Knowing the value of cost-cutting practices is a life and death issue, and one Australian company's awareness of safety in the workplace has resulted in a national award.

Concut Pty. Ltd, a market leader in the Australian concrete cutting and sawing industry, operates 60 Toyota Hi-Ace vans and all of them are equipped with Milford cargo barriers to protect their staff from injury in the event of an accident.

This has resulted in Concut winning an award from the National Safety Council of Australia Ltd for Occupational Health & Safety initiative in small businesses with up to 100 employees.

Concut have fitted all their vans with Milford cargo barriers since they became available over 10 years ago and, according to Steve Normington, the company's Queensland manager, the safety devices have performed admirably, saving his staff from injury on many occasions. He said that, while heavy items were chained to the floor, smaller items were likely to move forward in the common nose-to-tail accidents and put company employees at risk. Installing the Australian Standards-approved Milford cargo barriers was part of the company's occupational health and safety initiatives nationally.

Occupational health and safety requirements mean all employees must be provided with a safe workplace and environment, and this includes motor vehicles. It is vital that employers realise the importance of installing cargo barriers that comply to Australian Standards.

Experience has shown that in rollover accidents, the cargo barriers have also helped support the roof of the vehicle and given the occupants more protection.

More information on the Milford product range can be obtained by phoning 1800 683 577 or from the website www.cargobarrier.com Milford Industries have agents and distributors throughout Australia and manufacture barriers for more than 100 makes and models of vehicles.