Cold chain health and safety leadership programme launches

Incorporating everyone from business leaders to the individuals on the shop floor, the Programme mirrors the aims of the wider HSE strategy in encouraging continuous improvement, accountability and recognition of the wider perspective regarding Health and Safety and the need to actively support and share best practice to improve the health and safety performance within the industry.

Following the launch of the programme on 1 January 2014, a number of companies have already signed up, including Reed Boardall, Cold Move and Partner Logistics.

Jon Miles, head of UK Operations for Partner Logistics commented: "At Partner Logistics, we are serious about all things relating to health and safety. We believe the industry needs to do more, and initiatives such as the Leadership Programme provided by the FSDF are key to driving improvements and maintaining the levels of safety for everyone in our industry. Also, the programme offers us the ability to benchmark our own health and safety performance against both our sector and the logistics industry as a whole, which is something we are very keen to do as part of our ongoing H&S strategy as a business.”

Members who sign-up for the programme will benefit from the following:

• Greater visibility and recognition of being proactive in achieving and maintaining the highest standards of health and safety performance, with customers, suppliers and the HSE.
• Company-wide involvement and accountability in all matters relating to health and safety.
• Expert guidance and advice on all matters relating to health and safety.
• Recognised standard of achievement – which can be displayed on letterhead, vehicles and websites.

Companies will be required to provide evidence of a good health and safety management system by answering key performance questions and supporting the answers with a portfolio of relevant documentation. Those members who achieve the required standard will then receive a framed certificate and will also be entitled to use the award logo indicating their achievement on their organisation's vehicles, letterhead and website.

Supporting the programme, the FSDF website will feature a dedicated area that will include:

• A Health and Safety Forum.
• Articles and other relevant information relating to current health and safety issues.
• ‘Best Practice’ case studies.
• Accident statistics and other benchmarking data.

Chris Sturman, CEO at FSDF (pictured) said: "It is important for organisations to accept that Health and Safety is an ongoing priority and one which requires a continuous commitment from all levels of an organisation. We have designed the FSDF Health and Safety Leadership Programme for those member companies who are progressively and proactively seeking to improve and maintain their own health and safety performance at the highest levels, as well as offer visibility of their achievements to the HSE and the industry at large."