Manufacturing Safely
I was once invited to develop and introduce a Safety Management System for a large scale furniture manufacturer based in South Wales.
Following an initial visit of the location I quickly recognised 2 important needs, the first being to create and establish a totally new but 'workable' safety system that did not have the benefit of a lengthy 'bedding in process' and secondly, provide a level of confidence to the various clients that 'safety' was now an integral element of the company's business plan going forward. With heavy production commitments to meet, and with proposals for potentially doubling productivity there was a great deal at stake...not just for the business but also each employee reliant on a continued success and longevity of their positions. It wasn't going to be an easy assignment by any means, and like many other businesses, the 'finished product leaving the back doors' remained the focus of the incumbent Management team in meeting their contractual obligations.
I have to be honest and admit that I held a number of reservations based on having worked in a number of operational environments (Military, Training, Oil & Gas etc) and knowing how difficult it can be to demonstrate a 'credible change' and that ever sought after 'improvement'. Making such a swift introduction to a workforce in excess of 200, plus marked improvements to the quality of the products and enhancing the potential for safe productive growth was never going to be an easy task.
Having prioritised and conducted several operational, safety and process audits it became apparent that there were many areas that required immediate change for the betterment of the employed teams welfare and the company's name and reputation. Culturally, the staff would also need to quickly adjust to a new way of doing business, and with a heightened level of scrutiny being applied by the various clients there was an obvious and ever present expectation to deliver on almost a week by week timetable.
In many cases introduced improvements were quite literally 'simple' and when introduced were greatly welcomed by the masses. As no surprise, people were well aware of their personal safety behaviour and factory arrangements prior to my arrival but possibly felt that raising concerns or proposing suggestions may not have received acceptance from "them upstairs" and may have the adverse effect of creating an 'alienated' working situation which often prevents progress. Had they raised concerns before and received no audience?
Only with a strong and clear support of my position by the management team was I was able to generate change and for the benefit of the company and its questioning clients I created a unique Safety Management System entitled 'SOFA' (Safe Operations For All). I could not have been more pleased with the manner in which our high profile clients received and embraced the improvements and systems we adopted.
On reflection, and as the focal point for safety I found it relatively easy to champion the efficient roll-out and we conducted the necessary training sessions to gain buy in from the several hundred employees. Following a review and adjustment of several 'historical' factory based processes we showed an immediate improvement in both productivity and safety standards simultaneously and provided a clear demonstration of the business as a 'best in class' supplier.
I note more recently that the number of HSE vacancies has increased across the job boards, huge expectations are in place now, not just in qualifications of likely candidates but also in the 'deliverables' of those position holders. My thoughts and beliefs remain the same as when I took on the assignment mentioned above, irrespective of the extensive and often complex wording that supports an advert it remains the responsibility of any management team to support those that do what I/we do best and commit...without it, positive change won't just happen and could end up being a life-time away.
