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Two MPI Safety Award winners recognised

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As safety is paramount in the Rail Industry, recruitment specialist MPI choose to reward good safety practices with its own Safety Awards.

The most recent winner is Kevin Roberts, who was nominated for an MPI Safety Award for his actions while working on site for one of their biggest clients.

Whilst observing drainage works being carried out by another company, Kevin became concerned that an operative working beneath machinery in an excavation was not only working unsafely, but there didn’t seem to be a suitable rescue plan in place should there be an accident.

Kevin raised his concerns with the works supervisor. However, nothing was done, so Kevin then took the matter up with his installation manager on site, as well as raising a PI (positive intervention).

A supervisor was sent down to site to check out the situation. He praised Kevin and agreed the work was being carried out unsafely. Work was stopped and statements were taken.

The supervisor was really pleased that Kevin had the courage and conviction to question the safety of the work, commenting that it was not exaggerating to say that Kevin might have saved someone’s life that day.

Kevin has confirmed that, without the unwavering support from both MPI’s client and Network Rail, he would not have felt empowered to step in and report this incident.  He feels that it is important that everyone know that the support is out there to enable you to report unsafe working and examples like this should give everyone confidence to take action.

Kevin Roberts’ actions are in keeping with MPI’s ethos on safety. The company has worked in partnership with many of its clients to train and develop its personnel, helping them to understand how unsafe behaviour on site can lead to them endangering themselves, their colleagues and both passengers and public. 

Using newsletters that are issued quarterly, MPI supports and rewards good safety behaviour and encourages its workers to be leaders in safe behaviour. 

For his actions that day, Kevin Roberts was presented with an MPI Safety Award. He received a certificate and a donation was made to charity, not in his name, but, at Kevin’s request, in remembrance of Ged Murphy, a well-liked and respected member of the S&T Installation team who had worked for MPI for many years.

In the same issue of the MPI newsletter ‘Trains of Thought’ (issue 40), there was a report that Pete Newcombe was nominated by VolkerRail as Week 20 Close Call Champion, having reported one of the top five close calls that week.

As a ‘thank you’ from MPI, Pete was also presented with an MPI Safety Award and a donation was made to the charity of his choice, Cancer Research UK.

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