NHBC awards health and safety in house building industry

NHBC is launching the home building industry’s only dedicated health and safety award scheme aimed at recognising and rewarding health and safety best practice. 

The NHBC Health and Safety Awards celebrate those home builders who have kept health and safety at the top of their agenda in spite of the difficulties of the last year. Entries are now open and all NHBC-registered builders are invited to enter by 31st December 2009.

History has shown that emergence from a recession is often coupled with a rise in the number of accidents on site, and with warnings included in the Donaghy report, “One Death is Too Many”, earlier this year, NHBC wants to ensure home builders continue to focus on health and safety.

Announcing the new scheme Simon Mantle, Manager of Health and Safety Services at NHBC, said: “We know that there’s plenty of good health and safety practice going on out there and we believe that the industry should be given an opportunity to celebrate it.

"These new awards will not only showcase excellence and provide an opportunity to share best practice, but serve as a timely reminder that safety onsite should always be a top priority.”

The range of award categories will ensure that small, medium and large builders are judged fairly against their peers and include three special awards for those who have shown excellence and innovation in taking health and safety out to staff on-site and into the community.

With a rigorous judging process and multiple site inspections, the Awards also offer builders the opportunity to gain independent verification of the effectiveness of their health and safety systems by NHBC.

Visit nhbc.co.uk/hsawards for further information and criteria for award entries.