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Health & Safety CRH Sustainability Report 2011
Safety Management Safety is a core value and is the responsibility of all working in CRH.
Companies throughout the Group have extensive safety management systems in place. These systems cover all aspects of health and safety and incorporate comprehensive safety procedures and risk assessment. These systems also ensure that safety induction programmes are in place for new employees, that employee participation in safety is facilitated through safety meetings, that accidents & near misses are investigated with follow up actions implemented and that safety alerts are circulated. Safety management is coordinated throughout the Group by the network of Company Safety Officers. Regular safety meetings with employees took place at all companies during 2011. In addition, independent of normal training and operational meetings, 59% of all Group employees were involved either directly or indirectly in formal joint management/worker safety dialogue in 2011. Safety improvement forms an integral part of discussions with trade unions at local company level where applicable. Employees are involved in safety through active participation in safety meetings both formal and informal. Training of CRH employees at all levels throughout the Group is an essential element
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Employees involved in safety discussions during an internal safety audit at Staker Parson, Utah, USA.
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to the safety management system and to developing competency. Training programmes are focused and presented in a concise and understandable manner. Over the last three years employees at CRH have received, on average, 41 hours training specifically on health and safety. In many companies safety performance is incentivised, while any safety negligence identified is subject to disciplinary action. Internal safety award schemes are operated on a Divisional basis across the Group. Many companies have received external awards and these are outlined on page 69. These recognition schemes promote excellence in safety performance and support the sharing of best practice. Driver training also receives high priority. Specific training programs have been developed across the group in addition to the implementation of the industry developed CSI guidelines on driver safety. Technical improvements to increase driver safety awareness have also been introduced. There is a strong focus on the integration of the CRH safety management culture into acquisitions as rapidly as is possible. This can present significant challenges in countries and regions that traditionally have a poor safety culture, but CRH remains fully committed to this policy.
Employees at Oldcastle BuildingEnvelope’s Mississauga, Ontario, Canada location celebrate 1,000 days without an accident in 2011.
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