RoSPA Press Office : Press Release

January 23, 2001
TOP SAFETY SCHOLARSHIP ON OFFER TO SMALL FIRMS

The Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents and the Esso Petroleum Company are offering small firms and organisations the chance to improve their health and safety management through a safety scholarship.

The scholarship, run jointly by RoSPA and Esso, is aimed at small businesses which do not have a health and safety officer.

Legislation currently requires employers to appoint at least one competent person to assist in carrying out health and safety duties. This can prove expensive for a small firm, but the scholarship, entirely funded by Esso, could provide a solution.

Employees applying for the award have to submit a 500-word essay explaining why and how the scholarship would benefit both themselves and the company as a whole.

Successful candidates receive free entry to the RoSPA-organised National General Certificate in Occupational Safety and Health course, which concludes with the National Examination Board in Occupational Safety and Health examination.

The course, which is worth around £3,000, will be held in Birmingham or Edinburgh. Accommodation costs are covered and course reference books provided.

Short-listed entrants will be invited to attend an interview with the judging panel during Safety and Health Expo 2001, at Birmingham’s National Exhibition Centre (May 21-24). Travel expenses will be refunded.

Last years winners were: Andrew Robertson, of Hydram Engineering, County Durham; Matthew Webster, of road surfacing and civil engineering company, Frank Tucker Ltd, Bradford, and Mark Driscoll, Simpson Contractor Ltd, West Drayton, London.

For further details of the RoSPA/Esso Scholarship, contact David Walker (dwalker@rospa.com) or Jackie Bradley (jbradley@rospa.com), on 0121 248 2000. Closing date for entries is April 30.