REFRACTORY HEALTH, SAFETY & ENVIRONMENT

The days of subjecting operatives to an indifferent and unsafe working environment are a thing of the past.  No longer is it acceptable to expect anybody to take short cuts to safety in the misguided belief that it improved the timing of the work and was financially beneficial.  It is a proven fact that a safe working environment is an efficient environment, enhancing not only the timing of the job, but also the quality.  The provision of safe working conditions is not only a legal obligation but we believe it also to be a moral obligation.  Apart from the prevention of injury to the operative, safe working conditions encourage feelings of well-being and confidence resulting in a superior job both in quality and quantity.

In order to address the issue of Health and Safety correctly, we at Cameron Furnace Company decided to start at the beginning by introducing an OCCUPATIONAL HEALTH scheme whereby each employee was subjected to a full medical screen at a given point and thereafter regular follow up monitoring will be carried out.  To assist the medical staff in the assessment process, details of the individuals working environment was provided, both past and present, enabling an accurate judgement to be made as to the operatives suitability for the tasks expected.   The information received would also help us to allocate the work tasks in a manner to suit the employee’s physical capabilities thus augmenting the overall efficiency of the job whilst maintaining the welfare of the employee.

There are a number of issues which require to be addressed prior to the execution of a contract in line with a sound health and safety policy.  There are always a number of dangers associated with construction work both on a new build situation and on maintenance and repair.

Maintenance and repair work can be particularly hazardous inasmuch as the plant could be situated within a ‘live’ environment where other furnaces are in production, therefore in all cases a RISK ASSESSMENT of the operations and surrounding circumstances must be conducted prior to any work taking place.

Finally, it is not just the responsibility of the company management to ensure the welfare of the workforce but rather the workforce themselves must contribute to their own health and safety by adopting good habits with regard to their work.

These habits should not be confined to the workplace but should be integral part of each person’s way of life which can only but enhance its quality accordingly.

This must highlight all the dangers both great and small and offer advice as how to minimise or better still, eliminate them completely.  As assessment must then be made of the materials being used for the job and any dangers associated with them highlighted accordingly.  This COSHH ASSESSMENT is generally carried out with reference to product data sheets provided by the material manufacturer which contain recommendations with regard to health and safety.

These assessments then accurately dictate the correct form of PERSONAL PROTECTIVE EQUIPMENT that each operative should wear and there should be no deviation from this at any time.  Having completed all of the above it is then possible to provide an accurate METHOD STATEMENT for the works which is relayed to the workforce during an INDUCTION COURSE.  The purpose of this is to communicate the Company Policy with regard to the particular operations on a specific project.  Most Clients carry out their own induction which highlights items of procedure whilst on their plant.  The induction course is supplemented by TOOL BOX TALKS which are held regularly on site, where individual topics are discussed and views with the workforce are exchanged on matters of safety. 

At Cameron Furnace Company, as a matter of policy, we have become associated with a National scheme of induction for the industry which necessitates the workforce undertaking an intensive course on all health and safety issues and working practices.  On tested completion of such course the operative is issued with an authenticated personal SAFETY PASSPORT which is valid for three years and entitles the bearer to work on any approved site.  After three years a refresher course is undertaken to maintain the validity of the passport.

Refractory Design, Supply and Repair - Scotland, Ireland, England, Wales