| Occupational health partnership with major contractors |
Description
Hanson Cement introduced a range of initiatives to assist the
shutdown contract companies to improve their occupational
health programs for their employees. The steps taken cover a wide
range of occupational health risks such as exposures to welding
fumes within enclosed spaces; hand arm vibration exposures and
musculoskeletal stresses. The process involved the introduction of
dust monitoring, training, reviews of contractors COSHH, building
the trust of contractors and investment in plant improvements
and safety devices.
• Selecting and pre-authorising contractors
• Ensuring induction on site and awareness of risks
• Managing contractors on site
• Reviewing their performance once the task is complete
Benefits
• Contractors have new knowledge about risks
• Contractors better understand the safety precautions to protect themselves
• Safer working environment for contractors and Hanson employees
• Detailed exposure data on the airborne concentrations of welding and burning fumes
• Ability to assess the effectiveness of the LEV and to verify PPE requirements
• Identified weakness in contractors’ knowledge that can be rectified with training
• Provided free health screening to contractors during the pilot project at Ribblesdale
• Introduced range of plant changes that have reduced exposures to O&H risks
• Industry has benefitted from Hanson sharing knowledge and using safer contractors.
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