The National Safety Awards commenced in 1993 to create awareness of the benefits of safety in the work place, improve worker morale and organisational and national productivity and achieve international levels of industrial safety, was held on 30 October 2001, under the patronage of the Minister of Labour, Youth Affairs & Mineral Resources Development, Hon Athauda Seneviratene and Guest of Honour International Labour Organisation Director in Sri Lanka -Ms Claudia Coenjaerts.
The National Safety Awards is unique in that it brings together three organisations from the State & Private sector - Eagle Insurance, the Department of Labour & the ETF Board which are interested and involved in workplace safety and welfare of employees who joined forces to create an increased awareness in Industrial Safety and its benefits to the individuals, organisations and the country.
The competition is open to all manufacturing and processing industries with awards being given to 3 categories, namely - Large Scale (over 250 employees ), Medium Scale ( 126 to 250 employees) and Small Scale (25 to 125 employees)
To encourage the islandwide participation, the awarding is also done on a National level with a winner, runner up and 3 merit awards in each of the categories, as well as a Provincial level with a winner, runner-up and 3 merit awards for each province, irrespective of category. The Island wide winner & runner up will be excluded from the provincial selections.
The evaluation process commences with a questionnaire on safety practices followed within the company. Companies are then short-listed for inspection by a selection panel for further assessment and evaluation of the safety standards. This evaluation takes into account safety organisation, maintenance of injury records and investigation of accidents, premises and housekeeping, mechanical electrical and personal safeguarding and fire protection and prevention.
The selection panel comprises of an eminent safety experts including the Deputy Commissioner of Labour (Technical) & Chief Factory Inspecting Engineer, Deputy Commissioner of Labour - Occupational Health, two former Deputy Commissioners of Labour & Chief Factory Inspecting Engineers and a Senior Mechanical/ Electrical Engineer.
The Commissioner of Labour, Chairman Employees Trust Fund Board & Managing Director Eagle Insurance Co. Ltd will ratify the final selections.
This year 75 organisations applied to enter the competition based and 52 organisations were selected for inspection based on the response to the preliminary questionnaire. The competing organisations are from all parts of the country, including Mahiyangana, Trincomalee, Bandarawela, Kandy, Tangalle etc and the Western Province. "This year there is a marked improvement in the levels of safety achieved, which makes judging a rather difficult but satisfying task" said a representative of the selection panel. It is significant that a number of local companies have entered the competition. In the past the local companies were few, in comparison to the multi-national companies and those with foreign connections.
Eagle Insurance, which evolved the concept has provided sponsorship and logistical support for the project. A Trust Fund of one million rupees was also set up initially which now stands at Rs 4 million.
