Water and Effluent Treatment Magazine
Issue link: https://read.utilityweek.co.uk/i/867569
12 WET NEWS SEPTEMBER 017 Training aids sta wellbeing What is the thinking behind the cultural shift in approach to health and safety training within the UK Water industry, asks NEBOSH. level goal of zero harm. Dymphna Gallagher, head of safety and drinking water regu- lation at NI Water, explains: "Perhaps the biggest cultural shi here has been around own- ership of health and safety and this has been driven by a strong investment in training. We've moved away from a culture where sta€ felt that responsibil- ity for health and safety rested primarily with the health and safety team. Our approach to training, which revolves around no-one taking part in any activ- ity they haven't been properly trained for, or where their train- ing has lapsed, has been hugely signiƒ cant. "It's meant that everyone at Northern Ireland Water receives an appropriate level of health and safety training and they take informed responsibility for their own safety and that of their colleagues and the public." 'Cared for' In terms of the business beneƒ ts that result from such a cultural shi , Gallagher highlights two key areas; better engagement of the workforce and bolstering NI Water's reputation. "Looking a er your sta€ and investing in their safety and well-being makes them feel cared for," she says. "A work- force that is engaged and feels good about coming to work unquestionably leads to fewer absences and people returning to work more quickly. Being a 24/7 service that is committed to providing drinking water and dealing with wastewater o en means our people need to show a willingness to go that extra mile. It's important we recog- nise that things work both ways and investing in safety and health, for example, demon- strates genuine commitment to employee welfare." Gallagher adds: "It is impor- tant to recognise that the deliv- ery of safe drinking water and conƒ dence surrounding public health is very much built around trust in us as an organisation. At Northern Ireland Water, we also recognise that our reputation extends to how our contractors are perceived. We always send a strong message to other organi- sations we work with about our commitment to achieving zero harm; if you're not safe, we won't work with you. Water companies can no longer be seen as anything other than reputable." A similar shi in health and safety cul- ture has been seen at Thames Water in recent years where change has been driven at board level. A signiƒ - cant catalyst for change was a forward- thinking decision made by the Executive Team in 2013; to o€ er all man- agers in the organisa- tion the chance to gain ONSITE HEALTH & SAFETY The water sector employs 127,000 people directly or indirectly The business bene‰ ts of health and safety extend beyond the ‰ nancial bottom-line the NEBOSH National General Certiƒ cate in Occupational Health and Safety. It was an ambitious training goal, especially when you con- sider that more than 500 of Thames Water's 5,500 employ- ees sit at management level. However, the operational man- aging director attended the very ƒ rst course which paved the way for all to follow, and it quickly became a 'must have' for any manager to hold this widely respected health and safety qualiƒ cation. In addition, delivery of the course by Thames Water itself has been extended to include managers employed by its net- work of contractors and suppli- ers. There seems to be a correla- tion between training and health and safety performance – health and safety incidents more than halved at Thames Water over a seven-year period. 'Clear message' Karl Simons, Thames Water head of health, safety and well-being, says: "Leadership has been hugely important in achieving the strong health and safety cul- ture we now have. In 2012 the landscape of the executive frame- work was changed so that the health and safety lead within the organisation "…we have introduced waves of initiatives that have led to a cultural revolution across the organisation" Karl Simons, Thames E arlier this year Cathryn Ross, chief executive of Ofwat, wrote about the challenges facing the industry. In short, forecast population growth of 20% coupled with issues around a€ ordability and quality, means 'challenges in the water industry sector remain as strong as ever'. When organisations are fac- ing pressure to ƒ nd e¡ ciencies whilst also increasing capacity, it can be easy to focus solely on the bottom line. But, in an industry that employs 127,000 people directly or indirectly, keeping the workforce healthy, safe from harm and motivated can really contribute to the prof- itability of a business. Indeed, organisations across all sectors have recognised the wider social and environmental beneƒ ts of investing in health and safety training. And there are several examples in the water industry of company boards driving health and safety initiatives and training programmes. One of these is Northern Ire- land Water. It has won six con- secutive RoSPA (Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents) Gold Awards for achieving a "very high level" of health and safety performance. Its success was not achieved overnight, but has been the result of a 15-year long cultural shi that has led to reportable incidents falling from 38 in 2002, to just four last year. The organisation has a high- Gallagher adds: "It is impor- tant to recognise that the deliv- ery of safe drinking water and conƒ dence surrounding public health is very much built around trust in us as an organisation. At Northern Ireland Water, we also recognise that our reputation extends to how our contractors are perceived. We always send a strong message to other organi- sations we work with about our commitment to achieving zero harm; if you're not safe, we won't work with you. Water companies can no longer be seen as anything other A similar shi in health and safety cul- ture has been seen at Thames Water in recent years where change has been driven at board level. A signiƒ - cant catalyst for change was a forward- thinking decision made by the Executive Team in 2013; to o€ er all man- agers in the organisa- tion the chance to gain became a 'must have' for any manager to hold this widely respected health and safety qualiƒ cation. In addition, delivery of the course by Thames Water itself has been extended to include managers employed by its net- work of contractors and suppli- ers. There seems to be a correla- tion between training and health and safety performance – health and safety incidents more than halved at Thames Water over a seven-year period. 'Clear message' Karl Simons, Thames Water head of health, safety and well-being, says: "Leadership has been hugely important in achieving the strong health and safety cul- ture we now have. In 2012 the landscape of the executive frame- work was changed so that the health and safety lead within the organisation Karl Simons, Thames