CEMEX UK challenge unsafe behaviour

Stepping in to keep another person safe is ‘a gift’ and essential for the construction industry, say CEMEX

STEPPING in and challenging unsafe behaviour is ‘a gift’ that demonstrates a colleague cares enough to keep another person safe. This was the main theme of this year’s CEMEX UK Health and Safety training days.

During September and October, nearly 2,000 people, including CEMEX employees, contractors and suppliers, attended one of 18 training days at locations throughout the country, and according to David Harding of MPA Wales, the day’s training was ‘very different and a creative way of getting staff involved in the issues’.

The day focused on a real-life major incident at one of CEMEX’s plants, with actors playing out the possible actions and decisions that led to the incident and resulted in an employee being disabled. Following each of four different scenarios, CEMEX colleagues were prompted by the facilitator to discuss, evaluate and consider what happened and why.

Andy Taylor, CEMEX UK’s health and safety director, said: ‘Using actors gives a very human element to the narrative of the incident and helps colleagues to understand the situation and enable learning. It’s a graphic illustration of how we can all step in and prevent incidents.’

Other activities and exercises during the training days included a discussion on the DuPont Bradley Curve, an analysis of Swissair flight 111 and the nature of errors, and a fun exercise centred around team-building and the creation of interdependency.

Mr Taylor added: ‘It was a very rewarding day, and as Ghandi said ‘you have to be the change you want to see’. Let’s hope more CEMEX colleagues feel empowered to step in.’