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News release

19 September 2011 - NR 46/11

Competition launched to celebrate eureka thinking

Innovators whose brainwaves have helped to improve health and safety for small businesses are being urged to shout about their achievements.

The Institution of Occupational Safety and Health (IOSH) and the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) have teamed up for a second year to host the Innovation in Safety – Small Business Award. It recognises people whose projects are reducing incidents of injury and ill-health for companies, while saving money in the process.

This year, the competition is based on IOSH’s Life Savings campaign, which pushes the message to Government and businesses that good health and safety not only saves lives, but bolsters the bottom line – a factor that can give SMEs a competitive advantage.

IOSH president Steve Granger said: “At IOSH we celebrate innovative thinking that makes the working lives of people healthier, happier, and safer - this award is an ideal platform from which to reward the cream of the crop with industry-wide recognition.

“One of our big aims is to help bosses and policy makers understand not just the moral, but the financial benefits of health and safety. And as the best inventions build cost efficiency into their very core, our winner will be playing a part in achieving wider recognition of the central role health and safety plays in our workplaces.”

Judith Donovan CBE, past board director of the HSE and founder of the award, said: “This year we’re looking for anything that helps a small firm do health and safety better; that makes their employees safer when they go to work; that makes the firm more efficient and profitable; and anything that celebrates why health and safety is the hallmark of a civilised society, and not an unnecessary regulatory burden.”

Anthony Tetlow – a chartered member of IOSH and managing director of Safety Smart Risk Management Consultants - was the winner of the inaugural award. He developed what is believed to be the world’s first industry-specific health and safety application for the iPhone, iPad, and iTouch platforms. He simplified health and safety for employees working in a hairdressing salon.

Competition entries are now being taken from IOSH members, with the winner presented to delegates at IOSH 2012 conference and exhibition on 6 March. The winner will receive £1,000 and a free two-day pass to the IOSH 2012 conference and exhibition – the largest health and safety conference in the UK. Find out how to enter the competition.

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Notes for editors:

IOSH is the Chartered body for health and safety professionals. With more than 40,000 members in 85 countries, we’re the world’s biggest professional health and safety organisation.

We set standards, and support, develop and connect our members with resources, guidance, events and training. We’re the voice of the profession, and campaign on issues that affect millions of working people.

IOSH was founded in 1945 and is a registered charity with international NGO status.