IFAP (Industrial Foundation for Accident Prevention) and SKILLED Group, have taken their passion for safety to the next level by joining forces to help organisations achieve recognition, who have developed an innovative safety initiative.

The SKILLED Safety Innovation Award is open to all Western Australian organisations and recognises those who have demonstrated a strong commitment to safety through the establishment and practice of leading safety solutions within their workplace. Judged by a panel of safety experts, this award programme encourages organisations to submit a written case study in regards to how their original innovation has contributed towards minimising the number of safety incidents and/or improving the safety culture within their workplace. Now in its fifth year, the award has been an excellent launching pad for original and creative safety ideas in order to achieve the recognition they deserve among industry peers.

The 2013 SKILLED Safety Innovation Award winner, Templug International Pty Ltd, stood out from the rest with their ‘Templug Drain, Waste and Vent Pipe Safety Plug.’ Having identified the existing problem of broken and blocked drainage and waste and vent pipes (DVW) that were caused since the pipes were first incorporated into concrete slabs, Templug International invested five years of development and testing to bring out their patented safety plug to much success. Exposed or protruding DVW pipes are a significant trip hazard for workers and are often kicked, hammered or sawn off to reduce the problem causing structural damage internally as well as a further opportunity for workers to injure themselves if left in an unsafe state.      

Templug’s solution was to develop a plug that is fitted to the DMV immediately after the concrete slab dries and prior to other work commencing. With the product having been tested throughout  Australia  by various construction companies, Templug has significantly reduced the number of workplace accidents relating to this hazard and the safety plug has been picked up for distribution  by three major industry retailers.

The 2014 SKILLED Safety Innovation Award is now open for submissions. For more information please visit the IFAP website at www.ifap.asn.au .