DuPont Safety Award for CEMEX UK

Company receives top international health and safety at work award for its cyclist safety campaign

CEMEX UK have been awarded a DuPont Safety Award in the Innovative Approach category at the XIX World Congress on Safety and Health at Work in Istanbul, Turkey, for their outstanding work and endeavours in the field of cyclist safety, and specifically for their engagement with external stakeholders.

The company was presented with the award on the back of its work since 2005 to promote safe cycling around large goods vehicles. This has included investment in additional safety features for its fleet, such as additional mirrors and proximity sensors, as well as comprehensive ongoing training to change driver behaviour, and more recently, awareness raising and the education of cyclists in partnership with local authorities and the police about the dangers of cycling near large goods vehicles.

In 2010 CEMEX UK supported 35 different cyclist events throughout Great Britain using one of their vehicles to encourage cyclists to get in the cab to see the road from the driver’s perspective and learn about the blind areas around the vehicle. More than 2,500 cyclists took part. This work is continuing in 2011 and has now been extended to other companies in the sector, as well as to two trade associations; the Mineral Products Association and the Freight Transport Association.

Andy Taylor, director of health and safety at CEMEX UK, said: ‘We are delighted that our hard work and commitment to cyclist safety has been recognized in the DuPont Safety Awards. We believe that investing in this campaign has had many benefits, not least of which is preventing cyclists from suffering life changing or fatal injuries on our roads. Hopefully, it demonstrates to other companies in the UK that investing in such safety measures truly pays off.’