World Day for Safety and Health at Work

This week marks World Day for Safety and Health at Work (28 April 2020) and it comes at a time when companies all over the world are taking drastic measures to keep their staff and customers safe. The workplace actions that have been implemented since the COVID-19 outbreak are unprecedented, never seen before in our lifetime.

All non-essential businesses have been ordered to shut with employees working from home or being furloughed and our towns, cities and public spaces are deserted. Although it will undoubtedly have a negative effect on the economy, lockdown has been carried out effectively and efficiently and many businesses are continuing to run successfully remotely.

Health and safety is something that TJ takes extremely seriously. As a haulage and waste company serving many critical industries during this time, TJ remains open, but has taken measures to ensure that social distancing is being observed and that the necessary safety measures are in place.

TJ has closed all non-essential elements of the business to protect staff and are only running the services that are still needed at a time when many companies cannot provide them, such as skip hire and haulage.

World Day for Safety and Health at Work will of course this year focus on the relevance of the pandemic, but this is just one of the ways that TJ’s health and safety policies support their staff and customers.

Annual health and safety event

TJ holds an annual health and safety induction event to keep staff up-to-date on health and safety practices and to maintain their training levels. The event takes place over four days and at multiple sites to ensure that all staff have access to the sessions.

Each day kicked off with an introduction and safety briefing and employees were then divided up into four predetermined groups. Each group completed a round robin of four different hour-long sessions, separated by 15-minute breaks and lunch halfway through. On completion of all four sessions, a final consolidation session took place.

This ‘school day’ format ensured that ‘information overload’ was avoided and that they had time in between sessions to digest the information. The sessions were delivered in classrooms or outside using company vehicles and machinery to aid with practical exercises. The sessions were delivered by various office-based employees to ensure participants aren’t hearing the same voice all day, further aiding information retention.

Health and safety awards

TJ has been shortlisted to receive two awards in 2020. The first is the IIRSM Risk Initiative of the Year Award, for successfully implementing the revised-format annual staff training event, which has significantly improved health and safety practices throughout the organisation. The International Institute of Risk & Safety Management (IIRSM) Awards 2020 are due to take place in London on 8 October.

The second award is SHE’s Rising Star of the Year Award, which TJ’s Health & Safety Compliance Supervisor, Jack MacFarlane has been shortlisted for for implementing new health and safety initiatives within the organisation. This award is part of the Safety & Health Excellence Awards 2020 which are due to be held on 22 September 2020 at The Vox, NEC Birmingham.

First-class safety software system

TJ has an impressive software system dedicated to facilitating safety in the workplace and its presence has led to a huge emphasis on a safety-led culture across the business.

The software is a-cloud based compliance system that is used to store vast quantities of information such as HR records, training records, risk assessments, day to day documents, audits, tool box talks, material safety data sheets, workplace accidents, near miss reports and more. Staff use the software to raise near misses within the workplace. A near miss is an incident that results in no injury or damage but which has the potential to do so.

Jack MacFarlane said: “Last year employees raised in excess of 300 near misses, which is a huge increase on last year’s total of 206. This demonstrates a big shift in safety culture within our business. All our employees are encouraged to raise any near miss that occurs as this allows the management team to take action to ensure everyone remains safe within the workplace.”

Find out what services TJ are operating during this time. For more information on anything you’ve read, please browse our latest updates or get in touch.