RIVERRIDGE, Northern Ireland’s leading waste and resource management company, has achieved success at this year’s Export and Freight Transport and Logistics Awards for its safe working practices, winning the top Safety Award at the awards evening.
The award, sponsored by Cameramatics, was presented to the company at a glittering ceremony held at the Crowne Plaza Hotel in Belfast, which was attended by almost 600 guests from all sectors of the transport and logistics industries.
The Safety Award was awarded to the company that could successfully demonstrate how it manages, controls, and monitors the quality aspects of its business. RiverRidge proved this was the case with its extensive health and safety procedures, with the company being praised for its safe working practices, and commitment to further development and investment in its policies and procedures.
As the most innovative waste and resource management operation in Northern Ireland, RiverRidge’s comprehensive health and safety policy forms part of the company’s integrated management system that was introduced in 2019. The system has been specifically developed in alignment with RiverRidge’s services, processes, and activities, to address internal and external issues, as well as the risks and opportunities within the context of the business.
Since its implementation, the health and safety policy has evolved to reflect the growth and development of the company, forming an imperative part of RiverRidge’s commitment to ensuring and maintaining the highest possible standards of health, safety and wellbeing for employees, clients, visitors, and members of the public, whilst providing excellent customer care and meeting its sustainability commitments and protecting the environment.
To ensure the health and safety policy remains relevant, it is managed by RiverRidge’s dedicated health and safety department and is reviewed by the directors and senior management team every six months at the management review meeting.
To further reinforce the company’s commitment to health and safety, it has made a significant investment in the environmental health and safety team. In the last five years, employees within the department have increased by 150% to include a driver trainer. A graduate programme has also been launched where a recent graduate is being mentored until they become an experienced health and safety officer. The company has also invested in training for dedicated mental health first aiders across each of its sites.
Commenting on the award success, Alan Featherstone, RiverRidge’s Group Health and Safety Manager said; “We are delighted to have been awarded the top Safety Award at this year’s Export and Freight Awards. Safety is at the core of all our working practices within RiverRidge and has many complexities given the nature of the waste and resource management sector. It is testament to the continued work and dedication we put in to developing enhanced and relevant procedures, and continually assessing what’s in place to ensure we are at the fore of health and safety within the sector.
“We are incredibly proud of our team and this award acknowledges everyone’s hard work. I would also like to take this opportunity to thank the team at Export and Freight for putting on such a successful and enjoyable event.”
Organised by the Hillsborough based publishers of Export and Freight magazine, 4SM (NI) Ltd, the Export and Freight Transport and Logistics Awards, which was first staged back in 2001, is Ireland’s premier platform of recognition for those operating in the industry; it celebrates all the hard work, determination, and ongoing investment that makes the industry what it is today.
