SAFETY first in Rosyth has led to Babcock International Group being given a Sword of Honour.

The award from the British Safety Council was handed over at a ceremony in London.

Babcock was one of 64 organisations worldwide that achieved a Sword of Honour, which is presented for exemplary management of health and safety risks.

Ian Donnelly, managing director of the Rosyth site, said: “At Babcock, health and safety is of paramount importance and we are committed to ensuring all our employees go ‘Home Safe Every Day’.

"This award marks our 10th Sword of Honour since 2003 which is a remarkable achievement and testament to the dedication of our health and safety team.”

In order to compete for the award, an organisation first has to achieve the maximum five stars in the British Safety Council’s health and safety management audit scheme in the period August 2015 to July 2016.

They must also demonstrate to an independent panel of experts that they are safe in all aspects of the business, from the shop floor to the boardroom.

Raymond Duguid, trade union chairman at Babcock Rosyth, said: “The joint trade unions at Rosyth are delighted that Babcock and the workforce have once again been recognised with a Sword of Honour award from the British Safety Council.

"Safety is, and has always been, at the top of the trade union agenda at Rosyth, where every employee is empowered to ensure all tasks undertaken on site are carried out in a safe manner.”

Lynda Armstrong OBE, Chair of the British Safety Council, said: “The winners of the Sword of Honour are beacons of excellence in their sector and they should be extremely proud of their achievement.

"It takes many years of hard work and commitment to reach this level of performance and we are delighted that we can celebrate their success together.”