Call for Entries: European Awards Recognise Innovative Workplace Safety and Health in the Digital Age

13th June 2024

• The Health and Safety Authority is urging organisations in Ireland to enter the Healthy Workplaces Good Practice Awards, which are now open for entry until September 2024.
• The focus of this year’s awards is ‘Safe and Healthy Work in the Digital Age’ and rewards organisations who showcase innovative approaches that promote worker wellbeing in the digital age.
• The awards, which are judged and hosted by the European Agency for Safety and Health at Work, will take place in April of next year.

The Health and Safety Authority (HSA) is calling on organisations across the country to take part in the European Healthy Workplaces Good Practice Awards. Organised by the European Agency for Safety and Health at Work (EU-OSHA), these awards recognise outstanding and innovative approaches to workplace safety and health.

This year's awards focus is on 'Safe and Healthy Work in the Digital Age', a theme that underscores the increasing digitalisation of the economy and its impact on workplace safety.

The HSA is calling on workplaces to enter the awards, particularly organisations who can show that they have an innovative approach to health and safety using technology. The awards are open to all types and sizes of organisations in Ireland, including public and private sector employers, training providers, trade associations, and non-governmental organisations.

The European Healthy Workplaces Good Practice Awards is part of a wider campaign, called the ‘Healthy Workplaces Campaign 2023-2025’, which aims to promote safe and healthy workplaces across Europe and is focusing on the opportunities and risks associated with digitalisation in the workplace.

Digital technologies are transforming the way we work, but they also bring new challenges and risks to occupational safety and health. The campaign seeks to raise awareness of these issues and encourage organisations to adopt innovative approaches to managing health and safety in the digital age. It provides a range of resources and tools to help employers identify and manage the risks associated with digital technologies, as well as showcasing examples of best practices from across Europe.

“I’m encouraging all businesses to enter the Good Practice Awards and to take part in this initiative, as it is an excellent opportunity for Irish organisations to be recognised for their contribution to health and safety and their commitment to keeping their employees safe on a European level,"

said Minister of State for Business, Employment and Retail, Emer Higgins.

"By sharing best practices and highlighting the risks and opportunities that come with digital technologies in the workplace, we can create safer and healthier working environments for all,”

she added.

Dr Marie Dalton, Chair of the Management Board of EU-OSHA and HSA Programme Manager, said,

“We are delighted to announce that the Healthy Workplaces Good Practice Awards is now open for entries, with a focus on 'Safe and Healthy Work in the Digital Age’.  It is particularly timely, given the increasing digitalisation of the Irish economy and how new technologies are transforming the way we work. Ensuring the safety and health of workers is paramount as we continue to embrace new and innovative technologies.”

Gavin Lonergan, Chair of Ireland’s National Focal Point for EU-OSHA and Head of Communications at the HSA, said,

“This is a great opportunity for businesses and organisations around the country to showcase their innovative approaches to health and safety. We’ve seen excellent entries over the years in previous competitions and this year will be no different. We look forward to receiving really innovative examples where technology and digitalisation has allowed for better health and safety for workers.”

Who can take part?

There are two categories: companies with less than 100 employees and companies with more than 100 employees.

Participation is open to organisations and companies based in Ireland, including individual enterprises or organisations of all sizes; training providers and members of the education community; employers’ organisations, trade associations, trade unions and nongovernmental organisations; regional or local OSH prevention services, insurance services and other intermediary organisations.

How will entries be judged?

All entries are first judged at the national level by EU-OSHA's network of focal points. The National Focal Point for Ireland is the Health and Safety Authority with the network made up of key stakeholders including employer, worker and industry bodies. Following this, national shortlisted organisations will then take part in the European competition and the overall European winner will be announced in April 2025 at a ceremony that celebrates the achievements of all the participants.

For more information on the Good Practice Awards, please visit EU-OSHA's website for more information.

The HSA also has a variety of resources available for employers who would like to learn more about the impacts of digitalisation on their website.

Follow the campaign on X, Facebook, LinkedIn and YouTube, and use the hashtag #EUhealthyworkplaces.

ENDS