BSW Timber has received international recognition for its commitment to health and safety after scooping a gold award at the Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents (RoSPA) Health and Safety Awards. The RoSPA Health and Safety Awards is the largest occupational health and safety awards programme in the UK
Yorkshire based construction firm, Hobson & Porter, has landed an internationally recognised award in recognition of its exceptional health and safety standards. Hobson & Porter has been presented with the prestigious RoSPA (Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents) President’s Award, in recognition of the company being awarded 10 consecutive
Rebecca Needham, Road Safety Officer for the Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents (RoSPA) said: RoSPA welcomes the announcement by the Government on the ban on using handheld mobile phones for any purpose whilst driving. Drivers holding their phone are gambling with their own lives and the
After a bumper 2021, when nearly 2,000 entries from 49 countries were received, the RoSPA Health and Safety Awards 2022 are now open for registrations. As well as offering non-competitive achievement awards – in which Gold, Silver, Bronze and Merits are awarded – entrants can bid to be crowned the
Knottingley-based Caddick Construction has been awarded the prestigious RoSPA Order of Distinction Award for its health and safety performance throughout 2020. Dubbed the toughest health and safety competition in the world, the RoSPA Order of Distinction is only bestowed on companies that achieve a minimum of 15 consecutive Gold Awards
Orbit, one of the UK’s leading housing providers, has officially launched its RoSPA approved Safer by Design framework at its Mill View development in Dereham. Helen Moore, Group Director of Orbit Homes, was joined by Errol Taylor, Chief Executive Officer of the Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents (RoSPA),
Yesterday, during the second-reading of the Government’s Building Safety Bill, Conservative MP Paul Maynard called for an amendment in support of RoSPA’s safer stairs campaign, which will save countless lives if it is brought into law. RoSPA is campaigning for the most up to date British Safety Standard for stairs
Finning UK & Ireland receives RoSPA Engineering Services Sector Award for health and safety achievements Finning UK & Ireland, the exclusive distributor for Caterpillar® products, is celebrating after landing an internationally recognised award for demonstrating high health and safety standards. The company is now in the running for the highest
B&M Waste Services is celebrating after landing an internationally recognised award for demonstrating high health and safety standards for five consecutive years. B&M has received a RoSPA Gold Medal (5 consecutive Golds) Health and Safety Award for working hard to ensure its staff get home safely to their families at
RoSPA has welcomed the establishment of a new national regulator of house building materials, which was announced by the Government on Tuesday (January 19). The regulator will be introduced following testimony from the Grenfell Inquiry, and will have the power to remove products from the market if they present safety
BSW Timber has received international recognition for its commitment to health and safety after scooping a gold award at the Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents (RoSPA) Health and Safety Awards. The RoSPA Health and Safety Awards is the largest occupational health and safety awards programme in the UK and the accolade acknowledges the hard work going on behind the scenes at BSW Timber to ensure employee safety. A new auditing system was developed and built by the firm’s ESH team with a view to putting more focus on legislative requirements and Approved Codes of Practice (ACoP) compliance across BSW Timber’s sawmills. The audits were able to identify procedural weaknesses which resulted in group procedures and technical references being updated or rewritten and making roles and responsibilities clearer. Additionally, improved communication, co-ordination and co-operation between the mill teams has resulted in a more focussed scrutiny of ESH KPIs for the betterment of the entire BSW Timber team. Wayne Jones, BSW Group’s ESH Manager, said: “We are delighted to have achieved this award on behalf of the company. It is testimony to the hard work and ambitions of the senior management, ESH and sawmilling teams to improve our performance in reducing risk to employees and liability to the company. We look forward to continuing to build on our initial success and generate even better standards to demonstrate our position as market leaders in our industry. “Our commitment to ensuring efficient operations is centred around the safety of our workforce. This is underpinned by our drive to reduce risk and liability, which in turn reduces accidents, employee absence and staff turnover. We believe the RoSPA award provides an improved reputation among suppliers and partners, as well as increasing productivity and profitability, but most importantly, employees are safer, healthier and better motivated.” The RoSPA programme recognises organisations’ commitment to continuous improvement in the prevention of accidents and ill health at work, looking at entrants’ overarching health and safety management systems, including practices such as leadership and workforce involvement. Julia Small, RoSPA’s Achievements Director, said: “Accidents at work and work-related ill health don’t just have huge financial implications or cause major disruption – they significantly impact an individual’s quality of life. That’s why good safety performance deserves to be recognised and rewarded. “We are thrilled that BSW Timber has won a RoSPA Award and would like to congratulate them on showing an unwavering commitment to keeping their employees, clients and customers safe from accidental harm and injury.” The RoSPA Awards scheme is the longest running of its kind in the UK, and receives entries from organisations across the globe, making it one of the most sought-after achievement awards for the health and safety industry. To find out more about BSW Timber, visit www.bsw.co.uk Building, Design & Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals
Yorkshire based construction firm, Hobson & Porter, has landed an internationally recognised award in recognition of its exceptional health and safety standards. Hobson & Porter has been presented with the prestigious RoSPA (Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents) President’s Award, in recognition of the company being awarded 10 consecutive Gold Awards for health and safety performance over the past decade. Organisations receiving a RoSPA Award are recognised as being world-leaders in health and safety practice. Every year, nearly 2,000 entrants vie to achieve the highest possible accolade in the UK’s longest-running health and safety industry awards. Richard Hunter, managing director at Hobson & Porter, said: “We are always committed to working hard to ensure our team, our contractors and our supply chain are safe at work and return home to their families at the end of every working day. Receiving this accolade is a major achievement for our entire team and supply chain, who all take health and safety seriously and make it the number one priority every day.” Julia Small, RoSPA’s achievements director, said: “This is a fantastic and well-deserved accomplishment. All our award entrants demonstrate their unwavering commitment and passion for keeping people safe at work. By receiving this, Hobson & Porter join like-minded businesses and organisations worldwide, who represent the very best in their approach to health and safety. I would like to add my personal thanks for all the work that it has taken to secure this well-deserved award – congratulations to all those involved, who champion and drive-up health and safety standards every day. You are a fantastic example to others in your sector.” This latest accolade follows Hobson & Porter being recognised for its people development practices at last month’s Constructing Excellence in Yorkshire & Humberside (CEYH) awards, which are organised by the School of Built Environment, Engineering and Computing at Leeds Beckett University. The firm, which employees more than 120 people, was crowned winner of the ‘people development award’ and was also highly commended in the ‘SME of the year award’ category. For more information about the RoSPA Awards visit www.rospa.com/awards
Rebecca Needham, Road Safety Officer for the Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents (RoSPA) said: RoSPA welcomes the announcement by the Government on the ban on using handheld mobile phones for any purpose whilst driving. Drivers holding their phone are gambling with their own lives and the safety of others – as they are four times more likely to crash *. In 2020, there were 368 collisions of all severities where use of a mobile phone was a contributory factor. The 2003 legislation, which initially banned mobile phone use while driving, was brought into being before the age of the smartphone. There is now a considerable number of potential distractions, such as mobile phones and infotainment systems, which can divert the driver’s attention away from the road. Today’s announcement ** further underscores the importance of clear and enforceable penalties for distracted drivers, this will help change the belief that holding a phone is consequence free. Using a mobile phone behind the wheel has been shown to reflect a deep-seated and irresponsible attitude rather than an in the moment reaction. For more than a century RoSPA has been at the forefront of making our roads safer, having campaigned for changes in the law to make wearing a seatbelt in a moving vehicle mandatory, drink-driving illegal and more recently banning the use of handheld mobile phones while driving. To read more about RoSPA’s position on mobile phone use whilst driving head here: https://www.rospa.com/media/documents/road-safety/consultation-responses/RoSPA-response-to-DfT-mobile-phone-consultation.pdf * WHO ‘Mobile phone use: a growing problem of driver distraction’ https://www.who.int/violence_injury_prevention/publications/road_traffic/distracted_driving_summary.pdf ** Ipsos MORI & DfT (2021) ‘Research on the use of mobile phones while driving’ https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/research-on-the-use-of-mobile-phones-while-driving
After a bumper 2021, when nearly 2,000 entries from 49 countries were received, the RoSPA Health and Safety Awards 2022 are now open for registrations. As well as offering non-competitive achievement awards – in which Gold, Silver, Bronze and Merits are awarded – entrants can bid to be crowned the winner across a range of industry sectors. Awards entrants also gain access to a growing, worldwide community of likeminded professionals through the Awards Excellence Forum, sponsored by HSE Recruitment, a place to share and learn from best practice, enabling the improvement of health and safety systems globally, through regular events and seminars. In addition, those looking to gain the highest possible accolade can partner with high-performing entrants as part of the mentorship programme. New for this year, is the “Inspiring Women in Safety Award”, sponsored by L’Oréal, which will be presented to an individual who has made a significant impact in the world of health, safety and wellbeing. This may relate to activities within the workplace, or by use of their skills and expertise outside of their employment. RoSPA judges will consider how nominees have been a source of inspiration and a champion for gender, diversity and inclusion. Another key change for the RoSPA Awards in 2022, is that entrants will be asked to reflect on how they have managed health and safety issues connected to COVID-19 and identified the learning that can be brought forward. The application process will examine how organisations have supported their staff with the challenges associated with both working from home, and the reintegration to traditional workplaces after time spent away. Julia Small, Achievements Director at RoSPA, said: “For morethan 65 years, by working with our fantastic entrants, we are driving up health and safety standards around the world, making sure more and more people leave work unharmed each and every day. “Through the Awards Excellence Forum, entrants share how they are constantly improving their health and safety practices, and the entry process itself enables practitioners and teams to reflect and learn – and they earn points along with CPD. “Finally, as part of ongoing commitment to improving the awards experience, we have streamlined the process for registration, which will be of particular benefit to the many organisations who enter multiple sites. “We look forward to receiving submissions and celebrating achievements.” The RoSPA Awards 2022 are now open for registration. Early-bird discounts are available to those registering before November 1, 2021, and there are further discounts for RoSPA members. For more information on how to register and what the entry process involves see www.rospa.com/awards.
Knottingley-based Caddick Construction has been awarded the prestigious RoSPA Order of Distinction Award for its health and safety performance throughout 2020. Dubbed the toughest health and safety competition in the world, the RoSPA Order of Distinction is only bestowed on companies that achieve a minimum of 15 consecutive Gold Awards in a single year – Caddick Construction achieved 18, easily surpassing the high benchmark. Caddick’s award was presented to the Caddick team in a virtual ceremony by RoSPA’s President Baroness Jolly, and Chief Executive, Errol Taylor. Caddick Construction Managing Director, Adrian Dobson, said: “We are all delighted to receive this award after what was probably one of the toughest years to be working in construction. It is testament to our team that Caddick was not only able to maintain its health & safety standards but to build on them – this award is recognition for every colleague who went above and beyond during 2020.” Caddick worked on several high-profile schemes during that period including the award-winning £35m Hudson Quarter in York, the £300m SOYO regeneration project in Leeds and Panattoni’s Wakefeld515 logistics scheme.
Orbit, one of the UK’s leading housing providers, has officially launched its RoSPA approved Safer by Design framework at its Mill View development in Dereham. Helen Moore, Group Director of Orbit Homes, was joined by Errol Taylor, Chief Executive Officer of the Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents (RoSPA), to showcase the first development where the homes which have been designed to RoSPA approved Safer by Design standards are being built. The RoSPA Safer by Design framework aims to reduce serious accidental injury in new-build homes. In January, Orbit Homes became the first affordable housing provider to adopt the framework for all of its future new-build homes. The framework offers housebuilders and architects easy-to-implement, economically-viable solutions that “design out” potential serous accidental injury in new- build homes, by concentrating on the most common hazards including, falls, burns, carbon monoxide poisoning, entrapment and poisoning from access to household chemicals. Helen Moore, Group Director of Orbit Homes, said: “RoSPA’s Safer by Design standards go above and beyond building regulations, and as the first affordable housing provider to adopt this framework, we are proud that Orbit is leading the sector on building safety. Many accidents can be avoided through simple and low-cost design changes, which make the home physically safer by eradicating risks. “I am delighted to say that the Safer by Design framework has already been embedded within our design standards at Mill View in Dereham, and I am pleased to be able to showcase our strong commitment to the safety of our customers. “From next year, all of our new-build homes will be built to Safer by Design Gold Standard, ensuring that our homes are amongst the safest on the market and meet the current and future needs of our residents.” In July, Orbit scooped two gold health and safety awards from RoSPA for the third consecutive year. The outstanding accolades endorse Orbit’s ongoing commitment to customer safety and best practice in compliance to deliver customers with a quality service. Errol Taylor, Chief Executive Officer at RoSPA, added: “RoSPA and Orbit share a vision for the homes of the future- they should be safer places to live, work and play in. Here in the heart of Norfolk, at Orbit’s Mill View development, you can see that vision take shape in bricks and mortar. “Every year more than 6,000 people are killed as a result of a home accident- many of which, such as falls on stairs, are preventable. I hope to see more housing providers, follow Orbit’s lead and adopt the recommendations of RoSPA’s Safer by Design framework to make new build homes safer.” Mill View is a collection of two, three, four- and five-bedroom homes, located in the market town of Dereham, often labelled as the “Heart of Norfolk” due to the its central location. The new development can be found opposite the East Dereham Windmill at the end of the popular Greenfields Road. Homes are available to purchase outright, with the Government-backed Help to Buy scheme also being offered to assist or through Shared Ownership on selected plots. To find out more about Mill View, visit: www.orbithomes.org.uk/mill-view/. For more information on RoSPA’s Safer by Design framework, visit: www.rospa.com/built-environment.
Yesterday, during the second-reading of the Government’s Building Safety Bill, Conservative MP Paul Maynard called for an amendment in support of RoSPA’s safer stairs campaign, which will save countless lives if it is brought into law. RoSPA is campaigning for the most up to date British Safety Standard for stairs (BS 5395-1) to be mandated for new build homes. The campaign is being backed by private and social builders, as well as housing industry organisations, a cross party coalition of MPs and members of the House of Lords. The momentum behind this campaign reflects the seriousness of the issue. Every year, 700 people die from falling on the stairs, and for every one hospital admission caused by a burn there are 235 caused by a fall. Stairs built to the British Standard reduce falls by an incredible 60%, meaning the majority of these falls could be avoided. With the safety of stairs clearly a priority, RoSPA is asking for an amendment to the Building Safety Bill which would enshrine BS 5395-1 in law from 2024. The British Standard 5395-1 considers the dimensions of the stairs; their slip resistance and the provision of handrails, and has been a recommended building regulation since 2010. It is based on 15 years of research conducted by the Building Research Establishment. The standard looks at the key safety factors that should be taken into account during the structural design of stairs, including the step dimensions. Speaking in the House of Commons, Paul Maynard MP, (Blackpool North and Cleveleys), said: “For every one hospital admission due to a burn, there are 235 caused by falls. The impact of these falls is felt disproportionately by older people, and even when a fall is not fatal, it is often the first stage of a persistent decline. “Falls create fear, they impact on confidence and wellbeing, and lead to people being moved out of their homes and into care homes, in many cases never to return. “There is an existing industry standard – British Standard 5395-1 – regarding how stairs should be constructed, including rules on the dimensions of stairs and handrails. I have written to the Building Safety Minister asking for the Building Safety Bill to include a mandate for the British Standard to be applied in all new-build homes.” RoSPA’s campaign to enshrine BS 5395-1 into law as a prerequisite for any homes built after 2024, has attracted support from across the political spectrum with representatives of the Liberal Democrat, Conservative and Labour Parties backing the move. The campaign has also received support from house builders in the private and social sectors. The law would only apply to new build properties and therefore would not require costly retrofitting in existing homes. The BS 5395-1 standard could be ‘baked in’ at the design stage at no extra cost to the developer but would help reduce falls in the home. Errol Taylor, Chief Executive of RoSPA said: “Falling on the stairs is a hidden killer, but improving the safety standards for stair design will significantly reduce the number of people needlessly dying and getting hurt. Compliance to BS 5395-1 by 2024 is commercially viable, evidence-based, and straightforward to implement. “It is estimated that stairs built to the British Standard in new build homes result in 60% fewer falls and would therefore help reduce the £4.4billion annual cost to the NHS of falls in the home. “RoSPA welcomes the growing support from the housing industry and politicians of all stripes for this low-cost, high-impact measure to make the homes of the future safer”.
Finning UK & Ireland receives RoSPA Engineering Services Sector Award for health and safety achievements Finning UK & Ireland, the exclusive distributor for Caterpillar® products, is celebrating after landing an internationally recognised award for demonstrating high health and safety standards. The company is now in the running for the highest possible accolade in the health and safety awards from the Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents (RoSPA). The Finning business revolves around extremely large and heavy equipment, from mining trucks that stand three stories high to hydraulic shovels that weigh in at hundreds of tons. Safety therefore is a central focus to ensure that staff, contractors and customers are free from significant risk of accidents. “Organisations receiving a RoSPA award are recognised as being world leaders in health and safety practices, so receiving the Engineering Services Sector Award is a fantastic achievement,” said Keith Oakes, Head of Safety, Health, Environment and Quality (SHEQ) at Finning. “I would like to extend my thanks to all employees for their ongoing commitment to health and safety. I would also like to recognise the work carried out by Martin Parker, Finning’s SHEQ Business Partner, who completes the substantial submission process every year by liaising with multiple departments to evidence our performance and achievements. “Everyone should feel incredibly proud of this accomplishment, which means we now go into the final evaluation process for the chance to be awarded the Sir George Earle Trophy. If we were to secure this prestigious accolade it would be the second time, following our win back in 2012.” Each year, applicants submit their entries to the internationally recognised health and safety awards for the chance to receive the highly coveted Sir George Earle Trophy — the highest occupational health and safety award in the world. Currently, around seven million people are directly impacted by the RoSPA awards but the scheme’s global influence is even wider, with over 2,000 organisations from 46 countries represented in 2021. “The RoSPA Awards scheme is the longest-running of its kind in the UK, but it receives entries from organisations across the globe, making it one of the most sought-after achievement awards for health and safety worldwide” said Julia Small, RoSPA Achievements Director. “RoSPA is very proud of the achievements of its entrants, and with this award we recognise the best of the best, those organisations that have gone the extra mile, raising the bar for the delivery of safety in the workplace. “Employees, wherever they are, should be able to go to work safe in the knowledge that they will return home unharmed and healthy at the end of every day. Our RoSPA award winners are central to achieving this goal. By entering they are driving up standards and setting new safety benchmarks for organisations across the world.” For more information about Finning’s commitment to safety and how it upholds its high standards, visit the Finning UK & Ireland website.
B&M Waste Services is celebrating after landing an internationally recognised award for demonstrating high health and safety standards for five consecutive years. B&M has received a RoSPA Gold Medal (5 consecutive Golds) Health and Safety Award for working hard to ensure its staff get home safely to their families at the end of every working day. Organisations receiving a RoSPA Award are recognised as being world-leaders in health and safety practice. Every year, nearly 2,000 entrants vie to achieve the highest possible accolade in what is the UK’s longest-running H&S industry awards. B&M Services Director, Mick Ashall said: “We are thrilled to have upheld our excellent health and safety performance and to have been awarded RoSPA Gold Award for the fifth-year running is an amazing achievement. The last year has been tremendously challenging due to the COVID-19 pandemic but our team has been steadfast in its commitment to ensuring safety at work for all our colleagues.” Julia Small, RoSPA’s achievements director, said: “The RoSPA Awards scheme is the longest-running of its kind in the UK, but it receives entries from organisations across the globe, making it one of the most sought-after achievement awards for health and safety worldwide. “RoSPA is very proud of the achievements of its entrants, and with this award we recognise the best of the best, those organisations that have gone the extra mile, raising the bar for the delivery of safety in the workplace. Employees, wherever they may be, should be able to go to work safe in the knowledge that they will return home unharmed and healthy at the end of every day. Our RoSPA Award winners are central to achieving this goal. By entering they are driving up standards and setting new safety benchmarks for organisations across the world. Currently, around 7million people are directly impacted by the RoSPA Awards, but the scheme’s global influence is even wider – with nearly 2000 organisations from 46 countries represented this year. I would also particularly want to thank our main sponsor NEBOSH, the National Examination Board in Occupational Safety and Health – for their continued support for the 16th consecutive year.”
RoSPA has welcomed the establishment of a new national regulator of house building materials, which was announced by the Government on Tuesday (January 19). The regulator will be introduced following testimony from the Grenfell Inquiry, and will have the power to remove products from the market if they present safety risks, as well as to prosecute companies flouting the rules. Before the Covid pandemic, our homes accounted for 40% of the accidental injuries that were treated by hard-pressed NHS hospital Emergency Departments. RoSPA has been campaigning to make new-build homes safer – for those who live there throughout the life of the building – through its Safer by design initiative, which provides a framework for “designing out” common household accidents. The charity’s chief executive Errol Taylor said: “We are delighted by Housing Secretary Robert Jenrick’s announcement, which implements recommendations from the Dame Judith Hackitt report on building regulations, and recognises some of the issues highlighted through the Grenfell Inquiry. “We have been doing a lot of work with the housebuilding sector in producing our Safer by design initiative, which encourages developers to adopt zero- and low-cost designs and materials to reduce the number and severity of accidental injuries. Having a new national regulator in place will certainly help us meet this aim.” The move to incorporate the national regulator within the Office for Product Safety and Standards (OPSS), with additional funding, is also welcome. RoSPA has been working with the product regulator since its inception on a range of safety issues. Errol added: “This announcement demonstrates the value the country places in the pragmatic, evidence-based approach to safety that is taken by OPSS, which is incredibly important for keeping people safe from potentially dangerous products. RoSPA uses a similar, evidence-based approach for its own charitable activities. “We understand that OPSS will be seeking to address the culture within the construction industry, aiming to take effective regulatory action – backed by strong enforcement powers – against weaknesses and poor practices to protect communities. We look forward to working with them on this new programme of work.” Safer by design has been produced in partnership with housebuilders and other industry experts, with the first homes developed in line with its standards expected to be unveiled later this year. For more information, see www.rospa.com/built-environment
