J. J. Keller & Associates, Inc., the transportation, industrial and construction consultancy firm, announced on June 1 it would begin fielding applications for the firm’s 2023 J. J. Keller Safety Professional of the Year Awards, known as a SPOTY. 

The annual awards recognize environmental health and safety professionals who go “above and beyond their daily duties to build a culture and vision for safety, and achieve excellence in safety, for their companies.,” the company said in a news release. Applications are open through 5 p.m. (CDT), July 31, 2023.

A link to the application portal is here. 

The company said that safety professionals may apply for the SPOTY Awards directly or be nominated by someone else. Winning safety professionals will be selected by a select panel from J. J. Keller’s staff of more than 75 safety consultants and experts — acknowledged industry leaders — with a combined 500 years of experience in their field. 

Winners will be announced in September. 

The top SPOTY Award winner will receive a range of items totaling more than $20,000 in value:

  • $2,500 to be donated by J. J. Keller to the winner’s nonprofit 501(c)3 organization of choice
  • a free one-year subscription to the J. J. Keller SAFETY MANAGEMENT SUITE for the winner and their staff (up to 10 users)
  • $1,200 in free online training from J. J. Keller
  • $200 toward J. J. Keller® SAFEGEARTM PPE
  • a commemorative plaque

Additionally, the winner and their company will be featured in a webcast by J. J. Keller in October 2023.

“The SPOTY Awards differ from many other company-wide awards in the industry because they focus on the personal commitment and influence of the safety professionals who are on the ground doing the hard work of keeping people safe every day,” said Rustin Keller, president and CEO of J. J. Keller. 

“Since 1953, our purpose at J. J. Keller has been to protect people and the businesses they run, advising on safety practices that are head-and-shoulders above the others,” Keller added. “And we look forward to honoring those who have implemented forward-thinking approaches.”

J. J. Keller’s Safety Professional of the Year winners include spots for second and third-place awards. Second place receives a $500 donation to the 501(c)3 nonprofit organization of their choice, a free one-year subscription to the J. J. Keller SAFETY MANAGEMENT SUITE, $250 toward J. J. Keller SAFEGEARTM PPE and a commemorative plaque. 

Third place receives a $100 donation to the 501(c)3 nonprofit organization of their choice, a free one-year subscription to the J. J. Keller SAFETY MANAGEMENT SUITE, $200 toward J. J. Keller SAFEGEARTM PPE and a commemorative plaque.

“Safety is one of the most important things a company can provide for employees,” Keller said. “We want to honor safety professionals who create a safety culture every day.”

The SPOTY Awards are open to legal residents of the United States and Canada who are safety professionals. See the complete official rules here.