Haden Young continually measures and analyses accident records to identify key safety issues and determine areas for specific development focus. Arising from this analysis are a number of initiatives which are currently underway.
Gloves.
The wearing of gloves is now mandatory on all Haden Young sites. This is achieved by making available a range of gloves that have been specifically sourced to fit the needs of the work we do. Early indications are that this is having a positive impact in reducing the number of hand injuries.Eye Protection.
Consultations with the Haden Young workforce have lead to the introduction of light eye protection as a mandatory requirement on all of our sites.Public Safety.
We have developed a Public Protection Policy and procedures to provide further focus on this important area. We utilise a formal Contract Control Procedures review process on every project, which includes consideration of risk to the public. In addition we have introduced the use of the HAZID (Hazard Identification) technique. HAZID allows our teams to study projects considered novel, complex and/or high risk in more detail. The technique looks outside the building services installation process taking an overall view of the development with a focus on specific activities.The Commercial Director has been appointed as a Public Risk Champion with a brief to oversee this whole area.
Behavioural Safety.
We have piloted a behavioural safety scheme in Haden Young Scotland & Ireland Region and we are rolling out a national programme during 2008.The next step to change improvement in our safety performance requires that we engage every one of our employees and win their hearts and minds. Leadership will be the key to success and the scheme we utilise will be driven by our senior managers to encourage a positive safety culture.
Safety by Design.
Haden Young is an industry leader in improving design through the use of pre-fabricated services modules and components. Two new modern Haden Young pre-fabrication workshops have recently been established. These units enable much of our work to be conducted in a permanent manufacturing environment. This removes people, hot work and general construction activity from sites, with a resultant improvement in safety.Work at Height.
Our safety record is good and improving but we are very aware that working at height is a risk that our operatives can be exposed to. For some time now we have had a policy to limit the use of steps and ladders as far as reasonably practicable. We have worked with industry suppliers to source and develop better and safer means of access.Wherever practicable we use small proprietary scaffold towers, podium steps and platform steps to avoid working off step ladders. The use of ladders is restricted; permission is given only if justified by risk assessment (for example in restricted spaces) and is for a defined date, a specific task and a specific location.
We are also using technology to reduce risk, e.g. the use of Mobile Elevated Work Platforms (MEWPS), scissor lifts and personnel lifts is increasing. These items were displayed and presented to around 100 senior managers at a recent conference, in order to raise awareness of the safety benefits of using such technology. Conscious of the safety risks involved in introducing items such as these we are tapping into Group initiatives such as the cross operating company MEWP working group. They provide feedback around the design, operation, inspection and emergency operation of MEWPs .