Taranaki Construction Safety Group wins big at 3M Awards!

The 3M Award aims to promote excellence in health and safety, recognising the commitment, innovation and challenge of improving health and safety for the New Zealand workforce.

After submitting an application to the 3M Awards, event organisers Bruce Duggan (BCITO) and Ian Morris (Fletchers Construction) were invited to give a short presentation to delegates attending the annual NZOHNA/NZISM 2010 workplace safety conference held in New Plymouth from 1-3 September. Bruce and Ian were among two other presenters who made it through to the finals. The winners and runners up were announced at the conference dinner later that day. 

Accepting the award, Ian Morris highlighted how much the $3000 prize meant to the Taranaki Construction Safety Group. The group has managed to deliver a range of initiatives over the last couple of years, including seminars, training and the annual Trades Apprentice Challenge, with no budget at all. The prize money will enable the group to expand their activities and become more creative in reaching a wider audience.

"Our group has no money, we rely mostly on people's goodwill and the willingness of their employers to allow their staff time to attend our monthly meetings and support our activities. But the way we operate really brings the community together, whether it be sponsoring pizzas for our seminar sessions or people just giving up their time to help out at one of our events" Ian added.

The Trades Apprentice Safety Challenge is a practical competition held at the Taranaki HSE Centre. Teams of apprentices compete in a range of practical 'challenge' activities that aim to test their safety knowledge, skills and team work. As with all of the group's activities, it relies on the goodwill and support of a number of local organisations and companies including Police, Fire, Sport Taranaki, Department of Labour, ACC, Roadsafe Taranaki, Fletchers Construction, BCITO and Taranaki Master Builders. 

Bruce Duggan acknowledged that the 3M Award reflected the input of many people into the Trades Apprentice Safety Challenge. 

"The Challenge is a real group effort and this award belongs to the whole group" he said.

However, the Trades Apprentice Safety Challenge was not the only Taranaki initiative to make it through to the finalist stage at the 3M Awards. Methanex were awarded third place in recognition of their health and safety initiatives that set out to address human factors in the promotion of a strong workplace safety culture.