More than 600 Construction Industry Safety Award Winners

The construction industry was the major winner at the RoSPA Occupational Health and Safety Awards, claiming more than 600 honours, including the premier accolade, the Sir George Earle Trophy, for the second year in succession.

Trant Construction Limited from Southampton won the top trophy following last year’s triumph by Costain Major Civil Engineering Division of Maidenhead.

There were a record 1,500 winners in the awards scheme this year, with the construction industry’s prize haul including 307 gold awards, 96 silver and 10 bronze as well as 134 gold medals, 40 President’s awards and 15 Orders of Distinction. The industry also collected eight honours for work-related road safety.

Trant Construction also won the Construction Commercial Sector in which Skanska Bristol Schools and Haden Young Ltd were highly commended and Tiong Seng Contractors (Pte) Ltd of Singapore was commended.

Other successes in the competitive sections of the awards scheme, now in its 52nd year, included: Construction - Housebuilding Property Development Sector: winner - Frank Haslam Milan NE Ltd, Sunderland; highly commended – St George PLC, Twickenham; commended – Bovis Homes Group Plc. Engineering Construction Sector: winner - Magnox Electric Ltd, a subsidiary of EnergySolutions; highly commended – Costain – Major Civil Engineering Division; commended – Birse Rail Ltd and Costain – Highways Sector.

Tom Mullarkey, RoSPA Chief Executive, said: 'Our sector awards are about recognising the ‘best of the best’ in UK business and overseas as well. This year the level of competition for entrants to be selected as overall winner in their sector has been as intense as ever. Winners have had to demonstrate not just real director-level leadership, sound procedures, access to professional advice and thorough workforce involvement; they have also had to show how health and safety performance has been pursued throughout the business as a key objective.

'Other organisations which have yet to raise their game in this vital area have much to learn from them. And those higher-performers that may still be sceptical about the value of health and safety awards need to cast their doubts aside and put themselves to the test.'

The awards, sponsored by NEBOSH, were presented over three days (May 13-15) of gala dinners and ceremonies at the Hilton Birmingham Metropole Hotel, at the NEC, attended by nearly 3,000 people. The presentations were made by Lord Jordan of Bournville, Deputy President of RoSPA, Lord Brougham and Vaux, Vice-President, and Tom Mullarkey, RoSPA Chief Executive.