Participants of the event visited the factory of Volvo and the construction of Skanska. Moreover, they took part in practical workshops entitled “Łowienie ryzyka”. It was a meeting of two companies with different profiles of activity but the ones which face similar challenges in respect of safety – comments Tommy Bengtsson, chief executive officer in Volvo CE. – The work with people on creating safety culture is more necessary than introduction of changes in structures. Leaders on each level of the company’s structure should set a good example to others in this area.
Participants of the event visited the hall of buses as well as excavators and loaders’ production of Volvo. They were supposed to i.a. find areas to improvement in respect of technical and organizational aspects of safety – organization of work stations, store of materials, functioning of devices as well as safety and fire systems and first aid points.
Representatives of companies who were visiting the construction of Campus – a structure certified on LEED GOLD level which Skanska realizes for Volvo, faced a similar challenge. There are many solutions in the area of OSH which were applied in the building, including i.a. Secumax protective barriers systems, band lose anchor points or access control of employees to the construction.
Skanska, like Volvo, intents on eliminating accidents and dangers related to performing work – says Krzysztof Andrulewicz, chairman in Skanska S.A. – We adopted the rule of a total transparence in respect of OSH, we exchange experiences and cooperate with business partners. Volvo is our proven client who is set on constant increasing of work safety and creating the awareness of this issue’s value just as we are. We may learn a lot from each other because the fresh look of someone from a different trade than construction allows to notice elements which needs elaborating, change or replacing of applied solutions with the more effective ones.
During “Łowienie ryzyka” workshops, participants of the meeting had a chance to discuss their observations and exchange each other with the most important solutions related to policy of both companies in the area of accidents and dangers in a work station prevention. The conclusion of the debate is that solutions applied in order to prevent accidents may be used no matter of a trade.
The issue of safety takes an important place in all aspects of Skanska and Volvo activity. A building company takes initiatives based on OSH policy. On the ground of it, the partnership implemented a certified Occupational Health and Safety Management System. On each stage of the construction project’s realization, experts estimate the risk and plan safety methods of performing works, there are workplace controls, inspective OSH services, internal and external audits, and accidents as well as potential accident happenings are being analyzed. Since 2005, Skanska has been leading the “Safety Week” initiative, within which workshops, shows and meetings are organized simultaneously in every unit of the Group all over the world. They aim at the consciousness raising in the area of a safe work.
In 2010, Skanska became one of the signers of Porozumienie dla Bezpieczeństwa w Budownictwie, the aim of which is to eliminate accidents on constructions. Currently, Porozumienie is composed of eight largest general contractors in Poland: Bilfinger Infrastructure, Budimex, Hochtief Poland, Mostostal Warsaw, Mota-Engil Central Europe, Polimex Mostostal, Skanska and Warbud.