Health & Safety Excellence Awards

The Fono has initiated an innovative Health & Safety Excellence Awards program aimed at transforming workplace safety culture across all its facilities. This initiative comes as healthcare organisations nationwide face increasing pressure to improve safety protocols in the post-pandemic environment. 

The comprehensive program features monthly individual awards spotlighting exceptional safety contributions from staff who identify potential hazards before incidents occur. The program also includes bi-annual team awards focusing on areas such as improved vehicle safety checks and creative safety enhancement initiatives. 

A rigorous evaluation process is in place where the Health & Safety Committee personally reviews all nominations to ensure only meaningful, high-impact contributions receive recognition. 

This approach represents a significant shift from traditional compliance-focused safety programs toward a more proactive model. The initiative aligns with recommendations from WorkSafe New Zealand's latest guidelines emphasising the effectiveness of employee-driven safety improvements.