Swindon-based construction company Beard has won a prestigious Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents (RoSPA) Gold Award for Occupational Health and Safety for the second consecutive year.
The award recognises the company’s excellent safety record along with its health and safety management systems and culture, which include effective leadership and workforce engagement and commitment.
The award was presented to Beard’s health, safety and environmental manager Martin Nash at a ceremony in Birmingham.
He said the award built on a five-year programme of initiatives which had reduced the firm’s accident incident rate even though its workforce had grown.
“Gaining our second consecutive Gold is a significant achievement for Beard staff and our project teams who work in some of the most challenging construction environments,” he said.
“I’m delighted to accept this award on behalf of all our people whose hard work made this award possible, and who are totally committed to making Beard a healthy, safe and happy place to work.”
The RoSPA Awards, which date back 58 years, recognise commitment to continuous improvement in accident and ill health prevention at work. Through the scheme, which is open to businesses and organisations of all types and sizes from across the UK and overseas, judges consider entrants’ overarching occupational health and safety management systems, including practices such as leadership and workforce involvement.
RoSPA awards manager David Rawlins said: “The RoSPA Awards encourage improvement in occupational health and safety management. Organisations that gain recognition for their health and safety management systems, such as Beard, contribute to raising standards overall and we congratulate them.”
Beard staff work extensively in challenging construction environments where health and safety planning is crucial to every project, especially in occupied environments such as schools.
The family-owned construction group, whose boards have been a familiar sight on building projects around Swindon for more than 100 years, also has offices in Oxford and Guildford.
Last year it increased profits by 47% to £2.1m turnover up 15% at £88.1m.
Pictured: Beard health, safety and environmental manager Martin Nash, right, accepting the RoSPA Gold Award for occupational health and safety excellence from RoSPA trustee Don Lloyd
