A North Dorset business is celebrating a major achievement after landing an internationally recognised award for high health and safety standards on its first attempt.

Shaftesbury-based Wessex Group has received a RoSPA Gold Health and Safety Award for working hard to ensure its staff, customers, clients and contractors get home safely to their families at the end of every working day.

Organisations receiving a RoSPA Award 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 H&S industry awards.

Wessex Group incorporates Wessex Electricals Ltd and Wessex Fire & Security Ltd.

Director Simon Morgan, pictured left, said: “It is, and always has been, the bedrock of our business to provide a safe working environment for our staff, customers and clients alike.

“It is our number one priority.

“To win this highly acclaimed award on our first attempt is quite an achievement and is a reflection of the diligence and commitment to ensuring safe working methods at all times shown by all of the teams.”

Julia Small, RoSPA’s Achievements Director, said: “The RoSPA Awards scheme is the longest-running of its kind in the UK, but it receives entries from organisations across the globe, making it one of the most sought-after achievement awards for health and safety worldwide.

“RoSPA is very proud of the achievements of its entrants, and with this award we recognise the best of the best, those organisations that have gone the extra mile, raising the bar for the delivery of safety in the workplace.

“Employees, wherever they may be, should be able to go to work safe in the knowledge that they will return home unharmed and healthy at the end of every day.

“Our RoSPA Award winners are central to achieving this goal.

“By entering they are driving up standards and setting new safety benchmarks for organisations across the world.

“Currently, around 7m people are directly impacted by the RoSPA Awards, but the scheme’s global influence is even wider – with nearly 2000 organisations from 46 countries represented this year.

“I would also particularly want to thank our main sponsor NEBOSH, the National Examination Board in Occupational Safety and Health, for their continued support for the 16th consecutive year.”

Wessex Electricals was founded in 1963 by Tony Morgan and Wessex Fire & Security in 1984.

Since 2006 the company has been run by his sons Alistair and Simon Morgan.

Wessex Group was formed to provide a central structure and resource for the trading businesses.

The company employs around 200 people and operates across the south.

It provides electrical and fire and security services to both residential and commercial clients.