Onduline Safety Policy, aiming for "zero accidents"

For several years, Onduline has had a stringent safety policy with one priority goal: achieving zero accidents. Supported by all employees at every level of the company, this policy is based on two key elements: a belief that all accidents are preventable and a proven method which everyone must follow to achieve this priority goal.
 

As part of a continuous improvement process, we organise Safety Days every year, both at Head Office and in each of our 29 subsidiaries. The purpose of these safety days is to make our employees aware of the paramount importance of safety. And to promote best practice to ensure that the working environment and behaviour are increasingly safer in our factories and offices and on construction sites.
 

Onduline is gradually rolling out ISO 45001 certification in all its factories. An international quality standard and recognition that demonstrate the Group's commitment to safety at work. 

 

A safety policy based on six key principles

1. We think of safety as a core value

It is a key principle underpinning all the others: we put the safety of our employees above all else. At Onduline, safety is a fundamental and non-negotiable value, everywhere, all the time. No gain in productivity should be at the expense of our employees' safety. We always say that working at Onduline should be no riskier than walking down the street and everything is done to prevent accidents wherever we operate.
Read the Onduline safety commitment

 

2. We manage safety in the same way as other company activities
Making safety a top priority involves managing it as seriously and with the same commitment as any other company activity. To implement a safety policy that aims for zero accidents, we have identified its own key performance indicators and redefined all types of accidents, including near misses which are particularly informative. By setting up Safety Committees at Head Office and in each of our subsidiaries, we aim to manage safety with the same level of requirement in all the countries where we operate. 

 

3. We work on behaviour to avoid accidents
The numbers speak for themselves: 96% of accidents in companies are caused by behaviour or organisation.
To change the situation, workplace safety laws are becoming stricter, company constraints are getting tighter and techniques are improving. At the same time, it is essential to work on individual behaviour, encouraging everyone to follow the safety rules, use protective equipment and keep their workstations neat and tidy to reduce the risk of accidents. At Onduline,
Behavioural Safety Visits (BSV) are organised to make our employees aware of the importance of safety and help them identify risky behaviour before it leads to accidents.

 

4. We hold everyone accountable for the safety of all
At Onduline, everyone is responsible for their own safety and for other people's safety, too. Although this principle may seem obvious, it is not always easy to apply on a daily basis. How do you tell a co-worker that their behaviour is risky and endangering their colleagues? Bad habits are sometimes deeply ingrained and there is no real awareness of the hazards they create. BSV are particularly useful for initiating dialogue and changing risky behaviour. Although safety is a mindset we all share today, we must continue to take action so that our behaviour becomes increasingly safer and contributes to the safety of all on a long-term basis.
 

5. We trace and analyse the causes of each accident

With the belief that all accidents are preventable, Onduline has set up monitoring tools to analyse and understand the causes of each accident... and each near miss! The facts show that an accident is often the result of a series of minor problems, oversights or careless mistakes. Taken in isolation, none are disastrous in themselves. It is when they accumulate that accidents happen. Paying attention to each of the risk factors, tracking down the mistakes that almost led to disaster and sharing the lessons learned from them with all of the employees are all essential measures for saving lives.

 

6. We promote responsible management at all levels of the company

To achieve our "zero accident" goal, each employee must feel engaged and involved in the company’s safety policy. Everyone, in their place, is thoroughly familiar with their workstation and its potential hazards. Their role as 'ambassador' is therefore vital for promoting the golden rules for safety. This approach is particularly vital for newcomers, employees, temporary workers and trainees, who are getting to know their new working environment. It also helps to build a positive company image each time we welcome outside visitors.

 

"Onduline cannot be a successful company, a company we are proud of, if our success is built at the expense of our employees' safety. The safety of all must be a top priority. We need to ensure that the men and women who work on our sites, all over the world, can go home in the evening after a day’s work without having suffered any physical or psychological injuries."

 

Christophe Rohart, Group Industrial and R&D Director