By CASEY NEILL
A NARRE Warren nursery is leading the state for workplace safety.
Warners Nurseries received the Commitment to Workplace Health and Wellbeing title at the WorkSafe Awards on Wednesday 28 October.
About 30 people work across two sites totalling nearly 20 hectares, growing trees and shrubs for the horticultural industry.
WorkSafe said Warners had created a positive and safe work and social environment for staff.
Darren Warner said initiatives included invited physiotherapists to speak about manual handling safety, offering health checks, providing flu vaccines and employing a massage therapist.
“During lunchtimes we’ve just developed things to do with the staff,” he said.
“We used to play beach volleyball here on-site. We used to play games of cricket on the site. It’s just sort of developed over the years.
“At the moment the guys play ping pong in the shed.”
Mr Warner said the nursery entered a team in the 100 kilometre Oxfam Trailwalker event each year, and had competed in team triathlons.
“It’s all come about through the workers themselves without a lot of direction from management,” he said.
He said there had been manual handling incidents over the years.
“We’re not perfect and no-one is, but if you’re on the front foot it just makes everything easier down the track,” he said.
Mr Warner said the award win was thanks to colleague Barbara Harding.
“She does most of our nuts and bolts with OHS,” he said.
“She’s done a really good job.”
WorkSafe chief executive Clare Amies thanked the winners and the finalists for their commitment to workplace health and safety.
“All our finalists have shown great dedication to improving workplace health and safety and their achievements are truly inspiring,” she said.
“It is the unflagging efforts of organisations and people such as these that are helping Victorian workplaces become even safer.”
