UK: Reflecting many of the challenges facing the rail sector over the past months, the 24th Rail Business Awards will include a new Wellbeing in Rail award, which is being introduced with the support of RSSB and the cross-industry Rail Wellbeing Alliance.
The award is intended to recognise efforts to improve mental and physical health & wellbeing across the UK rail industry. The judges will be looking for evidence that an individual or company has demonstrated:
- a strong personal or corporate commitment to improving the physical and mental health of railway staff;
- positive action to promote best practice in addressing health concerns and preventing ill health;
- a strong personal or corporate commitment to the assessment, monitoring and elimination of occupational health hazards;
- the value and business benefits of encouraging a healthy workforce;
- workforce health and wellbeing initiatives that have delivered positive results.
As its current Chair John Halsall explains, the Rail Wellbeing Alliance is seeking to promote health and wellbeing as a core priority for the UK rail sector.
‘You are 15 times more likely to take a day off due to mental health issues than you are for any form of workforce related accident; you are six times more likely to take a day off due to a bad back than you are for any form of workforce-related accident and very sadly you are far, far more likely to take your own life than you are to get killed at work.
‘Something that destroys lives even faster than a workforce injury is a colleague’s poor physical or mental health. It’s absolutely right that we leave no stone unturned to make the railway safer, but we should be doing even more to make it healthier.
‘As an industry we are starting to act. We are beginning to recognise the extraordinary opportunity we have to promote great practices in this area and make tens of thousands of people lead healthier and happier lives as a result’.
Entries for the 24th Rail Business Awards will close on September 24. Further details can be found at www.railbusinessawards.com
The winners are due to be announced at a gala evening at the Royal Lancaster London on Wednesday February 23 2022. While we are all looking forward to getting together again, arrangements for the event will respect government guidelines, and take due regard of the Covid-19 situation nearer the time.
