FIVE Norfolk businesses have been presented with an award for their commitment to health and safety at work.

FIVE Norfolk businesses have been presented with an award for their commitment to health and safety at work.

They were among 50 organisations to take part in the Safer Workplace, Better Business Award Scheme, which was developed by the Norfolk Better Regulation Partnership (NBRP) and involved four Norfolk local authorities.

The project aimed to help make health and safety management easy for small businesses that employ up to 15 people.

Each business that took part had free independent health and safety management training aimed at helping them comply with the law and become safer places to work.

Free advisory and evaluation visits followed and the businesses who achieved a high standard in managing health and safety in their workplaces were presented with an award.

They were: Robinson Young Ltd, a non food broker with a warehouse in Thetford; Elephant and Castle, a childcare centre in Sporle; Dodd's Road Stores, a general store and post office in Attleborough; Lydney House, a guest house and day conference centre in Swaffham; and Saham Toney Pre-School.

Diana Irving, Breckland Council's executive support member for economic, health and housing said: “The award acknowledges those businesses that have demonstrated a desire to excel and those that strive to improve their performance to such an extent that our inspectors are extremely confident in their management systems.”

Andy Addison, warehouse manager for Robinson Young said he had found the whole experience very rewarding.

“Participation in this project has given us all a greater understanding of both the collective and individual responsibilities we have in ensuring that safety in the workplace is integrated into the everyday practices of our business,” he said.

The presentation of the Safer Workplace, Better Business awards coincided with European Week for Safety and Health at Work from October 19 to 25.