Spotlight on Competence as MPA Shares and Celebrates Members’ Top Health Safety Achievements
MPA’s prestigious Health Safety Conference and Awards 2013 took place yesterday (12 November) at BAFTA, London, bringing together 64 organisations, including members, contractors and other key stakeholders from the length and breadth of the UK to recognise, reward and share best practice, progress and results in health and safety.
Overall, the Awards attracted 145 entries from 35 different organisations, with almost half of submissions provided by companies with less than 1,000 direct employees. A full-house of about 250 delegates attended on the day.
The theme of this year’s Health Safety Conference and Awards was “Advancing Competence...Addressing the Challenges” and the event was adeptly hosted by BBC News Presenter, Julian Worricker. Two interactive Panel Sessions also featured for the first time on ‘MPA’s National Contractor Database – One Year On’ and ‘Improving Behavioural Safety of Hauliers’. The new Safequarry.com website was launched at the event.
With a disproportionate number of cyclist fatalities in London involving collisions with lorries, the panel discussion on ‘Improving Behavioural Safety of Hauliers’ generated useful debate and MPA’s special feature video helped to highlight how a typical MPA member is implementing MPA’s national Vulnerable Road User Policy.
Leon Daniels, Managing Director of Surface Transport at Transport for London (TfL), said, “I am passionate, not only as MD for Surface Transport, but also as a long time holder of a PSV [Public Service Vehicle] licence, about doing whatever TfL can to make the Capital's roads even safer for vulnerable road users. I am determined to improve road safety and demanding the highest standards from freight companies is a key part of this.”
Paul Thomas, Chair of the Process Safety Forum, bringing together the chemicals, refining, offshore, storage and nuclear sectors, gave a keynote address. He said, “I was very pleased to be invited to speak at this major industry safety conference. The mineral products and nuclear industries have much in common including a principal focus on safety, health and environmental husbandry. Sharing learning and ensuring the competence of our people, and those of the supply chain, are vital components of our mutual drive for continuous improvement in safety and operational performance.”
Nigel Jackson, Chief Executive MPA, said, “Yet again we have had an increased number of high quality submissions from a wider range of members. Recognising, celebrating and sharing such great ideas is a key part of our efforts to achieve Zero Harm. We are delighted to relaunch a much improved Safequarry.com which, as the portal to so much best practice across all mineral product groups, can also make a significant contribution to reducing incidents and fatalities.”
Major Chris Hunter QGM, the British Army's most experienced counter-terrorist bomb disposal specialist in Iraq, also gave an interesting speech which revealed his personal experience and key learning points about managing risk.
The afternoon awards ceremony showcased members' cutting-edge approach to understanding and tackling health and safety challenges in ways that are helpful to the whole industry.
The two overall winners of this year’s independently judged MPA Health and Safety awards were Myers Group, who won the Sir Frank Davies Trophy for companies with less than 1000 employees, and CEMEX UK, who won the John Crabbe Memorial Trophy for overall ‘outstanding excellence in health and safety’.
The Awards were judged across seven categories, with winners in each:
• Bitumen; Asphalt; Contract Surfacing: Promoting Safer Behaviour -
Winner: Hillhouse Quarry Group Ltd
• Contractors Safety -
Winner: Colas Ltd
• Engineering Initiatives -
Joint Winners: CEMEX UK and Hanson UK
• Leadership; Training and Management Systems Initiative -
Winner: Hanson UK
• LGVs and all company vehicles; Driver Safety/Public Safety -
Winner: Forticrete Ltd
• Occupational Good Health -
Winner: Stanton Bonna Concrete
• Worker Involvement -
Winner: Golder Associates
In addition, Hillhouse Quarry Group won the Special Award for companies with less than 100 employees, and FM Conway won the Special Award for companies with 100 to 1000 employees. 10 named individuals were recognised for “going the extra mile” in furthering the cause of health and safety.
The audience included entrants, industry representatives, contractors, key health and safety personnel, representatives from the HSE, and other stakeholder organisations.
