SHP-IOSH award winners 2013

Safety & Health Practitioner

The SHP-IOSH Award Winners 2013 

 

Achievements in occupational safety and health were celebrated last night (24th October) at the prestigious SHP-IOSH Awards where the industry recognised those who have gone above and beyond to introduce campaigns, initiatives and programmes into their various sectors. The winners were as follows:

 

Best achievement in construction

 

Winner: Imtech Water, Waste and Energy

The aim of this initiative was very specific: to design a device that would enable the safe lifting of 48 stainless-steel sieves, each weighing 65kg, into positions between two walls in a confined space with only 2.5m headroom. 

 

The project was carried out at Dŵr Cymru Welsh Water’s (Welsh Water) Swansea Bay Wastewater Treatment Works (WwTW). Imtech Water, Waste and Energy (Imtech) was contracted to upgrade the works, including four tanks.

 

The upgrade involved significant manual-handling aspects, with large quantities of equipment and, in some cases, heavy items of pipework. Owing to the low roof level, traditional lifting equipment was not suitable and an innovative installation method had to be created. 

 

The lifting device the team devised is positioned on the edge of the tank wall and clamped via four adjustable pads. The device locates the centre of gravity for lifting the sieves into the correct position, and the team connects a hoist to winch the sieves into place. 

 

Benefits of using the device included the mitigation of working-at-height risks and significantly reduced manual-handling requirements; installation time was also cut by around eight weeks. The tanks upgrade has been achieved with one minor manual-handling incident to date, while the cost of producing the device was under £500, including inspection and testing. 

 

The judges said that this is an excellent example of health and safety enabling business activity. The project offers a good design solution that covers both safety and health issues, and demonstrates tangible benefits.

 

Finalists: Brookfield Multiplex, Denholm Industrial Services, Nationwide Platforms

 

 

Best achievement in manufacturing 

 

Winner: Mabey Bridge

ThinkSafe, Mabey Bridge’s belief-based safety culture (BBSC) programme, focuses on establishing an interdependent health and safety culture built on seven cultural beliefs. These revolve mainly around challenging unsafe practice, taking responsibility for safety and ensuring immediate corrective action is taken.

 

The initial aim of the campaign was to change the way in which employees think about safety, by encouraging positive conversations and rewarding performance excellence. The company also aimed to create a culture of correcting hazards immediately and raising awareness of hazards. Teams were also encouraged to challenge unsafe behaviour. 

 

Following an initial engagement session, all 590 employees were requested to complete a personal-commitment card and a safety-climate survey. Fifteen employees subsequently volunteered as members of the ThinkSafe steering group and later led the observational audit. More than 250 observations were completed within six months, enabling the company to tailor change campaigns to existing practices. 

 

The corporate accident frequency rate declined from 0.42 in December 2011 to 0.13 in April this year, while near-miss reporting and improvement suggestions increased by 50 per cent across the business. Training included a leadership course for managers, a two-hour engagement event for all employees, a course on safety observations for volunteers, and a train-the-trainer course for three members of the steering group. 

 

The judges especially rated how this campaign was implemented. It not only had leadership buy-in at the top but it also created a leadership programme for managers to help champion messages across the business.

 

Finalists: Cobham Antenna Systems, Covidien, Southco Manufacturing, Stelrad Radiators 

 

 

Best achievement in public services

 

Winner: West Midlands Fire Service

 

STAR is a personal-safety assessment model, which presents fire-fighters with a simple concept on what to do when faced with pressurised situations. The concept asks fire-fighters to ‘Stop, Think, Act, and Review’ when faced with new or unexpected hazards and while working without direct supervision. It is supported by an icon to promote memory retention, with each part of the heuristic representing one part of a four-cornered star. A mandatory e-learning module was devised in support of the campaign’s launch. 

 

Success was initially measured via completion of the e-learning course, with the vast majority of fire-fighters achieving a pass mark of 80 per cent. Evaluation questionnaires revealed that 86 per cent of fire-fighters viewed the course as relevant to their needs. There were no fatal accidents to WMFS employees in 2012/13; injuries at incidents fell from 51 in 2011/12 to 23 in 2012/13. One employee injury occurred at every 1168 incidents attended during 2012/13, compared with one injury at every 669 incidents attended during 2011/12. 

 

The judges thought this was a well-researched and planned initiative. They liked WMFS’ different approach to managing the safety of its employees, who often encounter situations that cannot always be anticipated, by instead providing a framework in which to work. This is also an approach that can be transferred across other disciplines.

 

Finalists: Norfolk Educational Services, Sussex Police, University of Hertfordshire

 

 

Best achievement in transport and logistics

 

Winner: Nationwide Platforms

Between January 2012 and June this year, Nationwide Platform’s commitment to establishing a best-practice blueprint for all of its transport and logistics activities manifested in an approach to reduce lost-time incidents, near misses and first-aid incidents. 

 

The company’s campaign to ‘go beyond best practice’ in its transport and logistics operations was implemented via two main approaches: major investment and innovation to ensure all equipment and resources met the highest possible standards; and employee engagement at all levels, with a commitment from the UK and group executive teams to meet several targets. These included monthly management meetings; creation of new employee-engagement measures, such as a driver-specific magazine, awareness-raising videos, and driver demonstration days; training packages for all drivers and transport coordinators; and a first-ever Health and Safety Week.

 

Lost-time incidents for drivers more than halved between 2010 and the end of 2012 – falling from 13 to six. Between 2012 and 2013, employee lost-time incidents reduced across all of the company’s regions. 

 

In total, around £4 million has been invested in procuring new fleet and subsequent hardware innovations. Thousands of pounds have also been injected into both internal and external training courses. On a monthly basis, hundreds of hours are invested at all levels to review, report and support improvement in transport and logistics excellence. 

 

The judges were impressed by the level of investment assigned to the project, which showed a real commitment to addressing delivery hazards. The company has shown evidence of continual improvement and leadership within its sector.

 

Finalists: National Express, Stansted Airport

 

 

Best achievement in Utility and offshore

 

Winner: British Gas

The introduction of a single company-wide integrated management system (IMS) for British Gas operations was born out of a desire to create resources that align existing businesses and new acquisitions with common guidelines – all accessible via online systems. 

 

IMS was developed in house by a dedicated team, supported by communications and information-security professionals. Sixty standards were developed to control identified risks and processes, supported by 30 user guides. The company adopted a three-phase approach: phase one provided training for all HS&E colleagues responsible for business units to ensure consistency; phase two introduced IMS training for all responsible line managers; and phase three will involve the operation of the IMS prior to internal audit in 2014. 

 

Operational benefits realised following phase one include: improvements in contractor-control processes; robust evidence for contract pre-qualifying documentation; and consistent information for accreditation questionnaires. Analysis from the phase-two rollout within two of its larger businesses has demonstrated a sustained reduction in accidents resulting in harm since the IMS went live. 

 

The original target for deployment of the system was 100 days, but this was reduced to just 60 – a deadline the team beat by one week. It also managed to introduce additional functionality, including scorecards, safety toolkits, model risk-assessment examples and toolbox-talk resources, to support local managers. 

 

The judges felt that this was a substantial achievement and will underpin future improvements. They also said the entry illustrates the benefits of collaboration. 

 

Finalists: ESS Safeforce (commended), Sabre Safety, Severn Trent Water

 

 

Achiever of the year

 

Winner: Peter Douglas – Nationwide Platforms

Over the last 18 months, the powered-access industry has addressed many pertinent safety issues with the efforts and commitment of Peter Douglas playing a crucial role.

 

Outside of his full-time role as executive director – operations at Nationwide Platforms, Peter took on the new role of the International Powered Access Federation’s (IPAF) UK country council chair to help advance UK-specific safety issues. He has contributed hugely to the establishment of mandatory accident reporting for IPAF members, which was only made possible after gaining consensus within the Federation and the creation of a UK country council.

 

Outside of his full-time role as executive director – operations at Nationwide Platforms, Peter took on the new role of the International Powered Access Federation’s (IPAF) UK country council chair to help advance UK-specific safety issues. He has contributed hugely to the establishment of mandatory accident reporting for IPAF members, which was only made possible after gaining consensus within the Federation and the creation of a UK country council.

 

At Nationwide Platforms, Peter is responsible for work in health, safety, quality and sustainability, in addition to all other operational activities. He went above and beyond his day-to-day role by launching a guide, ‘Your safety, our priority’, to help employees recognise the impact that their work has on the safety of others; driving to make emergency-lowering documentation even more accessible than before; developing new toolbox-talk videos; and launching a first-ever ‘Health and Safety Week’ and ‘Sustainability Week’, in 2012. 

 

With mandatory accident reporting in place for UK IPAF members, more than 135 UK rental companies – around 80 per cent of all rental firms registered worldwide – have now committed to report accidents. Results show that between January and June this year more than 300 items of accident data were reported to the database. 

 

Nationwide Platforms has also seen major health and safety successes as a result of Peter’s efforts. These include the achievement of four-year targets to reduce contractor and employee lost-time incidents (LTIs), which have been reached within two years, while, between 2010 and the end of 2012, safety incidents involving drivers more than halved.

 

The judges said that this was an excellent example of visible felt leadership from a business leader. They added that the accident-reporting initiative is an important contribution and has the potential to form the basis of sustained improvement among powered-access users. 

 

Finalist: Clive Johnson – Land Securities

 

 

Campaign of the year

 

Winner: UNO Buses

 

Research into the health of bus drivers shows that they can develop unhealthy lifestyles and related health problems due to the sedentary occupation and shift patterns involved. 

 

The University of Hertfordshire was in a position to address this issue via two of its subsidiary companies: bus firm, UNO Buses, and leisure facility, Hertfordshire Sports Village. The University identified an opportunity for the two organisations to collaborate on a wellbeing campaign. Called ‘Nudge and do something different’, the three-month campaign focused on changing behaviours among staff who were struggling to make lifestyle changes. 

 

The campaign included free health-and-fitness membership, which featured a free health MOT, at Hertfordshire Sports Village. Participants were issued with a wireless sensor that clips on to a person’s shoe and tracks the distance they travel and how many calories they burn. They were also given individual accounts to an online system so they could monitor changes in their blood pressure or weight.

 

At the end of the campaign, participants were asked to re-take the health MOT for data comparisons. They were also given advice on how to address their nutritional needs via one-to-one and group sessions. 

 

The results showed that 63 per cent of participants reduced their blood pressure, and 47 per cent reduced their resting heart rate. Data analysis based on a wellbeing questionnaire identified that 67 per cent of participants improved their eating habits, while 63 per cent increased their energy levels.

 

The judges said the campaign was well packaged and focused on a group that could gain the most from it. The results were also impressive. 

 

Finalists: Eurovia Group, Kuwait Oil Company, West Midlands Fire Service

 

 

Innovation of the year

 

Winner: AFI

 

SanctuaryZone is a steel structure that protects operators of mobile elevating work platforms (MEWPs) from being crushed. It comprises steel frames that project above the MEWP platform, stopping any overhead obstruction from crushing the operator. 

 

When the device has done its job, there is usually no incident to report or record, which makes it difficult to evaluate its success. But one of the best indicators of its success is that when contractors return the MEWPs from hire, many SanctuaryZone units have some level of damage to their paintwork or structure. This damage strongly indicates that those units have come into contact with overhead obstructions, and it is therefore likely that, in many cases, they have indeed prevented serious injury, or saved lives. 

 

AFI has also received feedback that the simple presence of SanctuaryZone on a MEWP helps prevent crushing incidents; because an operator can see the device they become more conscious of the space in which they are working and the potential for an incident to occur, encouraging them to take extra care. 

 

Initially designed to be fitted to boom lifts, SanctuaryZone is now being developed so that it can also be attached to scissor lifts. Another new area for the product is the local-authority sector, in which operatives work on truck-mounts to carry out maintenance at height on, or around, public highways. SanctuaryZone has been adapted for truck-mounts so it can offer protection in this sector, too. 

 

A practical solution that designs out a significant hazard: this was the verdict of the judges, who also felt that it offers wider opportunities to other industries.

 

Finalists: Latchways, Maple Fleet Services, PAFtec, Traka

 

 

New entrant of the year

 

Winner: Lauren Antrobus, UKME

 

Lauren was initially employed as a business support and compliance administrator; however, as the company relied on the support of an external consultant, it was suggested that Lauren take up the mantle and undertake some health and safety training. Lauren first achieved a distinction in the NEBOSH General Certificate, which gave her the craving for further learning. 

 

In one case, a contractor was injured while working on UKME’s premises. Lauren had obtained evidence of the contractor’s competency, had in place a sufficient risk assessment and method statement for the task, and ensured there was adequate supervision on site. Sadly, the contractor deviated from its own risk assessment and method statement, and an accident occurred. 

 

She was interviewed under caution but owing to her due diligence and professionalism her employer was totally exonerated. This was a daunting experience for someone with so little experience, but she rose to the challenge and gave a good account of herself. 

 

The experience helped Lauren review her employer’s appointment of external contractors, and she subsequently devised a presentation for all managers concerned. Prior to this, appointments were made on the basis of previous employment; however, once she started to qualify contractors it was apparent that many were not competent and potentially put the business at risk. Her systems now ensure competency for all external service providers. 

 

According to her manager, Lauren has the passion to effect change, the heart to persevere, and the mindset to succeed. She is taken seriously and communicates well at all levels, and is described as a future health and safety star.

 

The judges were very impressed by Lauren’s mature handling of a delicate situation, especially for an individual with no prior hands-on experience in health and safety. 

 

Finalist: Rick Chambers, APPH – part of the BBA Aviation Group

 

 

Partnership initiative of the year

 

Winner: Health Authority Abu Dhabi (HAAD) and JINCOM

 

‘Height Aware’ is a programme by the Health Authority Abu Dhabi (HAAD) aimed at reducing the incidence of fatal workplace injuries attributable to falls and falling objects in Abu Dhabi. 

 

The programme’s objectives were to provide free health-promotion materials for companies to raise awareness, increase training, and enable employers to implement best practice. It comprises free multimedia, multilingual resources for different target groups, including HSE professionals, employers, supervisors and workers in all sectors.

 

As a specialist in delivering simplified content, via multimedia communications, to audiences with varying literacy levels, JINCOM was a suitable match to partner with HAAD. Resources included videos for HSE professionals (English/Arabic); videos for workers (six languages); HSE procedures and training manual (English/Arabic); pamphlets for supervisors (two languages); pamphlets for workers (six languages); and websites (English/Arabic). 

 

The HSE professional and supervisor training resources used more complex language and more technical concepts. The workers’ resources used simple language, repetition of messages and pictorial content. All content is available for free download, while hard copies can also be obtained.

 

The programme aimed to reduce fatal injuries from falls and falling objects by between 5 and 10 per cent; in fact, it achieved a 32-per-cent reduction – 16 fewer deaths – when compared with the previous 12 months. A survey on the quality of the programme’s materials and resources attracted 174 responses, with 86 per cent of HSE professionals, 72 per cent of employers and 76 per cent of workers rating these as very good, or excellent. 

 

The judges recognised how HAAD’s simple approach and careful consideration of communications, which is a real obstacle to transferring the health and safety message across a multilingual and multicultural environment, had led them to partner with a company that specialises in overcoming this issue. 

 

Finalists: Maple Fleet Services and Royal Mail, Vodafone and Nuffield Health

 

 

Training initiative of the year

 

Winner: Sierra Support Services Group

Sierra Support Services Group’s power-division activities require work to be conducted on varied types of terrain, ranging from peat bogs to isolated mountaintops. The existing course was based around fixed telescopic-handler training, which didn’t deal with issues relating to off-road terrain. A new course was therefore created to provide additional training for CSCS-qualified (CPCS-equivalent) telescopic-handler operators.

 

The main aims of the course were to provide relevant training that would bring the company’s entire workforce up to a similar skill level in relation to 360O telescopic handlers, and to make the training as realistic as possible. 

 

The company’s SHEQ team and operations staff designed the course with support from training provider, HSS. The two-day course is broken down into the following sessions: day one – theory/practical activities on site; and day two – practical on-site assessment and written examination. It is delivered at a dedicated training centre and a set rural location featuring a purpose-built pole. Candidates are assessed on setting up plant, as well as plant and basket operation. 

 

The success of the course has been measured through auditing and inspections of the company’s field activities, which reveal no non-conformance issues or reporting of near misses since training began. In total, the company invested €34,000 into the initiative, and one of its clients is looking to adapt the course once external accreditation has been obtained. 

 

The judges were impressed by the course’s practicality in addressing a complex issue via a thorough, well-considered process.

 

Finalists: Scottish Borders Council (commended), Balfour Beatty, Drum Cussac, Linbrooke Services, Local Solutions

 

 

IOSH lifetime achievement award

 

Winner: Sheila Pantry OBE, BA, FCLIP

 

Sheila Pantry OBE, BA, FCLIP is a pivotal figure in occupational safety and health due to her pioneering use of computer technology in information management.

 

She is perhaps best known for her development and management of the world-renowned Health and Safety Executive information service, which included establishing a HSE public enquiry service that handled 250,000 enquiries a year. 

 

Sheila writes, edits and produces websites for the health, safety, fire and environment sectors, and has produced a series of books for the information industry. 

 

She has worked on the European Commission programmes in telematics and living/working conditions in a number of European countries, and was instrumental in the development of a Masters syllabus in information engineering.

 

This year’s IOSH Lifetime Achievement Award winner is a prolific speaker. She regularly gives talks and presents seminars, both in the UK and internationally, on all aspects of information management, staff training and development, as well as the use of health, safety, fire, chemical and environment information. She was a visiting lecturer at the Department of Information Studies at the University of Sheffield, and served on British Library advisory committees in London and at Boston Spa.

 

Sheila runs seminars and conferences on all aspects of health, safety and fire and is an active member of the UK Fire Information Group, the UK Fire and Rescue Statistics User Group and the National Occupational Health and Safety Committee at the Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents (RoSPA).

 

Few could match the global reach of this influential figure, who has set up information services and trained staff in Australia; Bulgaria; Canada; Finland; Greece; Hong Kong; Hungary; Ireland; Jordan; Lithuania; the Netherlands; New Zealand; Poland; Switzerland; Turkey; the USA and Zimbabwe.

 

Sheila was awarded an OBE by HM The Queen in 1993 for services to the health and safety information industry. In 2000 RoSPA awarded her its Distinguished Service Award. 

 

She has worked closely with the Geneva-based International Labour Office Health and Safety Centre. In 2004 she received a certificate of appreciation for giving 25 years of untiring support to the International Occupational Safety and Health Information Centre.

 

Sheila can now add one of the most prestigious awards in occupational safety and health to her long list of achievements.

 

She said: “As a constant and persistent advocate of the importance and communication of information and training in making workplaces of the world ever safer and healthier, I am really delighted and extremely proud to receive this award. I urge everyone to remember to ask for validated and authoritative guidance and advice in whichever industry sector they work – there is so much available!”

 

The IOSH Lifetime Achievement Award, sponsored by Santia, honours those individuals who have furthered the status and practice of occupational safety and health, leading to substantial improvements to the lives of working people. 

 

The award has previously been won by Lord Walker of Doncaster, Professor Sir Julian Peto, George Brumwell, Nancy Tait MBE, Michael Clapham MP, Judith Donovan CBE, Roger Bibbings MBE, Paul Oldershaw and last year Sir Anthony Newman Taylor CBE.