Construcciones Yamaro: Fostering safe work within the formwork industry

By

What should the framework for collaboration look like to genuinely change the culture around safe work in the Australian formwork industry?

By Michael Sugg, chief executive officer, Formwork Industry Association.

I was asked a similar question as part of a panel at the recent Workplace Health and Safety (WHS) Show in Sydney. Panel members were discussing this question in relation to working at height in construction. All very relevant, considering that height-related incidents in our industry are a major cause of injuries.

My research uncovered some interesting points on the subject of ‘collaboration’ – something that is essential if change in culture and improved safety is to happen – as well as a tool that was referred to as being critical for success in the 24 recommendations outlined in the Building Confidence report by Peter Shergold and Bronwyn Weir. So, in this issue I thought we would look at the research findings and how we, as an industry association, are working towards changing the culture around safe work in the Australian formwork industry.

Collaboration requires a comprehensive and multifaceted approach involving various stakeholders. A suggested framework for collaboration would involve the following:

1. Stakeholder identification and engagement

Identify and involve all relevant stakeholders, including government agencies, industry associations, formwork companies, workers, unions, safety regulators, safety consultants and educational institutions.

Over the past three years the Formwork Industry Association (FIA) has worked tirelessly in developing relationships with key stakeholders. Each stakeholder provides unique challenges, but collaboration with each is key if change is to occur. Safe working environments in the construction industry require better collaboration than we have already and as the only industry body for formwork in Australia, it is our role to advocate for change to improve safety and send workers safely home to their families.

2. Research and data gathering

Conduct thorough research on the current state of safety in the formwork industry. Collect data on accident rates, near misses and common safety violations. Regularly analyse safety data to identify trends and areas that need special attention. Share these insights with industry stakeholders.

Government departments make their decisions based on data. Yet surprisingly there is very little data available specifically on formwork. It would be great to have specific formwork-related data on incidents and common safely violations, so we can advocate on specific safety issues and design specific safety awareness education programs. Looking at data in the wrong way resulted in the Federal Government subsuming the only formwork qualification into carpentry, which had massive ramifications. The FIA successfully campaigned to have this reviewed, and we are in the process of establishing a new formwork qualification for the industry. The FIA has also requested specific formwork data from the regulators, so that we can assess and identify trends and areas that require safety training.

3. Regulatory compliance and enforcement, safety audits and inspections

Strengthen and enforce existing regulations and standards related to formwork safety. Ensure penalties for non-compliance are sufficient to deter unsafe practices. Regularly conduct thorough safety audits and inspections of formwork sites. Provide feedback and recommendations for improvement.

Collaboration is essential if change in this area is to happen. We all know the culture that exists in our industry. If this is to change, collaboration across various stakeholders is key. The FIA is working hard with the regulator and government to ensure regulations and standards are fair and easy-to-follow and understand. The collaboration with industry and the negotiations with the regulator to re-write the proposed NSW Formwork Code of Practice resulted in a far better document and whilst not perfect, provided a much better result for all. The WHS laws impose a high standard, and the regulators are extremely active in investigating and prosecuting safety breaches. FIA is advocating rewards for those operators who have and maintain compliant work practices.

4. Education and training

Develop and implement robust training programs for formworkers, supervisors and managers. Include modules on safety procedures, hazard identification and emergency response.

Whilst the regulators’ role is to enforce compliance, a key role of industry associations is collaboration with stakeholders on education and training, to produce ‘meaningful and relevant training’ and compliance under the WHS Act. Formwork specific training has been a major discussion point over the past four years and the lack of any education and skills pathway has held the industry back. As we have written in past issues of Inside Construction, the FIA has developed a new skills and education pathway to improved safety within the Australian formwork industry, and the new Safe Formworker Program is becoming an essential tool for every formworker.

5. Safety culture promotion and incentives for safety excellence

Foster a culture of safety by encouraging open communication, reporting of hazards and participation in safety initiatives. Recognise and reward safe behaviour and establish awards and recognition programs for companies and individuals who excel in maintaining a safe work environment.

This is an essential part of a change in safety culture, however, many simply pay ‘lip service’ to it and very little is done. Whilst the regulators call out bad practice – and we are seeing a growing rise in prosecutions and fines – we additionally need to look at a program that rewards good behaviour. The FIA is working on an industry accreditation program that highlights those companies that do employ a good safety culture. Construction companies are keen to collaborate with us on this program when looking at their tender process to identify formwork companies with good safety practices. They understand too well that improved and good safety practices also lead to good quality and productivity.

One thing we all have to remember is that cultural change takes time and sustained effort. We need to regularly review and adapt the framework based on lessons learned and evolving industry needs. Collaborative efforts will be key to making lasting improvements in formwork safety in Australia.

Related stories:

The post Fostering safe work within the formwork industry appeared first on Inside Construction.



View Source

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Ways to Keep your Privacy in a Balcony

By
Image
An apartment has no specific space to enjoy small reunions with friends and relatives out in the open, but if you are lucky enough to have a balcony, you will have an extra space with natural light. However, there is a downside because it does not grant you any privacy. It is not a good idea to shut this space down with some walls and a small window since it will interfere with the flow of air. There are several ways to enjoy a balcony and to have some privacy while you are at it, and Construcciones Yamaro gives you some ideas to do so: 1. -  Bamboo blinds : Bamboo is an ecofriendly element so is excellent for the environment, which is ideal to give a natural touch to this area . Bamboo blinds are easy to set because this is a light and flexible material. It will give you privacy and it will create a barrier to block sunrays, thus giving freshness to the rooms. 2. -  Plants : They are a great idea if you privacy fo
Read more

More About Materials: The Concrete Brick

By
Image
Concrete Bricks Construcciones Yamaro  is a company always aware about giving information about  construction  to its customers. The company provides details and  characteristics about the materials   used in every work the company does .  More than a  construction company , Construcciones Yamaro is an ally to its customers that work together to achieve big goals. For today’s article, Construcciones Yamaro has decided to continue with the presentation of some characteristics about other construction material:  the concrete b rick . The concrete brick is a construction material whose composition is based on  the Portland cement, sand, water and other additives . Usually, it is used to substitute cast cement in the construction of walls, footings and other structures. Uses of the concrete blocks The concrete brick can be usually find in  standard size pieces  which are  rectangular of 8 x 8 x 16 inch size  (20 x 20 40 cm approximately), and typically have about 3/8 inch (a
Read more

Construcciones Yamaro: Information about Productive Maintenance

By
Image
TPM Construcctiones Yamaro , committed to the  development of the construction sector  in Venezuela, explains what is important to know about  Total Productive Maintenance  in order  to optimize all processes and achieve efficiency  of all involved aspects in the construction sector. Total Productive Maintenance or TPM is a strategy  that includes a series of activities created by the  Japan Institute for Plant Maintenance  which helps to improve the competitiveness of an industry organization or services through improved personal strategy and the teams. What are the goals of TPM? Zero accidents. Zero defects in products and services. Zero losses in all departments. TPM only considers the staff to develop strategies? Implementing TPM to your company It is not mandatory to consider only the staff; as a global strategy, analysis of efficiency of machinery, equipment, tools and systems are also considered,  identifying the possible causes that may alter its optimu
Read more