A forklift driver from Miller Homes East Midlands has won the Operator Performance Award in the UK's national Forklift Driver Awards for the fourth time.

David Dawson, who has worked on the award-winning house builder's Derbyshire developments including Highfields Park and Royal Gate, won the award in 2006, 2007 and 2008.

Under the awards scheme, drivers are assessed weekly by a site manager. The results for machine presentation, personal presentation, machine operation and lack of damage to the machine are then collated every six months. The winner receives a certificate of recognition.

The Forklift Driver Awards are the brainchild of Miller Homes East Midlands' production director, Malcolm Ceney, and UK Forks division director Haydn Davies. They were developed to encourage pride in the job and to reduce machine repair costs.

"The awards have been hugely beneficial to our team," Ceney says.

"They not only aid in the development of the individuals but also help to increase site health and safety and decrease costs to the business in machine repair and general damages," he explains.

UK Forks is a specialist rental provider of telehandlers, rough-terrain forklifts and attachments.