The biennial NASC Health & Safety Awards were presented by Karren Brady CBE, business woman, football director, and star of TV’s The Apprentice, and Des Moore, the newly appointed NASC President, and CEO of the TRAD Group, in front of a packed audience of members and guests attending the NASC AGM at the Intercontinental Park Lane, London on Friday 24 November 2017.
The awards are a well-established part of the NASC calendar, and are highly-prized. Contracting members of all types and sizes are urged to submit entries for the awards, and this year, in order to encourage more smaller organisations to enter, the award was split into two categories, 1-66 Employees and 67+ Employees.
A total of nine entries were submitted across both categories.
The 2017 requirement was for entrants to answer seven searching questions by providing responses of no more than 250 words in each instance, supported by evidence. Questions included the following:
1. Demonstrate how directors and senior management have taken an active and leading role in promoting health and safety in their organisation.
2. Show how the organisation investigates health and safety incidents (and near misses) also how lessons learned are implemented.
3. Show how the organisation works in accordance with guidance outlined in SG4:15, with provision of examples to demonstrate how this is promoted to the workforce.
Before announcing the winners, Adrian Rooney (Midland Scaffolding Services Ltd, and Chair of the NASC Health & Safety Committee) noted that this year’s NASC 2017 Safety Report had once again demonstrated that member contractors continued to out-perform the industry, and that member accident statistics had fallen for the tenth year in a row.
He also thanked those who participated in the work of the NASC Health & Safety Committee for their considerable time and commitment, noting that most guidance titles were now available to download free of charge from the NASC website www.nasc.org.uk
Mr Rooney then announced the winners and highly commended entries for the NASC 2017 Health & Safety Awards, and invited member representatives to receive their trophies and certificates.
1-66 Employees
Winner Malvern Scaffolding Ltd
Highly Commended Complete Access (Scaffolding) Ltd (Wakefield)
Jon Stone and Steve Fellows from Malvern Scaffolding Ltd collecting their trophy and certificate from Karren Brady CBE, and NASC President Des Moore
67+ Employees
Winner Actavo (UK) Ltd
Highly Commended Trad Southern
Highly Commended Wood Group Industrial Services Ltd
Neill Moffat from Actavo (UK) Ltd collecting the trophy and certificate
Mr Rooney thanked the award judges Roy Rogers (Interserve Industrial Services Ltd) and Simon Hughes (Simian Risk Ltd) for carrying out their exacting task, and noted that competition for both categories of this year’s awards had been extremely tight.
The judges commented as follows:
‘The submissions demonstrated a high level of performance, well-developed occupational health and safety management systems and culture, outstanding risk management controls and monitoring to ensure compliance.’ Roy Rogers, QHSE Director, Interserve Industrial Services Ltd.
‘The strength of the submissions was a very strong and close-run affair, but after careful consideration, the winners who clearly demonstrated all aspects of best industry practice, prevailed.
‘I would not only like to congratulate the winners and highly commended entries, but all candidates for the excellent standard of their applications.’ Simon Hughes, Simian Risk Ltd.
In conclusion Mr Rooney noted that award winners and highly commended entries would be entitled to sole use of a bespoke NASC logo on their corporate stationery and websites.