The AFS Environmental, Health and Safety (EHS) Division is accepting applications for a new award, the AFS Safety and Health Innovation and Insight Award.
The award will be presented to winners in four categories:
- Safety – This category assesses safety initiatives resulting in improvements in conditions, processes, products and procedures. These safety initiatives could include the successful application of a new safety product, the redesign of equipment to reduce injuries, or a change in process and procedures leading to a safer work environment in the foundry industry.
- Health – This category assesses health initiatives resulting in improvements in the health of employees. These improvements could include reductions in health-related risks, improved ventilation, unique sampling initiatives, wellness initiatives, off-the-job health efforts, or redesign of equipment or processes to improve the occupational health environment.
- Ergonomics – This category assesses ergonomic initiatives that reduce musculoskeletal stress. These improvements could include equipment or process redesign that reduces physical or cognitive stress and improves productivity.
- Insight – This category recognizes lessons learned and insights gained through efforts to make safety, health or ergonomic improvements. Projects do not have to be successful; indeed, some of the most useful insights come from failure. Insights should have application to other operations.
This award is open to AFS Corporate Members, including foundries, grinding-only facilities, suppliers, and vendors. Companies may enter multiple submissions. The application includes 20 questions and requires at least two photos. No long written reports are needed. These applications will become part of a database of case studies that others can learn from and apply at their own facilities.
Submissions will be evaluated on the following criteria:
- Innovation – Creativity of the initiative and the applicant’s role in design and implementation.
- Impact – The initiative’s impact on safety, health or ergonomics improvement or risk reduction (ROI information, if available).
- Application – Ease and applicability of adoption or use by other foundries; ease of construction/implementation.
- Significance – Solves/addresses a difficult or persistent problem in the foundry industry. Note: for 2019 there will be a particular emphasis on silica control and insight.
Applications are due June 1. The awards will be presented at the EHS Conference, Oct. 8-11, 2019, in Louisville, KY. Click here to learn more or to fill out an application form.