Spotlight on health and safety
CEMEX UK pick up top accolade at MPA’s Health & Safety Conference and Awards 2013
THE Mineral Products Association’s prestigious Health & Safety Conference and Awards 2013 took place last week at BAFTA, London, bringing together 64 organizations, including members, contractors and other key stakeholders from the length and breadth of the UK to recognize, reward and share best practice, progress and results in health and safety.
Overall, the Awards attracted 145 entries from 35 different organizations, with almost half of submissions provided by companies with less than 1,000 direct employees. A full-house of around 250 delegates attended on the day, including entrants, industry representatives, contractors, key health and safety personnel, representatives from the HSE, and other stakeholder organizations.
‘Advancing Competence...Addressing the Challenges’ was the theme of this year’s event, which was adeptly hosted by BBC News presenter Julian Worricker. Two interactive Panel Sessions featured for the first time, the first on the ‘MPA’s National Contractor Database – One Year On’, and the second on ‘Improving Behavioural Safety of Hauliers’. The MPA’s new Safequarry.com website was also 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 London’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, which brings together the chemicals, refining, offshore, storage and nuclear sectors, gave a keynote address. He said: ‘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 of the MPA, said: ‘Yet again we have had an increased number of high-quality submissions from a wider range of members. Recognizing, 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.’
Having survived what has been described as ‘the world’s most dangerous job, in the world’s most dangerous place’, Major Chris Hunter QGM – the British Army’s most experienced counter-terrorist bomb-disposal specialist in Iraq – gave a fascinating speech which revealed his personal experience and key learning points about managing risk under extreme pressure.
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 1,000 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 1,000 employees. Ten named individuals were recognized for ‘going the extra mile’ in furthering the cause of health and safety.
