Comment: Transport manager shines in Health & Safety management

Date: 27.01.2022

Second time winner Daron Turner was awarded the Northland Foresty Award for Outstanding Health and Safety Management

Daron Turner

Judges applauded the calibre of the nominees in the Outstanding Health and Safety Management category at the recent Northland Forestry Awards 2021, which were held virtually last month, and ended up awarding the win jointly to two entries.

Grimmer Contracting Limited is recognised as a company who has always been innovative, continues to invest in both its people and machinery and tops that all off with plenty of hard work and a practical can-do approach to all they do.

There is a constant focus to improve safety by working collaboratively across forest management, staff, suppliers, and visitors. Its investment in mechanical harvesting systems was directly linked to removing their people from the high-risk roles associated with manual tree felling and breaking out.

The company owners ensure their people have the right resources, equipment, and support to deliver a high level of safety compliance and leadership across all roles.

The second winner, Daron Turner, Despatch NZ Limited, comes from a multi-generational industry family who has worked their way through the grades to now hold many tickets and qualifications.

Daron is known as someone who has always put health and safety to the forefront of all the operations they manage and are considered a leader who goes above and beyond.

Daron is a third generation Northland transport operator. His career has followed in the footsteps of his grandfather and father who both owned and operated their own transport companies, Jack Turner Transport and Turners Transport Services Ltd.

Daron has recently started his own transport business, Despatch.NZ, which trades as Kaitaia Transport. The fleet is made up of eight company-owned trucks and 13 subcontractors.

Daron’s transport career began at the age of 16 sweeping the floors at the Whangarei United Carrier’s depot and he progressed to driving a forklift truck until he was old enough to get a heavy transport drivers’ licence, then he drove truck and trailers carting general freight for five years before making a conscientious decision to switch to driving log trucks.

With 10 years of practical truck driving experience behind him, Daron then became operations manager for various companies including: helping to establish a new port marshalling company, a forest harvesting and log trading company, a freight distribution company that included business planning, cost modelling, project planning and staff recruitment.

Along the way he also became a certified A Grade Heavy Haulage Pilot. Throughout his career Daron has always put health and safety to the forefront of all the operations he has managed and its with pride it can be said he has shown leadership by going above and beyond requirements with health, safety and environmental management.

Daron has championed many safety initiatives and is delighted at the positive effects these have bought about. Daron has a charming sense of humour and always shows respect to everyone no matter what the circumstances. He is married with two wonderful children.

He lives in a coastal setting allowing him to spend his free time fishing, surfing and barbecuing with his many friends and family. Congratulations to our own transport sector winner – Daron Turner from Despatch NZ Ltd.

The Northland Forestry Awards celebrated their fifth awards programme and despite being postponed in 2020 due to Covid, the Northland Forestry Health & Safety Group decided to beat all odds and staged the awards on Zoom, with a live virtual audience of more than 150.  

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