Handling & Safety Matters Focus on: Heath & Safety fit. Working with our supplier to stock a capsule range of female fit and smaller fit fireretardant workwear will ensure that the female workers are no longer an afterthought. It’s important if we are looking for a more diverse workforce, that we make them feel welcome, comfortable, and safe on site while upholding our safety standards at the same time. But of course, having achieved what we set out to do with ISO 45001 is only half the battle won. The harder task is always to maintain the certification and not let things slide. And this is why a change of mind-sets in important at every level of the company because we can’t be lax – each of us has to make sure we are doing our bit so that we are always safe at work and audit ready. To promote a culture of inclusivity and shared responsibility the work that goes into maintaining safety standards needs to be relatable and visible to everyone at the company. This helps everyone know why the work is important and what’s being done. Internal social media channels are incredibly useful for this. Posting often and making sure the content is engaging, alive with images, personal anecdotes and humour will engage more colleagues – who may not even be directly involved with OHS management. Informal engagement such as this encourages everyone in a business to share their work, talk about what they find challenging, and where they see opportunities for improvement. From someone who orders equipment to the people who install it and make it operational, everyone’s opinion counts. Such casual conversations can often give precious insight into what needs tweaking and how best to go about it. In conclusion, it’s quite simple: putting people’s safety first and ensuring high standards may seem a no-brainer but the journey to fostering a safety-conscious culture is neither swift nor effortless. It cannot be led by one team, in isolation. It cannot be imposed by the leadership. It is a collaboration where every team member plays a vital role and everyone’s voice must be heard, from the CEO and the seasoned plant veterans, right down to a rapidly diversifying workforce of newcomers. *Rachel Rawlings is the Regulatory Affairs and Quality Manager for the UK and Ireland at Air Products. Direct
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