Looking forward to this year’s awards gala, Dr Victor Hrymak has been appointed as Judging Coordinator for the Health & Safety Excellence Awards 2026, bringing over three decades of environmental health and safety expertise to oversee the programme's evaluation process.

An Emeritus Fellow at TU Dublin, Dr Hrymak spent more than twenty years chairing the university's MSc in Environmental Health and Safety programme. His career spans enforcement, academia, and strategic consultation, beginning as a Labour Inspector in London where he enforced workplace safety, fire safety, housing, and food hygiene standards. He later served as fire and safety officer for Trinity College Dublin before joining TU Dublin.

Dr Hrymak holds a PhD in inspection conduct and risk assessment from Trinity College Dublin and maintains active involvement in safety research, consultancy, and expert witness work. He holds "expert" status with the European Agency for Safety & Health (EU OSHA) and has collaborated with the European Commission on occupational safety initiatives.

In 2025, EU OSHA commissioned Dr Hrymak to research how Ireland achieves workplace safety compliance. The published study includes case studies from the Health and Safety Authority, Ibec, NISO, and the State Claims Agency, providing critical insight into the regulatory and voluntary mechanisms that shape Irish safety culture.

His appointment reinforces the rigorous standards that underpin the Health & Safety Excellence Awards. Organised by BusinessRiver, the programme operates across 30 market segments, engaging 12,000 senior business leaders annually. The selection process maintains strict confidentiality agreements, with judges required to declare potential conflicts of interest. Entries involving conflicts are reassigned to ensure complete impartiality throughout the evaluation process.

Dr Hrymak's expertise in regulatory compliance, academic research, and EU-level policy development positions him to coordinate judging activities and ensure entries are assessed against evolving best practice standards. His involvement signals the programme's commitment to elevating benchmarks and ensuring that award recipients reflect genuine leadership in workplace safety.

Finalists of Health & Safety Excellence Awards 2026 will be announced on 26 February 2026 ahead of the awards gala on April 30.Visit the official website to explore categories, review past winners, and submit your entry.