Engineering Safety Group Award
The Safe Engineering is Good Engineering - Group Award recognizes groups within the Samuel Ginn College of Engineering (SGCOE), including research groups, student organizations, centers, and departments, that incorporate safety into teaching, outreach, and research activities. This award honors groups that demonstrate dedication to safety excellence, leadership, and the active promotion of a culture of safety in teaching, research, and outreach.
One award is given annually with a $5,000 stipend to be spent on improvements that maintain or promote safety within the winning group's area.
Eligibility
- Open to any department, center, research group, or student organization within the SGCOE.
- Eligible groups must show dedication to safe practices in teaching, research, and outreach functions that further student success.
- Recipients from the previous three (3) years are not eligible.
Criteria
Nominations can be submitted at the group level. The nomination package is limited to five pages (12-point font and 1-inch margins), including a two-page letter summarizing the group’s safety achievements or concerns that they seek to improve and up to three pages of other supporting information (e.g., SOP samples, training logs, photos of safety innovations or challenges), all submitted as a single PDF document. Evaluation will be based on the following seven Safety Management System (SMS) areas:
- Leadership and Advocacy: Evidence of leadership (Faculty, Staff, or Department Chair) within the group going above and beyond to advocate for safety and proactively identifying safety concerns or challenges during program planning, space assignments, or equipment purchases, etc.
- Group Participation: Demonstration of an environment where open and honest communication on safety issues is welcomed and where faculty, staff, and students feel comfortable reporting concerns.
- Hazard Identification and Assessment: Proactive steps taken to identify concerns within groups' current and proposed activities.
- Hazard Prevention and Control: Successful integration of engineering controls, training, and Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) or checklists for operations and documented safety improvements.
- Education and Training: Documentation that all groups who require training complete the required safety training for their specific work areas or activities before any work begins (Groups are encouraged to contact RMS or Engineering Safety for assistance with safety metrics or related documentation, if applicable).
- Program Evaluation and Continuous Improvement: Demonstrated improvement in safety performance as indicated by routine safety surveys and inspection findings conducted by RMS or the College.
- Communication and Coordination: Evidence of regular safety discussions during group meetings and the maintenance of continued partnerships with the COE Safety Office and RMS.