16 September 2005

Quarrying Leaders in Health and Safety Recognised at Awards

UK quarry companies battled it out to win industry's top health and safety awards today, at the Quarry Products Association (QPA) Health and Safety Best Practice Awards in London this afternoon. The event's principal guest speaker was Justin McCracken, currently Acting Chief Executive, Health and Safety Executive.

143 initial entries had been reduced to a final award winning tally of 44 across eight categories, alongside three unique prizes for 2005. In a mammoth judging period, all of the entries have been assessed by a panel of independent health and safety experts. The Judges then visited the short-listed sites.

The two big prizes in the awards scheme were the Sir Frank Davies trophy for the most outstanding health and safety performance specifically for smaller companies, with the John Crabbe Trophy being presented to the overall winning company from the field. This year, the Sir Frank Davies award went to Huntsmans Quarries Ltd, with the most prestigious overall prize - the John Crabbe Trophy - being presented to CEMEX UK Materials.

Beyond the overarching awards, prizes were also presented for achievements in seven key areas - Management of Occupational Health and Hygiene; Road Haulage (LGV) Safety; Management of Contractors; Control of Respirable Crystalline Silica and other Dusts; Safety Committee of the Year (Union or Non-Union); Safer Delivery and Storage of Bitumen; and Innovation. Identified by the QPA, in partnership with the Health and Safety Executive, each category reflects a crucial and topical health and safety hot spot (see winners' grid for category results).

The three special awards this year were presented as follows:

Special Award For Outstanding Contribution To The "Play Safe ... Stay Safe" Campaign 2005 - Awarded to David Pargeter, Quarry Manager at Tarmac's Dene Quarry, Matlock.

Special Award, 2005, For Long-Term Commitment To Annual Health & Safety Days - awarded jointly to Steve Banfield on behalf of the HSE, and Andrew Hack (Tarmac) on behalf of the Industry.

Special Award, 2005, For Health & Development Leading To Improved Public Perception Of The Quarrying Industry - awarded to Johnsons Wellfield Quarries for their community work at the company's Crosland Moor Quarry.

The QPA will continue its policy of sharing the ideas and practices showcased in this year's awards scheme by releasing a Health and Safety Best Practice Guide due in February 2006. This approach to spreading good practice has received a major boost in 2005, with the Awards Ceremony a fitting platform to announce the QPA's success in securing Aggregates Levy Funding to effect a major increase in the scope of its campaign to identify and spread good and best practice across the whole Industry. The £225,000 partnership project will:

• Produce an extended health and safety Good Practice guide.
• Introduce a substantial new online resource at www.safequarry.com
• Create a new interactive DVD all designed to help managers and others in the whole industry to employ the latest and best techniques in health and safety

Commenting on the Awards, Simon van der Byl, Director General of QPA said: "QPA members continue to place a high emphasis on health and safety and this was underlined with the industry's commitment earlier in the year to a new 50% accident reduction five year hard target5. Today's ceremony showcases the remarkable work that goes on in the industry towards the ultimate goal of banishing all accidents to the history books and I congratulate all the companies and individuals celebrating here today.

Particular credit should be given to our top award winner in 2005, CEMEX UK Materials who have further raised the bar for health and safety best practice, as has Huntsmans Quarries who scooped the SME award. Further congratulations to the individuals and companies that picked up special awards this year.

"This is now our fifth year of recognising the best in health and safety, and the initiative continues to be an extremely successful method of helping us to address particular health and safety hazards. The Aggregates Levy Project will allow us to share all the health and safety principles here today and will further strengthen the industry's resolve of keeping its workforce and the wider public healthy and safe."

Justin McCracken, Acting Chief Executive of the Health and Safety Executive said: "The industry's commitment to improving health and safety was evident through the dramatic results of its hard targets campaign. These awards play an important role in the sharing of good ideas within the industry and it's important that the individuals and companies who have innovated in their approach to health and safety get recognised. I congratulate everyone involved for their ingenuity and dedication to raising standards."

ENDS

Notes to editors

1. For more information please contact Tim Parry by tel: 0207 9638000 or e-mail parry@qpa.org

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