JEDDAH – The British Safety Council (BSC) has announced the winners of its 2014 International Safety Awards, which recognize and honor the achievements of winning organizations in keeping their workplaces and workers healthy and safe during the 2013 calendar year. This year, 521 organizations of all sizes and sectors from around the world won an International Safety Award, including businesses from the UK, Africa, Asia, Australia, the Middle East and the West Indies. Forty-six organizations were awarded a distinction, 333 organizations were awarded a merit and 142 organizations achieved a pass. Congratulating the winners, Alex Botha, the British Safety Council's chief executive, said: “2014 marks the 56th year of the International Safety Awards, which celebrate those organizations that have shown a real dedication and commitment to preventing injury and ill health in the workplace. “The success criteria for these awards is challenging and that rightly reflects the importance of achieving high standards of health and safety at work. It was also clear from the applications that the winning organizations recognize that getting health and safety right is a business enabler, which brings both financial and social benefits for organzations and their people.” He added: “Our vision is that no one should be injured, made ill or killed by work activity, anywhere in the world, so it's heartening to see that winners of the 2014 awards are truly international: from Kuwait Oil Company to Reliance Industries in India; Indorama Eleme Petrochemicals in Nigeria to Wessex Water in the UK. “Winners are drawn from a broad range of sectors dealing with different risks – from the transport and distribution sector, with winners such as DHL Supply Chain North West and Glasgow Airport; to the oil and gas sector, with winners including Bahrain National Gas Company, Indian Oil Corporation and Offshore Design Engineering Ltd. The construction and civil engineering industries are also well represented with many winners including Brookfield Multiplex Europe, ISG, J. Murphy and Sons, Kier and Willmott Dixon. “Our warmest congratulations to all of the winners. “I look forward to celebrating the success of the award winning organizations at our Gala Dinner at London's Grosvenor House Hotel on Friday 25 April. I also look forward to the announcement of the winners of the individual awards for Health and Safety Champion and Young Health and Safety Champion on the night.” The International Safety Awards Gala Dinner takes place in London's Mayfair on Friday and is open both to the winners of this year's awards and any other organization or individual in the UK or internationally that wishes to celebrate their own commitment to health and safety and to network with like-minded organizations and health and safety practitioners. The event is attended by hundreds of companies and individuals from the UK and overseas, and combines formal award presentations with a fine dining experience and an evening of fabulous live entertainment and dancing. The keynote speaker at this year's ceremony is Kevin Myers, acting chief executive of the Health and Safety Executive, the UK's main occupational health and safety regulator. Botha added: “The International Safety Awards Gala Dinner is one of the health and safety world's most prestigious events, and is a great way to reward your employees, contractors and business partners for their hard work in helping to keep your workforce and workplace healthy and safe. “It also an ideal opportunity to promote and publicize your health and safety achievements by inviting clients, customers, contractors and business partners to celebrate with you on the night, and provides excellent networking opportunities with hundreds of safety-conscious organizations and individuals. “I invite any organization or individual in the UK and internationally committed to protecting the health, safety and welfare of workers to join us on the night to celebrate the social and business benefits of good health and safety management.” — SG
