Health & Safety
Kier Group is committed to providing a work environment that is safe and healthy for all employees and those affected by our activities. Kier Group's operations shall be carried out so as to ensure, so far as is reasonably practicable, that the health, safety or conditions of any person or property will not be adversely affected.
The Kier Group Board is actively committed to the provision of strong and active leadership in such matters, the engagement of the workforce in the promotion and achievement of safe and healthy conditions and the formal assessment and review of Kier Group's performance. The Board will provide adequate resources, information and training to ensure that the management teams can deliver the objectives set by the Board for continuous improvement throughout the business.
This Policy is implemented via the policies of the individual divisions and companies of Kier Group. Divisional and company boards of directors are responsible for ensuring that standards and objectives set in the Kier Group Health & Safety Management System, held by each business, are delivered locally to appropriate business sector requirements.
The requirements of the Health & Safety Policy are communicated to all employees and the involvement of all individuals within Kier Group in the management of health & safety is actively promoted through effective consultation and involvement.
The health, safety and welfare of all employees and those who may be affected by our work is an integral part of our business performance. Compliance with legal requirements should be achieved at all times, and no breaches should be tolerated.
The Board shall review this policy and associated management system, periodically taking action if necessary to ensure its effectiveness and compliance with changes in the nature of Kier Group's operations and structure, legislation, best practice and procedures.
Effective supervision is a key factor in maintaining safe sites and the Group has been at the forefront in the current drive to raise standards of supervision within the construction industry. Having collaborated with other UK Contractor Group (UKCG) members and Construction Skills to improve their two-day Site Supervisors Safety Training Scheme (SSSTS), six months on they reported a real success with an 800 per cent increase in attendance. In the last twelve months accredited Kier trainers have run 65 of these courses in-house and 168 directly employed and 610 supply chain member supervisors have successfully completed the course. The Group is committed to all supervisors on construction sites holding the SSSTS or a recognised equivalent supervisory qualification by January 2010.
The Kier Behavioural Safety Programme aims to identify ‘at risk’ behaviour and prevent injuries. This programme was started in Septemb
er 2008 with a survey of our health & safety culture which identified strengths and weaknesses as perceived by our employees. One-day Culture Based Safety (CBS) and Safe & Unsafe Acts (SUSA) workshops are now being delivered across Kier at all levels and within our supply chain at management and supervisor level.
To date 1,431 delegates have attended these workshops and encouraging feedback has been received.
Our vision of fostering a work environment where ‘everyone feels and demonstrates responsibility for their own health & safety behaviour and that of others’ is based on the belief that all injuries are preventable, which is part of the SUSA Charter.
