Seco marks World Safety Day with weeks of events
Fagersta, May 2022 – Started in 2003 by the International Labor Organization and backed by the United Nations, the aim of the day is to focus on occupational safety and health (OSH) and to engage in activities that promote effective social dialogue between governments and social partners.
As the world’s leading supplier of cutting tools, we are well aware that risk is a part of any manufacturing industry, not least the physical risk to employees involved in the production process. There are also other risks involved which may be less obvious, but which are just as impactful, such as the risks our logistics employees are exposed to when operating in our delivery chain, or the stress that almost all employees can be exposed to from time to time.
At Seco Tools, the week of April 25 was used to shine a light on all of these areas and more, with different venues choosing different areas to look at and to see where improvements could be made. This was achieved by doing exercises and workshops, examining processes for hazard control, carrying out risk assessments, and looking at measures that might be taken to prevent accidents or ill health and promoting well-being. “At Seco Tools, we are pushing our employees to contribute and build on our strong safety culture, looking for opportunities to improve the health and safety for everyone each day,” says Lowe Hjort, SMS Health & Safety Specialist at Seco Tools. “They are the ones who are exposed to these risks, and that’s why it’s so important to listen to them. We can’t always remove risks entirely, but what we can do is minimize them as much as possible. By training and giving our people the tools and the skills they need to deal with them, we can minimize workplace accidents and stress and have a happy, healthy and productive workplace.”
In La Tour Du Pin, France, employees got to try out eyeglasses that mimicked the effect of alcohol or drugs on their vision, and there were also sessions dedicated to ergonomics and healthy movement and eating.
In Bouxwiller, France, staff received first aid training and the issue of noise awareness was also given prominence with a local supplier of ear protection in attendance.
In Lottum, Netherlands, there was a strong focus on first aid, resuscitation and bandaging injuries that may occur in the workplace, as well as a quiz about safety that saw nine employees out of the 49 that took part record a perfect score.
At the production unit in Reynoldsville, USA, fire evacuation drills for all shifts and health and vision screenings were offered to all employees, and safety walks were carried out.
The facility in Alcester, UK, staged refresher courses for Innovation Hub and warehouse staff to raise awareness of health and safety issues there. Employees were shown how to use spill kits correctly and how to act quickly and decisively in the event of a spillage.
In Erkrath, Germany, employees learned valuable first aid techniques as part of their week-long program of events that began with workshops on behavior-based security and healthy working conditions. Almost 100 employees took part in an evacuation of the building, with 46 attending a seminar on dealing with stress that proved hugely popular.
The Seco Tools facility at Sorocaba, Brazil decided to grab the bull by the horns and address the “near misses” that happen on site, and how to ensure that they don’t happen again. A total of 25 incidents that could have had negative consequences were identified and that will now be investigated further, and action taken to ensure that the risks are either minimized or eliminated entirely. More than 50 people also attended a workshop with a local doctor centering on the theme of self-care in the aftermath of the COVID-19 pandemic, which took an enormous emotional and physical toll over the last two and a half years.
In Guanzate, Italy, employees were asked to suggest better ways of working to help to avoid stress and workplace accidents.
