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Paul and Agy O'Brien won a RoSPA Health and Safety Award
Paul and Agy O'Brien won a RoSPA Health and Safety Award

Press release -

Rail firm scores health and safety hat trick at RoSPA awards

Railway firm Govia Thameslink Railway (GTR), which runs Great Northern, Southern, Thameslink and Gatwick Express trains, has won three sought-after national safety accolades, including a special ‘Pride’ award for two employees who saved the life of a man on the tracks.

The Engineering team, which maintains, upgrades and cleans the network’s 2,800 carriages, won Gold for its health and safety record while the company as a whole won Silver for health and safety overall, at The Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents (RoSPA) Health and Safety Awards.

Husband and wife employees Paul and Agy O’Brien were recognised with an Inspiration ‘Pride’ Award for saving a man at an East Sussex station when he tried to take his own life on the railway. Last week, on World Suicide Prevention Day, the couple helped promote a series of motivational messages including “It’s OK not to be OK” in a campaign launched by GTR. You can view Paul and Agy’s case study here, with pictures, and read about the GTR campaign here.

Engineering Director Steve Lammin said: "In the Engineering teams, there is a real determination to drive the 'Zero Harm' ethos. Receiving such a prestigious accolade shows that we are certainly heading in the right direction.

“The different departments within Engineering have really come together to deliver best practice and an even safer environment for our staff and passengers alike."

Head of Safety and Health Mark Whitley said: “This is an excellent achievement that recognises the hard work teams across the business have put in over the past year, and the progress we are making towards our ambition for Zero Harm.”

Ends

Notes to editors

RoSPA Awards are given to companies who demonstrate high health and safety standards, and are recognised as being world leaders in health and safety practice.

Every year, nearly 2,000 entrants vie to achieve the highest possible accolade in what is the UK’s longest-running Health and Safety industry awards. Competitive awards go to the best entries in 24 industry sectors including transport and logistics, construction, healthcare, engineering, manufacturing and education. 

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Govia Thameslink Railway

Govia Thameslink Railway (GTR) operates Thameslink, Great Northern, Southern and Gatwick Express services as follows:

  • Thameslink – cross-London services between Bedford/Peterborough/Cambridge and Brighton/Horsham/Littlehampton/East Grinstead, and between Luton/St Albans and Sutton/Wimbledon/Rainham; plus services between London and Sevenoaks
  • Great Northern – services between London and Welwyn, Hertford, Peterborough, Cambridge and King’s Lynn
  • Southern – services between London and the Sussex coast (Brighton, Worthing, Eastbourne, Bognor Regis, Hastings) and parts of Surrey, Kent and Hampshire (Ashford International, Southampton, Portsmouth)
  • Gatwick Express – fast, non-stop direct services between Gatwick Airport and London Victoria

www.southernrailway.comwww.thameslinkrailway.comwww.gatwickexpress.comwww.greatnorthernrail.com

Govia Thameslink Railway
United Kingdom