This award recognizes leaders of the future with a demonstrated commitment to the integration of health and safety. Eligible nominees include full time post secondary students from Canadian universities or colleges in undergraduate, graduate, or coop programs as well as employees with 2 or less years of work experience since graduation.

Nominees must demonstrate a leadership ability to initiate and implement change in an academic or workplace environment related to health and/or safety, show dedication to the field through continuing education, special academic or work projects, career progression, generating student or worker safety awareness, mentoring and coaching and be able to demonstrate experience in the execution of safety initiatives while in school or work during the last 12 to 18 months.

Self-nominations are permitted.

This award recognizes the CEO who has driven successful safety strategies from the top by putting people first and championing innovative safety values.

When judging this category, the following criteria will be considered: 

Evidence of the CEO’s leadership skills which inspire, engage and excite the workforce about safety

Demonstrated commitment to the safety function as a strategic business objective at the executive management level

Actively drives safety initiatives (alongside their safety leader/ team) through open and continuous communication and support

This award recognizes an individual who best exemplifies leadership and vision in the world of OHS in Canada.

Eligible nominees must be safety professionals with more than 10 years of experience in the industry.

The winner will be pulled from the list of Top 10 Safety Leaders as featured in the November/December issue of COS.

This award recognizes any service provider in the safety industry that helps their clients achieve their goals. This includes but is not limited to; personal protective equipment (PPE) manufacturers, safety training providers and HSE technology providers.

When judging this category, the following criteria will be considered: 

Unique value proposition

Major strengths compared to competitors

Client success through use of the vendors services

Industry's need for the service

Overall and ongoing commitment to the safety industry

This category is designed to recognize an employer within the chemistry industry that has an exemplary health and safety record.

Nominees must explain how they ensure the health and safety of anyone who has access to or works on or off their premises or facilities which includes manufacturers, distributors and wholesalers.

This category is designed to recognize an employer within the oil and gas industry that has an exemplary health and safety record.

Nominees must explain how they ensure the health and safety of anyone who has access to or works on or off their premises or facilities.

This award will go to the organization in any industry with the strongest health and safety culture in the country — a culture that not only permeates the workplace, but extends into the employer’s community, networks and areas of influence to make health and safety a priority for all.

This award recognizes excellence in environmental protection in concordance with health and safety management.

Nominees can be from any industry and must demonstrate a clear commitment to corporate social responsibility, sustainability and proven environmental initiatives while maintaining strong health and safety management.

This award recognizes organizations in any industry that excel in promoting and protecting employee psychological safety (mental health) and overall wellness, including fitness, nutrition and health factors.

Young workers are hurt at a disproportionate rate and organizations need to put unique practices in place to engage, train and mentor young workers.

This award recognizes an organization in any industry that has innovated in ways to do this and has displayed exemplary health and safety practices specifically targeted to workers under the age of 25.

This category is designed to recognize a service-providing employer that has an exemplary health and safety record.

Nominees must explain how they ensure the health and safety of anyone who has access to or works on or off their premises or facilities which includes service-dominated businesses such as retail and hospitality.

This category is designed to recognize an employer within the construction industry that has an exemplary health and safety record.

Nominees must explain how they ensure the health and safety of anyone who has access to or works on or off their premises or facilities.

This category is designed to recognize an employer within the logistics and supply chain industry that has an exemplary health and safety record.

Nominees must explain how they ensure the health and safety of anyone who has access to or works on or off their premises or facilities which includes warehousing, distribution, trucking and transportation.

This category is designed to recognize a manufacturer that can demonstrate an exemplary health and safety record.

Nominees must explain how they have ensured the health and safety of anyone who has access to or works on or off their premises or facilities.

This category is designed to recognize an employer within the mining and natural resources industry (including fish and forestry) that has an exemplary health and safety record.

Nominees must explain how they ensure the health and safety of anyone who has access to or works on or off their premises or facilities.

This award recognizes a company — in any industry — that has been in operation for no more than 10 years and has already established an exemplary safety record in this short tenure.

This category is designed to recognize an employer within the public sector/non-profit sector that has an exemplary health and safety record.

Nominees must explain how they ensure the health and safety of anyone who has access to or works on or off their premises or facilities which includes health care, educational institutions, police, fire and EMS, municipalities, government departments and all non-profit organizations.

This category is designed to recognize a public transit employer that has an exemplary health and safety record.

Nominees must explain how they ensure the health and safety of anyone who works on or off their premises or facilities which includes transportation services by land, air and sea provided by for-profit or publicly funded employers.

This category is designed to recognize an employer within the utilities and electrical industry that has an exemplary health and safety record.

Nominees must explain how they ensure the health and safety of anyone who has access to or works on or off their premises or facilities.

This award recognizes the organization that is using the latest safety-specific technology to greatest effect, making it a responsive and effective leader in health & safety practices.

When judging this category, the following criteria will be considered: 

Particular technology solutions introduced in the last 12 – 18 months, demonstrating positive outcomes, a clear narrative demonstrating the needs identification process for implementation of the technology

Alignment of the use of the technology with the organization’s broader goals

Innovation in the types of technology used

Efficiencies and cost-savings gained from use of technology

Evidence of return on investment and impact on staff, including improved injury statistics and LTI rate