Public Servant Lifestyle

London Borough of Lewisham’s construction service have been awarded one of the prestigious Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents (RoSPA) ‘Gold’ awards 2004 for 'Occupational Health and Safety' at their annual awards ceremony held in Birmingham.

A ‘Gold’ award signifies the achievement of a very high standard of health and safety in the department from 2000 to 2004. Dalver Basi, Construction Design Management (CDM) Health and Safety Co-ordinator received the award on behalf of the department at the ceremony which was held in the NEC’s Hilton Metropole hotel, Birmingham.

The Council achieved this award not only due to its low accident rate in construction but because of various health and safety initiatives that have been implemented. Two examples of these initiatives include: the extensive training courses carried out throughout ‘European Safety Month’ in October 2003 and the implementation of a comprehensive health and safety plan.

The other public sector ‘Gold’ award winners on the night were:

Aberdeen College, Barnsley Metropolitan Borough Council, Bath Spa University College, Bracknell Forest Borough Council, East Riding of Yorkshire Council Safety Services Unit, East Riding of Yorkshire Library and Information Services, Eden District Council, Cumbria, Environment Agency – Thames Tidal Defence, Fife Fire & Rescue Service, Greater Manchester Fire and Rescue Service, Greenwich Council – Chief Executive’s Directorate, Greenwich Council – Housing Services, Greenwich Council Social Services, Greenwich Council, Building Services, MacLellan International at the Ministry of Defence, Whitehall, Norfolk and Norwich University Hospital NHS Trust, North Ayrshire Council Building Services, North Lincolnshire Council, Police Scientific Development Branch, Home Office, Public Services, Greenwich Council, Renfrewshire Council, Sandwell College, Shrewsbury College of Arts & Technology, Slough Borough Council, South Wales Fire & Rescue Service, Stroud District Council, Tees & North East Yorkshire NHS Trust, The North Highland College and The University of Huddersfield.

Three experts in the wider world of safety were also rewarded for their valuable contribution to health and safety in the workplace. RoSPA issued them with ‘Distinguished Service Awards’ on the night, for their outstanding achievements.

The Distinguished Service Awards went to:

Dr Mike McKiernan, of Solihull, West Midlands, has had a lengthy career in occupational health and safety, working at a national and international level. Within the engineering industry and occupational safety, he has made a significant contribution to occupational health nursing and occupational health. Mike has been a member of the Health and Safety Commission, is widely respected for his diligence and professionalism and has made many significant contributions to well-respected journals and other academic publications.

Frank Gill, of Southsea, Portsmouth, has spent most of his working years in occupational hygiene. He taught at the TUC Centenary Institute of Occupational Health and was president of the British Occupational Hygiene Society. Frank was also deputy director at the Institute of Occupational Health at Birmingham University, helping to establish the occupational hygiene programme used nationally and abroad. An author of several books and an Honorary Fellow of the Faculty of Occupational Medicine, he has contributed to the improvement of the working environment for millions of workers and the education and training of many health and safety professionals.

Wilson Lambe, of Newtownabbey, Northern Ireland, has spent 25 years working for the Northern Ireland Construction Employers’ Federation and is a well-known expert in construction safety in the province. Wilson is a former President of the Institution of Occupational Safety and Health. He has actively participated in the Northern Ireland Health and Safety Group, where he has heavily promoted involvement in health and safety at work in all sections of the community. Wilson became president of the group in 1990, a position he still retains today.

Executive Director for Regeneration at London Borough of Lewisham, Pat Hayes said: "We are delighted to have received this accolade. RoSPA have recognised that a safe working environment in construction is of paramount importance to us and it shows that we are committed to continuing to achieve high levels of performance in health and safety."

There have not been any reportable accidents in construction services in the London Borough in the last five years.

The Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents (RoSPA) is a registered charity established over 80 years ago. Providing information, advice, resources and training, RoSPA is actively involved in the promotion of safety in all areas of life - at work, in the home, and on the roads, in schools, at leisure and on or near water. RoSPA aims to campaign for change, influence opinion, contribute to debate, educate and inform - for the good of all.

More information available in Incentives & Rewards