AQUAMARINE POWER WINS HEALTH & SAFETY PROMOTION AWARD
18 Nov 2009
Wave energy developer Aquamarine Power's efforts to promote health and safety in the workplace were recognised with a national award from the Scottish Centre for Healthy Working Lives, part of NHS Health Scotland, at a ceremony held in Stirling yesterday (17 November 2009). The company received the Healthy Working Lives Bronze Award from world renowned Scottish chef Nick Nairn.
Aquamarine Power will now begin working towards the Silver Award, focusing on managing stress in the workplace, as part of its commitment to promoting staff well-being and a healthy work life balance.
The company signed up to the Healthy Working Lives Award Programme in January 2009. Since then, they have been working towards the first level of the programme, which supports employers and employees to develop health promotion and safety themes in the workplace in a practical, logical way, thats beneficial to all.
Initiatives which helped Aquamarine Power achieve the award include setting up a Health & Safety Forum run by a cross-section of staff from different divisions, holding a Health & Wellbeing Awareness Week, promoting the benefits of healthy eating including supplying fresh fruit in the workplace, offering complimentary therapy sessions and encouraging staff to get out and about with a lunchtime walking group.
Ursula O’Brien, Aquamarine Power's Head of Human Resources said:
“The safety and welfare of our staff is always top of the agenda at Aquamarine Power. We already had a lot of positive initiatives in place, but working towards our Bronze Award, with the support of our Healthy Working Lives advisor, has helped us develop a more structured programme of health and safety policies and initiatives.
“We are thrilled to have won the award in such a short time scale. It is recognition of the enthusiasm and commitment of the whole company.
“Working towards our Bronze award has really helped build our team. We have learned a lot and had a lot of fun along the way. We’re looking forward to working towards our Silver and Gold Awards over the coming months”.
Gordon Kemp, Aquamarine Power’s Healthy Working Lives Advisor said:
“It is a joy working with Aquamarine Power. The organisation certainly impressed us as it clearly embraces the ethos of promoting health, safety and wellbeing as an integral part of their working culture.”
