Our scrutiny on health and safety has been re-invigorated thanks to a newly-assembled H&S committee.
It's been instigated by our Health and Safety Officer Stuart Chamberlain, who is being joined by seven other staff representatives from various areas of the business, including Marketing and Business Development Director Dan Mounsey and Phil Eaton, who has 30 years shop floor experience of HPP's production processes.
Stuart explains: "We decided it was time to review the committee after two years of disruption caused by the pandemic, so we asked for nominations from across the business and received a really good response.
Left to right: Phil Eaton, Terry Shaw, Dan Mounsey, James Croly, Nichola Roddy, Paul Boyes, Mike Dawson, Stuart Chamberlain
"The purpose of the committee is to review current policies. We'll be looking to make sure the policies are being carried out correctly, or if we feel they've lapsed in certain areas then we can identify the actions that need to be put back in place.
"It's basically to introduce a better knowledge of health and safety policies, and ultimately to instil a health and safety culture throughout the workplace."
And the seven new employee safety representatives have wasted no time in getting down to business, completing a one-day Level 2 Health & Safety training course delivered by North Lancashire Training, our training provider for more than 20 years.
The wide-ranging course included topics such as accidents and ill health, slips and trips, risk assessments, fire safety and manual handling, culminating in a 45-minute, 20-question exam that's resulted in a 100% pass rate (well done to all!).
Stuart adds: "The course is a good starting platform to understand health and safety at work. It is designed to make the candidates aware of their own safety, the safety of other employees, customers and contractors, and the general public or visitors we might have on site.
"We'll discuss the course at the next meeting and look at health and safety going forward. Personally, I'd like to see all of our supervisors going on the course to support the knowledge on an even wider basis."
Now the committee is back to full strength, Stuart is planning to hold meetings quarterly: "The members will be able to bring issues to the table. They are working in all these different areas all the time and see things that I don't - people are on their best behaviour when they see me coming!"
Stuart has been HPP's Health and Safety Officer for two years and last year became a member of the chartered professional institution that promotes safety and sustainability in global industry.
It followed the completion of a highly respected occupational health training course that saw him gain the National General Certificate in Occupational Health and Safety from the National Examination Board in Occupational Safety and Health (NEBOSH). He has since joined the Institution of Occupational Safety and Health (IOSH).