Grontmij Industry, resolute attention to work safety and safety in service provision
As an engineering firm, Grontmij Industry pays extra special attention to safety and welfare, almost as a natural reflex. Both towards its own employees and third parties (work safety) as well as towards safety in design and the execution thereof. These aspects are ingrained in our overall project methodology. Grontmij Industry instils an intrinsic "safety attitude” into every everyone together with the employees.
Occupational health and safety - OHSAS 18001
Grontmij Industry has been OHSAS (Occupational Health and Safety Assessment Series) certified since April 2011. OHSAS is the first safety and welfare management standard accepted worldwide and supported by major certification organizations. It specifies the requirements that must be present in a good safety and welfare management system. The assumption is that such a system effectively manages occupational risks and improves performance of the organization.
According to OHSAS, a safety and welfare management system starts from an ‘Occupational Health and Safety Policy’, from which hazard identification, risk assessment and risk management are planned. The measures have to be carried out, the result evaluated and corrective actions have to be taken where necessary.
Safety statistics
The statistics below (with safety figures about contractors working for us in EPCm-projects) demonstrate that we score particularly high on the safety scale.
Safety in our services for customers – designing safe installations
Designing safe systems is an absolute must. Companies have to meet strict regulations and comprehensive directives arising from European legislation. The focus here is on the safety of the system in its environment as regards local residents, for example, or the employees of the company that is building, operating and maintaining the system, and finally, the safety of the end product that reaches the market and is 'consumed'.
We ask ourselves in concrete terms two crucial questions when designing systems:
Can the system we design be maintained and used safely? Can the system be built in a safe way? Or to put it another way "is the process safe?" and "is the site safe?" In most cases, the client is responsible for product safety - see quality assurance systems like REACH, GMP/Validation for the pharmaceutical industry.
Grontmij Industry instils an intrinsic safety attitude in every employee. In so doing, we ensure that we automatically think in terms of safety throughout the design phase. The appropriate internal and external training courses lay a solid foundation on which to build.
Our strict adherence to project methodology with system-technical safety procedures takes care of the rest. These procedures are summarised in our quality system and technical manuals.
We have woven the classic process risk analyses into our methodology:
•Performing HAZOP studies
•Performing Cause & Effect analyses
•Determining the SIL classes
•Calculating and specifying safety devices and systems
•Handling the installation safety screenings
•Providing fire safety systems for chemical and petrochemical installations
•Performing Atex guideline zoning studies
•Constructability Reviews
Each topic has to comply with Belgian safety, welfare and environment legislation. One of the requirements the law can apply is the appointment of a Design Safety Officer (VCO). If needed, we can include this role in our projects.
Are you interested in finding out how we apply this in practice? Then request a copy of our annual report from Gerard Sponselee, our HR & QSE Manager.