RoSPA Press Office : Press Release

May 26, 2005
SAFETY CAMPAIGNERS HONOURED

Three people, who have made an outstanding contribution to health and safety in the workplace, have been presented with Distinguished Service Awards by the Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents.

The presentations were made at the Hilton Birmingham Metropole Hotel, as part of the RoSPA Occupational Health and Safety Awards, sponsored by global building solutions company CEMEX, which recently acquired RMC Group.

The Distinguished Service Awards went to: Cynthia Atwell of Kings Bromley, Burton on Trent, Fred Parkin of Hereford, and Lawrence Waterman of Chiswick, London.

Cynthia Atwell has made a major contribution to occupational health practice for more than 30 years, having worked in a variety of environments including heavy engineering, food, agriculture, milling, health service, local government and transportation. She spent five years teaching occupational health and continues to be a teaching fellow at the University of Warwick, running a diploma in occupational health. Cynthia served as a member of the Health and Safety Commission from 1996 to 1998 (the first occupational health nurse to be appointed to the Commission) and earlier, on the English National Board for Nursing Midwifery and Health Visiting. She now works as a consultant and is widely published, including contributing chapters to four professional occupational health publications.

Fred Parkin, a chartered engineer, began his career in the aircraft industry, where safety had to be paramount. He later had responsibility for developing employee relations, training and health and safety in a variety of companies nationwide. He moved to Hereford in 1980 and joined the Herefordshire Health and Safety Group. He was chairman for 11 years and represented the group on the National Health and Safety Groups’ Council for 20 years. Fred is a former treasurer of the Groups’ Council and was its chairman from 2002 to 2004. His involvement with the RoSPA National Groups’ Council shows not only his drive to improve health and safety within Herefordshire, but at national level too.

Lawrence Waterman is one of the UK’s foremost authorities on accident and ill health prevention, particularly in the construction industry. He is currently President of the Institution of Occupational Safety and Health, a Registered Safety Practitioner and a Member of the Faculty of Occupational Hygiene. He has stressed the need for health and safety practitioners to understand the importance of occupational health and hygiene. Lawrence is chairman of Sypol Limited, a leading UK health, safety and environmental consultancy and has fulfilled diverse roles, including as Occupational Health Adviser to the Heathrow Terminal 5 project and leader of a team providing health and safety support to DEFRA during the foot and mouth epidemic.