Today, 28 April, is World Day for Safety and Health at Work, a day to promote and celebrate a positive safety and health culture in the workplace.
As one of our core values, safety is at the heart of everything we do at Chemring. We believe that all injuries are preventable and that everyone should be able to go home safely at the end of every working day. Our approach is to establish a strong, proactive safety culture through the interaction between people, plant, and process. This is called our Journey to Zero Harm.
Our Journey to Zero Harm
Our Journey to Zero Harm is about identifying and taking further actions to reduce the likelihood of anyone getting hurt by focusing on people, plant, and process. For plant, we are regularly reviewing and strengthening the integrity of our assets. For process, we are investing in new automated production systems and improving our processes. For people, that is where our safety culture comes in and the part all our colleagues play in making sure we operate in safe conditions using safe behaviours.
Spot it, Stop it, Share it
Last year, we launched a new internal campaign called Spot it, Stop it, Share it, encouraging our colleagues to step up their focus on reporting unsafe conditions, behaviours and near misses. Following up those near-miss reports with corrective actions is essential, and that is where leadership and the health and safety teams on site make a real difference.
Safety poster campaign
Creating an inclusive safety culture that involves our colleagues is a key part of our Journey to Zero Harm. As such, we recently ran a safety poster design competition for our employees' children and young relatives. Children were asked to design eye-catching safety posters for display around Chemring facilities.
Wellbeing week and wellbeing campaigns
Only when people feel at their best can they perform at their best. That’s why we put a lot of focus on the health and wellbeing of our colleagues. Each year, we hold a ‘Wellbeing Week’ to promote the various aspects of wellbeing, from diet and exercise to relaxation and doing the things you most enjoy. For example, in May, we are supporting May Measurement Month to promote the importance of knowing your blood pressure. So we’ll hold our annual Wellbeing Week to continue that theme and share guidance and activities to keep your blood pressure at a healthy level during June.
Many of our locations also have gym facilities or outdoor walking routes to encourage colleagues to prioritise their health and fitness.
Mental Health First Aiders
Some of our locations have specially trained colleagues as mental health First Aiders to offer support and a safe environment for colleagues to talk about mental health – whenever they like. We aim to make conversations about mental health normal at work to help create safe, open workplaces and reduce mental health stigma.
Building a strong, proactive safety culture is our number one priority at Chemring. We will continue to develop that health and safety culture as we journey to zero harm, ensuring we protect our employees every step of the way.