British Safety Council has launched the International Safety Awards 2019, aiming to recognise and reward organisations that demonstrate a true commitment to achieving high standards of health and safety
The awards are now open to organisations of all sizes, types and sectors – both members of the British Safety Council and non-members, in the UK and internationally.
The 2019 awards have been launched earlier than usual, making the themed questions and marking criteria available in June rather than October, to give organisations a better opportunity to plan their health and safety activities in line with the scheme’s requirements. The British Safety Council hopes that the enhanced awards scheme will encourage further improvements in health and safety among businesses, as well as being an internationally recognised reward mechanism.
The closing date for applications for the awards is 11 January 2019 and the results will be announced on 11 February 2019.
New awards recognising individual efforts
In addition to the Health and Safety Champion Awards, for non-health and safety personnel aged 25 or over and for young employees under 25, who have gone beyond the call of duty to protect their colleagues, the British Safety Council is introducing two new awards:
Awards for HSE innovation and wellbeing
Encouraged by the high response to the two new categories of the awards introduced in 2018, which reflect the growing interest and investment in wellbeing and health and safety innovation, the British Safety Council is further refining these awards.
Awards recognising the best applicants
These include Chief Adjudicator’s Award and Sector Awards that are also being expanded by a new category: Best in Country Award.
Evidence-based bonus marks
Applicants can now be awarded up to five bonus marks through the submission of evidence for five of the 10 marked questions. Bonus marks will only be awarded for evidence that is relevant to the question and all evidence must meet the specific criteria outlined in the marking scheme.
Achievement-based bonus marks
A maximum of three further bonus marks will be awarded to applications relating to sites that have achieved three stars and above in the British Safety Council Five Star Occupational Health and Safety Audit and those who can provide evidence of a current and valid OHSAS 18001 or ISO 45001 certification relating to the applicant site. The bonus marks will benefit organisations that have recorded significant achievements in health, safety and wellbeing over the past year and wish to enhance their written response to the questions.
