by Chase Kammerer
In a significant move towards promoting workplace safety, the Fibre Box Association (FBA) Safety and Health Committee proudly announces the launch of the “Innovation in Safety” Achievement Award. We designed this accolade to honor plants and individuals or groups that have demonstrated an exceptional commitment to employee safety through groundbreaking innovations, leading to significant advancements in workplace safety.
The Innovation in Safety Achievement Award adds a valuable dimension to the annual awards bestowed by FBA/AICC, including the Perfect Plant and Safety Excellence Awards. By introducing this award category, FBA aims to highlight and celebrate entities beyond conventional safety practices, showcasing a proactive approach to addressing hazardous risks and behaviors. To qualify for the Innovation in Safety Achievement Award, recipients must have developed or improved a safety innovation that addresses workplace hazards or behaviors.
This innovation could take various forms, such as a novel device, process, technique, software, or any creative solution contributing to enhanced safety within the manufacturing environment.
The criteria encompass innovations that correct employee behaviors, reduce repetitive tasks, or provide real-time information for proactive decision-making. Crucially, the innovation must be seamlessly integrated into the workplace and demonstrate clear improvements in safety performance. The award process involves an annual evaluation of innovations made in the previous year. Nominations can be submitted online via the FBA website, and both individuals and groups are eligible to nominate plants, teams, or companies that meet the award criteria.
Submissions must include a completed form and a detailed description of the innovation, its implementation process, and its impact on workplace safety. The deadline to submit nominations for recognizing safety improvements made in 2023 has not yet been finalized. A distinguished panel of safety experts from the FBA Safety & Health Committee has planned to meticulously evaluate nominations based on criteria such as uniqueness, successful execution, and demonstrated improvement in workplace safety.
Recipients of the Innovation in Safety Achievement Award can expect to be duly recognized by FBA. Recipients can present their innovations in a webinar hosted by the FBA. The FBA plans to feature prominently the innovation in the FBA Report, on the FBA website, and at the FBA Annual Meeting.
An invitation to award recipients to participate in an FBA webinar to maximize the impact and share insights with the broader community is a great benefit. This platform allows them to elucidate their innovations in detail, sharing the journey of implementation and the tangible results achieved through the process change.
The Innovation in Safety Achievement Award marks a pivotal step in acknowledging and encouraging a culture of innovation in workplace safety. By celebrating those who pioneer creative solutions, FBA aims to inspire others in the industry to push the boundaries of conventional safety practices while fostering an even safer and more secure working environment for everyone.