December 2008 - Halcrow

pink
In the pink
alcrow’s health and safety team
H
celebrated in style at a gala event
after scooping Scotland’s premier
award for the prevention of accidents and ill
health at work.
Survival
of the fittest
The RoSPA Occupational Health
and Safety Awards have been
running for over 50 years. They
are sponsored by NEBOSH
(National Examination Board in
Occupational Safety and Health)
with Her Majesty the Queen as patron.
Competition is fierce for awards and
specialist trophies, with over 1,500
delighted winners this year.
The Royal Society for the Prevention of
Accidents (RoSPA) Occupational Health and
Safety Awards ceremony was held in Glasgow
on 25 September.
The team accepted the prestigious RoSPA
Scotland Trophy at the ceremony, where
Halcrow was also commended in the
commercial and business services sector.
The RoSPA judges were particularly
impressed by the company’s arrangements
for ensuring the health and safety
competence of its workforce. Also noted
was its clear communication of health and
safety information, thorough investigation of
incidents to facilitate learning and the high
standard of its corporate performance review
and reporting.
Halcrow’s director for health and safety,
Nigel Valvona, said: “We’re delighted that the
judging panel
has recognised
Halcrow’s
commitment to
looking after its
employees and
building safety
into our work. We
are exceptionally
honoured to
receive the RoSPA
Scotland Trophy, and will continue to
work towards raising health and safety
standards globally.”
Commenting on the team’s award,
RoSPA’s chief executive, Tom Mullarkey,
said: “If every business in the UK could
put in place the kind of safe and healthy
working that award-winners such as
Halcrow have created, very many tragedies
would be avoided and lives saved.”
Halcrow’s Nigel Valvona and John
Walker display RoSPA’s Scotland Trophy
A safe road to Damascus
Halcrow’s group security team supports high-profile airport project in Syria
alcrow’s group security team is
H
usually found busily shoring up
the company against risks to its
employees, IT systems and buildings. But
it came under the international spotlight
recently with its involvement in a high-profile
airport project.
Head of group security David Grant has been
working as part of the on-site project team,
headed by Sam Jazairi, as it manages a
suite of major improvements to Damascus
International Airport. The works are being
funded by a loan of £31 million from the
Malaysian government.
Halcrow is assisting Malaysia’s Civil Aviation
Department in its efforts to modernise the
airport in response to recent growth in traffic.
The terminal, originally constructed in the
1970s, requires renovation and expansion to
Contact the group security team for:
• personal safety advice and assistance
• country security analysis
• crisis management
• e-mail or internet misuse
• IT security
• advice on business resilience and strategic plans
• legislation relating to security issues
• advice and assistance regarding business
continuity and pandemic plans
• security/data protection for bid material
establish it as a world-class airport with all
the trimmings.
David has been on site advising the
project team on a CCTV network, check-in
procedures, flight information and public
address systems, as well as
IT security.
“Given the high profile
of airport security
in recent years,
it has been an
exciting challenge
to help improve
standards here,”
says David.
As well as expanding
the check-in and
bag reclaim halls, the
Damascus,
Aleppo and Palmyra are
becoming increasingly
popular tourist destinations.
Within three years, Damascus
International Airport is
expected to handle some
3 million passengers annually,
serving as a Syrian Arab
Airlines hub
lounges and concourses will be refurbished
and a new VIP area will be created. Interiors
and furnishings will also receive a major
face-lift, to bring their battered 70s visage
into the 21 st century with new ceilings,
lighting, floors and cladding.
Major mechanical, electrical and
plumbing equipment will be
replaced. The contract also
includes apron expansion,
landscaping, parking facilities
and road resurfacing.
The group security team
has already provided
external consultancy
services to many projects,
including port and ship
security at the North Tyneside
Council Fish Quay, and building
and perimeter security for the
Thames Water reservoirs,
both in the UK.