Eric Darlow awarded MBE
Former head of HM Inspectorate of Quarries receives recognition for services to the UK quarrying industry
ERIC Darlow, retired former head of HM Inspectorate of Quarries and the Quarries National Interest Group (NIG), has been awarded an MBE in the New Year’s Honours List 2013, for services to the UK quarrying industry.
Mr Darlow (pictured), who has been instrumental in achieving important advances in health and safety standards in the industry, began his career in quarrying with the iron ore producers Stewarts and Lloyds Minerals in 1957 as a trainee based in the East Midlands.
In 1958 he was called up for National Service and served in the Arabian Peninsula. On his release, he rejoined Stewarts and Lloyds and became technical assistant to the managing director, before moving on to become a quarry manager with English China Clays (ECC) in south-west England.
Mr Darlow joined the Mines and Quarries Inspectorate in 1968 and for 16 years worked as an inspector in various parts of the UK. In 1984 he transferred to the HSE’s policy section in London, before being promoted to Senior Inspector of Quarries with responsibilities for the southern half of England and Wales.
In 1989 Mr Darlow was promoted to head of HM Inspectorate Of Quarries and head of the Quarries National Interest Group. During his time in post, he was responsible for conceiving and establishing the Quarries National Joint Advisory Committee (QNJAC) and served as its deputy chair.
Following his retirement from the Inspectorate in 1996, Mr Darlow has continued to work for the industry as a health and safety, environment and public relations adviser; an expert witness; a health and safety competition judge for the then QPA; and as a moderator for the DAPS quarry engineering examination.
He has also played an active role the Institute of Quarrying, having served on the IQ Council and Education Committee, on the committee and sub-committee (Health and Safety) of the West of England branch, and as chairman of the West of England branch from 1997–1998.
He was elected as an Honorary Fellow of the Institute in 2001, and a year later the second edition of the Institute’s popular handbook ‘Health and Safety Law in Quarries’, which was completely rewritten by Mr Darlow, was published.
Since 2007 he has chaired and been the main driving force behind the British Aggregates Association’s Operating Standards and Competence Awards Scheme.
