ARK HOUSING JOIN THE PREMIER LEAGUE FOR WORKPLACE SAFETY

CELEBRATING  SUCCESS IN HEALTH AND SAFETY – 2012 INTERNATIONAL SAFETY AWARD WINNERS

For an unprecedented fourth time Ark Housing Association has been awarded the prestigious International Safety Award. This year was even more significant with the Association being recognised with a distinction, the highest possible award.

The International Safety Awards scheme is in its fifty fourth year and is open to organisations of all sizes across all industries and seeks to promote high standards of health and safety management practice in order to prevent workplace injury and ill health.

The winning organisations span all sectors from across the United Kingdom, Middle East and India. This long-established award has this year been won by 550 organisations. 125 gained a distinction, 348 attained a merit with 77 other organisations securing a pass.

The list of winners is impressive and diverse and as well as Ark Housing Association it includes Aston Martin Lagonda, Bovis Homes, Dubai Supply Authority, Hong Kong Electric Company, ISG Construction, Larsen & Toubro India, London Organising Committee for the Olympic and Paralympic Games, the University of Edinburgh to name but a few.

Alex Botha, Chief Executive of the British Safety Council, said ”Over the last year I have had the opportunity to meet with the managers and employees of a number of the winning organisations and have been struck by the commitment and dedication they have shown to managing health safety in a proportionate, sensible and effective manner.”

He added, “What the winners have demonstrated is that well managed health and safety ensures the safety and wellbeing of their employees, contributes to business effectiveness and success. The health and safety of employees is non-negotiable and the winners have shown their determination, like us, to ensure that no one is killed, injured or made ill by work activities.”

“The British Safety Council is proud to congratulate all of the winners on their success and effectiveness in keeping their employees healthy and safe.”

Tony Ruddy Ark Housing’s Chief Executive commenting on the award said

“Winning this award is important to us not only because it recognises the dedication and commitment of everyone at Ark Housing from the Board room down, but more importantly because it gives us the opportunity to demonstrate that we can all achieve zero tolerance of work place injury and illness. Our aim is not to win awards but to help influence and change the prevailing culture surrounding workplace health & safety within our sector; to be an exemplar and leading by example hopefully we can reduce the unacceptably high levels of work place accidents and illnesses experienced in the work place each year” 

“I am very proud of what we have achieved so far on this journey. It is a great achievement for us and I would like to pay tribute to all Board Members, managers and all our staff who continue to champion work place health & safety”

The award was presented at a gala dinner in London during the month of May.