HEALTH AND SAFETY STRATEGY

Introduction

Health and safety is a key driver of our business strategy.  We believe that no task is too important and no service too urgent to prevent us performing our work safely and in an environmentally conscious manner. 

Every manager and every employee has to ensure an acceptable level of risk to themselves, others present, the general population and the environment in everything they do.

Strategy

Our health and safety strategy is built on the following six courses of action, represented in descending order of priority:

Purpose of our health and safety policy

ACMS Shelela acknowledges the moral, legal and financial responsibility to protect and safeguard our employees and other persons affected by our activities against occupational risk to their health or safety arising from any of the operations associated with the company.

Our health and safety policy sets out the commitment of the company to a healthy and safe work environment. It defines the organisation and how it manages health and safety, thus assisting all involved to create the requisite environment.

As a minimum, the company will comply with all relevant legislation, as well as industry standards. We take all reasonable precautions and exercise due diligence to ensure that all our sites comply with our policies and procedures.

Implementation, monitoring, compliance and accountability

Health and safety representatives and committees are appointed to oversee the health and safety function in the workplace. First aiders are trained and appointed to provide initial/emergency treatment while waiting for professional medical assistance to arrive.

Employees are trained in the implementation of health, hygiene and safety processes, practices and procedures, including HACCP-aligned food handling processes in the catering outlets.  A minimum requirement at all of our facilities is a policy of “clean as you go”.

Daily, weekly and monthly inspections take place to monitor compliance. Non-conformances are reported and corrective action taken. Sites are visited by internal and external HSE consultants and auditors as appropriate, and receive regular feedback from company and client management to ensure accountability.

Reinforcement takes the form of follow-up training, on-the-job training and regular health and safety awareness tools such as posters, newsletters and toolbox talks.

A HSE starter pack is available for all our sites. It includes all the necessary instructions, checklists, strategies and reporting chains to establish a comprehensive and practical HSE programme for any camp.

Auditing and reporting

Regular health and safety compliance audits are conducted by an external, objective party according to the documented processes.

Microbiological testing on food samples and swabs is conducted by an external, objective party according to maximum acceptable levels as defined by legislation.

Accidents and incidents are reported and investigated.  As far as is reasonably practicable, measures are initiated to prevent re-occurrence.

Food safety and HACCP-aligned processes

Our health and safety practices in the catering outlets are process driven. All processes are HACCP (Hazard Analysis Critical Control Points) aligned and documented.

Our industry faces the realities of intermittent management absence, labour turnover and a semi-skilled workforce. The adoption of a process-driven approach ensures consistency in the application of health and safety practices and procedures.   

Food safety policy

Our policy objectives include ensuring that all food supplied to, or delivered within and by the company is stored, handled and transported in accordance with the relevant legislative requirements, and that all premises used for the preparation of food are registered with the appropriate local authority. 

Our sites and kitchens are expected to have appropriate and adequate management systems and controls in place, commensurate with their type of food provision. All risks associated with food provision have to be reduced to a tolerable level.  All food handlers must be competent to undertake their duties in accordance with the requirements of our policy.

Partnering with our clients

Many of our clients, in particular the mining houses, have systems that guide health and safety in their particular industry. In cases where we are contractually obliged to adopt our client’s systems, we will take the necessary steps to comply.

We welcome and encourage joint weekly inspections of the facilities by our client’s HSE representative, accompanied by our site manager and HSE officer.