Defence

Defence Personnel Executive

Striving for safety recognised

By Mari Barron

The initiative and hard work of Defence people and organisations who strive to improve Defence's occupational health and safety performance and practices has been recognised through the 2005 Defence Safety Awards, presented in Canberra on 13 May 2005.

Chief of the Defence Force (CDF), General Peter Cosgrove, who presented the awards, described them as "a corporate initiative, supported by Senior Defence Leaders, who recognise the outstanding performance by areas within Defence in creating safer working environments".

"Defence's ability to effectively manage all aspects of OH&S has a direct and profound impact on our capability. That capability is what we depend upon to carry out our mission in defending Australia and its national interests," he said.

"We aim to eliminate preventable injuries and work-related illness through the systematic management of our risks, measurable improvement of our occupational health and safety performance and appropriate resourcing. Therefore, within Defence, we recognise OH&S management as a command and leadership responsibility.

"In recent years, my colleagues and I in the Defence Senior Leadership Group have been committed to charting a new course for OH&S management in Defence. This course aims to take OH&S beyond legislative compliance to the point where OH&S is recognised by our people as being integral and important to the ability of Defence to deliver strong and effective military capability.

"The Defence Safety Awards are an important facet of this new standard of OH&S compliance," General Cosgrove said. "They recognise the efforts that are being made to progress OH&S initiatives in the workplace and reward those areas that have demonstrated significant improvement in their OH&S performance".

Sponsored by the Defence Occupational Health and Safety Committee, the Defence Safety Awards also align with the Safety Rehabilitation and Compensation Commission (SRCC) Awards, which are open to all Australian Government departments and agencies.

This year, thirteen nominations were received for consideration for Defence Safety Awards in the categories of:

• Workplace Safety Innovative Solutions;
• Injury Prevention and Management; and
• Rehabilitation and Return to Work.

The Defence Science and Technology Organisation's (DSTO) Task Safety Risk Management Program took out the Workplace Safety Innovative Solutions category of the DSAs. In implementing the program, DSTO has ensured that all research managers have the requisite skills and competencies to manage potentially hazardous activities through effective control plans.

In accepting the award, DSTO's National OH&S Manager, Mr George Cavanagh, acknowledged the significance of leadership in achieving improvements in OH&S performance.

"The continued leadership and support of the Defence Science and Technology Organisation executive has been essential for DSTO to continually improve their health and safety. We are fortunate to have such a high level of commitment and resources to ensuring our staff are safe and healthy."

Colonel Steve Rudzki accepts the award, on behalf of the Defence Health Services in the Leadership in Injury Prevention and Management category, from GEN Cosgrove. The pair are flanked by Vice Admiral Russ Shalders and the Secretary of Defence, Ric Smith. Photo: DPS-AV Phillip Vavasour

In the Leadership in Injury Prevention and Management category, two awards were presented - the first to Defence Health Services for the development of the Defence Injury Prevention Program.

The Defence Injury Prevention Program has been developed primarily to reduce the rates of injury to Australian Defence Force (ADF) personnel and, by design, reflects international best practice. Colonel Steve Rudzki accepted the award on behalf of Defence Health Services.

"In the first months of the program's operation at 3 Brigade in Townsville, we achieved reductions in injury of between 6 to 21 percent. The Defence Injury Prevention Program works and the support of Commanding Officers is critical in implementing the Program across the ADF," he said.

The second award in the Leadership in Injury Prevention and Management category was presented to the Australian Navy Aviation Group for its Safety Management System. The Safety Management System encompasses training in risk management, crew resource management and comprehensive safety education and awareness training. The Australian Navy Force Element Group maintains an independent accident and incident investigation capability and has in place a mature closed-loop reporting system. It aims to have a generative safety culture supported by open and honest safety reporting and an effective hazard tracking system.

Lieutenant Commander Rick Sellers, Chief Petty Officer Craig Johnson and Ian Carroll accepted the award on behalf of Commander Australian Navy Aviation Group.

"The operating environment within the Aviation Group is often challenging and unforgiving. Our personnel are required confront a number of safety challenges in the myriad of tasks they perform as they go about their daily duties," LCDR Sellers said.

As a mark of respect, LCDR Sellers dedicated the award to the nine ADF members who tragically lost their lives in the Sea King Shark 02 on 2 April 2005. "Although my staff and I continue to work tirelessly toward improvements in the safety of all our operations, we would like to dedicate this award to our shipmates and colleagues who tragically lost their lives were injured in that accident."

In the Rehabilitation and Return to Work category, the award went to 1 Health Support Battalion (1HSB) for their Initial Employment Trainees Injury Management Program.

The aim of this program is to restore Initial Employment Trainees within Army to full health - according to stipulated standards - following illness or injury. The program aims to achieve greater than average fitness levels in individual members, thereby surpassing the minimum levels of fitness required by the Army. This in turn is aimed at lowering the risk of reoccurring injuries.

Lieutenant Rowena English and Sergeant Robert Combe accepted the award on behalf of 1HSB. "Today, more than seventy percent of injured Initial Employment Trainees on the 1HSB Injury Management Program have the opportunity to continue their Army career in the same or an alternate employment category. Previously, more than fifty percent of these personnel would have been medically discharged from the Army," LT English said.

In accepting the award, LT English acknowledged both the previous and current Commanding Officers of 1 Health Support Battalion, LTCOL Len Brennan and LTCOL Georgeina Whelan, "for showing great faith in our ability to deliver the end result".

"Rank does not really matter," she said, "rather the courage and the will to stand up and make a difference to the lives of others".

CDF emphasised the importance of the Defence Safety Awards. "I am proud to have had the opportunity to present the Defence Safety Awards," GEN Cosgrove said.

"These awards encourage our people to strive towards preventing occupational illness, disease and injury in the workplace. Today's award recipients have contributed to our goal of driving long-term cultural change by demonstrating commendable progress in improving OH&S performance within Defence."

Director General Occupational Health, Safety and Compensation, Steven Grzeskowiak, closed proceedings by highlighting the importance of the continued support of leaders across Defence.

"Keeping a focus on developing a positive OH&S culture within Defence, through visible strong leadership commitment, is essential if we are to realise our vision for OH&S in Defence to focus on the occupational health and safety of its people, thus preserving them and enhancing capability and readiness. We are looking good so far," he said.

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