Three Arla Foods creameries have been awarded a British Safety Council Sword of Honour, one of the most prestigious health and safety awards in the country.
Tuxford & Tebbutt, Leicestershire, Reece’s Creamery, Cheshire, and Llandyrnog Creamery, Denbighshire, all achieved a score of over 92 per cent following their initial BSC Five Star health and safety management system audit, enabling them to compete for a Sword of Honour, which recognises an organisation’s exemplary management of health, safety and the environment.
In order to be awarded a Sword each site had to demonstrate to an independent adjudication panel that it had embedded a culture of best practice for health and safety throughout its business, and score a minimum pass mark of 60 out of 72.
Announcing the winners, Alex Botha, chief executive of the British Safety Council, said: "On behalf of the British Safety Council I warmly congratulate the winning organisations and their employees. They are united in their shared belief that proportionate and competent risk management brings both financial and social benefits to their organisations."
Mark Robertson, head of Arla’s cheese sites, said of the three sites’ success: "This recognition of excellence is testament to the commitment, drive and involvement that has been instilled by putting behavioural safety at the top of the agenda."
The 2012 Sword of Honour awards are in their 33rd year and winners will attend a celebratory reception on November 23 in London.
ENDS
Notes to editors
The BSC Five Star audit is carried out across three days and covers:
1. Safety Organisation
2. Management Control Systems
3. Emergency Control Systems
4. Management of Accident/Incident/Near Miss/Damage Reporting
5. Workplace Implementation
To award high stars, the auditor needs to establish if a ‘best in class’ approach to behavioural safety can be seen and is embedded at the site.
A Sword of Honour is awarded following a submission of responses against 12 specific questions which link into the auditor’s findings from the Five Star audit. A pass mark of 60 out of 72 is required and Reece’s Creamery scored 66, Llandyrnog Creamery scored 66 and Tuxford & Tebbutt Creamery scored 64.
Another Arla cheese manufacturing facility - Taw Valley Creamery, Devon, will undertake the BSC Five Star audit in November, followed by Lockerbie Creamery, Dumfriesshire, and Oswestry packing facility, Shropshire, in April and Trevarrian Creamery, Cornwall, in May. Arla’s other sites are audited against the BS OHSAS 18001 health and safety standard.