Victorian WHS Champions Celebrated for Safety and Return to Work Leadership

Eight outstanding individuals and organisations have been recognised across seven categories for their contribution to improving workplace health and safety and for their exceptional efforts in supporting injured workers to return to safe and sustainable work.

The Return to Work Achievement Award was shared by two recipients: St Mary’s Primary School Business Manager, Maree McLean, and Yarrawonga Riverlands Tourist Park Manager, Dennis Gabriel.

St Mary’s Primary School Principal, Kate Quin, said Maree’s recovery from a psychological injury was driven by her determination and willingness to follow clinical advice. Ms Quin noted that Maree embraced every recommendation from health professionals to achieve a sustainable return to work, and she continues to make a significant contribution to the school community.

Dennis’s story involved a serious fall through a laserlite roof, resulting in multiple traumatic physical injuries and a life-threatening situation. With strong employer support – including his employer travelling from Brisbane to attend key meetings – Dennis returned to work just six weeks after the incident, regaining structure, identity and purpose in his daily life.

The Occupational Health and Safety Leadership and Achievement Award went to civil construction company Seymour Whyte Constructions for the second year running, this time for its innovative safety approach on the Healesville–Koo Wee Rup Road upgrade. With 2,100 machines on site and 600,000 tonnes of material moved, Seymour Whyte challenged traditional methods for high-risk work and implemented bespoke controls to better manage critical risks.

Senior Project Engineer Matthew Owen said the scale and complexity of the project demanded new thinking. The team refused to assume that past methods were sufficient, instead developing tailored solutions supported by robust WHS management systems and Safe Work Method Statements (SWMS) to address the project’s unique challenges. Further examples of industry SWMS resources can be found at this SWMS library.

Natural Growth Partners received the Workplace Health and Safety Solution of the Year Award for its Tree Coach system, a tree-planting innovation designed to reduce hazardous manual handling and repetitive strain injuries. Tree Coach eliminates the need for stake ramming and heavy lifting during installation. Once placed in the ground with the tree and backfilled, compacted soil secures the device and the tree is tied to integrated stakes for stable support.

Manor Lakes Community Learning Centre (MLCLC) was recognised with the Excellence in Preventing and Managing Psychosocial Risk Award. Facing an increase in young people presenting with aggressive and harmful behaviours, MLCLC undertook extensive consultation to understand psychosocial hazards affecting its workforce. The centre then developed a suite of proactive measures and tools, shifting its approach from reactive incident management to a strategic, prevention-focused model underpinned by clear policies and procedures.

Warakirri Cropping was commended for its Farm Safety Solution, which tackles psychosocial risks for remote and isolated agricultural workers. Through detailed data analysis and genuine consultation, Warakirri built trust with its workforce and implemented a tailored on-site psychology service. This proactive intervention aims to reduce psychological harm and improve early support for workers in geographically isolated roles.

The Royal Melbourne Hospital (RMH) received the Leading Return to Work Practice Award for a significant overhaul of its return to work processes. RMH restructured its Injury Management Team to reflect a partnership model between injured workers and managers, fostering early communication, shared decision-making and a more supportive, coordinated return to work pathway.

After 35 years at St Mary’s Primary School in Swan Hill, Maree McLean experienced a mental injury that initially left her unable to get out of bed. With professional psychological support, employer backing and her own resilience, she returned to full-time work after 12 months. Maree has been open about her experience, saying there should be no stigma around mental injury and that it is acceptable to acknowledge when you are not okay.

Dennis Gabriel’s recovery journey followed a catastrophic fall through a laserlite roof that almost cost him his life. He credits a collective effort from his employer, family and treating medical team for his successful and rapid return to work. For Dennis, being back at work was about more than employment; it restored a sense of normality, routine and meaning.

Manny Mason of the City of Ballarat was named Health and Safety Representative of the Year. Manny has consistently gone above and beyond to support and advocate for his colleagues, demonstrating a strong understanding of legal obligations under work health and safety legislation. In a recent case, he combined empathy with assertive advocacy to protect a vulnerable worker following a traumatic incident, ensuring they were supported and that the employer met its duty of care. His actions have set a benchmark for how complex safety and return to work matters should be handled.

WorkSafe Chief Executive Officer Cathy Henderson commended all finalists for their innovative and proactive approaches to workplace health and safety. She highlighted the high standard of entries and acknowledged the resilience of workers who have successfully returned to work following injury, as well as those who are driving safer systems of work across Victoria.

Ms Henderson said these stories demonstrate the power of strong WHS management systems, clear policies and early intervention to prevent harm and support recovery. Employers seeking to strengthen their frameworks can draw on structured WHS management systems and policy templates such as those available at this management systems resource.

Tracey Browne from the Australian Industry Group (Ai Group) was also honoured for her Outstanding Leadership and Contribution to Health and Safety. With extensive experience in manufacturing and senior roles in human resources, work health and safety and workers’ compensation management, Tracey has spent more than two decades providing expert guidance on OHS and workers’ compensation in Victoria and nationally. Often described as a ‘safety legend’, she has supported thousands of businesses across sectors including manufacturing, construction, technology and engineering, and will be greatly missed when she retires in July.

Collectively, the award recipients and finalists highlight the importance of embedding safety into everyday operations through effective WHS management systems, SWMS, and evidence-based policies and procedures. Their achievements demonstrate that with strong leadership, consultation and innovation, Victorian workplaces can significantly reduce harm and support better return to work outcomes.