Harbour Bridge firm judged safest

Workers who brave the dizzy heights of Auckland Harbour Bridge to strengthen box girder extensions are in safe hands - their employer Total Bridge Services was last night named the safest workplace in New Zealand.

The organisation took home the award at the Safeguard New Zealand Health and Safety Awards last night.

Total Bridge Services impressed the judges with its approach to protecting the health of 150 workers on a project to strengthen girder extensions on Auckland Harbour Bridge.

The project exposed the workers to a range of health hazards including high temperatures, harmful fumes, loud noises and manual handling of tonnes of steel.

The company minimised the risk of injury to its staff through a range of practical measures including installing portable ventilation and fume extraction systems, changing paint removal methods to minimise lead absorption, and installing two electric trains to deliver steel through the girders.

ACC and the Department of Labour jointly sponsored the supreme award for the best overall contribution to improving workplace health and safety in New Zealand.

The awards, now in their sixth year, are organised by Safeguard magazine and supported by the Department of Labour.

They are judged by an independent panel representing ACC, the Department of Labour, NZ Council of Trade Unions and an industry health and safety practitioner.

- NZPA