Safety champions encouraged to submit nominations for WorkSafe awards

WorkSafe has commenced the nomination process for the 2026 Work Health and Safety Excellence Awards, which celebrate outstanding occupational safety achievements across Western Australia. Entries opened this month and must be lodged before the closing date in May.

Key Dates at a Glance

• Nominations opened: now accepting entries through the WorkSafe WA portal
• Closing date: 29 May 2026
• Winners announced: October 2026, at the Awards ceremony held as part of Safe Work Month

What the awards celebrate

These honours spotlight people and organisations lifting standards — from small businesses formalising safe work practices to major operations rethinking how work is planned, supervised and reviewed.

“All workers and workplaces are encouraged to submit nominations to celebrate the achievements of individuals and companies who are committed to making workplaces healthier and safer,” says WorkSafe.

Who can submit a nomination

Entries are welcomed from employers, safety and health representatives, contractors, industry bodies and individuals. Anyone who has measurably improved the work environment — through better plant guarding, clearer procedures, or leadership that empowers people to stop unsafe work — deserves consideration.

Why nominations matter for safety performance

Submitting a nomination does far more than acknowledge good practice. Preparing an entry forces teams to document how hazards were identified, which controls followed, and what measurable results emerged.

Judges look for evidence of genuine risk reduction: fewer injuries, stronger consultation, and hazards eliminated at the source rather than managed with paperwork alone. Sharing such evidence publicly raises the benchmark for excellence across every industry sector in Western Australia.

Practical tools support the same outcome. A digital Job Safety Analysis (JSA) template helps crews break each task into steps, assess hazards before work begins, and capture controls as conditions change. Purpose-built safety software then keeps that evidence audit-ready.

How to prepare a competitive entry

• Describe the original problem and the level of risk involved
• Quantify outcomes — injury rates, near-miss reporting, downtime avoided
• Explain how consultation with front-line work crews shaped each solution
• Attach supporting documentation, such as an Electrical Safety Policy or completed inspection records
• Show sustainability: what keeps improvements embedded after the project ends?

Part of a national recognition tradition

Similar schemes run nationwide, including the WorkSafe Tasmania recognition program. Our earlier coverage of the 2024 nomination round and upcoming 2027 entries offers useful context for first-time entrants. Businesses across the Tasman can review our New Zealand safety documentation range, and every organisation can build momentum around events like World Day for Safety and Health at Work.

Where to find more information

Full criteria, category descriptions and the entry form are published by the regulator at worksafe.wa.gov.au. Teams intending to nominate should start gathering supporting evidence early, because entries close 29 May.

Celebrating champions through the WorkSafe awards helps proven solutions travel faster, improving how work gets done on sites, wards and shop floors right around the country.