UK Shale Pioneer Wins Safety Award

UK pioneer in shale gas extraction, Cuadrilla Resources, has won an award from the Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents (RoSPA).

The award might help to ease concerns among opponents of hydraulic fracturing, used to extract shale gas.

The company was awarded the Gold Award for Occupational Health and Safety. The RoSPA Awards scheme, dating back 57 years, is the largest and longest-running programme of its kind in the UK.

It recognises commitment to accident and ill health prevention and is open to businesses and organisations of all types and sizes across the UK and overseas. The scheme not only looks at accident records, but also entrants’ overarching health and safety management systems, including practices such as leadership and workforce involvement. Dozens of companies were given  Gold Awards in 2012.

In a statement, Leon Jennings, Cuadrilla’s health and safety director, said he was delighted by the news. “This gold award is a great recognition of all the efforts Cuadrilla staff and our partners have made in the last 12 months as we continue to explore for shale gas in a safe and responsible manner.”

Cuadrilla has been exploring for shale in Lancashire, but work was suspended after two small earthquakes in 2011. Work resumed last year, but has been postponed pending the completion of an Environmental Impact Assessment.