Top national award win for Wednesbury firm's warehouse team

The Health and Safety Awards are a nationwide accolade honouring businesses, professionals and initiatives dedicated to creating safer workplaces and protecting employee wellbeing.

Judges for the awards singled out the warehouse team, made up of 41 employees at MSC's UK head office in Wednesbury, for its outstanding commitment to employee wellbeing and creating a safe working environment for all staff.

The award follows the implementation of several new initiatives and key measures over the past 12 months at the Wednesbury warehouse.

MSC’s warehouse leadership team re-evaluated their approach to health and safety and, over a lengthy period, worked closely with their teams to create a safe, sustainable working environment, focusing on developing the thinking and actions towards prioritising safety, and proactively addressing health and safety risks.

The team recognised the importance of fostering a culture where safety is a core value that guides decisions and behaviours. To achieve this, it introduced daily team briefings and warehouse walk-arounds with the leadership team, end-of-shift tidy ups, plus ongoing education and communication around best practices for health, safety and cleanliness.

Jane Hollis, health, safety and wellbeing manager at MSC, said: “As a result of these steps, MSC has achieved a significant reduction in its near misses over the past year.

“This has had a transformative impact on wellbeing and morale in our warehouse team, making colleagues feel safer and more confident in their day-to-day roles.”

Health and safety sits at the forefront of all MSC’s operations. As the leading distributor of cutting tools, safety products, and general consumables for the manufacturing and engineering sectors, it is a registered safety supplier with the British Safety Industry Federation (BSIF). This accreditation provides MSC’s customers with a guarantee that they will receive genuine, appropriately approved products and sound advice.

Jane said of the award win: “We are absolutely delighted to have been named ‘Health and Safety Team of the Year’ at this year’s Health and Safety Awards. It is a huge validation of all the hard work and commitment that has gone into ensuring safety in our warehouse operations.

“While our customers are located throughout the country, many of our colleagues live locally and offering a safe, engaging and rewarding work environment is very important to us. I would like to thank everyone, especially our warehouse team, for making this amazing achievement possible.”

Mike Faulkner, shipping associate at MSC, added: “Being part of the warehouse team at MSC means more than just clocking in and out. They really care about our health and safety, which makes a huge difference. Knowing that my wellbeing is valued allows me to focus on my work and support my colleagues, creating a positive atmosphere where we all succeed together.

“The steps we have taken as a team to address health and safety have enabled me to come in and do the job that I love. As a result, my colleagues and I feel happier, more focused, and - most importantly of all – we have created a safer workplace for everyone.”