The British Safety Council has presented a special Sword of Honour award to the emergency services in recognition of their heroism, service, and dedication to protecting the safety and health of people throughout the UK, following the terrorist attacks of 2017 and Grenfell fire tragedy.
The award, given during the Council’s annual Sword of Honour and Globe of Honour ceremony, was presented to representatives of London Metropolitan Police Service, Greater Manchester Police, London Ambulance Service, North West Ambulance Service, London Air Ambulance, London Fire Brigade, British Transport Police and Royal National Lifeboat Institution.
Lynda Armstrong, chair of the Council, said: “This year we have witnessed some truly tragic events in the UK. The terrorist attacks in London and Manchester and the terrible fire at Grenfell Tower have served as a stark reminder that those working in our emergency and security services have jobs which require them to go into dangerous situations to protect us and our way of life.
“They are all heroes, and we are delighted to take this opportunity to acknowledge their bravery and demonstrate our gratitude for their unquestioning sense of duty and service, even in the most challenging circumstances.”
Winners
The Council presented 57 Sword of Honour and 15 Globe of Honour awards for the exemplary management of health, safety and environmental risks to businesses from around the world.
Winning organisations came from a range of sectors across the UK, Europe, India and the Middle East, including construction, education and training, energy generation and distribution, food and drink, leisure, logistics, manufacturing, major hazards, retail and transport.
Mental health
Mike Robinson, chief executive of the British Safety Council, congratulated the winners, and signaled to the work that is still required on health.
He said: “Today we are celebrating your achievement. However, being an exemplar carries some weight of responsibility. The last 40 years have seen huge improvements in health and safety across the UK, but there is still much to do, particularly in the areas of health and mental wellbeing.
“As Sword and Globe of Honour winners, you are committed to continual improvement and you are already addressing these issues. However, there are many organisations who have no idea where to begin. They are looking for leadership in this area and who is in a better position to provide it than you?
“True leadership requires more than just words. It’s about walking the talk, setting a positive example and inspiring others to follow. Next week, when you’re back in your businesses, I invite all of you to consider what you are doing to inspire other organisations to follow your example, particularly in relation to mental health and wellbeing.
Incoming chairman, Lawrence Waterman, also spoke at the event, highlighting that mental health would be a big issue for the council in the coming year.
Joint winners
The Council paid particular tribute to eleven organisations that won both awards: the Sword of Honour and the Globe of Honour.
These were:
- Arya Sasol Polymer Company
- Bahrain Petroleum Company
- Dubai Electricity and Water Authority
- Mount Anvil (Hampstead Manor)
- Mount Anvil Ltd (Royal Docks West)
- Qatargas Operating Company Limited
- Commercial and Shipping Group, Shipping Department
- TEVA UK Limited Castleford
- Unipart Logistics Cowley
- Unipart Logistics Limited Baginton A
- Unipart Logistics Limited Baginton B
- Unipart Logistics Ltd Honeybourne DC
Click below for the full lists of winners:
Sword of Honours Awards 2017 winners
Globe of Honours Awards 2017 winners
Approaches to managing the risks associated Musculoskeletal disorders
In this episode of the Safety & Health Podcast, we hear from Matt Birtles, Principal Ergonomics Consultant at HSE’s Science and Research Centre, about the different approaches to managing the risks associated with Musculoskeletal disorders.
Matt, an ergonomics and human factors expert, shares his thoughts on why MSDs are important, the various prevalent rates across the UK, what you can do within your own organisation and the Risk Management process surrounding MSD’s.
