EPIROC Southern Africa, which includes South Africa, Botswana, Mozambique, Namibia and Zimbabwe, has joined the list of Epiroc entities around the world in collaborating with SafeStart International, a global organisation that leads the way in human error reduction techniques training, injury reduction up to the average of 50%, and 24/7 safety behaviour ownership by providing these safety concept interventions for companies worldwide. The programmes involve practical techniques that can be applied to keep workers alert to hazards and risks all day, every day. The objective is to create a safe environment at work, at home, on the road and in the community.
“SafeStart addresses not only our own safety but also, importantly, the safety of everyone around us,” explains Johnny de Mesquita, Epiroc Regional SHEQ Manager for Southern Africa. “We are extremely excited about this collaboration, especially because this is a behavioural based programme that addresses safety from a totally different perspective. It considers people’s state of mind living in modern society, both in the workplace or on the road as well as in the home and community environment.”
The SafeStart Programme was launched to Epiroc employees at the Jet Park head office in November 2021. So much goes on every minute of every day and add to this the protracted Covid-19 pandemic and all its trappings which give us even more to have to think about. This constant bombardment and information overload just all becomes too much and we stop focusing on what is important – life or personal safety care / attitude… After all we are all responsible for our own lives. And this is when accidents happen usually compromised by own critical errors and/or decisions on the spot. It can cost us our lives or the lives of others. A lot of it, like texting, is learnt behaviour so logic dictates that doing things in a better and safer way can also be learnt. And this is where SafeStart, as a behavioural based system, is a perfect fit.
The programme comprises of five units which will be rolled out to all Epiroc offices, branches and mine sites in South Africa and the relevant Region Countries.
Unit # 1, which kicked off in November 2021, is expected to be completed around May/June 2022 for the entire Southern African Region, and will be followed by training of the remaining four units. It takes approximately three to four weeks to complete and apply the concepts learned for each of the five units to give employees ample time to get used to the principles and to practice them in the working and/or leisure environment before moving on to the next unit.
“The challenge is to make sure that everyone is trained and equipped with all the information they need and that no one is left behind to help us all prevent daily critical errors and/or decisions compromised by rushing, frustration, fatigue and complacency. Our main objective is to report Near-Misses and unsafe behaviour continuously towards reduction of incidents and property damages in the workplace, and to ultimately decrease LTI (Lost Time Injury) to ZERO,” concludes de Mesquita.
- For further information please contact: Kathryn Coetzer – Regional Communications Manager T: +27 (0) 821 900 / kathryn.coetzer@epiroc.com
