Case Study: Valpak
We have detected your system is running an out of date version of Flash.
You will need Flash 9 or above to view this site.
Upgrade to the latest version
Valpak acquired the Preston site three years ago and immediately saw the need for health and safety improvements. Major operational and safety policy changes were necessary in order to develop a profitable business in an often difficult market while providing safe working conditions for employees.
The problem
Four years ago the company audited its health and safety procedures and accident and incident rates. It found problems throughout the organisation illustrated by differences in attitude and understanding of health & safety. Management's understanding was that human behaviour caused 96 per cent of accidents and incidents, while workers felt management took little or no action on reports of safety problems. This suggested poor communications between management and workers and a lack of worker involvement which led to apathy regarding safety reporting. There were also safety considerations relating to the haulage contractor.
The solution
VRL appointed Mark Cockburn (CMIOSH) as Director of Health & Safety to put the new regime into action. First task was an in-depth audit of health and safety, which enabled him to identify problem areas and set about tackling them. He then established a bi-monthly health and safety committee drawn from management and staff, including workforce representatives from production, transport, maintenance and the yard.
The RISK Card (Reduce Incidents Share Knowledge) is an incentive for workers to report any incident, major or minor, to the committee. The card includes a ‘Post an Idea’ box, and there’s a £50 reward if the suggested idea is adopted. The committee aims to reward a winner at each meeting. One successful example was the idea to enclose bottles in mesh to stop them falling out of skips and causing a slip and trip hazard. Another simple but effective idea was a barrier system to limit entry of forklift operators into pedestrian areas.
Recycling Operations Manager, Damian Perkins, explained: ‘We want our workforce to speak up and get involved. The ‘post an idea’ method gets results and if it earns someone a little extra that’s a bonus.’
The initiative has also seen the introduction of roll-on roll-off skips, which means workers are no longer required to lift large trade site bins risking musculoskeletal injury or contamination from waste.
As part of the worker involvement policy, all employees are able to participate in risk assessments for their own work area and are encouraged to check out HSE websites to improve their skills. Drivers, in particular, are responsible for carrying out daily checks on their vehicles and must report any problems in a defect book, ensuring that any faults are dealt with immediately, before work commences.
One of the company’s key safety issues is workplace transport - a major hazard in the recycling industry, which involves pedestrian and vehicle movement both on and off site. VRL recognised that, with company and contractors’ vehicles coming in and out regularly each day, the inherited site had hazards that management and workers needed to sort out together.
As a result, VRL yard staff trained as banksmen - controllers of on- and off-site vehicle movement. These workers now direct all vehicles moving on the site, to ensure the safety of the pedestrian workforce. Movement is managed by allowing only one truck on site at any given time and sticking to a strict timetable. Another outcome was the introduction of clearly marked walkways to segregate pedestrians from vehicles.
Stuart Craig, a driver with VRL for five years, has seen the changes occur first hand. ‘Safety has got much better. The banksmen make site movement much easier to control - and our lives easier. We focus on them and we don’t move without their say so. And the walkways make sure there aren’t people walking haphazardly all over the yard.’
The outcome
Mark Cockburn’s initial health and safety audit for VRL produced a score of 42 per cent. In a recent audit the figure was 92 per cent. Within the last three years the LTIFR (Lost Time Injury Frequency Rates), the accidents and incidents have reduced significantly.
The site has achieved OHSAS 18001, the International Standard for Health & Safety Management Systems.
Steve Gough, Valpak CEO commented: ‘We want Valpak to set a high standard in the industry. Our aim is to demonstrate that you can recycle, make money and do it safely and properly’. He went on to say, ‘I’m so pleased. The statistics show we are heading in the right direction. We will continue to make improvements in both safety and productivity as, in our experience, these two aspects of our business go hand in hand.'
