This week marks World Day for Safety and Health at Work (28 April), with this year’s focus topic being: a safe and healthy working environment as a fundamental principle and right at work.
The day is recognised by the International Labour Organisation (ILO), a specialised agency of the United Nations that is responsible for setting international labour standards and promoting social justice and decent working conditions around the world.
The key aim of World Day for Safety and Health at Work is to raise awareness of workplace safety and health issues, as well as promote international cooperation and collaboration on these important issues.
The day is celebrated by governments, employers, workers and other stakeholders around the world, who come together to share knowledge and best practices, and to take action to improve working conditions for all.
Health and safety is something that TJ takes extremely seriously. As a haulage and waste company serving a range of industries, ensuring safety in all we do is imperative. Read on to discover the variety of ways in which our health and safety policies support our staff and customers…
TJ hosts annual health and safety inductions to keep staff up-to-date on health and safety practices and to maintain their training levels. This training is delivered online, with staff watching recorded video presentations on topics relevant to their job role.
Lorry drivers, waste transfer station operatives and TJT site employees watched a general health and safety video, followed by a video tailored to their role and the specific hazards they might face during their day-to-day operations. Drivers received information on updated tachograph laws, quarry operatives will be updated on the importance of machinery guarding and waste transfer operatives will be informed about our strict fire watch requirements.
Waste transfer station employees watched a video that discussed site-specific topics such as fire safety and the waste acceptance procedure. TJT site employees watched a quarrying and restoration projects video that discussed site-specific topics such as material extraction, haul road stability and geotechnical awareness.
All employees were provided the opportunity to review company policies, procedures, operations manuals and risk assessments. The different elements of the training were recorded in sections so that each employee could access just those that were relevant to them. The videos were available throughout January for staff to access and watch them at a time to suit them.
This year marks the seventh year of these health and safety inductions. We’re pleased to report a 100% completion rate, meaning that each and every member of staff completed the training within the required timescales.
In October 2018, TJ gained the highly-regarded FORS silver status for the first time and we continue to maintain this exceptional standard – in fact we’ve just been awarded it for the sixth consecutive year! The FORS (Fleet Operator Recognition Scheme) silver accreditation is awarded to operators that maintain Bronze accreditation as well as providing evidence of a number of other factors that demonstrate that they’re operating at a higher level.
Maintaining Silver status involves undergoing a further audit and submitting evidence that we are:
FORS states that: “Silver accreditation confirms that you employ good practice and comply with the requirements laid out by the FORS Standard. By achieving FORS Silver accreditation your fleet will be compliant with the CLOCS Standard for Construction Logistics and with TfL’s Work Related Road Risk.”
We offer Certificate of Professional Competence (CPC) driver training courses to our drivers in-house to ensure they are able to maintain their CPC qualification with ease and without the need to go to an external training provider.
CPC certification is compulsory for all lorry drivers, with periodic training required to ensure all drivers have the necessary certification. TJ’s Fleet Manager and Driver CPC Trainer, Lee Downer, gained his CPC trainer qualification 11 years ago and went onto secure approved training centre status for TJ soon after.
This has meant that since then, it has been possible for all CPC training to be carried out on-site by Lee rather than our drivers having to go off-site and complete separate training programmes elsewhere.
Our drivers also undertake other training to satisfy various customer requirements. For example, some customers require drivers to hold the Passport Scheme Competency Card or Site Safety Awareness (MPQC) Card to enter sites, and this training covers vulnerable road users. Drivers must also complete 35 hours of periodic training every five years in order to be able to continue to drive commercially. That’s another day per year dedicated to road and driver safety!
TJ’s fleet of lorries are frequent road users and all TJ’s drivers are advocates for cycle safety. As part of TJ’s commitment to managing work related road risk (WRRR), particularly regarding vulnerable road users such as cyclists, TJ created its Cycle Safe Campaign in 2016 to raise awareness and to reduce the HGV / cyclist dangers. The initiatives implemented as part of the campaign are:
Since the introduction of the Cycle Safe Campaign, TJ has won two awards. The first was a national award for leading the way with cycle safety. The accolade was awarded by CEMEX, a leader in the building materials industry.
TJ also won the Transport for London award for reducing occupational road risk for the company’s drivers and helping to make our roads safer. Criteria for the award included showing how technology, management systems and behavioural initiatives can reduce road accidents.
Find out more about the services TJ Waste and TJ Transport offer, and get in touch if you have any road safety-related questions.
