Recording a reduction of 65%, the UK's Minerals Products Association (MPA) has beaten its health and safety ?Hard Target 2009.'

Recording a reduction of 65%, the UK’s Minerals Products Association (MPA) has beaten its health and safety ‘Hard Target 2009’, which aimed to halve the 2004 total of reportable injuries by the end of 2009.

MPA is the trade association for the aggregates, asphalt, cement, ready-mixed concrete, lime, mortar and silica sand industries

The cement industry, now represented by MPA Cement, posted an even more impressive 81% reduction in lost time injuries over the same five-year period (2004-2009). Over the last ten years, the industry achieved an 83% reduction in work-related injuries.

Nigel Jackson, MPA’s chief executive, said: “The mineral products industry is deservedly recognised for achieving significant reductions in work-related injuries through a combination of top-down commitment and resolute leadership, coupled with genuine worker involvement and trust. This evolving culture, when combined with a determination to develop a fully competent workforce, is proving a winning combination.”

Looking to the future, the MPA has now rationalised its data gathering for all activities, and members have committed to a new target structure.

The overarching MPA health and safety target is the expectation of zero harm, while the interim five-year target (based on 2009 calendar year) is a 50% reduction in the Lost Time Injury Frequency Rate (LTIFR) for directly employed between 2009-2014. LTIFR for direct employees in 2009 was 3.59 per million hours worked (by the end of 2014 the LTIFR target is 1.79 or less).

Coupled with this is a target 50% reduction in Lost Time Injury (LTI) numbers for contractors over the same period. In 2009, the LTI number for contractors in 2009 was 41 (target by end of 2014 is 20 or less).