RoSPA HEALTH & SAFETY AWARDS 2017 REVIEW
RoSPA HEALTH & SAFETY
AWARDS 2017
REVIEW
T
he Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents’
(RoSPA) Health & Safety Awards scheme is the largest
and longest-running programme of its kind in the UK,
and one of the most prestigious in the world. The awards
recognise commitment to accident and ill health prevention
and are open to businesses and organisations of all types
and sizes from across the UK and overseas. The awards
judge entrants’ health and safety management systems,
including practices such as leadership and workforce
involvement.
RoSPA awards mark achievement at Merit, Bronze, Silver
and Gold levels. Organisations maintaining high standards
can win at Gold Medal, President’s Award and Orders of
Distinction levels. Presentations are also made for more
than 20 sector-specific awards, recognising excellence in
specialist areas such as the Management of Occupational
Road Risk (MORR).
2017 marks a key milestone in the family charity’s
history, being its 100th anniversary.
R
oSPA was founded during the First World War.
Concerns had been raised about black-out conditions
which were causing an increase in pedestrian
deaths; people would unwittingly step into the path of
vehicles approaching from behind. As a result, in 1916, a
public meeting was held at Caxton Hall, Westminster. This
meeting lead to pedestrians being encouraged to walk
facing oncoming traffic, prompting a 70 per cent drop in
accidents in the first year alone!
Since its humble beginnings and over the course of the
last century, RoSPA has been instrumental in pioneering
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numerous safety advancements, many of which we now
take for granted. Notably, RoSPA was responsible for the
establishment of the Cycling Proficiency Scheme and lead
the campaign to ban drink driving in 1967. The organisation
has directed many other successful campaigns, including
compulsory seatbelt wearing and the criminalisation of
handheld mobile phone use while driving.
To honour its anniversary, on Thursday 25th May,
RoSPA held a Centenary Garden Party at Buckingham
Palace, which was hosted by HRH The Duke of York and
HRH Princess Eugenie of York. 3,500 guests attended the
Garden Party, including supporters, RoSPA members,
award winners, staff, and friends. The Duke and Princess,
attending on behalf of RoSPA’s Patron, Her Majesty The
Queen, met and spoke to many of the guests, including
accident victims and their families. Stories were shared
about the importance of accident prevention in all aspects
of daily life – in the workplace, the home, on the road and
at leisure.
Errol Taylor, RoSPA’s acting Chief Executive, commented,
“Everyone who attended the garden party had such a
wonderful day.
“It surpassed all expectations and the sun shone brightly
all day.”
The garden party was the pinnacle of RoSPA’s ongoing
centenary celebrations, which also included a special
exhibition at the Library of Birmingham. The exhibition
showcased 100 years of accident prevention and included
many of RoSPA’s iconic and historical workplace safety
posters.