Safety Ownership - Woolworths Bairnsdale

I have developed an initiative to produce ownership of safe work practices for our team members. With a simple badge, this represents a symbol of responsibility and teamwork that safety is a normal daily activity. This has produced outstanding results, and can be implemented in any workplace. We are a large supermarket with thousands of customers coming through our doors weekly. This has not only protected our own team members, it has also protected the general public with great success.

What was the issue/s at the workplace?

1/ Regular injuries in our day to day running of our business, these can range from minor to life changing. Ranging from manual handling to cuts and burns and anything in between.

2/ Customer slips and falls with a variety of minor to serious injuries.

What did you do to control it/resolve it?

As the Store Manager, I felt it my responsibility and duty of care to make our workplace safety conscious through my ( Safety First ) initiative. I believed that instructing our team members how to work safely was only a small factor in operating a safe workplace. We needed more, safety had to become a part of regular work practices and we had to think ( Safety First ). I implemented a badge that was shared daily between our team members. They became the Safety Champion, which gave them ownership of safety outcomes.

Who did you talk to about the issue/s or who helped you resolve it?

I believed that for the team to take ownership for their own actions and actions of their work mates, there was an ultimate factor. The people who were consulted were our team. This was ours, we had to be collaborative, we had to live and breathe this initiative. We helped ourselves.

What was the outcome? How is the workplace better now?

The outcome, amazing! It has now been just on a year. No action is undertaken without thinking, Safety First. There are no short cuts taken which could be risky. There is daily comment as part of every day language about safety. No one would dare to work unsafe to let the team down. Or if they did any team member seeing this action would hold an i- lead team talk with them. The results speak for themselves, no L.T.I's and no Customer Injury Claims. I am so PROUD of our team. Why not you?

*Disclaimer:
The publishing of entries on the WorkSafe Awards website and or/the granting of an award does not constitute any endorsement by WorkSafe Victoria of a product, method or service, or the occupational health and safety performance of the workplace. Monthly Champions must undergo expert review to progress through to the stringent validation and judging process and can only progress to the next stage of entry once WorkSafe are satisfied that the entry/entrant has met the relevant award category criteria and terms and condition of entry.

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