Safety Month in Raben Group

One of the goals of the responsible business in Raben Group is caring for health and safety of employees. The is why, the company pays special attention to the SHE philosophy (Safety, Health, Environment), which builds robust safety culture among employees and subcontractors. For many years now, the company has undertaken a number of educational, informational and training initiatives promoting health and safety both at work and at home. One of them is Safety Month organized for three years now, which this year took place in all Raben Group companies at the turn of March and April 2018.

“Pursuant to legal regulations, OHS trainings are to be conducted periodically, for warehouse workers every 3 years and for office workers every 6 years. Processes and equipment in the company are continually changing and they may generate new risks for people. That is why, discussing SHE rules offers a moment to think, to realize new risks, to refresh safety rules at work. – explains Grażyna Łukasik, SHE Project Manager - “It is worth asking even seemingly basic questions like: Why do I use a helmet? Why do I wear a hi-vis vest in the manoeuvring yard? Why should I hold the rail when walking down the stairs? Because safety starts from a discussion.”

Safety Month covers mostly trainings and meetings of employees with OHS coordinators and specialists in the company, which increase the awareness of the essence of dangerous behaviours, draw attention to potential risks and cause that employees motivate each other to create safe work conditions.

 “It is a month of meetings and talks about safety in all Raben Group companies. We sum up what happened in the company in the previous year in the area of health and safety, we discuss near-misses as well as our achievements. We also identify key areas of safety for the following year. In line with the idea that the example comes from the top, all activities involve the Board and the top management of the company. In this way we all build the safety culture in the company.” – says Grażyna Łukasik

Safety Month is also time to refresh the rules of ergonomics, to take another look at a proper posture when working, and at exercises at the desk, in the warehouse or on the road. That was the reason why all Raben depots organized, for instance, meetings with ergonomists, presentations using drunk goggles and overturn or decision reaction time simulators. There were also trainings for drivers and subcontractors concerning the location blind spots which are invisible from the driver's cab. Each employee receives special newsletters and bulletins about health and safety at work and at home.

“In our sector we are usually on the way hence it is crucial to manage behaviours on the road in a manner which would allow us to reach the destination safely, regardless of the fact if that is a delivery to the most distant corner of the Earth or the way home.”  – this is what Ewald Raben, CEO Raben Group, says about safety in a SHE bulletin and he appeals to his employees – “I ask you to make sure that you are visible on the road, e.g. wear a high-visibility vest to give drivers a chance to see you on the road and take a look around at the pedestrian crossing to assess the situation on the road and take an appropriate decision. Be careful every day because your relatives are waiting for you at home.”

During Safety Month we also learn and refresh SUSA discussions (Safe and Unsafe Acts) – they are dialogues between two person concerning safety at a specific stage of the work process. In Raben Group SUSA discussions are carried out throughout the whole year.

“Prior to starting a discussion, an observer takes a brief look at the work process paying special attention to the person's behaviour, and then starts a discussion at a time suitable for the interlocutor.” We focus here on safe behaviours and we don't look for mistakes. If we observe any dangerous actions, the question about the reason for them will appear but it will not influence the assessment of the employee and will not be the grounds for punishment. The employee will remain anonymous. The person who initiated the discussion keeps the record of only the place and the observed behaviour.” – Grażyna Łukasik explains SUSA discussions.

In 2018 SUSA discussions focus on three areas and they are the rules of: pedestrian traffic, driving (including behaviours in manoeuvring yards), and the use of personal protective equipment.