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19 October 2010 - NR 45/10

Competition launched to praise small business' health and safety

Health and safety professionals who work with small businesses across the UK are being given the opportunity to win £1,000 prize and a free pass to the largest health and safety exhibition. If you have improved health and safety in a small business then why not enter for a chance to win?

The Institution of Occupational Safety and Health (IOSH) is working alongside the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) to find a worthy winner of the new ‘Innovation in safety - small business award’.

Rob Strange, IOSH Chief Executive, said:

“We’re looking for a completely new take on health and safety from the winners of this award. Ideally the winner will have a Dragons’ Den-style approach to improving health and safety in a small business.

“There are 4.8 million small businesses in the UK, with around 13.7 million people working in SMEs, therefore it is vital that health and safety is high on the business world’s agenda. It is a known fact that good health and safety can make a business more efficient in the long-term.

“The ethos behind this award is to find new ideas that can potentially help small businesses keep their employees safe and healthy in the workplace without having an impact on their day job.”

This new award has been funded by Judith Donovan CBE, board director of the HSE. Judith’s dedication to health and safety in small businesses led her to donate her prize winnings from her 2009 IOSH lifetime achievement award for health and safety, to set up the ‘Innovation in safety – small business award’ and keep her legacy alive.

So, if you have an innovative health and safety idea which has revolutionised the way you work, and you are an IOSH Chartered member, then visit the IOSH website and fill out the entry form.

All ideas will then be judged by a panel of health and safety experts from IOSH and the HSE. The closing date for entries is Wednesday 1 December 2010 and the winner of the award will be announced in early 2011.

- Ends -

Notes for editors:

About the Award:

For further information about the ‘Innovation in safety – small business award’ visit the IOSH website.

Or view IOSH’S YouTube video with Judith Donovan.

It is planned that the award will be run annually until 2015.

About IOSH

IOSH is the chartered body for health and safety professionals. With more than 37,000 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.