MORE than 100 businesses and organisations in Cheshire, Merseyside and Wirral have been honoured for safety at work.

This year’s Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents Occupational Health and Safety Awards were handed out during three days of ceremonies at the Hilton Birmingham Metropole Hotel.

The RoSPA awards, in their 53rd year, recognise organisations’ commitment to protecting the health and well-being of employees and others.

Among the successful organisations were TTE Training Limited, of Ellesmere Port, which won the Education and Training Services Sector, and Sellafield Ltd – Capenhurst Site, which was commended in the Chemical Industry Sector.

Gold medals went to Urenco UK, Innospec and Npower Cogen at Bridgewater Paper Plant, all in Ellesmere Port.

Meanwhile, Hertel UK Stanlow Site in Ellesmere Port won the Order of Distinction (having won 15 consecutive Golds); Shell Lubricants Centre at Stanlow won a President’s award (after 13 consecutive Golds); Shell UK Oil Products Ltd at Stanlow, also got a President’s award (after 13 consecutive Golds); and Shell Technology Centre in Thornton, Ellesmere Port, got a Gold.

Other regional winners included:

BIS OHARE Ltd, Runcorn - President’s (13 consecutive Golds); Rotary North West Limited, Chester - President's (11 consecutive Golds); Safety Administration Services - SAS Ltd, Runcorn - Gold Medal; Green Contract Services Ltd, Sandbach - Gold Medal; BAM Nuttall Ltd (Cheshire Highways Partnership), Winsford - Gold Medal; O’Mullane Civil Engineering Ltd, Runcorn - Gold Medal; PROjEN Plc, Northwich - Gold Medal; Ideal Standard International, Middlewich - Gold Medal; Gemcliff Ltd - t/a West Cheshire Cleaning Services, Wallasey - Gold Medal; Pochin Concrete Pumping - Middlewich - Gold; Pochin Construction Ltd, Winsford - Gold; BAM Nuttall Limited - North West Region, Northwich - Gold; Costain and Veolia Joint Venture (S3JV) MVPC Shell Green, Widnes - Gold; Pochin Homes Ltd, Winsford - Gold; Bombardier Transportation UK Ltd, Crewe - Gold; Innospec Widnes Ltd - Gold; EMCOR Facilities Services Ltd - in partnership with BAE Systems; Vertex DBM House, Chester - Silver.

Overall, more than 1,650 businesses and organisations were honoured.

Tom Mullarkey, RoSPA chief executive, said: “Health and safety tends to hit the headlines in the aftermath of major accidents or when it is deemed to have ‘gone too far’.

“But the reality is millions of sensible safety decisions are taken each day which actually prevent countless accidents.

“The RoSPA Occupational Health and Safety Awards are a way of rewarding and highlighting those whose daily contribution keeps us safe and healthy, and we congratulate winners for the commitment they have shown to continuous improvement in this sphere.”