Lafarge scoops rail award and focuses on quarry safety

Quarry safety

Lafarge Aggregates & Concrete UK hosted the Mineral Product Association’s Annual Northern Safety Day at the Marfield Quarry in Masham. More than 100 participants from the industry took part in the event, including quarry operatives and managers. Interactive sessions were held to raise onsite awareness of safety issues and to share best practice in areas such as occupational health, stockpile safety, water, working at height and road safety. As well as gaining advice from industry specialists, participants had the opportunity to practice their skills in a range of areas, including water rescue and equipment management.

“At Lafarge, safety is very much at the top of our agenda. We truly believe that no job is so important that it is worth getting hurt doing it, and we were keen to share this ethos and work in partnership with our counterparts from throughout the region,” said Marfield site Manager Jon Merchant.

Award for rail project

Lafarge won the award for ‘Rail Freight Project of the Year’ at the Rail Freight Group (RFG) Awards for its Northfleet rail reconnection project in Kent. The project, which opened in June, included the reconnection of Lafarge UK’s former Northfleet cement plant on the south bank of the River Thames to the railway network and Crossrail’s tunnelling logistics centre. At first, Crossrail will use the rail line to transport excavated material from its construction sites in London. However, in the long-term it will be used to support regeneration plans for the Northfleet cement works, which were closed in 2008.

Several aspects of the project were taken into consideration in the judging process. These included the project’s excellent health and safety record, the leadership skills of Land and Planning Director David Simms and Project Manager Nigel Rees, as well as the collaborative nature of the working relationship between all stakeholders involved.

When presenting the award to Lafarge, the RFG Awards judges stated: “The winner of this category is an exemplary project involving the reconnection and regeneration of what was once the UK’s largest cement producing plant. The project is already playing a key supporting role on Crossrail and promises to have a significant impact in the future. This was achieved as a fast-track initiative which was brought in on time and on budget.”

Adapted from press release by Louise Fordham.

Read the article online at: https://www.worldcement.com/europe-cis/25092012/cement_lafarge_uk_northfleet_quarry_safety_mpa_aggregates_689/