Health & safety bulletin
Six Month Safety Review
15th July 2009
A message from Managing Director Steve Martin:
We have now completed the first six months of 2009 and are moving into the peak holiday season when people should be spending quality time with their families.
My wish is that all Xmo Strata and Xmo Veritas employees and all contractors working for or alongside us can enjoy their holidays in full health and without any injuries.
With this thought in mind, I would like to share our team performance for the first half of 2009 and ask you to think about your safety again and consider what you can do to make sure that no-one, on any of your jobs, is ever hurt.
So how are we doing in the key areas so far this year?
Near Misses
Our performance in this area is critical. Hazards should be identified and addressed; the risk should be mitigated at source and then investigated thoroughly. The findings from these investigations should be used to assess our safety procedures and/or safe systems of work to prevent recurrence of the risk.
Our first half performance is excellent and shows an increase of 174% compared to the same period last year.
Please note: If you are not identifying hazards, you or someone on your site may be the one likely to get hurt!
Incidents Causing Harm Or Loss
We have seen reductions in property damage incidents and minor injury in the last six months; however, I am concerned that we have seen an increase in incidents necessitating first aid. JSAs have been reviewed and amended following incidents on-site including a cut finger, a sprained ankle and a cut to the leg (caused by unforeseen hazards created by third parties).
This again reinforces the need to identify hazards and mitigate risks at source to avoid similar injuries re-occurring.
Management Safety Audits
We achieved 104.7% of our team target and I was pleased to see that our compliance dropped from 96.7% last year to 92.9% this year! You may wonder why reduced compliance is a good thing, but by analysing the data, it became clear that our standards aren't reducing at all; our team are getting tougher and becoming more proactive at identifying hazards.
In 2009, we have had more improvement actions (suggested remedies for non-compliance) resulting from site audits than ever before and this is good news.
Site Safety Checks
Our site operatives performed excellently in this area last year and likewise, achieved 128.4% of target in the first half of 2009. However, I am concerned as to whether we are genuinely looking for hazards as our compliance is 99.2%, yet when a management audit is conducted this reduces to 92.9%.
Please note: There are still hazards that remain unidentified. When a hazard is found, it should be reported and investigated. Please remember the motto "Talk not Tick". It's not just about ticking boxes on paperwork; hazards should be openly discussed and fully investigated.
I would ask all site teams to look around, see what hazards are present and think about the consequences for you and your colleagues.
Toolbox Talks
We have achieved an increase of 129% on toolbox talks. Understanding key safety messages is vital and we will be working with our supervisors to encourage positive message delivery.
Many of our employees and contractors have now attended our Hearts & Minds behavioural safety courses and we still have more scheduled throughout this year. I would urge all those who have attended to reflect on the safety commitments that were made on the "I will" statements and continue to drive-up safety standards and drive-down incidents that result in harm or loss.
I wish you all a very happy summer with your family and hope that each and every one of you remains safe and healthy during the holiday period.