Bendigo operation with worldwide reach wins big

A WORLD-class outfit that flies almost completely under the radar locally came up trumps at the 2025 Bendigo Bank and Be.Bendigo Bendigo Business Excellence Awards, not only winning the National/Global Footprint Award for the second consecutive year, but also accepting the Business of the Year accolade.

Workplace safety, industrial rescue and equipment compliance services provider ISH24 – Safety and Rescue, founded in Perth in 2010, employs around 25 staff at its now-headquarters and purpose-built training facility in Trantara Court East Bendigo, plus approximately 300 nationally.

The company also works internationally, delivering training and equipment to clients in countries such as Papua New Guinea, the Philippines, New Zealand, Indonesia and India.

Originally, its core business involved supplying safety workers to manage confined spaces during mine maintenance shutdowns. Then, after noticing inconsistent skill levels among personnel despite having similar credentials, it established its own Registered Training Organisation in 2016.

ISH24 now works with the mining, food production, manufacturing, construction, wine and public sectors, amongst others.

As its education manager Jana Gumovsky explained, Bendigo represents an ideal base to provide the large variety of industries found here, across Victoria, and along the East Coast with its expertise.

“There’s a much bigger diversity in the industries that we’re able to share our knowledge with and assist when it comes to safety and rescue services, especially since emergency response and rescue isn’t something that companies really think of when they start operations or when they’re designing their processes,” she said.

“It’s something that people don’t really like to think about. It’s something that they hope never will happen (and) this is where our (experience) comes in.

“We’ll think about it for you and we’ll manage all of those risks.

“We’ll provide all of the personnel, we’ll provide all of the equipment, we’ll provide the rescue plans, and we’ll make sure that that process is as seamless as possible and everybody is kept safe at all times.”

She said the wins for the “very much behind-the-scenes company” left the attending cohort at the awards event speechless.

“We were so shocked and humbled, and also very grateful and happy for our entire team and the recognition that this means for all of them and all of the hard work that they do,” she said.

“There were a few of us that were lucky enough to go and receive the awards, but really this is for everybody, because it’s (their) contribution that goes towards being a business of excellence, and excellence can only come through consistency.

“I think this really goes to highlight how much value we have to offer the Bendigo community – it could be anything from CPR training, first aid, your basic safety courses, all the way to specialised emergency response and emergency response coordination.

“The way we’ll use this (recognition) is as a platform to highlight to our peers and our Bendigo family that we’re here, (so) lean on us.

“Supporting local and embedding yourself in the local community is a benefit to everybody involved.”

The ISH24 headquarters in Trantara Court East Bendigo contains a state-of-the-art, purpose-built training facility.