Safety Week 2020 Retrospective
After a week where we’ve welcomed multiple project awards, new staff, and updated accreditations, we’ve also been able to take stock of Safety Week 2020 which we undertook earlier in the month. Safety Week is a global initiative driven by the combined leadership of Vinci companies worldwide, a pause for reflection, an opportunity to focus, a chance to share plans and ideas for continual improvement. At it’s core is the essential communication between Managers, Leaders and Staff Members, and the involvement of our supply chain. Above is Phil Hines, UK Group Managing Director, during a Safety Week 2020 site visit.
What did Safety Week 2020 look like?
Obviously COVD-19 put paid to the usual plan of a small number of mass gatherings at strategic locations, but this also made it a more personal event, even where remote communications were required. Travel miles were lower than in 2019 as more events took place remotely, which pairs with our goal of significant CO2 reductions. Despite this the event still made contact with every location, and every project, bringing the company together.
By the time the final few who were on leave get caught up, we’ll have delivered the 2020 message “Identify and Share Major Risks” to over 200 people. 15% of participants work for our suppliers or subcontractors. The Management Team have undertaken over 20 briefing sessions, some in small, socially distanced groups, some remotely. Sites stretching from Surrey to Scotland, including projects large and small, have held their own dedicated stand-downs. Everyone from Plant Fitters to Buyers, Drillers to Estimators, and Engineers to Directors has had the chance to directly engage with this year’s message. On top of the direct engagement, every person who attended a briefing also receives a commemorative shirt as a reminder.
What did we take away from Safety Week 2020?
We’re continuing to improve. Our accident statistics indicate it, our number of positive interventions reflect it. We’ll be continuing to encourage all our staff & supply chain to interact even more, and give our leadership even more to think about over the next year. We reviewed the impact of five key risks on our work, particularly the common GI and Grouting risks of Service Interactions, and Plant & Vehicle Movements. We updated everyone on the intended rollout of our new PPE system, and the radical update to our head protection which will be being issued very soon. Finally, we all had an opportunity to talk frankly about the way we work, in all our environments.
We will look back regularly on Safety Week 2020 throughout the coming 12 months, as a benchmark, something to measure our progress against. We’ll look forward to continued improvement in our record, our behaviours, and our approach.
