On Sunday, two-time Indy500 champion Dan Wheldon lost his life in an horrific 15-car pile-up in Las Vegas. Safety concerns surrounding the IndySeries have been on the steady climb as of late, but post-race reports in the wake of the tragedy talk of the drivers’ palpable fear prior to facing the 300, 20-second laps of a track with steep banking and concrete walls...
Just three days later, in the early hours of Wednesday 19 October, there arrived sad news that Nabila Nanfuka – a 22-year-old University of Northampton tourism student – had been crushed to death in Lava and Ignite nightclub in the town.
So last night’s SHP IOSH Awards, celebrating the health and safety achievements that have saved lives and reduced injury and ill-health, arrived in stark contrast. The Olympic Delivery Authority scored a hat-trick for delivering the construction project for the London 2012 Games without such loss of life. It won best achievement in construction, best achievement in healthcare and the emergency services and an outstanding achievement award for the entire project delivery.
These awards couldn’t file away any of the hard edges of shock that the sad incidents of this week have created - and nor should they. We may yet see them catalyse action to improve health and safety. But last night was a case of silver linings. Silver linings that show good health and safety does, has and will continue to save lives. What’s more, they show that it’s possible to protect people – even on an olympic scale where the ODA’s project topped £7bn and 12,500 workers at its peak.
It’s a glimmer of hope. And even though audience entertainment may well always be paramount for the sports and leisure industry, this week’s events have made that end feel relatively cheap versus the price of life.
Left to Right: Tina Weadick (SHP editor), Lawrence Waterman (head of health and safety, ODA) and Stewart Francis (master of ceremonies)Ruth.
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