05:11 pm, Tuesday 10 January, 2012

The end of 2011 saw the announcement of the SHP-OSH Awards (London) for achievement, innovation and commitment to safety in the workplace. Here are the winners:

 Best Achievement in Construction – Olympic Delivery Authority

The Olympic Delivery Authority’s program included the Olympic Park, the Athlete’s Village, and remote sites for the 2012 London Olympics. Health and safety was a major focus of the project, being integrated into every step of the planning and execution of the construction. Key to the project’s success was development of SHELT – Safety, Health and Environment Leadership Team – with project directors for each Tier 1 contractor being included in discussion of issues and the development of policy. Their major achievements included: no cases of occupational ill health; one stretch of 3m hours worked without a reportable injury; and for the first time in Olympic history – the main stadium was constructed without a fatality. Their head-on approach to workplace health and safety is a glowing example for major construction projects.

 Best Achievement in a Local Authority and Education – Surrey County Council

The Surrey County Council’s Schools Fire Training Project was established with the Surrey Fire and Rescue Service as its partner. The aim of the project was to provide the county’s schools with the comprehensive training required to enable them to carry out fire risk assessments with accurate knowledge and skills. The secondary aims included a higher level of compliance and promoting the culture of fire safety throughout the schools in the county. In addition to one and two day training courses, weekly e-bulletins and reminders in bulletins about course availability are important additions to increase the profile of fire safety. The Surrey FRS has reported a 75% increase in compliance. The Fire Protection Association also produced a new school fire-safety training DVD with the Surrey County Council in response to the work it was doing. The result of this multi-pronged approach is that 90% of Surreyschools now having fire safety embedded in their day-to-day management. Not only does this initiative improve fire safety but it also improves the culture of prevention and planning when it comes to health and safety issues.

  Best Achievement in Health Care and the Emergency Services – Olympic Delivery Authority – Park Health 

The Park Health occupational health service was established to provide onsite treatment services and to expedite emergency response services to the thousands of construction workers on the London 2012 Olympic Park and Athlete Village sites. This project had a dual purpose – to allow onsite workers quick access to services and also to lessen the impact on the local area emergency health services. The London Ambulance Service was only required in 25% of emergency call-outs serviced by Park Health. Due to the quick access to casualties by Park Health, at least 5 lives were saved on the project. It is estimated that the health service saved the Olympic Delivery Authority some 60,000 hours, which when translated into monetary terms, paid for the services provided by Park Health. This project is an outstanding example of a  pro-active approach to managing the workplace health and safety requirements of a major, complex construction project.

  Best Achievement in Manufacturing – Magnet Group

In an attempt to address the root causes of potential incidents and accidents, the Magnet Group established its Serious About Safety campaign. All workers were involved in the project by using whiteboards within each area for the recording of near misses and unsafe behaviours. These were then transferred to spreadsheets for the monitoring of their status. Every shift saw the supervisor electronically log the information with a requirement to provide feedback to the colleague who had made the report within 48 hours. Weekly and monthly briefings occurred to monitor near misses and to identify actions required to address concerns raised. Reports of near misses rose from 148 per year (in the previous year) to more than 100 per month. The site saw a 69% reduction in serious accidents and a 95% reduction in lost hours. Most importantly there were major cultural changes on the shop floor regarding safety and also in the philosophy and response of supervisors and managers. This campaign was a simple but highly effective approach to establishing and consolidating a culture of safety throughout an entire organisation.

  Best Achievement in a Utility and Offshore – Magnox Ltd, Oldbury Site (glazing survey)

The Oldbury twin-reactor Magnox site buildings are externally clad with steel and glazed panels and exposed to high winds due to its location. Several of the glazed panels failed on one such occasion of high winds, resulting in falling glass. A glazing survey was established to assess all existing glazing panels and repair or replace as necessary. A safe working environment was established in the planning stage with expectations clear, training requirements identified, revision of work method statements and thorough risk assessments conducted to establish effective control measures and necessary rescue plans. Scaffolding was established to provide a safe working environment for both the glazers and the plant below. The result of this project was that 4000 glazed panels were secured, 663 glazed panels were replaced, and 3400 safety-mesh panels were installed. The project was completed five months ahead of schedule, ensuring the security of the glazing for the next ten to fifteen years. The judges said this project provided a blueprint for the establishment of all projects and was a great example of best-practice.

  Best Achievement in Retail and Leisure – Lloydspharmacy

Lloydspharmacy already had an organisation wide fire-safety management system in place across its 1650 pharmacies, however auditing such a large system was proving difficult. To reduce complications and encourage organisational engagement, Lloydspharmacy redesigned all its fire-safety management materials and equipment to make it more visually appealing and user-friendly. In addition, they held a fire safety awareness week and produced a fire-safety guide. They also redesigned their fire log book to make it more user-friendly and posted monthly fire log sheets in a balanced scorecard format. When fire officers conduct their inspections, colleagues are now more informed and knowledgeable and can provide the required information – this has led to an estimated 30% reduction in central actions and a £15,000 saving on engineer visits. This is a simple yet imaginative approach to improving fire-safety awareness throughout a large organisation.

 Best Achievement in Transport and Logistics – Eddie Stobart

Eddie Stobart is a major player in the transport and logistics field – employing around 3000 drivers, operating some 2200 trucks and travelling a distance equal to 24 times around the globe each day. With an established record of good health and safety practice the company saw the opportunity to address preventable accidents and incidents that cost time, money and importantly, potential harm to their valued workforce. Stop, Think, Act is a campaign to reduce accidents and promote safe working practices among its workforce of 5000 employees. These employees were encouraged to assess unsafe situations and take the appropriate required action. In addition to the production of a Drivers’ Handbook, the company also produced a short film which can be played on workers smartphones. A purpose-built academy was constructed to provide the opportunity for training and demonstrations with full-size trucks and trailers. The company has experienced an 84% reduction in its Accident Frequency Rate (AFR) which now stands at 0.08. The judges were impressed that an organisation which already has an outstanding safety record still strives to improve it.

  Achiever of the Year – Graham Wailes – Aggregate Industries

The role of leadership in an organisation’s culture of safety was firmly demonstrated by Graham Wailes. As the company’s new head of HSEQ he took the opportunity to uncover poor performance at the site level using graphic pictorial reporting to senior management and then taking them on site visits to witness practices first hand. Graham introduced a high-quality model of conducting investigations and processes of learning to educate everyone on how existing leadership models were unintentionally promoting behaviours and an environment which had seen the Lost Time Injury Frequency Rate (LTIFR) plateau at 3.4. Under Graham’s stewardship this reduced to a monthly rate of 1.2 with the company’s EL insurance premium being reduced by £100,000 per year for three years. A culture of proactive objectives in regard to safety has been integrated within the performance management program for all line managers. This individual’s approach is an outstanding example of how leadership is demonstrably related to the safety culture of an organisation.

 Innovation of the Year – Veolia Water Shared Services

 Simplicity is often the best solution to potentially hazardous activities. Veolia’s inspections of some water-meter chambers revealed oxygen percentages low enough to render someone incapacitated very quickly upon entry. Veolia’s SH&E advisor, Simon Fry, developed a solution called Polestar which allows water meters to be read from outside confined spaces. Poles with several adjustable positions affixed with a wireless miniature video camera transmit images of the water meter to a remote wireless two-inch video screen. Following successful trials at three water sites inWales, the Polestar is now used throughoutWalesto eliminate the need for entry into confined spaces to read water meters. There are also financial benefits as the need for specialist training and specialist confined-space entry and rescue equipment has been eliminated, together with reduced meter-reading times. The Polestar is a simple and logical solution to a potentially very hazardous work task.

 Campaign of the Year – E.ON UK

AS one of the world’s largest investor-owned power and gas companies, E.ON was not prepared to stand by idly while their employees had 3500 road accidents per year. Autopilot Aware was a campaign to understand the dangers faced while driving, and further to address those dangers. The four themes the campaign focused on were – weather; distractions, commuting; and personal responsibility. The entire company was targeted with special attention to their field workers who were on the road every day. The judges were impressed with the multi-media campaign and its use of humour and whole organisation opportunity to be involved. Methods included posters, leaflets, e-mails, videos, packs of ‘extra alert’ mints and the biggest innovation was 80 inflatable ‘autopilots’ which captured the attention of colleagues. With a 30% reduction in driving-related incidents, the campaign was a success and an example of whole organisation engagement in a project.

 Training Initiative of the Year – Kalzip

“Felt Leadership” was the method chosen by Kalzip to not only create a safety culture in its organisation as demonstrated by its leaders, but also to reduce its accident rate. The three essential elements to the training included: understanding the need for felt leadership; what felt leadership is about (doing the right thing, being seen, and being believed); and maintaining the momentum. Over a period of 15months, the training was delivered to 100 leaders, who all now have personal safety objectives. Kalzip’s AFR (Accident Frequency Rate) has halved over a one year period. The judges felt that this program not only had the effect of making leaders accountable, but it also demonstrated measurable performance improvement.

 Partnership Initiative of the Year – Wincanton, Saint Gobain PAM and Gundel Transport Services

Saint Gobain, a pipe supplier, and transport and delivery specialists Gundel and Wincanton collaborated in a partnership to create safe, incident free pipe delivery with added value for all stakeholders including customers, suppliers, staff and the operating environment. A proactive approach was instigated to address the logistical challenges including access to customer sites, and regulations for working safely at heights. In an industry first, they devised a system which engaged all stakeholders resulting in: zero delivery incidents; 400 fewer man-hours; and £12,000 less damage to product. This innovative partnership has set a new target for collaborative solution development to industry safety issues.

 New Entrant of the Year – Andy Bowdidge – Spectrum Property Care

With a long career as a carpenter, Andy Bowdidge became more involved in health and safety over time, culminating in his completion of the IOSH Managing safely course in 2007 and appointment as a health and safety officer. Andy felt that with his years of experience ‘on the tools’ he could provide a unique and valuable perspective to encouraging safe work and health behaviours in his organisation. In 2010, the company’s SHEQ manager passed away, and Andy stepped up to the plate to keep the department on track in very difficult circumstances. Andy’s practical experience together with his determination to quickly develop an understanding of the company’s integrated management system saw him continue his predecessor’s role with great success. Andy had great support from his directors and managers. The judges were impressed with Andy’s tenacity and commitment to safe work and health practices and knowledge.

 IOSH Lifetime Achievement Award – Paul Oldershaw

Paul Oldershaw has been a key figure in the Occupational Hygiene arena in theUK, EU and globally for over 30 years. Dr Oldershaw first graduated in chemistry at the University of Manchester Institute of Science and Technology in 1974 where he specialised in the occupational hygiene of fibres and other particulates, and developed innovations in dust sampling.

With a vast history of involvement in developing safe work controls around occupational fibres, man-made fibres, asbestos, chemical agents and pesticides, Dr Oldershaw has been a beacon of innovation. His interests are not only in industrial countries but also developing economies. He has worked and lectured around the globe.

Dr Oldershaw has demonstrated a lifetime commitment to improving occupational health and work practices.

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07:26 am, Monday 18 October, 2010

“Heinz Wagga Wagga employs more than 100 people and produces around 9000 tonnes of canned goods every year,” he said.

“It’s a major regional employer which exports internationally and the safety of workers, especially in manufacturing industries is the highest priority for WorkCover.

“I want to congratulate them on behalf of WorkCover on this great achievement.”

He said the plant has introduced various safety improvement programs, such as working at heights. He said the company also  conducts ongoing surveys to determine areas where they can further improve safety.

According to Mr Watson, Heinz Wagga Wagga is one of many companies across the state which puts an emphasis on the safety of employees.

“The message is simple: safe business is good business,” he said.

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07:46 am, Tuesday 12 October, 2010

The NSW Industrial Court has fined a Riverina winery $125,000 over a worker fatality at its premises in 2008.

The Leeton-based company was found guilty of breaching section 8(1) of the Occupational Health and Safety Act 2000 (NSW) on October 1.

The court heard the worker was crushed to death by a mobile bin while emptying grape juice and skins (known as marc) from an overhead fermentation tank into the bin. The rapid discharge of contents from the tank was found to have caused the bin to fall.

The Court was told the company was remiss in providing safe system of work.

It also heard the winery had not conducted an adequate training, instruction and information for the plant’s operation and use.

John Watson, the General Manager of WorkCover NSW’s Occupational Health and Safety Division, said the case highlights the need for wineries to implement suitable safety controls for grape harvesting.

“Every worker has the right to expect that they will return home safely to their loved ones at the end of their working day,” he said.

“All wineries should have safety controls in place which specifically address the emptying overhead fermenter tanks, draining of juice and the discharge of marc from tanks.”

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07:41 am, Monday 11 October, 2010

A concrete company has been prosecuted by WorkCover following the death of an employee in 2008.

The Hunter Valley-based company was fined $85,000 by the Industrial Relations Court for beaching the Occupational Health and Safety Act

In February 2008, the employee was cleaning one of the trucks of the company at its Gateshead premises. The court heard the man’s head was trapped between the vehicle’s concrete agitator and the side of the hopper. The incident proved fatal for the man.

The court was told the company’s safety procedures were relayed to employees merely through a “buddy system”.

After the incident, the concrete firm had made changes to the trucks by fitting them with a guard between the agitator and the hopper. It had also changed the safety procedure on cleaning the trucks and started implementing a proper training regime.

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07:20 am, Wednesday 22 September, 2010

A supermarket operator is giving its assurance to WorkSafe to implement safety upgrades following a forklift accident in its facility.

The safety commitment comes after a workplace incident in its Wodonga distribution centre in June 2008.

An unsupervised and unlicensed worker attempted to operate a reach truck – an equipment similar to a forklift – to return a pallet to its place in an eight metre high rack.

While doing so, the mast of the specialised forklift hooked on to the pallet above the empty position. This caused the load of the pallet to fall.

The man got out of the incident unscathed, and was only soaked in oil when the glass bottles of olive oil broke open on the truck’s roof of the truck.

The company and its subsidiary (which employed the worker in the distribution centre) entered into a legal undertaking with WorkSafe, requiring them implement several safety improvements on forklifts and reach trucks.

The agreement has been agreed upon in lieu of prosecution, and is allowed under the Occupational Health and Safety Act 2004. It can be enforced through courts if the parties fail to meet the conditions set forth.

According to WorkSafe Manufacturing and Logistics Director Ross Pilkington, the company and its subsidiary have an obligation to ensure appropriate safety training and supervision for workers.

“The worker operating the reach truck had only completed a day of basic training. He was shown how to use a truck by another storeperson – but after a few hours’ supervision, he was left to operate it on his own,” Mr Pilkington said.

“Clearly he shouldn’t have been operating a reach truck – it wasn’t safe for him or his fellow workers, and it was pure luck that no-one was injured.”

Under the agreement, the company and the subsidiary must undertake the following activities:

* An independent review of the OHS systems at the distribution centre and an implementation plan for corrective actions;
* An audit of physical hazards and a plan for corrective actions;
* A forklift licensing system review;
* Publication of a Forklift Licensing Guidance Note to be be presented to the Wodonga Chamber of Commerce;
* Publication of an article regarding the incident in their internal newsletter and an external industry publication;
* Presentation of a free safety seminar at WorkSafe Week or equivalent;
* Installation of mast cameras on to all forklifts at all their distribution centres.

They will also be donating a total of $90,000 to The Royal Children’s Hospital; the Wodonga Health Services Emergency Department; and the Institute for Safety, Compensation, and Recovery Research.

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09:24 am, Tuesday 21 September, 2010

WorkSafe WA is gearing up for the changes in licensing requirements for high-risk workers by visiting construction sites starting October 1.

A new WorkSafe campaign will target people employed in crane operations.

Inspectors will visit metropolitan and regional WA construction sites to ensure stake holders know about the new licensing requirements for high risk construction jobs.

The regulatory changes were introduced in 2007 and will soon be taking full effect for people performing high-risk work.

According to WorkSafe’s Chris Kirwin, workers whose Certificate of Competency was issued before 2002 will no longer be permitted to work without a High-Risk Work licence.

He said a total phase out of Certificates of Competency will take effect on 30 June 2012, and the new licence will be required for all high-risk workers.

“appropriate training,” Mr Kirwin said.

“Under the licensing system we can be confident that high-risk workers will have achieved a minimum standard of competency and safety awareness.

“And because the licences are recognised throughout Australia, workers will be able to transfer between states more easily.”

Mr Kirwin said the campaign serves mainly as an information drive, but inspector will issue improvement notices if safety breaches are found.

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08:45 am, Monday 20 September, 2010

A new set of safety resources for the forestry industry has been launched by NSW Finance Minister Michael Daley and Primary Industries Minister Steve Whan.

WorkCover figures reveal that the New South Wales forestry sector have recorded 396 injuries in the last two years, costing it more than $4 million.

According to Mr Daley, WorkCover NSW and Forests NSW had made a concerted effort to develop effective approaches to workplace safety and health in the forestry industry.

“In response to the issues raised by industry, both agencies have developed a practical resource to help resolve key safety issues and more closely meet the needs of forestry operators,” Mr Daley said.

“The new Forest Industry Safety Tool is a comprehensive publication designed to assist forest operators develop stronger safety management systems and help them comply with relevant workplace safety obligations and reduce the risk of injuries.

“The tool is the final phase in a targeted advisory campaign and establishes minimum standards of work health and safety and includes a range of templates and checklists to assist forestry operators implement a systematic approach to safety and injury management.”

According to Mr Whan, stakeholders in this high-risk industry can benefit from the safety tool.

“This resource will help deliver positive long term outcomes in reducing injuries across this sector while building industry capability to manage workplace safety risks,” Mr Whan said.

The new safety resource will include site safety plans, as well as harvesting and haulage plans. It will also provide templates for incident investigation policy and skills and competency policy.

For more information, please visit
www.workcover.nsw.gov.au or call 13 10 50.

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04:43 pm, Friday 17 September, 2010

A large blue-collar union is making plans for a new strategy to combat furniture industries.

The forestry and furnishing products division of the Construction, Forestry, Mining and Energy Union (CFMEU) will begin demanding a new clause in future employee agreements for companies to swiftly act on bullying cases in a ”fair, proper, impartial investigation”.

CFMEU’s plan comes at the heels of a series of bullying complaints. The union plans to take advantage of the Fair Work Act’s new provisions, which allow parties to apply for court injunctions when an agreement is breached. If ever a breach would occur, the plan is to ask for court injunction, ordering the bully and the victim to be assigned in different parts of the workplace.

Another clause will demand that employers provide ”adequate support” to victims, keep records of meetings, and develop anti-bullying policy and training.

CFMEU’s Leo Skourdoumbis said they received numerous complaints of workplace bullying following a news report about an abuse received by a union member from his employer.

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07:50 am, Friday 17 September, 2010

An irrigation product supplier has been fined after a worker was struck by a forklift in its warehouse in 2008.

At the Moorabbin Magistrates’ Court, the Braeside-based company pleaded guilty on August 27 to failing to separate forklift and pedestrian areas and failing to provide safety training to workers.

Magistrate Franz Holzer ordered the company to pay fines of $45,000 and costs of $4000.

The court was told a 20-year-old man was working at the company warehouse on 19 November 2008. He was checking his phone while walking along the unloading area when a forklift made a reverse U-turn and hit the young man’s leg.

He was taken to a medical centre to treat a torn ligament and a fractured foot.

WorkSafe prosecutor Susan McCarthy told the court that the company knew about the forklift and pedestrian risks, as shown by a safety report in July 2006.

The company’s lawyer said a detailed list of safety measures had already been implemented by the company.

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08:49 am, Tuesday 14 September, 2010

WorkSafe WA has turned its attention to powder coating operations following a recent survey revealing a lack of awareness of the hazards associated with the procedure.

Joe Attard, WorkSafe’s Director Manufacturing, Transport and Service Industries, said the safety watchdog conducted a targeted inspection of 34 metropolitan and regional businesses. They found many businesses had limited knowledge of the risks involved and were conducting powder coating activities without taking adequate safety measures.

“The problem seems to be mostly with businesses that had previously contracted out their powder-coating needs to specialist operators,” Mr Attard said.

“But with rising costs, they are now doing the work in-house, using staff not adequately trained or equipped to do the work safely.

“Triglycidyl Isocyanurate (TGIC), for example is a very hazardous substance that is used in some powders to enhance finish and durability.”

He said most brands have removed the hazardous substance from their products, although it is still found in some powders available in WA.

“It is vital that businesses using these brands are aware of the extra precautions that need to be taken to ensure their workers are not put at risk.

“Other chemicals that are commonly used in the coating process, such as hydrofluoric acid, are extremely dangerous.

He added that electrical hazard associated with electrostatic spray painting must also be taken into account.

“For example, by earthing the equipment and the objects being coated, you can ensure maximum coating efficiency and reduce the level of free dust. This will prevent the build up of static charges capable of igniting the powder dust clouds.

Mr Attard said for businesses that involve powder coating activities, they need to facilitate first-aid procedures.

“Without these safeguards workers are at risk of serious health problems.”

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