BAA awards AOS certificates to Summerleaze

Company’s quarrying operations at Bray and Denham first to be awarded certificates for the third time

SUMMERLEAZE’s quarry operations at Bray and Denham were recently presented with the British Aggregates Association (BAA) Assessment for Operating Standards certificate.

The certificate is awarded to those quarry sites that have been independently assessed and judged to have reached the required level of operating standards laid down in health and safety law for quarry operations.

The AOS scheme has been in operation for over 10 years and was originally set up as a means of improving operating standards amongst the independent quarry sector.

The site assessment is rigorous and carried out by an independent health and safety consultant with a background in quarry operations, and the whole process is overseen by a panel of experts from the industry. The certificate is specific to a site and lasts for three years.

The Summerleaze presentation was carried out at Denham Quarry, a complex wet sand and gravel operation producing around 250,000 tonnes of aggregate per year. It is located just off the M40 motorway near to its junction with the M25 and, as such, is well situated to supply the West London construction market.

The presentation of certificates to the managers of both Denham and Bray was made by panel chair Steve Cole, who congratulated the teams on being the first to be awarded certificates for a third time. He commented that the assessment showed well-run facilities at both sites.

However, a number of issues were raised during the assessment which showed that even at well-run sites, there is a constant need to review procedures and policies to see that they are effective and to ensure continual improvement.