CWU Wins Major Northern Ireland Health and Safety Award

CWU Area Health and Safety Representative Sean Doherty has won the Health and Safety Executive of Northern
Ireland/Irish Congress of Trade Unions Health and Safety Representatives Award for 2008.

The Health and Safety Representatives Award is presented to a Health and Safety Rep who in the view of HSE(NI) and the ICTU, has made an exceptional contribution in the role and has demonstrated commitment to working to improve workplace health and safety.

After being shortlisted Sean came through a rigorous expert panel interview where he had to demonstrate a sound knowledge of health and safety theory and practice, the ability to identify health and safety problems, regular participation in health and safety inspections, audits, identifying risks and solutions, representing the workforce and influencing senior management to implement improvements. Sean eventually stood out against high standard opposition.

At the presentation in Belfast, during European Health and Safety Week, CWU National Health and Safety Officer Dave Joyce who nominated Sean said "I am delighted that Sean Doherty, a CWU Health and Safety Representative has won the HSE(NI)/ICTU Safety Representatives Award and I'm pleased to add my personal congratulations as well as to thank Sean for the work he does as a Health and Safety Rep on behalf of CWU members in Northern Ireland."

"The work undertaken by Sean represents the best aspects of undertaking a CWU Safety Rep's role in the Royal Mail. Through Safety Reps like Sean the CWU will work to ensure that our members are able to leave work every day as healthy as when they arrived. There can be no better cause for trade unions than saving lives and preventing injury and ill health at work through our network of trained and experienced health and safety Reps."

It's been a great year for the CWU in recognising the Union's work and achievements in the field of Health and Safety. Earlier this month the CWU became the first trade union to win a prestigious Safety & Health Practitioner/Institute Of Occupational Safety & Heath award, winning the ‘Best Partnership Health & Safety Campaign Initiative' category along with BT.

In May of this year the CWU along with Royal Mail won the RoSPA 'Workforce Involvement in Safety and Health Trophy', for demonstrating the best Safety Representatives involvement in the organisation's health and safety management for the Union's Health and Safety representation - provided by CWU Safety Reps, carrying out inspections and investigations and representing members’ concerns.

In September the CWU won the TUC's Safety Representative of the Year Award through Chris Wesson, becoming the first Trade Union to win that award three times.

It's fair to say that Judges have been very impressed with the standards and professionalism demonstrated by the CWU's Health and Safety organisation and it's Safety Representatives of which Sean is a fine example.

Dave added:

"Winning the HSE(NI)/ICTU Safety Representatives Award for 2008 is the icing on the cake. We're delighted to pick up these awards this year. Joint working and the full involvement and support for our Union's Safety Representatives has benefited our members and the employers alike.

It's also just reward for the way that over the last 5 years the CWU has worked tirelessly to lift the profile of health and safety and broaden our horizons, now being widely recognised as one of the UK's leading trade union stakeholders and opinion formers on health and safety as a progressive, campaigning Union.

We've invested in the education and training of health and safety representatives and our people are professionals in every sense of the word and in most cases more knowledgeable in the field than the managers they deal with. It's CWU health and safety representatives who deserve the full credit for their hard work and dedication that makes workplaces where CWU members work, healthier and safety places to be against many dangers and difficulties they have to tackle".

"The CWU will never rest on the issue of health and safety." Source: CWU Photos: Kevin Cooper Photoline

Designed, Hosted and Maintained by Union Safety Services