Justin Manley has won the Young Achiever of the Year at the Constructing Excellence – London & South East Awards

Clancy Docwra are delighted to announce that our Justin Manley has won the Young Achiever of the Year at the Constructing Excellence – London & South East Awards.

This category looks for Young people in the industry (<36 years of age) who have already demonstrated a positive impact on their peers, their organisations and the wider industry – individuals with potential to be exemplary leaders of the future.” explains John Anderson, Head of Logistics, Tarmac; Head Judge and sponsor of the Young Achiever award. “Justin’s story is one that should be shared widely. Not only does his tale send a very strong safety message, but learning about the impact upon himself and his family is a sobering experience and one that more people in the construction industry should hear about.”

In October 2015, a freak accident left Justin Manley with severe head injuries. At one stage, medical experts gave him only a few years to live and predicted he would never see again. The prospect of not returning to work was a daunting reality and doctors’ orders meant that he could not resume his previous role. During his convalescence, Justin returned to his old depot to give a talk to his former team- mates, recounting the accident and talking about his road to recovery. Despite 15 years’ experience on the job, Justin stressed the need to be prepared for an unexpected event and know exactly how to react to protect yourself and those around you. The talk had a huge impact on his colleagues. Both Justin and the management team at Clancy Docwra felt that if he could reach a larger audience, Justin could help even more colleagues understand the importance of workplace safety. And so, in October 2016 (just a year after his accident), Justin’s new position as the company’s first ever ‘Think Safe’ Support Partner was created. This role dovetails perfectly into the Clancy Docwra ‘Think Safe’ behavioural safety campaign which is being rolled-out to all staff across the UK.

Throughout his recovery, Justin set himself no limits on what he could hope to achieve. His career from young Barrier Man to Team Leader over 15 years provided no previous experience of public speaking, and Justin pushes himself far outside his comfort zone at every event. Justin now travels the country, sharing his story with industry colleagues and acting as an inspirational champion for workplace safety. He is also a safety coach, mentoring apprentices and graduate trainees to ensure that Clancy Docwra’s newest recruits embrace their strong safety culture from the start.

Justin is a true inspiration and everyone at the Clancy Group are so proud of all he has achieved. Well done!