FEATURE
with around 15 years of service or more. Preventive action was swiftly taken by the company. One initiative was to launch a chainsaw refresher course for staff and contractors. This had to be designed in-house as there were no appropriate external courses available. Technical training was also given to managers so they could monitor the use of cutting best practice.
The next major step was to develop the Insist on Safety campaign, which was initially introduced in the Utility Arboricultural team. This was well received by the clients.
“Our approach wasn’t about filling in more forms, it was about listening and talking and caring about people. Most importantly it was about listening to what operators were telling us about risks and controlling risk. This made good sense as the operators know more than me. In essence, it was about engaging staff and involving them in the changes and improvements,” Chris stressed.
With the Board of Directors firmly behind him and agreeing that risk needed to be further controlled, Chris took part in the first Insist on Safety road show in July 2009 – a year when accident levels were at their highest. Two directors, Chris and other senior staff were present at every event that took place around the country and it was compulsory for all staff and contractors to attend. Any contractors
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who failed to attend were struck off the list of suppliers.
UPM Tilhill’s determination to improve the safety culture across the forestry industry was demonstrated when the company became a founding member of the Forestry Industry Safety Accord (FISA). UPM Tilhill took its place on the Steering Group and several managers were appointed to the Working Groups. Around the same period, UPM Tilhill decided it was time to extend its Insist on Safety campaign to its hauliers and held events for them at five locations across the UK.
The year 2013 was a major milestone for UPM Tilhill without a single employee ‘Lost Time Accident’, which coincided with winning the RoSPA Forestry Sector award for the fourth consecutive year. The statistics showed an impressive 68% reduction in Lost Time Accident Frequency between January 2010 and January 2014.
Since UPM Tilhill’s initial RoSPA Award entry in 2006, UPM Tihill has won two gold awards, one gold medal, and two Highly Commended awards. It has been the Forestry Sector winner five times in a row.
This year, UPM Tilhill exceeded all aspirations when it beat 2,000 other entrants to win the most coveted RoSPA award in health and safety – the Sir George Earle Trophy – making history as the first forestry company to win this overall award and earning
a place on the coveted RoSPA roll of honour. It is the tenth year running that the UPM Tilhill team has returned home with awards.
As part of the entry, head of safety and assurance, Chris Pike, had to answer a series of questions and a small team of senior managers had to give a presentation to a 16-strong panel. Chris took the innovative approach of inviting contractor Rob Dunning from J Dunning Forestry, who works in the New Forest area, to tell his side of the story. There was also a site visit by the judges.
For the forestry and timber harvesting company the story doesn’t end there. It is about to embark on new campaigns with RoSPA to improve health and safety in the forest.
www.upm-tilhill.com www.tomorrowshs.com
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