RoSPA Press Office : Press Release

May 16, 2001
SAFETY CAMPAIGNERS HONOURED

Five people, who have made an outstanding contribution to health and safety in the workplace, are to be presented with Distinguished Service Awards by The Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents.

The presentations will made during two special ceremonies at the Hilton Birmingham Metropole Hotel, on May 22-23, as part of the RoSPA Occupational Health and Safety Awards, sponsored by RMC. The Distinguished Service Awards go to:

Baroness Gibson of Market Rasen, who lives in Charlton, London, has made a long and distinguished contribution to occupational safety, particularly by championing the health and safety needs of women workers. From 1996 to 2000 she served as a member of the Health and Safety Commission and was influential in helping to plan and develop many new initiatives.

Phil Hughes of Princethorpe, Warwicks, has played a major part in the development of the health and safety adviser’s role. President of the Institution of Occupational Safety and Health 1990-1991, he was influential in steering the Institution to establish the ‘Register of Safety Practitioners’. In 1996, he became chair of the National Examination Board in Occupational Safety and Health.

Dr Janet Asherson of Lewes, Sussex, has played a central role in co-ordinating the CBI’s input to health and safety policy-making for the last 11 years. She helped develop the CBI’s health and safety policy advisory panel, which has had a key role in the CBI’s responses to recent legislative health and safety initiatives by the UK Health and Safety Commisson and the European Commission.

Jeremy Stranks of Coventry, has made an outstanding contribution to the training, education and support of health and safety professionals for more than 30 years. He first became involved in industrial safety through the Institute of Environmental Health Officers. He has provided extensive support and encouragement to students in the field of health and safety.

Marc Sapir from Belgium. Together with colleagues in the European Trades Union Confederation, Marc was successful in securing the establishment of the European Trade Union Technical Bureau for Health and Safety. As a policy research, development and co-ordinating body, the Bureau has become a highly influential organisation.

David Walker, RoSPA Awards Manager, said: "These five have made a major contribution to cutting workplace deaths and injuries in the UK and Europe."