Frontpage Column News Archive Forchem.com
Success requires attitude – World class occupational safety at Forchem Overall occupational injuries are on the rise in Finland. Number of injuries has grown by 4% compared with last year. At Forchem this is not the case. It has been almost five years since the last and only accident. According to Injury insurance union statistics, the number of work related injuries and illness grew by 4% in 2007, compared with previous year. Last year, compensation was paid out for approximately 34 injuries for every million working hours (the figure was 31 in 2006). Only the one accident has ever occured at Forchem during its five years of operation. It happened on 18 November 2003 at 17:50 o’clock. Why is it that Forchem has been so successful in preventing accidents? Security matters were taken into consideration right from the start. Safety alone is not enough, the right attitude is also required. At the training stage we emphasize the meaning of occupational safety and the attitude maintaining it demands. Forchem’s Production Manager Timo Saarenko on the basis of occupationally safe environment: - One of the biggest risks is maintenance work. Even though all the equipment is emptied before the procedure, there is still a small chance that traces of material being processed remain in the equipment. Close calls – lucky escapes Most challenging situtations are so called routine-tasks. When things do not get as well thought out as they probably would be in more demanding tasks. At Forchem, we take close call –situations very seriously. These situations arise because of lacking guidelines or procedures, not because of careless employees. - We react immediately to inadequate safety procedures and close calls. No great drama is involved in dealing with these issues – Topics are handled in morning meetings at the same time as we go through for example that week’s jobs, Timo explains when asked how possible defects are dealt with. - In addition, the Zero-Accident Forum gathers four times a year to discuss all the cases. However, by that time any actions required have usually been taken care of. The Zero-Accident Forum is formed of an occupational health care doctor, a nurse as well as YIT and Forchem representative, Timo describes. Occupational safety is something that touches everyone who works in the factory area on a daily basis. Forchem has also come up with a scheme that rewards individuals who report potentially hazardous situations. This way all problems as well as close calls get reported. For every report submitted, the person who compiled the report receives a raffle ticket. Once a year, the luckiest win prizes for their contribution to preventing accidents in the workplace. Influencing everyone’s wellbeing - We require our own employees as well as external workers to hold a valid occupational safety card. To get a card, one must complete a one day course, where participants go through safety matters relating to the plant, Timo says and continues:- Our employees also complete an EAI-level first aid course. Every other year we arrange a fire safety course in co-operation with the local fire fighters for our process workers. - We should not forget occupational health care’s effect on occupational safety. It is just as important that work surfaces are at the correct height and that the monitors are correctly lit. Office ergonomics forms an essential part of occupational health and safety even thought too few people consider it important, Timo highlights.  - Occupational safety is a common issue – it affects the safety of every employee, Timo summarizes the importance of occupational safety.     Back to frontpage
Forchem Oy P.O. Box 16, FI-26101 RAUMA, FINLAND tel +358 2 478 4400 fax +358 2 478 4499 Visiting address: Maanpääntie 3, 26820 RAUMA, FINLAND