BOHS, the Chartered Society for Worker Health Protection has celebrated and recognised the exceptional work of its members at a virtual award ceremony that took place yesterday.

The winners were honoured for their remarkable achievements in key areas of worker health protection. This year’s prestigious awards included:

• The BOHS Peter Isaac Award recognises an outstanding initiative contributing to the reduction of ill health at work. This year it was awarded to the initiative “HSE Programme of Cooling Tower Interventions 2013-2014”. This initiative was carried out by the Health and Safety Executive Occupational Hygiene Unit at HSE, which included Duncan Smith, Sam Lord, John Healy, Priti Shah, Martin Dilworth, Martin Gibson, Julie Helps, Martin Belcher, Rob Williams, and Gordon Smith.
• The BOHS Thomas Bedford Medal is named after the first President of BOHS and is recognised as BOHS’ prime honour. Bill Cassells won the Thomas Bedford Medal this year for his outstanding work to raise the industry standard and spread awareness of how the LEV industry can be continually improved and moved forward.
• Adam Clarke won the Early Career Occupational Hygienist Award for his essay on “The Future of Occupational Hygiene and the Effects of New Technology on the Profession”, discussing the use of AI and automation in the manufacturing sector.
• The BOHS Trevor Ogden Award was introduced in 2013 to mark the Society’s 60^th year anniversary and to honour Trevor’s outstanding voluntary contribution to the Society and the profession of occupational hygiene. Alex Bianchi was this year’s winner and he received his award from Trevor Ogden himself, who attended the ceremony.
• The BOHS Ted King Award is presented to the highest achiever of the BOHS Certificate of Operational Competence in Occupational Hygiene, and the 2020 award went proudly to Deirdre Rooney.
• Twinned with the Ted King Award, the David Hickish Award celebrates the best candidate of the year who has achieved the BOHS Diploma of Professional Competence in Occupational Hygiene and Andrew Crowther is this year’s 2020 award winner.

Congratulating the winners, Kevin Bampton, CEO of BOHS, said:

In many ways this has been the year workplace health protection has become the dominant issue. Award-winners this year are being recognised for their commitment and expertise in the context of prevention of exposure to hazards which kill thousands every year. Without the dedication and professionalism of people such as our award-winners who work in the occupational hygiene profession, thousands more would be suffering or dying prematurely.