Risk-reduction through design award
This award inspires employers to think about how changes to work can reduce the risks of harm to people. It’s open to all UK employers and is sponsored by the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) and the Chartered Institute of Ergonomics and Human Factors (CIEHF).
Musculoskeletal disorders (MSDs) design award
All employers must try to remove or reduce the risk of MSDs where possible. Simple changes to the design of workplaces, tasks or activities can have a big impact.
Make a nomination for 2022/23
Any employer whether large or small and from any sector or industry can make a nomination.
If you are an employer in the UK, and you’ve used a design solution to reduce musculoskeletal risks, nominate your design change for the Risk-reduction through design award.
What to include in your nomination
Tell us in no more than two sides of A4 paper about how you as an employer have reduced the risk of MSDs for your workers.
We cannot accept nominations from consultants or marketing companies, only employers of the workers who benefit from the design changes.
Your nomination should include:
- a description of the task or activity and workplace before you made the change
- a description after you made the design change
- clear before and after photos
- a quote demonstrating what your workers think about the design change
Make sure you tell us:
- if you designed the solution in-house. Or if someone else helped you, tell us who helped
- what the impact of the design change is? How has MSD risk been reduced for your workers and how many workers are affected?
- about any other advantages of the design change. For example, other health or safety benefits, productivity improvements or environmental benefits
- how you involved your workers in the process
Do not include any contact details on this part of your nomination.
Send your nomination
Email your two sides of A4 to [email protected]
In the email please include:
- your name, email address and telephone number
- the full name and address of your business
- your company number if you know it
Closing date for nominations
Closing date for nominations is 31 January 2023
Announcement of the 2022/23 winners
A judging panel will consider shortlisted nominations to select an overall winner.
In previous years judges have also commended other nominations.
HSE will use the winning entry and some of the commended entries as case studies which we will share widely.
Winners will be announced at the Chartered Institute of Ergonomics and Human Factors awards event in June or July 2023.
Last years winner
Solvay Derbyshire
Solvay Derbyshire
Solvay were the 2021/22 winners.
Their entry was the loading of resin mixing bowls into a warming oven using a trolley and made a massive difference to the job.
The redesigned oven and trolley allowed bowls to be wheeled directly into the new oven, eliminating the need to lift the bowls and reducing the risks of spills and contact with the hot oven.
Last years commended entries
Airbus
Airbus - MSD Design Awards Poster
Airbus were commended for their design of lightweight jigs used in the assembly of aircraft wings.
The team designed and developed a new tooling philosophy using a mixture of lightweight 3D printed parts and carbon-fibre structural beams.
British Wool
British Wool - MSD Design Awards Poster
British Wool were also commended for developing a weigh frame so that wool sheets could be transported by forklift. This enabled multiple sheets to be moved and weighed together, significantly reducing the manual handling aspects of transporting and weighing the wool sheets.
Design solution case studies across sectors
Examples of design solutions which cover the following industry sectors.