British Safety Council has extended the deadline for submission of entries to the 57th edition of the International Safety Awards till February 9 due to an overwhelming response from the companies.

These awards recognise organisations from around the world that have shown a real dedication and commitment to keeping their workplaces and workers healthy and safe during the 2014 calendar year.

Open to businesses of all sizes and sectors in the UK and internationally – both members of the British Safety Council and non-members – the awards seek to celebrate the difference the winning organisations have made in ensuring good standards of health and safety at work.

This year, high performing winning organisations will once again be nominated for additional ‘Sector Awards’, which recognise outstanding sites and business units within certain industries, its stated.

Applicants can also nominate employees for two special individual awards: ‘Health and Safety Champion of the Year’ and ‘Young Health and Safety Champion of the Year’.

Neal Stone, the acting chief executive at the British Safety Council, said: "The International Safety Awards reward the winning organisations for their vital efforts and hard work over the past year in protecting the health and safety of their staff and others who could be put at risk by their day-to-day activities."

"Winning an International Safety Award allows an organisation to demonstrate its commitment to good health and safety management to its employees, business partners, customers and the wider public," remarked Stone.

“By publicising their success, winning organisations can also help encourage other employers globally to give workers’ health and safety the priority it deserves; and spread the message that effective health and safety management brings real benefits for people, organisations and society as a whole,” he added.

One organisation that is once again applying for an International Safety Award this year is Gwynedd Shipping Group of Holyhead in Angelsey, Wales.

Dylan Hughes, the company’s group HSEQ HR manager, said: “Winning an International Safety Award not only gives us the confidence of knowing that what we are doing is working, but it is also an excellent way for us to showcase our achievements to our customers.”

Last year, 524 organisations of all sizes and from a wide range of industry sectors and countries won an International Safety Award, including businesses, public and third sector bodies from the UK, Africa, Asia, Australia, the Middle East and the West Indies.-TradeArabia News Service