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Worker involvement
Roving committee meetings
Hanson Aggregates > Whatley Quarry, Somerset > 01373 452515
The safety committee at this large quarry, near Frome,
has stepped up its role in recent years by increasing the
regularity of meetings and the number of attendees, who
are elected by the workforce. The committee members are
hands-on and hold “roving meetings”, where they visit
locations around the site to discuss particular issues. They
find it easier to discuss how to tackle a problem when it
can be visualised in
this way.
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The committee has
been responsible for introducing a new method of labelling and
identifying hazards found on safety inspections, and for devising
a system for employees to report unsafe acts using a pocket-sized
notebook with tear off slips.
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Regional safety committee
Hanson Aggregates > North West Premix, North Wales > 01978 356244
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Despite representing a wide geographical spread, a safety committee for Hanson Premix operations
throughout north Wales and north west England is successfully generating and spreading good ideas,
adopting best practice and communicating and explaining national policies.
The committee is driven by the supervisor of the Wrexham concrete plant and represents a wide range
of disciplines – from batchers and hauliers to operations managers, salesmen, not forgetting contractors.
The geographical spread of members makes the task of convening meetings and following up on action
points more challenging than those committees which represent a single site. However, there are definite
benefits. The meetings are hosted by individual representatives, allowing members to take a first-hand
“fresh pair of eyes” look at sites which they would not otherwise have the opportunity to visit.
One initiative driven by the committee was to review nationwide policy regarding wearing shorts in a
concrete plant. Another idea to emerge, which was adopted across the region, was to standardise and
colour-code lock-off stations at every concrete plant, which brought major safety benefits for staff and
contractors working at more than one site.
Setting up a safety committee
Hanson Aggregates > Tams Loup Quarry, Lanarkshire > 0845 601 4466
award
winner
Health and safety meetings are not new to the workforce at this quarry in Harthill – they
have been running every month for four years. However, more recently the site has put
forward two members of staff to be trained as safety representatives, and has set up a dedicated safety
committee. In order to involve as wide a range of people as possible, the members – who can be rotated
on a yearly basis – include a laboratory worker.
The achievements made by the committee include a programme of improvements to site lighting and
housekeeping, as well as the identification of potential hazards in the plant and haul roads. This led to the
replacement of some of the ladders with stairs and walkways and the development of pedestrian routes.