Health and Safety
The Company has received four consecutive ROSPA Occupational Health and Safety Gold Awards. This unprecedented achievement for the Group could not have been reached without the hard work and commitment of our staff, whose continuing efforts are very much appreciated.
The Company participates in the ROSPA annual awards scheme because it provides an independent assessment of our health and safety performance against national standards. It also provides an opportunity to recognise and encourage good performance throughout the Group. The Company considers the scheme to be an important part of our overall strategy or the management of health and safety.
It has been another very challenging year with further developments in health and safety legislation, refurbishment of some office premises and ongoing investment in new production equipment at our printing plants. Our staff have risen to these challenges and worked hard to maintain good health and safety standards. Although it was not possible to substantially reduce the number of RIDDOR (Reporting of Injuries, Diseases and Dangerous Occurrences Regulations 1995) reportable accidents in 2007 it is encouraging to see that the significant gains made in previous years have been maintained. The Board remains committed to making further improvements to health and safety in the year ahead.
Health and safety initiatives
The Board continues to be kept informed of important health and safety developments through the Secretary and Group Legal Director. Important health and safety initiatives last year included:
- The revision and updating of general policy statements with respect to health and safety, reflecting a commitment from the Company to establish management systems that comply with OHSAS 18001, an internationally recognised occupational health and safety management systems specification;
- Health and safety input to office redevelopment projects in Middlesbrough and Cardiff, as well as a successful project to complete the installation of new presses and ancillary equipment at the Watford printing plant;
- Making arrangements with the British Printing Industries Federation
(BPIF) for them to independently audit compliance with health and safety legislation at our printing plants, with recommendations for improvement if necessary;
- The preparation and updating of numerous building fire safety risk assessments to ensure compliance with the Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005 and parallel legislation in other parts of the UK;
- Health and safety awareness training for managers and other members of staff, where appropriate. Building Services and Health and Safety Managers attended training courses covering important changes affecting construction safety;
- A trial to identify the benefits of fitting reversing aids to commercial vans used for newspaper delivery. This resulted in a decision to include bumper mounted reversing sensors/alarms in the purchase specification for all new delivery vans; and
- Through the Group Health and Safety Risk Management Forum new and revised health and safety policies and procedures were introduced covering:
– Asbestos
– Engineering and construction safety
– Selection and control of contractors
– Work with display screen equipment
– Home working.
Back
