Tuesday 7 January 2014

Oil & Gas UK and Step Change in Safety launch new Health Award as nominations open for The UK Oil and Gas Industry Safety Awards 2014

The search is on for the outstanding people and companies helping to make the UK Offshore Oil and Gas industry the safest in the world.

The UK Oil and Gas Industry Safety Awards is an annual showcase event, principally sponsored by Maersk Oil UK, is jointly organised by Oil & Gas UK and Step Change in Safety and pays tribute to the most safety conscious workers and companies in the UK's offshore industry. Nominations close on 21 February 2014and the winners will be presented with their awards at a ceremony at the Aberdeen Exhibition and Conference Centre on 30 April 2014.

This year, the key note address will be delivered by the Hon Sir Charles Haddon-Cave who led the Nimrod enquiry and spoke at the Piper 25 Conference in 2013. 2014 sees the launch of a brand new prize category. The New Health Award recognises an individual, team or company which has actively improved the health of its workforce. This is in addition to the following award categories:

  • Safety Leadership- for an inspirational and motivational team leader
  • Safety Representative of the Year- for an enthusiastic and committed safety rep
  • Preventative Safety Action- for a quick-thinker who has helped prevent a potential incident
  • Most Promising Individual- for an up-and-coming young person with potential
  • Innovation in Safety- for a company which has put in place a clever safety process or technique
  • Workforce Engagement- for a worksite or installation which has embraced engagement with its workers
  • Ideas in Safety- £5,000 prize for an individual/team with an idea for reducing or preventing hydrocarbon leaks

Oil & Gas UK Health and Safety Director Robert Paterson said: "I am very excited that this year we've added a new category to the UK Oil and Gas Industry Safety Awards - The Health Award. We have done this because we know that there is a tremendous amount of fantastic work on improving the health of the offshore workforce and we strongly believe those efforts should be recognised".

Robert went on to say: "Once again the Ideas in Safety category remains focussed on one of the most serious challenges faced by the offshore industry - preventing and reducing hydrocarbon releases. This year, despite the successful 48 per cent reduction in hydrocarbon releases over the last three years, the numbers of releases appears to be on the increase. We are evermore determined to understand the reasons for this and to reverse this increase - new and innovative ideas that may contribute to this are recognised through this prize of £5,000."

The other categories now open for nomination pay tribute to safety leadership and honour both the top safety representatives and the up-and-coming professionals. Also open for nomination are categories recognising the quick-thinkers who have prevented incidents and the companies which have put in place clever safety processes, techniques and engagement.

Step Change in Safety team leader, Les Linklater, added: "By recognising the people and companies striving to improve safety across the industry, these annual awards have become the most prestigious safety awards in the industry.  Last year we saw some inspirational members of the workforce and I am really looking forward to meeting this year's nominees.

"It doesn't matter what job you do: whether you're a leader, safety rep or trainee. If you're playing your part to keep safety at the top of the agenda I'd urge you to get your entry in before the deadline of 7 March."

Visitwww.oilandgasuk.co.uk/safetyawardsfor more information.

Ends

Note to editors

For further information, please contact Charlie Mayo atcmayo@oilandgasuk.co.uk.

Nominations close on 21 February 2014 Awards at a ceremony 30 April 2014.

Oil & Gas UK is the leading representative organisation for the UK offshore oil and gas industry. Its growing membership, which comprises oil and gas producers and contractor companies, now numbers more than 400

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