University’s consistent health and safety efforts secure it a top RoSPA award

One of the largest universities in the east of England has landed a top award in recognition of the high standard of its health and safety management.

Anglia Ruskin University achieved a Level 5 Diamond Award this year from the Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents (RoSPA) after undergoing its fifth Quality Safety Audit. The university has been commended for the quality of its health and safety policies and procedures and has made consistent progress over the past 12 years.

In recognition of the efforts made, RoSPA presented the university with the highest level in the accident prevention charity’s Quality Safety Audit (QSA) awards scheme, which rewards health and safety management improvements and helps organisations to boost workplace safety.

Paul Varley, head of risk management at Anglia Ruskin University, said: “This award is a remarkable achievement for everyone at Anglia Ruskin. Led by our Vice-Chancellor Michael Thorne and board of governors, we pride ourselves in championing the importance of taking a sensible pragmatic approach to health and safety, which allows us to provide a safe environment to all our students and staff without inhibiting our teaching and research work.”

Anglia Ruskin University, which has a student population of 31,500, has achieved the best audit score within the education sector as a whole.

Errol Taylor, RoSPA’s deputy chief executive, said: “Anglia Ruskin University is a worthy recipient of the QSA Diamond Award and an exemplar in its field. It has demonstrated an impressive balanced approach to risk management, which has been a benefit to all aspects of university life.

“It is thanks to the university’s efforts and long-term commitment to managing health and safety that it has ranked highly in an elite group of top scoring organisations across all sectors. Staff and students should feel very proud of their achievements and it is a pleasure to present them with this award.”

The RoSPA website includes more information on its Quality Safety Audit.