Health & Safety initiative of the year

Winner

Balfour Kilpatrick

Judges considered Balfour Kilpatrick's entry to be an excellent submission, with comprehensive health and safety policies being driven right through the business, resulting in a reduced accident frequency rate. Among the initiatives in 2005 were director's safety tours, a new site safety induction pack and delivery of the IOSH Managing safely course to all project managers and engineers.

A new intranet-based health and safety database was rolled out in 2005. A mandatory hand protection policy was also introduced, resulting in less accidents to the hand. Hand-arm vibration has been tackled in conjunction with tools supplier Hilti and improved use of mobile elevated work platforms has been investigated.

Runners-up

Dodd Group

Dodd Group set up Dodd Group Safety Services to manage health and safety performance at the company. A new initiative is called "Don't turn a blind eye." The near miss reporting campaign is driven by site management teams and is promoted through posters and leaflets.

Site operatives are made aware of the campaign during site inductions and are given a helmet sticker to remind them of their commitment. Dodd Group is working alongside main contractors to ensure the message is conveyed to other trades on site.

GSH Group

GSH's Statutory Logbook is an electronic means of storing statutory information for building asset management. It aims to make the job of the facilities manager easier, while ensuring legal compliance. GSH's customers can generate reports to meet their needs based on contract or location. They can also generate reports detailing the certificates any subcontractors are responsible for.

Hills Electrical & Mechanical

Hills has adopted an Incident and Injury Free philosophy. To facilitate this it has introduced a 49-point site audit, a new risk assessment management strategy, better communication briefs, an internal health and safety marketing campaign and updated toolbox talks.

Operon

Operon has introduced display screen equipment awareness training after finding that 57% of its 756 employees reported some kind of discomfort during or after working at their screens. The day's training is followed by an examination and is incorporated in to every employee's induction and must be completed before they have completed their probationary employment term.

St George

St George is the developer of the Royal Quarter, an eight-block homes development in Kingston upon Thames. During construction every contractor, manager and individual worker accepted St George's policy of zero tolerance to accident risk on site. Everyone undertook a safety induction course prior to commencing work. Anyone not reaching the minimum level of safety awareness was not permitted to work at Royal Quarter.