Martin Isles' top safety award

The UK’s 3668 Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents (RoSPA) has recognised a geologist-turned-quarryman’s outstanding contribution of more than 35 years to safe and healthy working in the quarrying and mineral products sector.

Martin Isles, director of health and safety at the 2897 Mineral Products Association (MPA), was presented with a RoSPA Distinguished Service Award at a ceremony in Glasgow, Scotland.

In his current role at the MPA, and also as president of the 2904 Institute of Quarrying, he is at the leading edge of the sector’s UK, European and inter-continental interests in health and safety, driving continuous improvement for all engaged in or affected by the industry.

In 2000, at the behest of the chair of the then Health and Safety Commission, he signed the voluntary Hard Target pledge on behalf of the Quarry Products Association, the forerunner of the MPA. During the ten years that followed, he was at the centre of instilling a common culture among the QPA’s members for continuous improvement in health and safety performance, sharing good practice and incident information and raising standards of behavioural safety and worker involvement.

In 2005, he oversaw the creation and launch of %$Linker: External 0 0 0 oLinkExternal www.Safequarry.com www.Safequarry.com false http://www.safequarry.com%20/ false false%>which he has directed and developed extensively since then. The website is now recognised across Europe and beyond as the industry's primary focus for health and safety, hosting, among its many features, output from MPA's annual awards scheme, which Martin Isles has directed since 1996.

In 2009, he introduced the novel Safer by Design initiative seeking to improve the “designed-in” safety of the industry's heavy mobile plant, by working with the manufacturers, standards-makers and regulators. This initiative has since achieved global recognition, and Mr Isles is now driving the development of a raft of new “Safer by...” initiatives.

Tom Mullarkey, RoSPA’s chief executive, said: “The tremendous contribution that Martin Isles has made to saving lives and reducing injuries in the UK minerals sector is shown by the 83% reduction in reportable injuries he oversaw from 2000-2009. He expresses total commitment to achieving further improvements in safety and health and his enthusiasm, confidence, motivation and integrity are second to none.”

Martin Isles said: “When one looks at the list of past winners of this rare accolade, I am humbled to be in such exalted company. It has re-doubled my motivation to achieve even greater strides to the benefit of all who work at the sharp end in this fascinating yet challenging industry.”