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TV’s MythBusters, Adam Savage and Jamie Hyneman, are once again using science and engineering to help keep America’s youth safe at work.
Savage and Hyneman, cohosts of Discovery Channel’s popular MythBusters, were among a panel to judges that selected winners of the U.S. Department of Labor’s “Safety in the Workplace Innovator Award,” the “Safety and Health Data Award” and the “Workers’ Rights Award.”
The winners were chosen from a group of 20 finalists.
Prizes totaling $30,000 were given to four winning entrants. The winning software tools were those judged to best demonstrate the importance of recognizing and preventing workplace safety and health hazards.
The online tools were also aimed at helping young people understand their rights in the workplace.
Submissions were designed for Internet browsers, smartphones, feature phones and social media platforms, or as native Windows or Macintosh applications.
“With so many outstanding submissions, it was difficult to choose the winners,” said Dr. David Michaels, assistant secretary of labor for occupational safety and health. “The winning entries place new technologies in the hands of young workers and their employers, making safety and health resources even more accessible.”
A “People’s Choice Award” was given to the entry that received the most public votes on the challenge website.
Don’t play the home version of MythBusters, the show’s co-stars. Special effects experts Savage and Hyneman repeatedly stress safety in the stunts they create for MythBusters, sternly telling views not to duplicate the show’s scripted experiments.
So then, what are the safety apps that MythBusters Adam and Jamie helped choose?
Safety in the Workplace Innovator Award: This $15,000 grand prize went to Working Safely Is No Accident, a website developed by the University of Tennessee Construction Industry Research and Policy Center and the Department of Industrial and Systems Engineering.
Safety and Health Data Award: The United Steelworkers union won this $6,000 prize for its USW Chemical Safety application.
Workers’ Rights Award: This $6,000 prize went to the No Jack – Young Workers’ Safety Campaign website developed by the Montana State Fund (the state’s largest workers’ compensation insurer).
People’s Choice Award: The $3,000 prize went to Sidharth Garg for his Ergonomics iOS Application.
All of the finalists’ submissions can be viewed at http://workersafetyhealth.challenge.gov. The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) website also has links to the winning submissions.
Under the Occupational Safety and Health Act of 1970, employers are responsible for providing safe and healthful workplaces for their employees.
OSHA ensures these conditions for America’s workers by setting and enforcing standards, providing training, education and assistance. Go to http://www.osha.gov for more information.