A new Safequarry app, the industry’s first health and safety app, has been launched at the
The conference heard that over recent years the Safequarry.com website has made a huge impact across the mineral products industry and beyond: 112 countries worldwide.
It is packed with vital information and opportunities for learning and sharing to prevent injury and ill health, but it does not always reach the people who might benefit most: those who work, sometimes literally, at the industry’s rock face.
However, it is said that MPA’s new Safequarry app will change this by reaching out to the many who have switched on to mobile devices for their web browsing.
Meanwhile, Amit Bhatia, founder and chairman of
To be eligible for the John Crabbe Award, Hope had to demonstrate excellence across four areas: leadership and engagement; worker involvement; management of contractors, and health, stress and wellbeing.
Nigel Jackson, chief executive of the MPA said: “Congratulations to Hope Construction Materials on a safety performance that would be impressive for any company, let alone a business less than two years old that’s still in the early stages of development. On behalf of the MPA we applaud the safety spirit and ambition of everyone at Hope and wish them well for the future.”
Hope, a leading UK independent producer of concrete, aggregates and cement, was formed in 2013 following the acquisition of over 170 sites.
During 2013, the 900 colleagues in Hope were actively encouraged to get involved in health and safety improvement initiatives. Among other initiatives, teams came together to develop Hope’s Welcome Intervention campaign and the Health and Wellbeing Forum.
“The journey towards safety excellence is long, and not always straightforward, but every step along that journey is an important one. Today’s success is a reflection of our progress on that journey and I am immensely proud of each and every one of my colleagues. I look forward to the next milestone on our journey,” says Amit Bhatia.
Chris Plant, chief executive officer of Hope Construction Materials, says: “At Hope we believe it is the duty of every manager to demonstrate visible leadership and to be an advocate for health and safety, never to walk past an incident and toalways address things in their sphere of business. Equally however, it is the duty of every one of my colleagues to make welcome interventions to prevent hazards from turning into incidents.”
In order to win the trophy companies had to have strict accident statistics criteria. In particular, the LTI frequency rate had to be below the industry average.
Hope says it amply demonstrated that it had a successful safety culture based on strong and committed leadership, and its directors and senior managers were written to individually, inviting them to become advocates for safety and urging them to demonstrate their personal commitment.
“Health and Wellbeing is very clearly embedded in its businesses’ core values with a whole series of initiatives and events which include a cycling-to-work scheme, involvement in community events, and even free fruit to promote the five-a-day message
[a campaign to eat five pieces of fruit each day],” says Hope.
“On the worker involvement front, the workforce has evolved the Welcome Intervention campaign to encourage employees to challenge unsafe behaviours.
“And on the issue of managing contractors, it has shown strong leadership. This includes completing four major maintenance shutdowns averaging about 150,000 man-hours with no losttime injuries. It has also rolled out a safety essentials programme for drivers.”
Finning clocks up record
Employees from
Sticking to its Work Safe. Home Safe motto, Finning says its health and safety is improving year-on-year, with a continual downward trend of any work-related incidents. For six consecutive years it has received RoSPA (
