The SafeWork SA HSR of the Year Award is designed to celebrate the proactive efforts of HSRs who demonstrate exceptional commitment to improving workplace safety.

Presented at the SafeWork SA HSR Forum in October 2026, the award aims to recognise HSRs who have made significant contributions through advocacy, engagement and proactive safety initiatives.

Who is eligible?

The award is open to all currently elected HSRs in South Australia, in any industry. Previous winners are not eligible to be nominated.

What are the Criteria?

Nominations must be submitted by a third party (e.g. employer, colleague, union).

• Entrants will be assessed by the judging panel on the following criteria:
  Commitment: To what extent does the HSR demonstrate commitment to workplace health and safety and representation?
• Representation: To what extent does the HSR foster representation and communication in the workplace?
  *Role: To what extent does the HSR use their role and powers under the WHS Act to raise and resolve health and safety issues?
• Achievements: What challenges or opportunities, if any, have been encountered, and how have they contributed to making the achievement particularly significant?

Supporting materials can be included in responses to the above criteria. Examples may include testimonials from colleagues, unions or management, risk assessments or case studies.
In determining the Health and Safety Representative of the year, the panel will consider how applicants have fulfilled their functions under the Work Health and Safety Act 2012 SA. For more information about the functions of a HSR, please refer to the Safework SA website - https://safework.sa.gov.au/workers/heath-and-safety-representatives/health-and-safety-representatives

Terms and Conditions of Entry

The following conditions of entry apply to all nominations for South Australia’s HSR of the Year Award.

How to enter

1. Entries are open at 9:00am (ACST) on 24 June 2026 and close at 11:59pm (ACST) on 23 August 2026 (Competition Period). Late submissions will not be accepted.

2. An entry form must be completed for each entry. Entries should include any attachments that support the entrant’s nomination. If you are unable to complete your entry online, please contact the HSR Advisor at HSR.safework@sa.gov.au.

3. By submitting an entry, each entrant warrants that all information in its entry is true, accurate and complete. Entrants may be requested to provide further evidence to substantiate their entries and, if so requested, such evidence must be provided within the stipulated timeframe.

4. By submitting or accepting a nomination, the nominator and nominee are deemed to have agreed to be bound by these Terms and Conditions and all other rules of the Awards.

5. Once your entry is officially submitted it cannot be amended online. Please contact the HSR Advisor at HSR.safework@sa.gov.au if you require amendments.

Eligibility requirements

6. Nominations for the HSR of the Year Award is open to HSRs currently validly elected in businesses operating within South Australia. However, SafeWork SA reserves the right to either allow or disallow any entrant for any reason at its complete discretion.

7. SafeWork SA reserves the right to decline to accept or to disqualify an entry at its absolute discretion, including, but not limited to, situations in which the entrant or a related person or organisation has breached or is under investigation for possible breaches of WHS laws (whether or not a prosecution is pending), or where the acceptance of the entry may otherwise be detrimental to the objectives of the HSR of the Year Award.

8. Winners of previous HSR of the Year Award are ineligible to enter this year’s awards with the same initiative/solution/contribution.

9. Multiple nominations may be submitted by each person, however HSRs may not nominate themselves.

Judging

10. Judges cannot nominate an employee from their business or organisation.

11. Judges are required to complete a conflict-of-interest declaration if an entrant is employed by their own business or organisation.

12. Entries will only be accepted through the HSR of the Year Award entry form. All sections of the form must be completed (including tick-boxes).

13. SafeWork SA reserves the right to reject incomplete entry forms.

14. SafeWork SA reserves the right to reject entries that are inflammatory, use inappropriate language and/or are not in the spirit of the Award.

15. Judges will have complete discretion in assessing entries, applying the judging criteria, conditions of entry and determining the winner of the Award.

16. Nominees may be invited to appear before the judging panel for interview.

17. The results are final, and the judges will not provide reasons for its decision.

18. Winning an award does not signify endorsement of a particular health and safety practice by SafeWork SA.

19. The assessment, conduct and results of the awards will not create any legal obligation between entrants and SafeWork SA or the Crown in right of South Australia.

General

20. SafeWork SA will administer the HSR of the Year Award in South Australia.

21. SafeWork SA will not accept any responsibility or liability for any lost or damaged entries.

22. Entries and supporting material will not be returned to entrants.

23. Subject to receipt of prior written notification, all entrants authorise SafeWork SA to use the information contained in entries for any purposes they see fit including, but not necessarily limited to, promotional purposes.

24. Subject to proper acknowledgement being given to the relevant entrant, all entrants authorise SafeWork SA to publish details of their entry, including (but not limited to) names and photos. SafeWork SA will not use the personal information of entrants for any other purpose without prior consent of the entrant, or unless authorised or required to do so by law.

25. Entrants acknowledge that they may be required for presentations and media interviews in respect of their entry and agree to take all reasonable steps to make themselves available for and actively participate in such presentations or media interviews.

26. Entrants, other than those that win an award, must not use the SafeWork SA name or logo in connection with any form of marketing or endorsement without the prior written consent of SafeWork SA.

27. Entrants who breach any of these ‘conditions of entry’ are subject to disqualification.