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Developing corporate standards

October 3, 2017

FCL continues to build and support a culture of excellence in health and safety.

The Health and Safety Department is developing corporate health and safety standards to be applied consistently across all FCL business units.

“These standards are used to guide operational health and safety plans and procedures, not only for our own employees and facilities but also for contractors coming onsite,” said Cal Sarauer, Director of Health and Safety.

It is important to align safe work practices and standards throughout the company so all employees can work together effectively to prevent incidents and maintain a strong safety culture.

Working safely means reducing the risk of damage to property, environment and reputation. Ultimately, FCL wants employees to go home healthy and injury-free.

Retail impact

Sarauer said the department has also been developing and rolling out a structure for health and safety programs at retail co-operatives. In doing so, components are standardized and inconsistencies are eliminated.

The structure consists of eight health and safety elements: (1) management commitment, (2) hazard and assessment controls, (3) inspections, (4) training and competency, (5) incident investigation, (6) emergency response, (7) supporting programs and (8) records, reporting and continual improvement.

Retail co-operatives appreciate the structure, support and experience. As of May 2017, more than 66 per cent of CRS retail co-operatives’ health and safety programs were in line with the new structure. Sarauer said they will have fewer incidents and lower costs while having a more productive workforce.

“Having a good safety plan in place results in improved quality results and greater efficiencies,” he said.

The Health and Safety Department has also started communicating Incident Alerts and Safety Bulletins across the CRS. By sharing this knowledge, retail co-operatives can become more aware of issues that may impact their employees and operations – effectively taking preventative measures if necessary.