Acknowledging effective development and implementation of innovative solutions to identified work health and safety issues, including mental health, inclusion and wellbeing.

Energy category finalists

Kimberley Wanganeen Consultancy
Project/Program: Kimberley Wanganeen Consultancy Economic Participation Strategy

Kimberley Wanganeen Consultancy has provided the Department for Energy and Mining (DEM) with a comprehensive assessment of First Nations economic participation opportunities across South Australia's energy and mining sectors.

Through internal consultation with DEM staff, industry surveys and interviews, desktop research, and analysis of existing support services, the project identified employment and business opportunities, examined barriers to participation, and highlighted practical actions for industry and government.

The resulting recommendations informed DEM's efforts to influence sector-wide change, strengthen engagement with First Nations communities, and support more inclusive economic and employment outcomes.

Santos
Project/Program: Eliminating line-of-fire hazards through design

Santos’ Cooper Basin drilling and completions team identified an opportunity to eliminate a critical line-of-fire hazard conventionally managed through procedures. Working with local manufacturer Redback Drilling Tools, the traditional wellhead bracing system was redesigned to support the casing spool directly, eliminating the need to cut and remove the conductor pipe during installation of a collar.

This innovation removes personnel from a high-risk work scope, reduces the potential for further subsidence, minimises civil works, and shortens installation time. The new brace combines a compact footprint with a 200-tonne load capacity, making it a unique solution within Australia.

In addition to safety benefits, the design delivers significant cost savings through reduced materials, labour and site activities. The solution is scalable across Santos assets and the broader oil and gas industry.

Resources finalists

BHP
Project/Program: Changing the chemistry of safety: eliminating xanthate without compromising performance

For decades, xanthates have been accepted as the industry-standard flotation collector for sulfide flotation. The Carrapateena Metallurgy team, working collaboratively with reagent supplier InterChem, identified, tested and successfully implemented an alternative flotation collector that improved metallurgical performance while eliminating one of the operation’s most hazardous chemicals.

The transition removed a spontaneously combusting chemical (Class 4.2 Dangerous Goods) from the HydroFloat coarse flotation circuit, eliminating critical fire, explosion and chemical exposure hazards associated with its transport, storage, handling and use.

The project demonstrates how innovation, technical excellence and a commitment to the hierarchy of controls can fundamentally improve process safety. It has established a practical model for safer processing that has potential to influence future reagent selection across BHP and global mining industry.

BHP
Project/Program: Drop Board Regulator

The modular Drop Board Regulator initiative is a step-change safety innovation that transformed how underground ventilation regulators are constructed at BHP’s Olympic Dam mine. Historically, regulator installations relied on contractor-led construction involving crane lifts in confined spaces, work at height in baskets without crush protection, heavy manual handling and hot works, exposing workers to multiple critical risks.

The project introduced a lightweight, modular regulator system that can be safely constructed by BHP service crews using standard equipment and manageable components. The team developed a practical solution that eliminates significant risk exposures while improving constructability and reliability, resulting in a safer standard of work, reduced installation times and improved operational flexibility through the removal of contractor dependency.

BHP
Project/Program: Live Work Elimination

The Live Work Elimination (ELW) Brake Bleeding Initiative was developed to remove maintenance personnel from high-risk live work activities associated with brake bleeding on underground mobile equipment at Olympic Dam. Historically, technicians were required to work within the footprint of running Epiroc trucks and Caterpillar loaders while conducting service and park brake bleeding activities. This exposed workers to potential machine movement, uncontrolled energies and represented a recurring live work task with significant risk exposure.

Through collaboration between BHP, Epiroc, Caterpillar, Cavpower, frontline maintenance crews and engineering partners, remote brake bleeding systems were designed and implemented for both fleets. These tools allow maintenance personnel to perform brake bleeding activities from 15 metres away from running machinery, eliminating the need to enter the machine footprint during live work activities.

The initiative demonstrates how frontline-led innovation, strong partnerships and engineering controls can eliminate risk while improving maintenance standardisation, reliability and workforce wellbeing.