MECH TOOL

Improved safety processes increased productivity ten-fold

Mach-Tool Engineering’s customers work in high hazard industries and expect exceptional standards in health and safety. Mach-Tool already had a good safety record, being ISO 9000 accredited and awarded. To take their safety to the next level, they updated to AS4801 and simplified health and safety management by integrating it into the overall management system.

Upgrading the company management systems to AS4801 has improved customer confidence, increased orders, and increased productivity tenfold. It also means that Mach-Tool can pre-qualify for tender opportunities.

A commitment to safety

The Directors committed the company to achieving AS4801. The process included a review of all management processes and integration of health and safety management into the system. The Directors also empowered the Quality, Audit and Safety Manager to manage changes.

Key success factors were:

• Ensuring all of the workforce were consulted, supported, and understood their role in the new management processes
• Implementing a scheme to reward shop floor initiatives that improved health and safety management
• Improved clarity of health and safety performance, actualised by opening monthly team briefings with a review

Health and safety benefits

The initiate had the desired effect, improving health and safety performance in a number of areas, including:

• A reduced administrative burden that released management to aid in shop floor improvements
• A more proactive approach to the management of health and safety, with managers and supervisors involved in risk assessment and safe systems of work
• Greater clarity of health and safety performance provided to the workforce as well as empowerment to improve health and safety performance

Business benefits

Safety was more than just great for morale – it also improved Mach-Tool’s profitability through:

• Increased customer confidence leading to repeat orders
• Orders won because of Mach-Tool’s higher health and safety performance
• Improved ability to pre-qualify for tender opportunities
• A new metal preparation process to reduce health and safety risk and improve quality has improved productivity by tenfold
• Reduction of the administrative burden involved in completing health and safety information required by tender prequalification applications.

‘The inclusion of health and safety into an integrated management system assists the company in demonstrating a commitment to health and safety to both customers and employees. The more standardised systems and processes give numerous benefits.’

 Production Supervisor

A company wide effort

The Board of Directors embraced the adoption of a positive safety culture and appointed Work Safety Hub to develop the safety management system and oversee its implementation.

Employees were encouraged to be safety conscious at all times and in all places, regardless of their role. Continuous awareness initiatives include regular meetings, toolbox talks, and safety audits to engage staff in continuous improvement. Safety Management review meetings are held every four months with representatives from staff, hourly paid employees, and the Managing Director. A committee meeting is held monthly and encourages representatives to raise health and safety matters.

An employee safety improvement award scheme has been implemented to encourage the workforce to seek improvements.

In recent years, the company has received formal recognition of its health and safety record.

‘Management involvement demonstrates that they are very approachable in matters of health and safety. This sends out the message to the workforce that continual effort is being put into providing a safer working environment.’

Representative of Workshop Safety