C 016:07 22 October 2007

HSC Chair applauds ‘target zero initiative’ at QPA awards ceremony

In one of her first official engagements in her role as HSC Chair, Judith Hackitt CBE applauded the quarrying industry for achieving a 52% reduction in RIDDOR (Reporting of Injuries, Diseases and Dangerous Occurrences regulations 1995) injuries. Addressing members of the Quarry Products Association (QPA) at their annual awards ceremony Ms Hackitt challenged them to keep up the momentum towards 'Target Zero'.

The reduction was achieved jointly through the Hard Target initiative, launched by the Quarries National Joint Advisory Committee (QNJAC), and the QPA’s own initiative to halve the number of incidents by 2010. The QNJAC intend to follow up the Hard Targets initiative with its Target Zero initiative, to achieve zero reportable accidents by 2015.

Presenting awards to companies who have excelled in their commitment to improving health and safety, Ms Hackitt said, "I am pleased to be given the opportunity to put on record my appreciation for your achievements. I would like to encourage you to take up the challenge to ensure continuous improvement and build in principles of sensible risk management in tackling health and safety issues. The best and most effective Health and Safety managements systems are those that are led from the top. Health and safety is good business practice, not form filling, red tape and work not done."

Ms Hackitt also emphasised the importance of partnership working between HSE and the industry leading to continuous improvements in reducing and eliminating work related ill-health in the industry.

Notes to editors

1. Quarry Product Association (QPA) is a trade association for the aggregate, asphalt, lime, mortar, ready-mix concrete, silica sands and slag industries with 80 member companies.
2. The QPA Health and Safety Award Scheme promotes ‘best practice’ solutions to health and safety issues, which are then shared freely with the industry through its website www.safequarry.com
3. The Health and Safety Commission is responsible for health and safety regulation in Great Britain. The Health and Safety Executive and local government are the enforcing authorities who work in support of the Commission.
4. The HSC has overall responsibility for occupational health and safety regulations in Great Britain. The Commission consists of 10 people nominated by bodies with an interest in workplace health and safety. They are sponsored by the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP). The DWP minister for occupational health and safety is Lord McKenzie of Luton.
5. Ms Hackitt addressed the QPA at the Institute of Civil Engineers, 1 Great George Street, London SW1P 3AA on Friday 19th October 2007.

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