter Safety Awards are opening their submissions to local businesses who have integrated work, health and safety as part of their core business.
Organisations and individuals can apply for more than one category, with thirteen in total up for grabs.
For next years’ event, there will also be the addition of a ‘Best Health and Wellbeing’ category for both large organisations and small-to-medium enterprises (SME), after the success of introducing an overarching wellbeing award in 2019.
Sarah-Jane Dunford, the Founder and driving force behind the Hunter Safety Awards, said that the focus for the awards is about ensuring health and safety remain a priority in the workplace.
“The Hunter Safety Awards are a great opportunity to really highlight local health and safety practices,” she said.
“Health and safety are such an important part of the workplace. This award ceremony shines a light on the value of this in the workplace and the efforts of those who are making consistent efforts to improve their workplace, health and safety (WHS).”
“We were pleased with the large number of submissions for the new health and wellbeing award this year, so we wanted to provide the opportunity for SME and large businesses to be judged separately.”
Each submission goes through a series of eligibility reviews before being provided to a judging panel, who then review each submission based on a points-based matrix.
In its fifth year the thirteen main award categories will be as listed below;
- WHS Business of the Year (not open for submissions, awarded by judges) – sponsored by AGL
- WHS Champion of the Year – sponsored by University of Newcastle
- Young WHS Leader of the Year – sponsored by uvex
- Most Innovative WHS Idea (Large organisation) – sponsored by WesTrac
- Most Innovative WHS Idea (SME) – sponsored by 3M
- Best WHS Management System (Large organisation) – sponsored by Red Insight
- Best WHS Management System (SME) – sponsored by MRS Services Group
- Best WHS Improvement (Large organisation) – sponsored by Sonic HealthPlus
- Best WHS Improvement (SME) – sponsored by AmpControl
- Best Health & Wellbeing Program (Large Organisation)
- Best Health & Wellbeing Program (SME)
- WHS Student of the Year – sponsored by AGL
- Best WHS Training Course
From there, the finalists and winners will be determined and crowned at the annual awards ceremony, which is to be held at NEX Convention Centre on Friday 20 March 2020.
“We look forward to looking through these submissions again this year and awarding those who are making amazing WHS contributions in our local community,” said Sarah-Jane.
“All the best of luck with writing up and entering your submissions for 2020. We can’t wait to celebrate these victories with you at the Hunter Safety Awards next year.”
Submissions are now open for the 2020 awards. Click here to view the criteria.
Applications for all submissions will close 5 November, 2019.
IMAGE | 2019 WHS Business of the Year winners, Tomago Aluminium, at the Hunter Safety Awards
