At Franzefoss Pukk, safety, simplifications and improvements are a natural part of our daily work. What are the major benefits of this, and how do they manage to implement it?
We asked the questions to Ingvild Kolberg, the company’s health, safety, and quality manager (HSEQ manager) in Trøndelag, as well as Sturla Nyutstumo, plant manager at Lia, Vassfjell and Fossberga Pukkverk.
Balance between small and large HSE measures
“We take overall measures such as annual reviews where we analyse risk. This is extensive work and we are keen to try to simplify things.
The more that is simplified, the less demanding it will be in the next round. When the routines are in place, when the rough work has been done in risk analysis and clean-up, one does not have to repeat old mistakes, emphasizes the HSEQ manager.
But smaller measures are also being worked on. Friday clean-up has been introduced as a routine in the workshops. The result is reduced risk of damage caused by clutter, and increased efficiency in a more pleasant facility.
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“The technical condition of machinery and equipment means a lot for both safety and operation. We even train our technical staff. They are involved in their daily work and work systematically according to weekly and monthly plans. Having the expertise in-house has a big effect,” explains Sturla Nyutstumo.
“Systematic maintenance prevents unplanned downtime and costly repairs,” the plant manager reminds us.
Employees are involved
“With us, HSE is an integral part of our operational plans. These describe, among other things, the distribution of manpower. The tasks are distributed according to competence. We have our own HSE meetings, conduct regular safety inspections where, among other things, we discuss tidiness with our own employees and external personnel. We report nonconformities and conduct safe job analyses,” describes Ingvild Kolberg.
What are you doing to achieve involvement?
“Participation is an important keyword. The safety delegates are involved in most things.
We listen to the employees and take their input seriously,” explains Kolberg. And reminiscent of yet another significant factor.
Bring in more reported incidents
In order to avoid undesirable incidents, non-conformities must be reported, but achieving this can in itself be a challenge.
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“Registering unwanted incidents should not be a problem, but not everyone reports as much. I think it’s because some people are more comfortable using the system than others are. We are committed to addressing things on an ongoing basis. Then we close the wrong way, while sending a clear signal that we take input from employees seriously. Their input leads to risk-reducing measures,” says Kolberg.
Don’t overcomplicate HSE
Far from everything has to be included in a plan, something can be taken along the way. This is about injury prevention, but also about streamlining processes.
“Conditions that can just as easily be fixed immediately should not be spent time on. If there is any debris lying around, just remove it. At the same time, one must try to distinguish between degrees of severity. If there is a deviation that recurs, one must note this and bring the discrepancy forward so that it can be corrected once and for all, she suggests.
Identify hazard areas
Typical hazard potential is related to transport, logistics and warehousing.
“We have large warehouses with a lot of traffic with powerful machines that maintain a high tempo. There are great forces involved, and voluminous storage areas. Collisions are a real danger, as are clamp injuries,” says Kolberg.
We train our own technical staff. They are involved in their daily work and work systematically according to weekly and monthly plans.
Ingvild Kolberg, HSEQ manager at Franzefoss crushed stone in Trøndelag
When HSE is the basis for everything that is done, and is incorporated as a fixed routine, one avoids that safety work becomes a factor that comes in addition to all the other tasks to be solved. Over time, HSE will be perceived constructively, without being perceived as a stressful extra effort.
Another key word is neatness. Tidy workspaces enhance safety, well-being and prevent employees from spending time on unnecessary searching. At the same time, order and orderliness increase well-being and professional pride.
HSE during upgrades and new builds
Kolberg recommends involving both operational and HSE personnel at an early stage, and making sure that they are involved in designing the solution itself. This ensures that key employees gain knowledge and ownership of the facility, while reducing the risk of building in poor solutions.
“We have good experience with this, and in our next construction project it will be relevant to bring people in even earlier. Perhaps we also involve the occupational health service, to bring in their expertise,” explains Ingvild Kolberg, the company’s HSEQ manager in Trøndelag.
“We have a lot of expertise in the company. Therefore, it is easy to get help to reveal possible errors, while at the same time helping us to give staff recognition for their competence. This in turn contributes to increased motivation and increased participation,” adds plant manager Sturla Nyutstumo.
Once the facility is there and put into use, it is important to ensure that experience is transferred to the next project. In this way, one avoids repeating old mistakes.
