The Mineral Products Association (MPA) has relaunched its successful Safequarry website, emphasising it is an international facility. The updated safequarry.com, the health and safety hub for the mineral products industries, was launched at the MPA’s Health and Safety Conference and Awards 2013 by Martin Isles, chairman of the UEPG Health and Safety Committee and a special health and safety advisor to MPA. “Since it was launched the site has grown considerably and is used by organisations worldwide. It ha
The Mineral Products Association (MPA) has relaunched its successful Safequarry website, emphasising it is an international facility.
The updated safequarry.com, the health and safety hub for the mineral products industries, was launched at the MPA’s Health and Safety Conference and Awards 2013 by Martin Isles, chairman of the UEPG Health and Safety Committee and a special health and safety advisor to MPA.
“Since it was launched the site has grown considerably and is used by organisations worldwide. It has now been brought bang up to date,” he said.
Safequarry.com has been developed to enable all those working in the mineral products industries to have one location where they can access key health and safety information.
Nigel Jackson, chief executive MPA, said, “We are delighted to relaunch a much improved Safequarry.com which, as the portal to so much best practice across all mineral product groups, can also make a significant contribution to reducing incidents and fatalities.”
It makes accessible invaluable information that is relevant to those working throughout the supply chain, whether working at the quarry face; in related value added operations; in manufacturing plants; product transport or at the customer’s sites.
The goal of the website is to ensure that by facilitating the sharing of information and learning from the experience of others within the industry, a safer environment will be achieved for all those involved: employees, contractors, suppliers, customers and the public.
“A safer working environment with a better trained and more aware workforce will help achieve the over-arching goal of zero harm for all those who engage with these industries,” says the MPA.
The site incorporates an easily searchable and extensive database of best practice, incident alerts, toolbox talks, hot topics and industry guidance often supported with short videos. It also includes MPA’s Safer by Competence initiatives (Safer by Design, Safer by Sharing, Safer by Partnership and Safer by Association).
“Those who register will have the additional benefit of receiving e-mail alerts when important new content is added. The site is accredited for CPD by the Institute of Quarrying [IQ] and registered users who have logged on will be able to generate reports of their activity on the website,” says MPA.
MPA’s Health and Safety Awards
The MPA’s Health and Safety Conference and Awards 2013 attracted 250 delegates, and brought together 64 organisations, including members, contractors and other key stakeholders to recognise, reward and share best practice, progress and results in health and safety.
The awards attracted 145 entries from 35 different organisations.
The two overall winners of this year’s independently judged awards were the Myers Group, based in Huddersfield, County Yorkshire, northern England, who won the Sir Frank Davies Trophy for companies with less than 1,000 employees, and Cemex UK, who won the John Crabbe Memorial Trophy for overall outstanding excellence in health and safety.
Cemex UK had to demonstrate excellence in the four areas of leadership and engagement; worker involvement; management of contractors and health, stress and wellbeing to be eligible.
Significant company initiatives in these areas include the company’s LEGACY leadership training programme; the coaching of managers and supervisors to equip them in delivering compelling health and safety messages; the promotion of worker involvement through a Please Look After Me campaign intended to encourage employees to challenge unsafe behaviours, and a programme of 18 Health and Safety Days using forum theatre to maximise engagement.
In addition, a new pre-qualification and feedback process for all contractors and a Health Community on the company’s internal website have also been introduced.
“Everyone in Cemex has worked very hard and shown great commitment to looking after themselves and each other. I am delighted that our efforts have been recognised by the MPA and the independent judges who are involved in the awards,” said Jesus Gonzalez, president Cemex UK.
“We have made significant strides to our ultimate goal of zero incidents and being the best, but as we constantly remind ourselves, safety has no memory.”
The awards ceremony showcased members’ cutting-edge approach to understanding and tackling health and safety challenges in ways that are helpful to the whole industry.
The awards were judged across seven categories, with winners in each:
Bitumen; Asphalt; Contract Surfacing: Promoting Safer Behaviour
Winner: Hillhouse Quarry Group
Contractors Safety
Winner: Colas Ltd
Engineering Initiatives
Joint Winners:Cemex UK and Hanson UK
Leadership; Training and Management Systems Initiative
Winner:Hanson UK
LGVs and all company vehicles; Driver Safety/Public Safety
Winner:Forticrete
Occupational Good Health
Winner:Stanton Bonna Concrete
Worker Involvement
Winner:Golder Associates
In addition, Hillhouse Quarry Group won the Special Award for companies with less than 100 employees, and FM Conway won the Special Award for companies with 100-1,000 employees.
Ten named individuals were recognised for “going the extra mile” in furthering the cause of health and safety.
