Safety

"Each of you should recognise and understand the responsibility and actions needed in the pursuit of safety for yourself, your co-workers and anyone who comes into our workplaces. You have my commitment and support to take the right actions to enable a safe working environment, regardless of any business consequence."

Graeme Whickman, Managing Director and CEO

Health and safety is everyone's responsibility. However, ultimate responsibility resides with the Managing Director and Board of Directors. Health and safety is the lead item on every Board, Executive Leadership Group and monthly Business Review meeting and forms part of the standing agenda. The Group Executive and the Board conduct regular safety walks and receive a monthly report which covers a range of leading and lagging indicators including training initiatives, audits completed, corrective action plans implemented, number of work injuries, near misses and number of other incidents.

All workers and workplaces at GUD are covered by our workplace health and safety management system. Our management system aligns to AS/NZ 4801, meeting the legislative requirements in Australia and New Zealand; and has been regularly updated to reflect the shifting business context. Key elements prescribed in our health and safety management system and implemented in our business activities include, but are not limited to:

• Each of our businesses has a safety business plan in place, identifying key performance indicators and comprehensive risk factors to be managed, responsible persons and timelines that have been committed to in order to improve safety performance. Performance against these are reported on and reviewed with senior management on a quarterly basis.
• Employees are involved in the safety decision-making process through communication, consultation and training. All businesses have health and safety committees comprising representatives of management and workers and individual sites or departments hold regular tool-box meetings to ensure safety is top of mind.
• A WHS Steering Committee comprising thirty to forty management personnel who meet monthly for the purposes of sharing information and learnings across the Group and recommending initiatives.
• Comprehensive well-being programs, placing equal focus on mental and physical health.

Safety & Innovation Excellence Awards are held each year. Examples of past winners are available here: