MPA members restate their pledge to achieve Zero Harm as MPA Health & Safety Conference and Awards 2016 focuses on Inspirational & Effective Leadership

A packed house of 285 delegates, representing 62 organisations, explored the critical role that Inspirational and Effective Leadership plays in achieving Zero Harm in the workplace, at this year’s MPA Health and Safety Conference and Awards at 30 Euston Square on 10 November. 

A key aspect of the day was when CEOs and other representatives from MPA’s members signed to restate their pledge to “achieve Zero Harm by setting an example and leading in all aspects of safety and health”. This was timed to mark the launch of MPA’s Safer and Healthier by Leadership programme.

Hosted by BBC Presenter Sybil Ruscoe, the morning’s keynote conference speakers were Jesus Ortiz, UEPG President, Phillip White, Head of the HSE’s Operational Strategy Division, Lawrence Waterman OBE, Director of Health & Safety Battersea Power Station and Nicky Moffat CBE, formerly Britain’s highest ranking female Army Officer and an expert in leadership roles.

Interactive panel sessions focussed on a number of key developments affecting the industry. The first panel session featured Martin Brown, Health & Safety Director, Crossrail; and Jem Bezodis, Kier Group Head of Safety, Mersey Crossing and the second featured Chris Leese, outgoing Chairman of MPA Health & Safety Committee, and Senior Consultants: Darren Broadhead of Darren Broadhead Consulting Ltd; Rory Graham, IM&S Solutions Ltd; and Glenn Rowe, Arbour Safety Management Ltd.

The afternoon was devoted to celebrating innovation and achievement through the MPA Health & Safety Awards. Martin Whitmarsh, former CEO of McLaren F1 Racing now CEO of the Land Rover BAR America's Cup Team gave an engaging presentation focussing on his experience of leading teams of highly skilled engineers and sportspeople.

In recognition that health and wellbeing is very clearly embedded in its businesses core values with a whole series of physical and psychological initiatives, including the introduction of a Zero Harm Behaviours Framework programme and Industry Peer Reviews, Lhoist UK was awarded the John Crabbe Memorial Trophy for ‘outstanding excellence in health and safety’.

Acknowledging leadership, workforce engagement, and the application of these principles across all aspects of their business and links within the wider community, the Hills Group was announced as the winner of the Sir Frank Davies Trophy.

Special awards were given to the MPA Transport Health and Safety Working Group, for producing and distributing 18,000 copies of the ‘MPA Drivers Handbook’, CEMEX UK and FM Conway for encouraging safer and healthier by sharing through SafeQuarry.com and Safe Precast.com which connects over 30,000 people across 160 countries through safety alerts and Singleton Birch for maintaining excellent health and safety standards and contributing to health and safety initiatives within the MPA membership and in Europe.

Nigel Jackson, MPA’s Chief Executive said:
“The MPA Health & Safety committee, led so enthusiastically by Chris Leese, supported by his excellent Working Groups, MPA Council and the Board, agreed to focus on the crucial role leadership needs to play if we are to achieve our common goal of Zero Harm.

That is why we encouraged all CEOs from our producer and contractor member companies to attend and renew their commitment to achieving Zero Harm.

The combined effort of the companies in MPA across its 12 product groups represents the most powerful opportunity to deliver change on the ground in this industry and the most powerful factor in that process is leadership.”

Overall, the prestigious MPA Health & Safety Awards attracted 140 entries from 20 different organisations, with submissions equally balanced between companies of all sizes.

This Year's Winners Are:

  • John Crabbe Memorial Trophy for overall ‘outstanding excellence in health and safety’: Winner – Lhoist UK
  • The Sir Frank Davies Trophy: Winner – Hills Quarry Products
  • Bitumen; Asphalt; Contract Surfacing: Winner – Colas Ltd
  • Worker Involvement: Winner – Celsa Steel Services UK
  • Transport Initiatives: Winner – Tarmac Ltd
  • Occupational Health and Well Being:  Winner – Brett Group Limited
  • Contractor Safety: Winner – Colas Ltd
  • Engineering Initiatives: Winner – Brett Group Limited
  • Reducing Occupational Road Risk: Winner – FM Conway Ltd
  • Behavioural Safety; Safety Culture; Leadership: Winner - EPC-UK plc
  • MPA Special Award: Winner – MPA Transport HS Working Group: Nick Elliot Breedon/Hope, Robert Wilkinson CEMEX, Nigel Clamp Hanson, Wayne Darwin Tarmac and Leslie Grabarz CEMEX
  • MPA Special Award for companies with less than 100+ employees: Winner – FM Conway, CEMEX UK
  • MPA Special Award for companies with 1-100 employees: Winner – Singleton Birch
  • 10 individuals were recognised for their personal health and safety contributions:
  1. Rob Buston, Brett Group
  2. Andrew Parsons, CEMEX UK
  3. Stephen Bull, CEMEX UK
  4. Steve Taylor, CEMEX UK
  5. Nigel Mitchell, CEMEX UK
  6. Ryan Wood, Colas Ltd
  7. Chris Taylor, Stanton Bonna Concrete Ltd
  8. Richard Needham, Aggregate Industries
  9. John Hudson, Colas Ltd
  10. Peter Smith, Colas Ltd

Congratulations to all the award winners and runners up this year. MPA looks forward to receiving new award submissions in February 2017.

Associated Businesses

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