By Wayne Herbertson
My passion for safety is driven out of a personal loss of a best mate in a work related accident in 2007. Hoping to prevent other losses, I wrote a book Practical Safety Guide To Zero Harm which tries to prevent workplace injuries by sharing my accumulated knowledge from working 20 years in Manufacturing, Mining, and Refinery. Proceeds from the book will help establish a safety scholarship fund.
My goal is to provide practical tools and techniques that can be applied immediately in any workplace. My hope is that people will not only read the information, but apply it in their workplaces. If we are to avoid tragedies, it’s about safely doing what we say, when we say.
These 7 steps to success have proven themselves in several industries including manufacturing, projects, construction and refineries, with safety injury reductions in excess of 90%. They have also been applied in several Greenfield site developments.
The Practical Safety Process:
Step 1. Identify Hazards and Assess Risks
Step 2. Identify Desired People Requirements
Step 3. Identify Compliance Requirements
Step 4. Ensure Safe Physical Work Environment
Step 5. Develop Safe Systems of Work
Step 6. Assess Competency
Step 7. Monitor and Review Performance
Before applying these 7 Steps there are 2 fundamentals that must be addressed which are:
1. Commitment of Management and
2. Involvement of Employees.
These are essential for success and are often difficult to address because they require a critical analysis of organizational design and a balanced approach to strategy and solution development. Safety must become an integral part of the organization planning and development and not just an “add on.”
Wayne Herbertson is a foundational Director of Practical Safety International. Wayne is also General Manager Human Resources at Bradken, a leading supplier of equipment for the mining industry.
