VC Awards for Health and Safety 2019
On Tuesday 26th November, Wellbeing Safety and Health announced the winners for the prestigious Vice-Chancellor's Awards for Health and Safety 2019. Congratulations to all the winners.
The Awards reward and celebrate the exceptional inspiration, commitment and practice of University staff and students. This year’s award winners are:
• The Vice-Chancellor’s Award for Health and Safety 2019 itself goes to Dr Natalie North and Dr Nicole Watt from Leeds Institute of Cardiovascular and Metabolic Medicine (LICAMM), Faculty of Medicine and Health, whose entry was selected as the most inspirational and who win the prize of £250.
• Natalie and Nicole are post-doc research fellows who are being recognised for their work in improving health and safety in their research labs. They have worked in particular with academics, leading on initiatives that have transformed the way LICAMM works. they have built engagement and developed a strong health and safety culture, individual by individual, team by team, lab by lab. In this they have shown inspirational dedication and gone well beyond the expectations of their post-doc roles.
• Louise Barker (Strategy and Planning, Professional Services) - Health and Safety Champion Award. Louise led the design and implementation of best practice approaches to staff health, safety and wellbeing across the team over a long period of time. Through working in partnership with others, she has also supported the wider application of these approaches across other services.
• Carsten Zothner (School of Molecular and Cellular Biology, Faculty of Biological Sciences) – Health and Safety Champion Award. The Health and Safety Executive highlighted Carsten’s role as Lab Area Co-ordinator in the management of the new FBS Biological Safety Level 3 facility dealing with pathogens such as hepatitis C Virus, Dengue and Chikungunya. His dedication and contribution to this important area over time has been highly valued.
• Jill Roberts (Cleaning Services, FD) – Leadership Award. Jill’s commitment, in her new role, to improving the health and safety of the Cleaning team has shone out. She has made a real impact by reducing chemical use and simplifying the cleaning system to prevent cross-contamination. In addition, by introducing new methods of working, she has reduced manual handling in the Service.
• Business Change Team’s Health and Wellbeing Group (Business Change, Professional Services) – Teamwork Award. This group drove health and wellbeing activity including organising to repaint and furnish a staff room area and running a photography challenge to select pictures for it, running a split team fundraising challenge, a ‘big garden build’ activity and a team step challenge to focus on levels of activity and health at work.
• Kate Brady and Rhiannon Bland (Student Education Service, Faculty of Biological Sciences) - Health and Wellbeing Initiative Award. Kate and Rhiannon ran wellbeing events for staff and for students, with feedback proving these events were both needed and valued. The student event will happen again this year, involving other faculties to increase reach; there are also ongoing wellbeing activities with SES staff.
• Grace Roberts, Louise Walton, Ellie Dean - Couch to 5k volunteer leaders (Education Engagement/ School of Psychology/ Sport and Physical Activity) - Health and Wellbeing Champions Award. This team of volunteer leaders developed an entry level programme for staff and students with carefully planned sessions to help participants progress and build up their fitness whilst improving their technique and knowledge about running in a safe, social and friendly environment.
For more information about all the 2019 nominees see the Handout attached below. We’re always interested in your feedback. Please send any comments about the Awards to safety@leeds.ac.uk