Creating a Safer Work Environment
At New Zealand Steel, we are committed to providing a safe workplace for our employees as we move towards our goal of Zero Harm. The basic principles under which we operate are:
- Working safely is a condition of employment.
- Employee involvement is essential.
- Management is accountable for safety performance.
- All injuries can be prevented.
- Training employees to work safely is essential.
- All operating exposures can be safeguarded.
Every new employee undertakes a rigorous safety induction, and every employee has a monthly safety meeting and access to elected safety representatives. We have 45 trained Health and Safety representatives who are an active and enthusiastic resource.
Watching Out for Potential Hazards
Auditing is a critical part of our safety management philosophy. Its aim is to help identify, minimise and/or control or eliminate potential workplace hazards or hazardous practices. The entire workforce is involved in safety auditing and 95% of employees carry out at least one safety audit every month. About 400 audits take place each week, a commitment of thousands of hours to safe work practices and conditions.
Mutual Care and Respect
The journey towards Health and Safety excellence places obligations on both the company and our employees, with a requirement on both parties to demonstrate care and respect.
People are expected to demonstrate care for themselves and their colleagues as they go about their work in a safe manner. The company provides procedures and training that, together with safe work behaviour, can enable each employee to return to his or her family, friends and community unharmed at the end of the day.
Hazards will always exist in the workplace and people need to respect the environment they are in. This means taking time to plan work, maintaining a cautious alertness to what is going on, and being humble enough to acknowledge not having all the information (and thus being attentive to job safety instructions).
Striving Towards Safety Excellence
New Zealand Steel has made a commitment to its employees to provide a safe environment and is constantly striving towards its goal of Zero Harm.
