WEL Networks scoops Electricity Engineer's Association Workplace Safety Award for 2024

WEL Networks has won the Electricity Engineers’ Association (EEA) Workplace Safety Award for 2024 for its industry-leading ‘LV Works Management Programme’.

The Waikato-based Electricity Distribution Business (EDB) was one of several award category entrants. The accolade recognises excellence in health and safety and initiatives to promote safety excellence within the wider electricity supply industry.

“The Programme has been developed to improve the safety of work on the low voltage (LV) network, WEL’s Trade Competency and Development Manager Mark Keller says.

“WEL is thrilled to win this award. Our interest lies in improving health and safety of workers across the industry and ensuring that they get home safely to their family, every day. We are actively sharing the procedures we have developed with the industry.”

Collaboration has been key behind the success of the Programme with front-line workers involved all the way through, highlighting a “field-up, rather than office-out” strategy that supports “good work”.

“We’ve purchased safety equipment, developed pictorial guidelines, placed equipment into the field for trials and asked for feedback. We devised a strategic plan and adopted an iterative process for implementation using an ‘agile’ methodology. We sought assistance from training partners to approach the instructional design elements of the procedures and for advice on how we could best train our people.

"We spent time in the field to understand and observe current practice; a list of tasks that necessitate specific procedures were provided by field staff and we stress-tested the process during a one-day workshop. This involved field staff, planners, system control and health and safety staff.

“To enable diverse learning styles, podcasts featuring front-line workers talking their colleagues through the process have been produced, which has also contributed to a significant increase in staff engagement,” Mark says.

Mark accepted the award on behalf of WEL Networks alongside Trade Coach Marcus Fletcher, 2IC Line Mechanic Juta Seniuanilau and Team Leader Line Mechanic Steven Lawson, who have been heavily involved in the Programme.

WEL Networks would like to thank the awards panel and the EEA for the opportunity to enter into this award.