(UPM Tilhill, Stirling, 2 June, 2011) - UPM Tilhill is celebrating after winning another top award in the prestigious RoSPA Occupational Health and Safety Awards.
The company beat competitors from across the UK to win the 2011 Forestry Sector award for exemplary health and safety practices. This latest award builds on last year’s success when UPM Tilhill won its fifth consecutive gold award.
The prestigious award was presented to UPM Tilhill’s Head of Safety Chris Pike at a ceremony in Birmingham. It is the first time the company has won the Forestry Sector category.
Chris Pike said: “This latest RoSPA award demonstrates that UPM Tilhill, the UK’s largest timber harvesting and environmental works company, continues to meet RoSPA's key performance requirements and achieve exceptionally high levels of health and safety management.
"We are absolutely delighted to win another award in a new category. Health and safety is the cornerstone of everything we do and this award recognises the very high standards UPM Tilhill achieves in implementing effective and practical measures to ensure the health and safety of our employees, contractors, the general public and the environment.
Steve Lavery, Managing Director UPM Tilhill, added: “Even though our systems and processes are already rigorous, we are continually striving to improve our health and safety. Examples include our ‘Insist On Safety’ cultural change programme across the business which continues to reinforce the importance of health and safety in the workplace to our staff and contractors. ”
The Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents (RoSPA), a safety charity, launched its awards programme 55 years ago. The scheme looks not only at accident records, but also entrants’ overarching health and safety management systems, including important practices such as strong leadership and workforce involvement.
David Rawlins, RoSPA’s awards manager, said: “RoSPA firmly believes that organisations that have demonstrated their commitment to continuous improvement in accident and ill health prevention deserve recognition. UPM Tilhill 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.”
The majority of RoSPA’s awards are non-competitive, marking achievement at merit, bronze, silver and gold levels. Organisations maintaining high standards can win gold medals, president’s awards and orders of distinction.
UPM Tilhill
Established more than 60 years ago, UPM Tilhill is a national company operating from a network of offices throughout the UK, with a turnover in excess of £100 million.
