Celebrating the ‘best of the best’ in health, safety and wellbeing around the world

British Safety Council held a Gala Dinner on 24 June to celebrate the International Safety Awards (ISAs) 2022 at the Sheraton Grand Park Lane in London.

The event was hosted by broadcaster and adventurer Ben Fogle and was the first to take place since 2019, due to the Covid pandemic. The prestigious occasion included speeches by British Safety Council CEO, Mike Robinson, its chairman Peter McGettrick, and Emma Willey, Director of asbestos consultants ACS Risk Group, who spoke on the topic of wellbeing.

The event combined both a formal presentation ceremony with a dinner and an evening of live entertainment.

Speaking as event host, Ben Fogle said:

“I am particularly thrilled to hear that wellbeing is now being included as part of overall health and safety strategy. I was unbelievably shy as a child, and when you fail it strips you of your self-esteem. I have rebuilt mine through adventures.

“My first was as a participant in one of the first ‘reality’ TV shows, Castaway, over 20 years ago. But I felt I wasn’t known for anything, and I wanted to develop a specific skill. So, for my next challenge I formed a team with James Cracknell to row the Atlantic.

“In my latest challenge climbing Mount Everest, which so many of my journeys have led me to, my idea of being a ‘sensible dad’ was brought into sharp relief by the risks and dangers I encountered, including my oxygen bottle exploding on the expedition.”

This year, 549 organisations of all sizes and sectors won British Safety Council’s acclaimed ISA awards, from 647 entries. They came from as far as Africa, Asia, India, mainland Europe and the Middle East. 135 applicants achieved a distinction, 204 achieved a merit and 210 achieved a pass.

Only the best of the best wins an overall category award, and a full list of the winners is below.

Addressing the room of award entrants and winners, Mike Robinson said:

“As always, the event provides the opportunity to celebrate the success of all the winners of the International Safety Awards and associated free to enter awards.

“Celebrating success is really important, not only does it give you energy as endorphins are released into your system, it’s addictive, it creates a sense of community and empowers others; it also creates momentum which attracts more success.”

In his address, Peter McGettrick said:

“It is brilliant to see so many organisations here being positive and proactive about doing the right thing – putting real thought, care and effort into the health, safety, and wellbeing of their people – and being even more successful as a result.

“You are all winners in this room. Why? Because you understand this fundamental point: we are more successful when our people are happier, healthier and more engaged.”

Speaking about her very personal experience of surviving the Boxing Day Tsunami in 2004, and how that led her to get interested in wellbeing, Emma Willey said:

“My husband and I are survivors of the 2004 boxing day tsunami. We are two of around 60 people to make it out alive from our hotel of 425 people. When we got home, that’s when I really broke. I was deeply in shock and when I went back into work, I just couldn’t do it.

“Since that time, I have truly believed in and practised, wellbeing in the workplace. We’re here – especially everyone here tonight – because we care and we want to make the world a better place than it was yesterday. 

“I really invite you to enjoy this evening but on Monday morning, really take on board what you experience tonight, look at yourself, look at your organisation and take advantage of the fabulous support that’s on offer to truly shift into the next age of health and safety – from ‘don’t care’ through ‘wait and see’ to ‘risk assess’ and now onwards to ‘total wellbeing’.”

International Safety Awards 2022 – Category Winners

Free to Enter Awards

CEO of the Year

WINNER: 

• James Cumming – Simple Safety Advice Ltd

During the pandemic, James ensured all his clients had access to reliable COVID test kits allowing them to remain productive and maintain business as usual. He also partnered with an HR company to provide specialist advice on compassionate staff issues, including health assessments. He completed site audits and training remotely to support site managers and ensure those additional safety procedures were being adhered to. Some clients requested frequent audits to ensure new safety measures were consistently implemented, which James accommodated.

HIGHLY COMMENDED:

• Mr. Ibrahim Lari – SIBCA

Health, Safety and Wellbeing Ambassador of the Year Award

WINNER: 

• Nick Millington of Network Rail

Nick is the leader of the Network Rail Safety Task Force. He has led a fundamental change in the safety of track workers. Nick spearheaded the elimination of unassisted lookout working when lookout working was disproportionately risky. In partnership with track workers and signalling teams, Nick improved planning methods, track safety equipment and training while ensuring no risk is transferred to another area. Nick also championed the permanent reduction of this form of working as the railway has a history of elasticity and reverting to previous ways of working.

HIGHLY COMMENDED:

• Liz Gandara of Collaborative Procurement Partnership
• Captain Mansoor Khalfan Al- Mansoori of the Dubai Police

Health and Safety Transformation Award – sponsored by Croner–i

WINNER: 

• NDT Global

NDT Global began transitioning from a “Zero Harm” to a “Beyond Zero Harm” strategy to ensure their focus evolved beyond zero accident statistics. Through extensive employee interviews, they identified that areas such as mental health and wellbeing, the environment and positive safety culture were significant to their people. Adopting a new strategy dramatically increased their focus on employee mental health and wellbeing. Their objective was to raise employee awareness of the risks, preventative measures, and resources to support their mental health and wellbeing.

NEW: Seize the Opportunity Award

WINNERS: 

• K-Electric

As COVID-19 entered Pakistan in 2020, K-Electric’s role became more important in ensuring continuous power supply to everyone. KE immediately formed a COVID-19 Response Committee to closely monitor the situation and take quick decisions. Various wellbeing webinars were launched. Online training for stress and resilience was also delivered. Two centres were set up for company employees and families to provide free-of-cost vaccination, and all KE staff were fully vaccinated within four months. KE also launched a Mobile Health Vaccination unit fleet to facilitate access to vaccines in communities across Karachi and its adjoining areas.

• Don Catchment Rivers Trust

The lockdown of March 2020 could have been a crisis for Don Catchment Rivers Trust. The organisation has a strong community engagement and volunteering programme built around encouraging people to get out, enjoy their natural heritage and participate in community events and activities. Yet, the lockdown meant that the way they worked had to stop. So, Don Catchment Rivers Trust changed the way they worked and re-wrote their engagement plan. All employees agreed to work towards the same goal to get through lockdown for as long as needed and beyond with support from trustees and funders.

The James Tye Award

WINNER: 

• BAE Systems

Whilst focusing on critical safety controls and lifesaving rules, BAE Systems found a greater need to engage with its workforce quickly and easily, especially employees without regular computer access. Safety in 60 is BAE Systems solution for allowing critical safety information to be available to employees, customers, contractors and visitors in bite-size chunks and using QR technology to make the information more accessible. This simple solution was to take multi-page complex procedures, summarise them into 60-second videos, and make them available at the point of work.

Team of the Year Award

WINNER: 

• Khon Kaen Road (Thailand) Safety Warriors

Khon Kaen Road Safety Warriors, is a road accident reduction community, that aims to reduce road accidents in dangerous areas in Khon Kaen. It is made up of a collaboration between organisations of 3E principle: Education, Traffic Engineering, and Law Enforcement. All organisations are volunteers with no compensation. The key focus was to embrace technology to reduce road accidents as well as improve law enforcement efficiency. The results show the number of road accidents has been reduced significantly. It also showed the impact of community collaboration.

Wellbeing Initiative Award – powered by Being Well Together

WINNER: 

• Collaborative Procurement Partnership

The objective of the Collaborative Procurement Partnership was to find innovative and inclusive ways of supporting the health and wellbeing of colleagues during the COVID-19 pandemic as they continued to supply vital products to the NHS. They were keen to ensure they provided a range of new and ground-breaking initiatives to support staff physical, mental health and wellbeing. The plans were developed for their staff, by their staff either directly or through their Employee Consultation Group. Off the back of initiatives, they had overwhelmingly positive feedback from staff and significant improvements in absences in 2021 compared to 2020.

Best in Sector

Art and Culture – Museums, Galleries

• Wilson James Ltd – Tate Galleries

Construction and Property Activities

• EMCOR UK

Education

• Khalifa University

Financial, IT, Legal, Scientific and Technical Services and Media

• Eversheds LLP

Health and Social Care

• Lifeways

Leisure, Sports Clubs, Hospitality and Catering

• Elior UK

Local Government, Defence and Public Service

• BAE Systems Naval Ships

Manufacturing

• Nobia UK – Darlington

Power and Utilities

• Kuwait National Petroleum Company – Projects Department

Transport, Distribution and Storage

• Wilson James Ltd

Wholesale and Retail Services

• Nippon Gases UK Ltd

Best in Country

China

• The Second Construction Limited Company of China Construction Eighth Engineering Division

East Africa

• Larsen & Toubro Mauritius Metro Express Project

Egypt

• China State Construction Engineering Corporation Ltd

India (joint winners)

• Eon Hinjewadi Infrastructure Pvt. Ltd
• ICC Realty India Pvt. Ltd
• Eon Kharadi Infrastructure Private Ltd

Kuwait

• Kuwait National Petroleum Company – Projects Department

Pakistan

• Engro Fertilizers Daharki

Qatar

• ASHGHAL – KEO International Consultants – HBK Contracting Company – Roads & Infrastructure in Umm Slal Mohammed Phase 02 (DN005-P01)

Saudi Arabia

• WSP Middle East – DGDA Bujairi Car Park Project

Singapore

• Or Kim Peow Contractor (Pte) Ltd: ER443-Walk2Ride

South, West & Central Africa

• INDORAMA ELEME PETROCHEMICALS LIMITED – PORT HARCOURT, NIGERIA

Turkey

• ASELSAN

United Kingdom (joint winners)

• EMCOR UK
• UNIPART GROUP LTD

UAE

• Dubai Duty Free

Chief Adjudicator’s Award

• EMCOR UK

The EMCOR UK provides customer-centric solutions through workplace transformation, integrated facilities management, project solutions, data-led asset management services and carbon reduction. They have a track record of success in some of the most complex and regulated workplaces in the UK – delivering services to industry sectors including life sciences, defence, nuclear, hi-tech manufacturing and central government. EMCOR UK ISA application achieved the highest score of all the 549 ISA submissions made in 2021.