Service receives RoSPA gold award for occupational health and safety

Devon & Somerset Fire & Rescue Service has had its approach to occupational safety and health recognised in an awards scheme run by the safety charity, the Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents (RoSPA).

The Gold award in the RoSPA Occupational Health and Safety Awards 2013 was presented during a ceremony at the Hilton Birmingham Metropole Hotel, at the National Exhibition Centre, on Thursday 16 May, 2013.

Dating back 57 years, the RoSPA Awards scheme is the largest and longest-running programme of its kind in the UK. It recognises commitment to accident and ill health prevention and is open to businesses and organisations of all types and sizes from across the UK and overseas. The scheme not only looks at accident records, but also entrants’ overarching health and safety management systems, including practices such as leadership and workforce involvement.

David Rawlins, RoSPA’s awards manager, said: “RoSPA firmly believes that organisations that demonstrate commitment to continuous improvement in accident and ill health prevention deserve recognition. Devon & Somerset Fire & Rescue Service has shown that it is committed to striving for such continuous improvement and we are delighted to honour it through the presentation of an award.”

Group Manager Chris Blackburn, Organisational Safety Assurance Manager for Devon & Somerset Fire & Rescue Service, said: “We are delighted to receive the gold award which recognises all the hard work that has been put into reducing accidents within the Service.

“The award does not just take into account the systems that have been put in place, but looks at the positive impact in terms of reduced near misses, injuries, and number of days lost.”

Staff injuries have dropped from 216 during 2009/10 to 136 in 2011/12 – a fall of 37 per cent.

See www.rospa.com/awards/ for more information about the RoSPA Occupational Health and Safety Awards.

For more information on Devon & Somerset Fire Service visit www.dsfire.gov.uk