AG, a family-owned manufacturer of low-carbon paving, walling, and brick products, has been recognised for its outstanding commitment to health and safety, winning two awards at the 2025 All-Ireland Occupational Safety Awards, run by the National Irish Safety Organisation (NISO) and the Northern Ireland Safety Group (NISG).

Widely regarded as the benchmark for health and safety excellence in Ireland, the awards are supported by the Construction Industry Federation (CIF), the Health and Safety Authority, the Health and Safety Executive for Northern Ireland, and Healthy Ireland, and celebrate organisations that demonstrate a proactive and positive culture of safety management.

AG was awarded the Mineral Extraction, Quarrying and Concrete Manufacturing Award in the Construction category, recognising organisations that achieve distinction-level performance and exceed industry standards.

In addition, AG received the Consistent High Achiever Award, presented to organisations that have achieved distinction or higher for five consecutive years, reflecting the company’s ongoing commitment to excellence in safety through its Go Home Safe campaign.

These wins build on a strong history of recognition for AG. In 2024, the company secured three top honours at the MPA Health and Safety Awards, including the Sir Frank Davies Trophy for SMEs, the Fatal 6 Award for its innovative Lock-Tag-Live initiative, and recognition for its accredited in-house health and wellbeing programme, Activ8.

The awards also come on the back of another successful October Safety Month, a company-wide annual initiative that runs over five weeks. This year, the programme included immersive training with Theatre at Work, which showed how AG turns its health and safety policies into practical, engaging experiences that go beyond traditional toolbox talks and presentations.

Through performance-based learning, employees explored interactive scenarios highlighting how everyday decisions can impact workplace safety outcomes. The sessions encouraged personal responsibility, risk awareness, and speaking up when something doesn’t look right, fostering open dialogue and reflection.

Employees described the sessions as engaging and thought-provoking. One commented, “The interactive format and real-life scenarios made the training memorable,” while another noted, “It really makes you think about the consequences of your actions.”

These initiatives, combined with ongoing year-round programmes like ‘Good Catches’ and continuous risk reduction efforts, demonstrate the depth of AG’s commitment to ensuring every employee and visitor remains safe.

Commenting on the award wins, Mark McArdle, COO of AG, said:

“These awards are a testament to the culture of safety we’ve built at AG. They recognise not just the work we do during October Safety Month, which is a major focus of our Go Home Safe campaign, but also the ongoing commitment of our teams throughout the year. Winning these awards highlights the impact of our approach. At AG, safety is embedded in everything we do and above all, our mission remains clear – everyone who comes to work or visit AG goes home safe.”

More information on this year’s award winners is available at safetyawards.ie.

Banner – Pictured L-R AG Colleagues: Mark McArdle, COO; James Elliot, Production Manager (Toome) and Sharon Bradley, HSEQ Advisor. 

Featured Image – Pictured L-R: Mary Keane (NISO Past President); Wendy Moore (NISG Chair) and Caroline Frawley (AG Paving & Building Products).