The oil and gas industry is challenging offshore employees to apply their knowledge, understanding and creativity to help drive continuous improvements to safety, with the launch of a new prize to be given at the 2012 UK Oil and Gas Industry Safety Awards.

The Ideas in Safety Prize will be announced at the awards ceremony on 20 April and the first such accolade will be presented at next year’s awards. The Ideas for Safety Prize winner will also pick up a cheque for £5,000.

The annual Ideas in Safety Prize has been created to tap into original ideas from the offshore work force for enhancing safety. The prize will be given in recognition of the resourcefulness and creativity of individuals or teams working offshore that have developed a proven idea and which has successfully addressed a specific safety issue in the workplace.

Each year the prize will focus on a particular safety theme, with the theme for the 2012 prize being the reduction of hydrocarbon releases. Potential entrants are already being challenged to put together their submissions in good time for next year’s award.

Oil & Gas UK’s health and safety issues director, Robert Paterson, said: “It’s very pleasing to be able to expand the industry safety awards by introducing this very special prize.

“It’s an award which pays tribute to the most enthusiastic members of the workforce, whose creativity and ingenuity is a driver helping to develop safer offshore working practices.

“This is one of a number of mechanisms to ensure the offshore workforce is fully engaged in the industry challenge for improving safety and for getting them actively contributing to the development of ideas. It’s exactly this kind of positive attitude which is so highly valued by all of the oil and gas industry.

“While the first such award won’t be handed out until the 2012 safety awards, I would encourage candidates to start thinking about putting together an entry soon. We are looking for ideas that, if widely adopted, could make a material difference to further improving the industry’s safety performance.

“Winning such a prestigious award carries with it a huge amount of respect and admiration in this industry.”

ENDS

For more information contact Chris Walker on 01224 577279 or email cwalker@oilandgasuk.co.uk.

NOTES TO EDITORS

1. The UK Oil and Gas Industry Safety Awards celebrate the outstanding people and companies helping to create safer offshore working environments – whether through innovative new processes or exceptional individual enthusiasm and personal commitment.   
 
2. For more information on the UK Oil and Gas Industry Safety Awards, click here. 

3. For more information on the Ideas in Safety Prize, click here. 

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