Playing it safe has paid dividends for a housing association in North Wales.
Cartrefi Conwy has received a prestigious silver award at the Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents (RoSPA) Occupational Health and Safety Awards night in Birmingham.
The association, which took over responsibility for housing from Conwy County Borough Council, came into being less than three years ago.
It is responsible for 3,800 houses and flats, and this is the first time it has entered the RoSPA awards scheme.
The awards, launched 55 years ago, are based on matters such as accident records, health and safety management systems, leadership and workforce involvement.
The majority of the awards, which are sponsored by the National Examination Board in Occupational Safety and Health, are non-competitive, marking achievement at gold, silver and bronze levels.
David Rawlins, RoSPA’s awards manager said that organizations which demonstrated commitment to continuous improvement in preventing accidents and ill-health deserved recognition.
“Cartrefi Conwy has shown it is committed to striving for such continuous improvement and we are delighted to honour it through the presentation of an award,” he said.
Cartrefi Conwy’s Chief Executive Andrew Bowden commented: “Securing a silver award in our first year of applying is great news.”
The association’s Health and Safety Advisor Wil Pritchard said the award highlighted the progress made on management of health and safety and their determination to make the workplace, homes and communities safer and better places in which to work and live.
Next month (July) the association will learn whether it has won yet two more awards, this time from the Construction Institute.
A recycling scheme in Maes-y-Dre, Abergele, in partnership with Crest Co-operative, and insulation work carried out in Victor Wilde Drive, Rhos-on-Sea, have both been shortlisted in their respective categories.
