SMS Hampshire, UK Shredder Facility Achieves Health and Safety Certification

Sims Metal Management’s metals shredder site at Yateley in Hampshire, United Kingdom, is the first facility of its kind in the country to achieve certification to the health and safety management system standard, BS OHSAS 18001:2007. The scope of the certification covers the recovery and processing of ferrous and non ferrous materials. The company received the recognition Oct. 8.

The certification was granted after the company successfully demonstrated to British Standards Institute inspectors that all facets of health and safety culture at the Yateley site meet the BSI’s standards. Company's given the certificate have demonstrated that their facilities operating to the highest safety standards confirmed by the BSI.

“As the world’s leading recycler of metals and electronics, the health, safety and well being of our employees is our top priority, so we are delighted to have achieved certification to this prestigious health and safety management system standard.  The award reflects the considerable efforts made by our employees over the last twelve months to further improve our already very high safety standards at Yateley,” said Stephen Powell, who supervises SMS’s quality management systems. 

“The fact that we are first in the UK to achieve this standard, demonstrates not only our commitment to health and safety but also that we are leading the field in health and safety quality standards within the UK metals recycling industry.” 

“This latest certification complements the achievements of our sister company, Sims Recycling Solutions, who in 2007  became the first electronics recycler in the UK to achieve transition to the new British standard for operational health and safety.”

Ian Hetherington, Director General of the British Metals Recycling Association commented:  “We are extremely pleased that Sims Metal Management has achieved this certification – and is the first plant of its kind to do so in the UK. The dedication Sims Metal Management has shown to meeting the exacting standards within BS OHSAS 18001:2007 is impressive and we are proud that one of the BMRA’s members is taking such a proactive stance on health and safety.”
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                 The Yateley site is the first of Sims Metal Management’s four metals shredder facilities in the UK to achieve the certification and the company expect to have achieved certification at the remaining three sites by the end of March 2010.