A Bolton firm has been awarded a prestigious gold medal at the Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents’ Health and Safety Awards 2024.

Aptus Utilities based in Westhoughton was awarded the gold medal which recognises organisations who achieve five or more consecutive Gold achievement awards, demonstrating their commitment to continuous improvement and excellence in health and safety.

The utilities company provides water, electric, gas, street lighting and vehicle charging design and installation services throughout the UK.

The company’s head office is home to around 100 staff, and it has a workforce of 300 based at depots around the country.

Working in the construction industry carries risks that the company must identify and manage.

This requires stringent health and safety standards to safeguard employees, contractors and the public from potential hazards.

The company also operates a fleet of around 200 vehicles, and it is vital to ensure that drivers behave responsibly and maintain their vehicles in line with health and safety regulations, so they can protect themselves and keep other road users safe.

In winning a fifth consecutive Gold Achievement Award in 2023 Aptus had to demonstrate excellent occupational health and safety management systems, a rigorous approach to monitoring and measuring occupational health, a continued high-level of performance, and compliance with control measures.

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Health, Safety, Quality and Environment (HSQE) Manager Delicia Maxwell said: “The RoSPA Awards are the most coveted awards for the health and safety industry, so we are delighted to be recognised.

“This is testament to the team effort that goes into maintaining our outstanding safety record.

“Health and Safety is at the heart of our business, and we will continue to focus on ways we can promote our safety values, drive improvement and reward positive safety behaviour within our organisation.”

The RoSPA Awards are the world’s leading health and safety scheme receiving almost 2,000 entries annually from more than 50 countries, impacting millions of employees worldwide. Organisations receiving a RoSPA Award are recognised as being world-leaders in health and safety practice. 

Entering the RoSPA Awards shows customers and colleagues that the welfare and safety of people is at the forefront of the business. It also provides standards for Aptus to benchmark its safety performance against annually.

Julia Small, RoSPA’s Achievements Director, said: “Workplace accidents don't just pose financial risks and operational disruptions; they significantly impact the quality of life for individuals. This is why acknowledging and rewarding excellent safety performance is vital.

“We congratulate Aptus for winning a prestigious RoSPA Award and showing an unwavering commitment to keeping employees, clients and customers safe from accidental harm and injury.”

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