5 April 2007
The Department of Corrections is the sole Government Department to have made the finalists' list in the 2007 Wellington Region Gold Awards - annual business awards for enterprise and excellence.
Corrections Health and Safety National Manager Tarniya Comrie received confirmation of the Department’s success at a function hosted by Wellington law firm Bell Gully on Tuesday night.
Corrections was announced a finalist in the ACC ThinkSafe Workplace Safety Awards category - one of 11 categories up for grabs this year.
The winners will be announced at a gala dinner in the TSB Arena, Queen’s Wharf on Wednesday, May 9.
Tarniya said the Department’s Health and Safety Committee members were delighted to see their efforts receive recognition. The fact it was the first time they’d entered the awards made it all the more significant.
"We’ve been nominated for our work in establishing Wellness initiatives - a programme designed to encourage staff to take ownership of their health," Tarniya said.
"Corrections has been a member of the ACC Partnership Programme for six years with a strong focus on continuous improvement."
"During that time the Health and Safety Committee has launched a number of initiatives including educational brochures on What is Wellness?, Pandemic Planning and Emergency Notifications."
Tarniya said introducing the term Wellness into the Department’s Health and Safety plan was a deliberate action. It can be found in the Department’s Vision Statement and Tarniya wants to see it firmly imbedded in the Health and Safety culture.
There is certainly a lot of work being done to help ensure this happens. A good example being, last year’s National Office-led Health and Wellbeing Expo with free services available to all Corrections employees in the Wellington area. More than 400 employees took the opportunity to attend the Expo.
On offer was information, testing and services on vision testing, massages, Employee Assistance Programme Services, Cancer Society information, smoking cessation, Southern Cross healthy options, Weight Watchers, vibration fitness, cholesterol testing, diabetes testing and Blood Bank educators.
Other Corrections’ Wellness initiatives include walking groups, healthy eating programmes and safe driving information.
"Our Health and Safety focus is very much on self responsibility - employees taking care of their Wellness to help reduce injuries and illness at work and at home," Tarniya said. "I believe our nomination in the Gold Awards proves we’re on the right track."
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