REAL ESTATE: LAND SECURITIES
HEALTH IN CONSTRUCTION
LEADING THE WAY
Clive Johnson, Group Head of Health, Safety and Security
at Land Securities, spoke to HSE International about
bringing the ‘Health’ back into ‘Health and Safety’.
L
and Securities is the largest listed commercial
property company in the UK by market capitalisation
and a member of the FTSE 100. Founded in 1944, Land
Securities became a Real Estate Investment Trust (REIT) in
2007 and now the company owns a nd manages more than
26 million square foot of property throughout the UK. With
ownership of some of the highest profile buildings, the
company’s retail portfolio covers 19 shopping centres, 17
retail parks, 19 million square foot of retail accommodation
and approximately 1,600 retailers.
In London alone, Land Securities holds 7.1 million
square foot of office and retail space, accommodating
around 50,000 people and 500 organisations. It’s London
portfolio also includes 2800 acres of strategic land holdings
ripe for regeneration.
Clive Johnson is Group Head of Health, Safety and
Security at Land Securities. On a day-to-day basis, Johnson
and his team manage the health and safety compliance
of shopping centres, retail parks, leisure complexes and
developments, in accordance with the company’s health
and safety policies and procedures. This includes over 700
Land Securities employees, its specialist service partners,
development contractors and, most importantly, members
of the public who use the company’s complexes.
Johnson said, “Best Practice retailing relies on the public
having a safe and healthy experience whilst shopping and
relaxing, so much so that they visit us again. Best Practice
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HSE INTERNATIONAL
Clive Johnson, Group Head of Health, Safety and Security
developments means the public are not at risk from our
activities.”
Johnson’s extensive experience makes him a health
and safety expert in the field of major public development
projects. Before joining Land Securities in 2011, he worked
as Health, Safety & Environment Leader with British Airways
Authority (BAA) on the Terminal 5 project. Prior to this, for 4
years, he headed up Health & Safety with Asda Walmart.
In 2007, Johnson was announced as Winner of Building
Magazine Health & Safety Champion of the Year Award, and
in October 2015, he was elected as the new Chairman of
the Construction Clients’ Group (CCG).
As Chairman, Johnson represents the Construction
Clients’ Group at the Strategic Forum for Construction;
where the CCG provides the secretariat for the larger
Construction Client Forum. Johnson is also the Chairman
of the CCG Health and Safety Group and the Construction
Health Leadership Group in addition to representing clients
on ConIAC (Construction Industry Advisory Committee).
ConIAC advises the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) on
the protection of people at work (and others) from hazards
to health and safety within the building, civil engineering
and engineering construction industry.
Johnson commented, “I am really pleased to be elected
as Chairman of the CCG to build on the work of my
predecessor Robert Knight.”
“The industry is really engaged and energised to
transform the sector and I look forward to being part of
what promises to be exciting times for construction.”
Before Johnson joined Land Securities, there were two
distinct roles for health and safety in the business – a
Safety Director for London and a Safety Director for their
Retail Portfolios.
He continued:
“My role was to bring it all together and create a group
H&S team and set of policies and procedures that were
applicable to the entire company; we were aiming for a
consistency in approach across the whole business. I report
directly to CEO and this certainly highlights the extent that
Land Securities considers health and safety; also giving the
relevant and appropriate level of support.
“To create this ‘one company’ approach, I began by
building relationships with the Directors of Land Securities’
extensive portfolio and I then developed the policy and
procedure documentation using my own experience. My
time with BAA in particular provided a great deal of best
practice that I was able to enhance, develop and introduce
within Land Securities. I trickle-fed the new approach into
existing company systems over time.”
HSE INTERNATIONAL
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