National Safety Council

MSD Solutions Pilot Grant 1.0 

Scaling Provider-Specific MSD Reduction Strategies 

Introduction

In June 2021, the National Safety Council (NSC), America’s leading nonprofit safety advocate, and Amazon teamed up to tackle one of the most common workplace injuries: musculoskeletal disorders, or MSDs. Together they formed the MSD Solutions Lab, a first-of-its-kind strategic initiative addressing this critical issue by engaging key stakeholders, conducting research, identifying new technology, innovating solutions and scaling the results — so all workplaces can benefit. As part of this multi-faceted, innovation-focused initiative, the MSD Solutions Lab is pleased to announce the launch of its inaugural Pilot Grant program (MSDs Pilot Grant 1.0). 

The goal of the MSDs Pilot Grant 1.0 program is to develop solutions for preventing MSDs by matching organizations with innovative technology providers to trial emerging technologies in real-life applications. This year’s program involves the six leading solution providers (listed below) featured at the 2022 NSC Safety Congress & Expo and invites organizations to submit proposals to partner with any of these providers to reduce MSDs caused by manual material handling across any workplace.

Grant Overview

The following are the six winners from this year’s Safety Innovation Challenge. We expect the solution providers to assist an industry partner that is either a current MSD Pledge member or interested in taking the MSD Pledge to reduce the risk of workplace MSDs. Acknowledging that overexertion involving handling objects remains the top cause of disability from workplace injuries, the MSD Solutions Lab specifically invites organizations interested in eliminating or reducing manual material handling exposure to apply for the MSDs Pilot Grant 1.0. 

• Effidence: A collaborative handling robot that behaves like a true logistic assistant and follows a picking operator, thus eliminating pushing or pulling.
• Extend Robotic: A human-robot interface software for a non-robotic expert to tele-operate and program robotic manipulators remotely for physical tasks.
• Herowear: A back-assist lightweight exosuit designed to reduce muscle fatigue. It accommodates bodies of all shapes and sizes and fits like a comfortable piece of clothing.
• Mobile Industrial Robots (MiR): For transportation of pallets and heavy goods, for example, warehouse logistics automation, and can also be hooked for custom and existing carts.
• TuMeke Ergonomics: A computer vision joint tracking system for ergonomic assessments.
• WearKinetic: A belt-mounted wearable sensor automatically recognizing awkward postures commonly performed on the job, such as bending, overreaching and twisting.

The MSD Solutions Lab will award $60,000 in total funding for its inaugural pilot grant in 2023 involving the above six solution provider winners.

The 2023 -2024 pilot grant cycle application will open on March 20, 2023, and the grant period is 18 months after funding is distributed. 

Grant Requirements

Each awarded organization must become an MSD Pledge member before funds are dispersed for the project; preference will be given to those who signed the MSD Pledge before March 31, 2023.

- The grantee is an organization that wants to pilot a solution, and the solution provider should assist in solving the manual materials handling issues at the organization of the pledgee. 

• Note: A solution provider may partner with more then one grantee to address their manual materials handling issues.

- As part of this project, the solution provider should develop specific strategies for risk reduction, training of the grantee staff on the tech solution, trial the solution for at least six months, track injury metrics, and identify and document best practices in collaboration with the pledgee(s).

- The funds will be disbursed directly to the grantee and the solution provider for administration. Funding is available for:

• Shipping and transportation of technology solutions to the place of pledgee and return.
• On-site training needs, including equipment necessary to run the pilot (e.g., physical equipment, software).
• Travel essential to conduct the proposed project.

- Funds may not be applied to:

• Employee salaries and/or benefits of both pledgee and solution provider.
• General operating expenses not related to the project.
• Purchase of equipment, hardware or software, or other costs not pertinent to the project.
• Personal expenses
• Accrued costs not attributable to the grant

Grant Proposal Guidelines

Each MSD Pledge member(s) and solution provider grantee team will submit a joint proposal consisting of the following:

- Project title

- Names, email addresses and affiliations of solution provider and MSD Pledge member(s)

- Proposal (one to three pages) that incorporates the following:

• Specific aims of the pilot project 
• Significance of the manual materials handling problem at the pledgee(s) workplace (e.g., metrics such as lost workdays, injury count, lagging indicators)
• Project design (e.g., study design, proposed metrics or data collection methods, population tested, implementation measurement procedures)
• Project execution timeline (e.g., start and completion of major activities, staff training using technology, results reporting).
• Any other risk reduction strategies that have been implemented, attempted or planned to address the manual material handling issues by the MSD Pledge member.
• Anticipated outcomes, including injury reduction metrics, possible challenges.
• Budget justification (include itemizing costs, with a justification of each item).

Grant Deliverables

The MSD Solutions Lab will collaborate with grantees and solution providers to translate and disseminate the solutions across organizations for broader visibility in the form of case studies.

The MSD Solutions Lab will engage during the project's lifecycle to: 

• Document progress reports and discuss changes in project scope (if any) 
• List challenges/barriers to using the technology (including any adverse events)
• Discuss ways to scale the solution provider intervention(s) and implementation of recommendations
• Develop case studies (e.g., lessons learned, development of risk reduction metrics, return on investment insights). 

The grantee and solution provider must report on project progress to the MSD Solutions Lab team through the delivery of one interim report halfway through the project (template to be provided). 

The grantee and solution provider must also submit a comprehensive report after the grant cycle (i.e., within 30 days of completion) and write a case study highlighting the solution provider technology for further dissemination to a broader audience. Details will be discussed with grantees during the project lifecycle.

Grant Outcomes

The expected outcome is that each grant awardee will present their results at the 2024 NSC Safety Congress & Expo or a similar venue. Awardees may alternately or in addition be asked to present results at a future virtual or hybrid event. 

At the NSC events, both grantees and solution providers will have the opportunity to showcase their findings, network with other potential organizations that are interested in utilizing the technology, and have the potential to scale upward and educate the wider audience. 

Timeline

Grant Proposal Request Opens: March 20, 2023

Grant Proposal Submission Closes: May 19, 2023

Awards Announced: June 16, 2023

For more information, including pilot grant eligibility and application requirements, please contact msdsolutionslab@nsc.org. 

Introduction

The National Safety Council (NSC) MSD Solutions Lab is pleased to announce the inaugural Research to Solutions (R2S) grant. The goal of the R2S grant is to develop, evaluate and/or disseminate effective solutions for musculoskeletal disorders (MSDs), focusing on occupational injury risk reduction. 

The MSD Solutions Lab will award $225,000 in total for its inaugural R2S Grant Program in 2023. Project budgets up to $75,000 in total costs will be considered, and applications with less than the maximum budget of $75,000 are encouraged. Projects are limited to no more than one year.

R2S grants are intended to inspire collaboration among academic institutions, businesses and industries to uncover promising, transferable solutions that mitigate injury risk across a range of other industry sectors. 

For the 2023-2024 grant cycle, we are primarily interested in emerging technologies, legacy MSD high-risk jobs or tasks, and the future of work. Specific priority research areas are as follows:

• Emerging technologies for risk assessment and mitigation: Examples include, but are not limited to, leveraging computer vision, machine learning, natural language processing, smart sensors, exoskeletons and exosuits, robotics (including collaborative and service), augmented/virtual and mixed reality, digital twins, and automation in addressing issues of musculoskeletal health and disorders.
• Legacy MSD high-risk jobs or tasks: Examples include, but are not limited to, solutions to jobs or tasks known to have high MSD risk but for which there is insufficient evidence regarding methods to sufficiently mitigate the risk. These can come from any industry sector, including health care and social assistance; retail trade; manufacturing; transportation and warehousing; and construction.
• Future of work: Examples include, but are not limited to, the role of non-traditional work (e.g., hybrid, work-from-anywhere, remote and gig work), demographic shifts (aging, sex/gender, racial inequalities, obesity, and social determinants of musculoskeletal health and disorders), and the role of COVID-19 on musculoskeletal health and disorders.
• MSD Management Systems: Examples include, but are not limited to, systems that incorporate or could be integrated with MSD solution strategies, emphasize the hierarchy of controls to “design out” hazards and risk using Prevention through Design and integrate ergonomics with process optimization through MODAPTS®, MTM and Lean Six Sigma.   
• Total worker wellbeing: Examples include, but are not limited to, integrating occupational safety and health interventions and worksite health promotion programs addressing musculoskeletal health and disorders. 

Prospective applicants are required to submit a letter of intent (LOI) before a full-length grant application. The 2023-2024 grant cycle LOI application will open on March 17, 2023, and LOIs are due by 5 p.m. CST, April 7, 2023. 

Eligibility

Full grant submission consists of the following stages:

1. Submission of a completed and signed LOI
2. Submission of a full-length grant proposal – this stage is specific to successful applicants from the LOI process only

Every prospective applicant must submit an LOI outlining the priority area(s) above for which project funding is requested. Only one grant application per organization in a single grant cycle is allowed.

Prospective applicants should be the following:

• A full-time faculty member at an academic institution (U.S. or international) who holds non-temporary positions at the rank of assistant professor or above 
• A full-time graduate student or post-doctoral fellow with a letter of support from a faculty advisor who should be listed as a co-investigator
• An organization that is in need of a unique solution or already has a project that is pursuing a unique solution in one or more of the priority areas

NOTE: Collaborations among academia, research institutions and business organizations are strongly encouraged as part of the grant proposal. 

Dissemination

The expected outcome is that each grant awardee will present their results at the 2024 NSC Safety Congress & Expo. At this event, grantees will have the opportunity to showcase their findings and potential to scale upward. Awardees may alternately or in addition be asked to present results at a future virtual or hybrid event.

LOI Application Format

The LOI should be in English, single-spaced with 0.5-inch margins (of U.S. standard page size of 8.5 x 11 inches), and not exceed three pages (excluding references). Acceptable fonts are Arial or Times New Roman with a font size of either 11 or 12 points. Figures and tables are allowed and can be included in the three-page limit. The LOI proposal must consist of the following:

1. Project title and summary
2. Names of investigators (Principal Investigator, Co-Principal Investigator and others) and their roles and responsibilities, including experience and expertise relevant to the proposal
3. Priority area(s) of interest and responsiveness (e.g., explain how the proposal is responsive to the priority area(s) of interest)
4. Research question(s) (e.g., state the question(s) you will answer regarding your proposed solution)
5. Significance (e.g., include background, the rationale and need for the proposed work, as well as why the proposed work is innovative)
6. Approach (e.g., research design, population of interest, high-risk industry and high-risk task of interest)
7. Plan for Institutional Review Board submission (see note below)
8. Expected results and impact(s) of the work (e.g., strategies for MSD prevention, solutions development, implementation, product development and best practice solutions)
9. Detailed budget, including indirect costs and justification (see Appendix)

NOTE: Funds may not be applied to: general operating expenses not related to the project; purchase of equipment, hardware or software, or other costs not pertinent to the project; personal expenses and accrued costs not attributable to the grant.

LOI Submission

Prospective applicants must submit the LOI through Submittable by 5 p.m. CST on Friday, April 7, 2023. 

Review and Selection

The review committee will evaluate each proposal and score based on the selected criteria shown below: 

• Scientific Importance/Relevance to Priority Area: Does the proposal address an important scientific, technical or practical question? Will the potential findings substantially add to understanding the priority area investigated? 
• Significance of Research/Field Knowledge: Is the project original and innovative? Will the proposal work develop, test and evaluate a new methodology or solutions? Will the proposed work demonstrate a strong understanding of the area of inquiry and the underlying scientific issues? Will the proposed work make a clear case for how the research fits into a larger context of the issue under consideration for the study? 
• Approach: Are the variables and controls clearly defined for the study design, if relevant? Are correct quantitative/qualitative measures utilized for evaluating potential research outcomes? Are proper data/statistical analyses described, if relevant? 
• Impact of Work: Does the proposal state the strategies for MSD prevention and solution development clearly so they can be easily implemented? Can claims of the uniqueness of the proposal or additions to the existing solutions be justified? Can this solution be transferrable to other similar industries? 
• Dissemination of Findings and Budget Logistics: Does the proposal document sharing findings through virtual MSD Solutions Lab symposium or presentations at NSC events, research papers and knowledge transfer documentation? Is the budget justified and itemized appropriately? 

Only selected applications from Stage 1 will be invited to submit a full-length application.

The decision of successful applicants from Stage 1 of the LOI review and the request for full-length proposals (not to exceed five to six pages, excluding references) will be communicated by mid-April 2023. The details of the timeline for the R2S grant are given below:

Timeline

Letter of Intent Opens: March 17, 2023

Letter of Intent Submission Deadline: April 7, 2023

Letter of Intent Outcome & Full Length Proposal Opens: April 17, 2023

Informational Webinar – Full-length Proposal Guidance: Mid-April/May (multiple)

Full-Length Proposal Due: May 31, 2023

Awards Announced: June 16, 2023

NOTE: Research involving human subjects must receive an Institutional Review Board (IRB) approval following government regulations set forth by the applicant’s country. Businesses that do not have an IRB should submit and get approval from an external commercial IRB or partner with an institution that has an IRB willing to serve as the IRB of record for the study. It is important to note that grant funding can only be released after IRB approval.

Some research proposals not involving “human subjects” might not require IRB review or an exempt determination (e.g., MSD data sets evaluating machine learning approaches, research including access to and/or use of identifiable “publicly available” datasets). However, note that the proposal must comply with the applicant country's applicable regulatory requirements, even if your study does not constitute human research. It is advisable to contact the MSD Solutions Lab for assistance if a project does not engage human subjects.

If the grant work results in a device or product, it may need to be licensed under a Creative Commons license appropriate for wide distribution to or access to the public.

For more information, including eligibility and application requirements, please contact msdsolutionslab@nsc.org. 

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Worker safety: Does your CEO “get it”?

CEOs Who “Get It” is an annual recognition from the National Safety Council to organizational leaders who demonstrate a personal commitment to worker safety and health.

It doesn’t matter if your organization has 50 employees or 50,000. If you believe your leader should be recognized, fill out the form and tell us why.

Forms submitted by August 25, 2023 will be considered for 2024. Those recognized as CEOs Who “Get It” will be featured in Safety+Health magazine.

Click the link below to see the full list of 2023 CEOs Who "Get It", featured in the February  2023 issue of Safety+Heatlh. 

https://www.safetyandhealthmagazine.com/articles/23407-2023-ceos-who-get-it

Diversity in Safety Scholarship
The National Safety Council envisions building a workforce of occupational, safety and health professionals that represent all of the cultures and ethnicities represented in the workforce. To achieve this vision, the Diversity in Safety Scholarship from NSC helps support students from diverse backgrounds who are pursuing safety as a career. The Diversity in Safety Scholarship provides the winner a $5,000 tuition award, renewable up to four years.
All Diversity in Safety Scholarship recipients are also provided the opportunity to attend the NSC Safety Congress & Expo at no cost, with access to technical sessions, keynote addresses, an Expo of over 1,000 exhibitors and networking events. The NSC Safety Congress & Expo is the world’s premier annual safety event, bringing together 14,000 occupational safety and health professionals from various industries.
Scholarship Rules and Guidelines
Eligibility
BIPOC individuals, people with disabilities, and people who identify as LGBTQIA+ who are seeking post-secondary education leading to a career in environmental, health and/or safety.
Additional eligibility includes:

• Students attending community colleges, technical programs, apprenticeships or bachelor’s degree programs within the United States (both in-person and online), enrolled full- or part-time; part-time candidates may receive a prorated award
• Students must maintain a GPA of 3.0
• For those who are attending programs without EHS majors, at least 25 percent of course work each semester must be pursuing careers that are applicable to an EHS professional such as public health, engineering and other educational pursuits that relate to health and safety.

Application and Selection
To be considered, applications must be fully completed and submitted online.
At least one and up to three letters of recommendation must be submitted with the application
Finalists will be notified in the Spring of 2023

•   Finalists will be asked for additional information, verification of claims and to supply transcripts
•  Finalists must pass a media review

NSC staff and volunteers will have access to the information provided on all applications


Award Information

• Recipient will receive a check in the amount of $5,000, payable to the university/college
• This award is renewable up to four years
• The $5,000 award may be prorated if the recipient is not a full-time student
• Recipient must sign an acceptance agreement stipulating use of funds for tuition

For more information about the NSC Congress & Expo, visit congress.nsc.org.

NSC Student Members
NSC student membership opportunities are made possible through funding by the National Safety Council and its members.  Click here to join NSC as a student member; there is no cost for membership. If you are a current student member and need assistance, contact CustomerCare@nsc.org or call 800-621-7619. If you are unable to become a student member because you have not yet been accepted into a program, please contact scholarship@nsc.org for assistance.
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NSC DE&I Commitment Statement
At NSC, we demonstrate our commitment to diversity, equity and inclusion through our culture and our values. Our culture embraces all people regardless of ancestry, color, national origin, race, gender identity, sex, sexual orientation, age, religion, physical or mental disability, or veteran status.* We boldly empower our team to model respect and dignity. We find impactful opportunities for growth and development. We create a safe environment that includes mental, physical, psychological, and emotional protections. To be NSC is to deliver our mission by working together — our employees, members, and stakeholders — in such a way that everyone feels a sense of belonging
We believe that you can’t be safe if you don’t feel safe. Feeling safe requires a commitment to equitable policy implementation and promoting diversity in the safety profession. We must cultivate our own diverse, inclusive, and equitable work environment to deliver on our mission to save lives, from the workplace to anyplace.

About the Lorraine Pack Memorial Scholarship

The Lorraine Pack Memorial Scholarship helps female students who are interested in pursuing EHS or related fields.  The Lorraine Pack Memorial Scholarship provides the winner a $2,000 tuition award, and the opportunity to attend either the annual Campbell Symposium or the NSC Congress & Expo at no cost. While the tuition award can be provided to students attending a United States based institution from anywhere in the world, the travel portion is only available to those from the United States and Canada.


Who was Lorraine Pack
Lorraine Pack inspired those around her to care for each other’s safety and protect the environment in which we live and work. She participated in Campbell Institute events and embraced the Institute’s focus on solving global environmental, health and safety challenges through innovation and research. Lorraine mentored women of all ages on what it takes to be an EHS professional, the importance of connecting with operational leaders, and inspiring employees to improve stewardship and lead with EHS. The Lorraine Pack Memorial Scholarship Fund, established by Laura Fiffick, Brittany Westphal and other generous donors, allows Lorraine's legacy to live on by inspiring young women to pursue careers in the EHS field.

About the Women in Safety Scholarship
The NSC Women in Safety Scholarship helps support women pursuing safety as a career and promote safety as a career path for those women studying business or engineering.

The Women in Safety Scholarship is a cash award of $5,000, renewable for up to four years. In addition to the monetary award to be used for educational purposes, the Women in Safety Scholarship recipients will be invited to attend the upcoming NSC Congress & Expo at no cost. For more information about the NSC Congress & Expo, visit congress.nsc.org.

For more detailed information on each scholarship, please see nsc.org/scholarships.
 

The National Safety Council recognizes outstanding advances in safety throughout the year through a variety of award programs – among the most prestigious are the Green Cross for Safety® Awards. Nominees and recipients demonstrate alignment with the NSC mission of saving lives from the workplace to anyplace.

The NSC Green Cross Safety Advocate, Safety Excellence, and Safety Innovation.

Green Cross for Safety Advocate

This award recognizes a community partnership, individual or coalition that has made a significant impact on a safety issue by advocating for proven or promising practices to raise awareness or change policy to prevent further injuries and deaths.

Nominations for Safety Advocate should have:  

• Focused on change in one key area of safety 
• Advocated for the use of evidence-based practices in their sphere of influence. If working with a promising practice, nominee should have helped evaluate the practice’s effectiveness. 
• Succeeded in influencing change, such as changing legislation or behavior 
• Planned for future advocacy in the chosen area 
• Recognized its transferability and planned steps to share with others 

Green Cross for Safety Excellence

This award recognizes a corporation, coalition or organization that was relentless in its pursuit of safety.

Nominees in Safety Excellence should have:  

• Identified an obstacle to eliminating preventable deaths or injuries 
• Developed a solution to the problem identified 
• Implemented the solution with significant measurable results 
• Evaluated the solution and planned next steps 
• Recognized its value to the safety community and planned steps to share with others 

Green Cross for Safety Innovation

This award recognizes a researcher, corporation, or organization that has achieved success addressing a long-held challenge in safety with a new or novel approach.

Nominees in Safety Innovation should have:  

• Identified a long held obstacle to eliminating preventable injuries or deaths 
• Developed a transformative approach to the problem identified 
• Reviewed, researched or implemented the solution with significant measurable results 
• Evaluated lessons learned and made recommendations for next steps for the approach 
• Recognized its value to the safety community and planned steps to share with others 

2023 NSC Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Safety Champion Recognition
NSC is taking action on diversity, equity and inclusion (DE&I), with a commitment to recognize the importance of DE&I to workplace safety and health, and a pledge to help organizations identify and redress imbalances. To perpetuate DE&I in the safety community, the NSC Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Safety Champion Recognition will be awarded to organizations with a proven commitment to DE&I within their safety culture. Recognized organizations will have incorporated DE&I safety initiatives into their culture and core business strategies through major business initiatives where they strive not only to ensure physical safety, but foster an environment where every employee feels secure, welcome and included.
The Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Safety Champion Recognition honors three types of achievement each year:

• Culture – DE&I embedded in organizational culture (The NSC Psychological Safety Perception Survey is required for this category)
• People – Diversity within safety professional workforce
• Program Innovations – Administration of a significant DE&I-related safety program
   

Organizations can apply or be nominated for recognition based on one of these three criteria.


Culture
Inclusion and psychological safety unlock the potential of a diverse workforce. Employee feedback is the most useful data source for measuring psychological safety – the main element being inclusion. NSC has developed an employee survey to gauge employee perceptions regarding psychological safety across key psychological safety dimensions and psychosocial risks to assess culture. Successful applicants will show how DE&I is embedded into their organizational cultures by administering the NSC Psychological Safety Perception Survey to employees. The Psychological Safety Perception Survey is required in order to be considered for recognition in the Culture category.
Click here for information about the NSC Psychological Safety Perception Survey.
Or copy and paste the link below into browser to access.
https://nscsurveys.co1.qualtrics.com/WRQualtricsControlPanel/File.php?F=F_cPkhMS57Zgpia58


People
Diversity metrics are used to identify risk areas, prioritize, set program goals and measure the impact of initiatives. Applicants must either provide a summary of their organizational DE&I goals and how they are measured, or must describe specific initiatives taken by their organization that have resulted in increased diversity among safety professionals.
Program Innovations
Underrepresented identity groups in the workplace can create barriers to both physical and psychological safety, ultimately putting workers and the public at additional risk. Innovation is key to eliminating these risks. Applicants must describe the specific DE&I program innovations or initiatives their organization has integrated into the current safety management system, with details on the origin of the idea, how it has improved safety and how the organization recognized those championing the effort.

Click here for the FAQ sheet OR copy and paste the link below into browser to access.
https://www.nsc.org/getmedia/4903d7c0-5f78-4589-bd60-3a0dc17ad22f/dei-champion-faq.pdf
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NSC DE&I Commitment Statement
At NSC, we demonstrate our commitment to diversity, equity and inclusion through our culture and our values. Our culture embraces all people regardless of ancestry, color, national origin, race, gender identity, sex, sexual orientation, age, religion, physical or mental disability, or veteran status.* We boldly empower our team to model respect and dignity. We find impactful opportunities for growth and development. We create a safe environment that includes mental, physical, psychological, and emotional protections. To be NSC is to deliver our mission by working together — our employees, members, and stakeholders — in such a way that everyone feels a sense of belonging
We believe that you can’t be safe if you don’t feel safe. Feeling safe requires a commitment to equitable policy implementation and promoting diversity in the safety profession. We must cultivate our own diverse, inclusive, and equitable work environment to deliver on our mission to save lives, from the workplace to anyplace.

NSC launched the Rising Stars of Safety in 2010 to highlight the achievements of the best safety professionals under the age of 40.

The Rising Stars of Safety is designed to reward those individuals who have a current role in safety, and have influenced their company’s safety culture and safety leadership. Companies are encouraged to nominate multiple candidates, but only one honoree per company can be chosen.
To be eligible for nomination, the nominee:

• Must have been nominated by another
• Can be based anywhere in the world
• Must be under 40 years old as of October 31 of the receiving year
   

The criteria that will be used in evaluating nominations may include, but not be limited to:  

• Demonstrated leadership
• Led a safety initiative with measurable results
• Engaged his or her peers around safety culture
• Demonstrated a personal belief in safety to business operations

The National Safety Council may choose to recognize any number of Rising Stars of Safety in any given year. No one individual will win the award more than one time. Historically, the Rising Stars of Safety have been viewed as a “40 under 40” style award.

When considering a potential nominee, it is important to consider the following:

• Self-nominations are not accepted
• Nominators should spend time early in the process discussing the nomination process with the NSC Award Manager, who can serve as a coach.
• Successful nominations include measurable, detailed descriptions and examples. Often, this means using a majority of the space available.
• The nominator’s obligation to the nominee and the process includes preparing a professional nomination package. A nominator may inform and engage the nominee in preparing this submission.
• Powerful, successful nominations are crisp in form, clear, neat, organized and not encumbered with extraneous information and endorsements. 
• All nominations must be submitted through the online application with all required fields complete.  No other documents will be accepted in lieu of the online form.
• Nominators must never assure a nominee that the award is theirs without the approval of the NSC Award Committee.

Nominations must be made through third parties; self-nominations will not be eligible. All eligible Rising Stars nominees must have at least one and no more than three letters of recommendation. A complete resume is required as part of the submission.

Final nominations must be submitted online by March 31, 2023. The deadline has been extended to May 15, 2023.

The Distinguished Service to Safety Award (DSSA) is the most prestigious award given to individuals by the National Safety Council in recognition of outstanding service and contribution in the field of safety. The NSC Awards Committee has established the following guidelines to facilitate the nomination process for this award program.
Scope: The DSSA is designed to reward those individuals who have had a sustained impact on safety on a local, national, or international scope. The nature of the contribution should reflect exceptional service resulting in more effective or increased levels of injury and/or illness prevention, or assistance in furtherance of those goals. This may also include advancement of safety theory and research.
Nominees:
- Will be considered from members and nonmembers of NSC
- Eligible nominees will have at least twenty years of experience in a safety related field
- Active engagement in safety, either paid or unpaid, within the past five years
- Retirees are eligible to be nominated, within two year of their retirement
Criteria:
- Made impact on safety (international, national or local).  Impact can include affecting culture change around safety within an organization or locale; developing and implementing safety protocols previously lacking in an organization or industry; or public campaigns or advocacy with measurable success in affecting safety awareness and individual behavior.
- Made significant and outstanding contributions to safety.  Contributions can include innovations, research, or other academic pursuits impacting safety.
Nominator Guidance: When considering a potential nominee, it is important to consider the following:
- Self-nominations are not permitted
- The nominator’s obligation to the nominee and the process includes preparing a professional nomination package. A nominator may inform and engage the nominee in preparing this.  
- Powerful, successful nominations are crisp in form, clear, neat, organized and not encumbered with extraneous information and endorsements.
- All nominations must be submitted through the online application with all required fields complete.  No other documents will be accepted in lieu of the online form.
- Nominators must never assure a nominee that the award is theirs without the approval of the NSC Award Committee.
- All eligible DSSA nominees must have at least one and no more than three letters of recommendation.
- All criteria must be supported with metrics and appropriate documentation.

Deadline:  Final nominations must be submitted online by March 31, 2023. We have extended the deadline to May 15, 2023.

To learn more about this award, click here.

To submit for this award, please log in and/or create a submittable.com account.  

The NSC Marion Martin Award was established in 2016 to recognize and celebrate outstanding service and contributions in the field of safety by women.  The NSC Awards Committee has established the following guidelines to facilitate the nomination process for this award program.
Purpose: The purpose of the NSC Marion Martin Award is to recognize women who have achieved professional excellence within their area of specialty and have helped pave the way to success for other women in the profession. These women have distinguished themselves in a variety of professional settings and personify excellence on either the local, regional, national or international level.
Scope: The NSC Marion Martin Award is designed to reward those women who have had a significant impact on other women in the safety field.  This award is designed to celebrate the career of women who have not only achieved professional excellence, but did so while encouraging other women to pursue a career in safety.
Eligibility: To be eligible for nomination, the nominee must be a woman, and may not be an active National Safety Council staff member, or member of the NSC Women’s Division Leadership Committee.
Deadline:  All submissions must be received by March 31, 2023. The deadline has been extended to May 15, 2023.

Click here to learn more about this award.

To submit for this award, please log in and/or create a submittable.com account. 

About the Congress & Expo Scholarship
The NSC Congress & Expo is the world's premier annual safety event, bringing together 15,000 safety, health, and environmental professionals from various industries. The 2023 NSC Congress & Expo will be held in New Orleans.  All scholarship recipients will be provided the opportunity to attend at no cost, with access to technical sessions, keynote addresses, an Expo of over 1,000 companies, and networking events. This is an invaluable opportunity for scholarship recipients to meet and learn from thousands of safety and health professionals. For more information about the NSC Congress & Expo, visit congress.nsc.org.

Click here for more detailed information about this scholarship.

NSC Student Members
NSC student membership opportunities are made possible through funding by the National Safety Council and its members.  Click here to join NSC as a student member; there is no cost for membership. If you are a current student member and need assistance, contact CustomerCare@nsc.org or call 800-621-7619. If you are unable to become a student member because you have not yet been accepted into a program, please contact scholarship@nsc.org for assistance.