Construcciones Yamaro: Komatsu makes safety stick for tomorrow’s workforce

From workshops to real-world scenarios, Komatsu apprentices put safety into practice during Safety Week. (Images: Komatsu)

At Komatsu, building a strong safety culture starts on day one. That is why each year the company runs a dedicated Safety Week for first- and third-year apprentices across all trades, delivering practical, engaging training that goes beyond the basics.

The aim is to equip apprentices with the tools, knowledge and mindset to make safety second nature – not just during their apprenticeship, but throughout their careers.

Kate Pemberton, national apprentice development manager at Komatsu, says Safety Week is a key investment in people.

“Safety Week allows us to deliver essential safety concepts in a way that’s interactive, relatable and most importantly, memorable,” says Pemberton. “We want safety to be something our apprentices live and breathe – not just something they tick off a checklist.”

First-year apprentices take part in a comprehensive program that combines foundational safety skills with broader wellbeing and behavioural training. This includes mental health and wellbeing, safe driving practices and technical modules such as jacking and blocking and the Move to Test qualification. They also take part in resilience workshops and receive guidance from Komatsu’s national Health, Safety and Environment (HSE) team on core safety principles, including the company’s Golden Rules, Start Safes, isolation protocols and hand safety.

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Third-year apprentices build on these foundations with more advanced content, including trailer and load safety, journey management and remote work – preparing them for the realities of working independently on site.

“We realised that PowerPoint presentations weren’t cutting it when it came to delivering these critical messages,” says Pemberton.

“So, we reimagined the way we engage our apprentices with some more engaging and exciting activities, like Lego challenges, robot building, a custom Komatsu board game centred on risk and most powerfully, hearing real stories from people who’ve experienced workplace accidents.

“These personal stories have become a standout element of the week. When someone shares how a single incident changed their life and career, it really hits home.”

Pemberton says the response has been overwhelmingly positive, not just from the apprentices, but from the broader Komatsu team, who see the impact on younger colleagues.

“The apprentices embraced all the activities and learnings from the week, and it’s been great to see them apply this back to their everyday roles,” says Pemberton. “It’s a great initiative that we’re really proud of and we look forward to continuing to roll out the week each year.”

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