AN East Lancashire catering wholesaler which puts the health and safety of its staff first has won two internationally recognised awards.

Clitheroe-based catering wholesaler Total Foodservice has secured the Occupational Health and Safety Silver Award from the Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents.

For the fourth year running, the firm joins just 500 businesses across the globe in being awarded an International Safety Award by the British Safety Council (BSC), after demonstrating to judges a commitment and determination to prevent workplace injuries and work-related ill health.

Simon Howarth, managing director of Total Foodservice, said: “It’s a rather astonishing feat of achievement for a small business such as our own to have this level of international recognition from bodies such as RoSPA and the BSC, and the fact that we are sustaining those high levels of achievement is a big point of pride for the business and all the individuals involved.

“We are rubbing shoulders with large blue-chip organisations in being handed these awards. Health and safety has always been of paramount importance to Total Foodservice, but to reach these levels says an exceptional amount for how are team are working. I’m delighted.”

The International Safety Awards scheme, now in its 56th year, seeks to promote high standards of health and safety management practice across the globe in order to prevent workplace injury and ill health.

The winning organisations span all sectors from the United Kingdom, Africa, Asia, the Middle East and the West Indies.

Alex Botha, chief executive of the British Safety Council (BSC), congratulated Total Foodservice on its success.

He said: “The success criteria for our International Safety Awards is challenging and that rightly reflects the importance of ensuring the risks of injury and ill health in the workplace are properly controlled. Our congratulations.”