Small business award winner announced
16 March 2011
The winner of the inaugural IOSH and HSE
Innovation in Safety – Small Business Award has been announced at
IOSH 2011.
Anthony Tetlow, a Chartered Member of IOSH and Managing
Director of Safety Smart Risk Management Consultants, won the award
for the development of what is believed to be the world’s first
industry-specific health and safety application for the iPhone,
iPad and iTouch platforms. Anthony won a free ticket to IOSH 2011
and a cheque for £1,000.
The competition was launched in September 2010 with the aim of
finding new ideas to improve health and safety in small
businesses.
Anthony was approached by the management at the Colour Room
salon in Stockport, Cheshire, to help them develop a better safety
culture. They were finding it difficult to balance the demands of
running a busy salon and providing accurate health and safety
information to their employees.
The
answer was to develop the ‘Safety smart salon’ app,
aimed at simplifying information using user-friendly, cheap
software that was easily accessible and that could be updated
quickly. The app was launched in June 2010 and all the staff
received training on how to use it.
The business has benefited from the new app as it can now
guarantee that everyone – from the director to the salon junior –
has access to relevant, up-to-date information. The app has enabled
Colour Room to manage its own health and safety without having to
hire consultants, buy costly internet-based software or print hefty
manuals. It has also had a positive impact on staff morale.
The app took six months to develop, with the team working on it
at night and at the weekends. They were helped by a team of
experienced editors and an app developer.
Anthony said: “I’m extremely proud to receive
this award from the HSE and IOSH. A considerable amount of work has
gone into its development. To receive recognition from the HSE and
IOSH is beyond our wildest expectations.”
The competition was judged by the founder of the award, the
HSE’s Judith Donovan CBE, as well as the HSE’s Regional Director
for the Midlands, Rosi Edwards, IOSH Immediate Past President, John
Holden, and IOSH Vice-President, John Lacey.
Judith Donovan said: “Our winner was a clear
choice, because it was a highly innovative technical solution. The
hairdressing sector is dominated by smaller businesses and has a
continual flow of young people coming in for training.”
John Holden added: “We know that young people
are particularly at risk at work, so anything that gets them on
board with health and safety has got to be a plus.”