KEEP NAVY SAFE: WOB Charles Jones, above, with his CMDR Dave Allen award for safety excellence

The inaugural Navy Safety Awards, presented by the Chief of Navy VADM Russ Shalders in Canberra on November 8, have produced a worthy list of winners and highly commended from right across the RAN’s broad spectrum.

The awards provide a means of recognising and rewarding Navy personnel and units (ships or establishments) for the work they do that contributes to improving safety in the Navy.

The CMDR Dave Allen award for safety excellence was taken out by WOB Charles Jones, who has served with distinction as HMAS Westralia’s Bosun and Safety Officer since January 2004.

The Navy Safety Awards judging panel was most impressed with his application of hazard risk assessment and risk treatment techniques.
“It’s great,” said WOB Jones. “At the end of the day it is recognition for the hard work you put in and recognition for the whole ship.”

The award, which included $1000, was presented by Ms Karen Allen, the widow of the late CMDR Dave Allen, who served as Director Navy Safety Systems from 2001-2003.
Eight other entrants were highly commended in this category including SBLT Warren Bechly, ABMT Kane Bird, LEUT Lance Davis, SBLT Michael O’Keefe, LCDR Andrew Quinn, CMDR Andrew Rourke, CPOMT John Scarfe and LSBM Belinda Wyard.

the winners L to R, PO Nick Knight for Port Services Sydney, LEUT John Sciortino for FIMA Perth, Ms Karen Allen, Ms Sandy Johnson, VADM Shalders and WO Jones. Photo: Steve Dent

CN’s awards for safety excellence were divided into three categories with awards presented in two of the three. FIMA Perth took out “best implementation of workplace safety management” in recognition of the systematic manner in which it addressed safety issues and developed an organisation and culture that was both “effective and sustainable”.

From eight nominations in this category, HMAS Waterhen and HMAS Stuart were also both highly commended.
Port Services Sydney took out the “best positive culture of safety training program” category, in recognition of the organisation’s ability to address incidents and shortcomings with the operation of cranes.

Speaking at the awards ceremony, VADM Shalders said he was “fully committed” to KEEP NAVY SAFE.
“It has to underpin everything we do,” VADM Shalders said. “Preservation of safety in the workplace is absolutely fundamental.”.