Local concrete manufacturing plants have received top accolades in their company's own awards initiative, aimed at maintaining the highest industry standards.

Acheson & Glover's Fivemiletown and Magherafelt plants scooped the awards run by the leading concrete products manufacturer.

It runs an annual company-wide award for Best Precast Plant and Best Concrete Products Plant, covering a wide spectrum of production life including health & safety, energy efficiency, production efficiency, environment, housekeeping and documentation.

The Fivemiletown plant has been named winner of the Concrete Products award 2009-2010 in recognition of the considerable improvements that have been made there.

"Attention to environmental issues and housekeeping within the whole site was impeccable all year," said Pat Sherry, Acheson & Glover's Health & Safety and Environmental Manager.

"To top this, the site - which includes an operational quarry - had not recorded a 'Lost Time Accident' the whole year."

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Fivemiletown, which is also the headquarters of the Acheson & Glover operation, boasts two major production plants producing concrete products, plus an operational quarry, with a workforce of around 100.

The Magherafelt plant won Best Plant for 2009-2010 on the pre-cast side of the business in recognition of its outstanding 'lost time accident' record (when an employee is involved in an accident which prevents them from turning up to work the next day).

"Within the industry, the Magherafelt operation is classed as a high risk environment, so its record of attaining 1,000 days without a lost time accident is a major achievement," said Pat Sherry.

"The safety culture that exists in Magherafelt is a credit to all those employed on that site. They look out for each other and do not allow unsafe work practices."

Acheson & Glover runs safety campaigns three times a year focusing on different aspects of health and safety, the most recent one focusing on 'Slips Trips and Falls'.

'Tool Box Talks' are delivered monthly throughout the company on specific areas that are relevant at that time such as the importance of wearing personal protective equipment, mobile plant operations or electrical safety.

"Health and safety is a major focus within the company from the top down," said Pat.

"Our Managing Director Raymond Acheson is very focused on realizing an accident-free business."

Celebrating 50 years in business this year, Acheson & Glover is a leading manufacturer of paving and flags, masonry blocks, retaining walls, bricks (including a mortarless brick system), hollowcore flooring, precast stairs, concrete, blocks and quarried stone, with operations in GB and Ireland.

(BMcC/KMcA)