Guidance notes

Remember to read the 2020 International Safety Awards Chief Adjudicators report for tips and advice on completing your application.

International Safety Awards applicants can enter the following three awards. Questions have been provided within your application form. Only one application per category, per site/business unit will be accepted.

Watch the video for a step-by-step guide on how to purchase and assign application licenses as well as saving and submitting your application.

1. Purchase your entry licence(s) (one per site/business unit)
2. Allocate licence(s) to yourself or colleagues to complete the application
3. Read the questions and marking scheme carefully
4. Complete your application
5. Submit your application by 23:59 on 19 February 2021.

Each application covers a single site or business unit. Applicants wishing to enter several sites or business units must complete a separate application for each one.

Between 1 January 2020 and 31 December 2020 the site/business unit must not have:

• suffered any work-related fatalities
• been subject to any prohibition notices
• been the subject of any convictions in relation to health and safety
• had any ongoing criminal investigations or prosecutions pending in relation to health and safety at the site/business unit.

British Safety Council reserves the right to withhold, suspend or withdraw at any time the awarding of an International Safety Award, should any applicant organisation have not met the eligibility criteria or failed to fully disclose all material facts which bring their eligibility into question.

Applicants must inform British Safety Council in writing by emailing [email protected] when there are any changes in circumstances after the application has been submitted.

Where there are issues that fall outside of the eligibility period, British Safety Council reserves the right to withdraw any award, particularly where the scheme could be brought into disrepute, or making an award could be insensitive e.g. to victims or their families. Where issues are subject to an enquiry or proceedings, a subsequent award may be made depending on the outcome.

Improvement notices
An improvement notice at the site does not preclude applicants from entering for an award. However, if an improvement notice has been served at this site since 1 January 2020, applicants must declare this and satisfy the adjudicators that adequate remedial measures have been implemented.

Specified (reportable) injuries/occupational ill health/dangerous occurrences
A specified (reportable) injury, incidence of occupational ill health or dangerous occurrence at the site does not preclude applicants from entering for an award. However, if there has been such an incident at this site since 1 January 2020, applicants must declare this and satisfy the adjudicators that appropriate remedial actions have been implemented to minimise the risk of a similar incident occurring again.

TOP TIPS

1. Get an early start. Do not complete this application in a rush
2. Provide comprehensive, detailed answers to questions 1 and 2, as these answers form the basis of site-specific knowledge and context that the adjudicators will be relying on when they mark the remaining questions. While these questions are not scored, information provided here will link to subsequent questions and adjudicators will be looking for this connection in order to award the higher marks
3. Make sure your answers to questions 3-12 relate to the background information you have provided in questions 1 and 2
4. Refer to the marking scheme for essential question-specific details of what the adjudicators will be looking for. Failure to adhere to the marking scheme will negatively impact your result
5. Prepare responses offline using, for example, Microsoft Word, and only copy and paste your answers into your online application when you are sure your answer is final. Alternatively, if typing your answers straight into the online application software, remember to save each individual answer as you proceed through the application
6. Give your application to other stakeholders to review and adapt your answers incorporating all relevant feedback
7. Review application answers: questions 1 and 2 must provide a thorough, detailed picture of your specific site. Answers 3-12 must adhere closely to the marking scheme notes. Evidence uploaded for 'part b' questions must meet the evidence criteria found in the marking scheme.

Application completion instructions

• All applications must be submitted in English
• All applications must be submitted via our online system
• All questions must be answered
• The response to each question must not exceed 700 words
• All questions are designed to be answered in plain text only (submissions must not incorporate images, tables, graphs or similar)
• Supporting documents are only permitted for 'part b' questions.

Submitting your application

• Applications must be received by 23:59 GMT on 19 February 2021
• Late applications will NOT be accepted.

Evidence-based bonus marks
Bonus marks will be awarded for (optional) relevant evidence submitted for five out of the 10 questions. Bonus marks will only be awarded for evidence that is relevant to the question and meets all the criteria outlined in the marking scheme.

Achievement-based bonus marks
A maximum of three further bonus marks will be awarded to applications relating to sites that have achieved three stars or above in the British Safety Council Five Star Occupational Health and Safety Audit (valid for at least six months of the eligiblt year); and those who can provide evidence of a current and valid OHSAS 18001 or ISO 45001 certification relating to the applicant site.

The responsibility is on applicants to convince the panel of independent adjudicators that their site/business unit deserves an International Safety Award based on its commitment to health and safety management during 2020.

Applications are marked by a team of independent adjudicators appointed and trained by the British Safety Council. The adjudicators are all experienced, senior-level health and safety professionals in their respective organisations.

Results will be emailed to applicants and published on our website on March 10 2021.

Result notifications will include the total number of marks scored and the grade awarded.

Results will not be issued by telephone.

We will publish information concerning the winning organisations to promote the International Safety Awards, the Gala Dinner and to help disseminate best practice.

Due to the large number of applications. British Safety Council is unable to include individual feedback with result notifications. The Chief Adjudicator's Report will be available on our website, detailing the strengths and weaknesses observed across all applications.

Applicants seeking insight into the outcome of their submission are encouraged to cross-reference their responses against the commentary offered within this report.

British Safety Council endorses the right of organisations to enquire about their result. Procedures are in place to ensure that result enquiries are dealt with fairly and thoroughly. Applicants interested in submitting an enquiry are referred to the Result enquiry policy and application form which will be available on our website from 8 February 2021.

It is important to note that a result enquiry may result in a grade being confirmed, raised or lowered. Where a grade is changed, the new grade will replace the original grade, whether it is higher or lower.

All result enquiries must be received by 23:59 GMT on 15 March 2021.

Shortly after the results have been issued, winners will formally be invited to receive their award at the International Safety Awards Gala Dinner.

The awards ceremony and Gala Dinner will take place at Grosvenor House Hotel, London on 21 May 2021.

Find out more and register your interest

Should you have any questions or require further information contact Customer Services on +44 (0)20 8741 1231 or email [email protected]