Be GFG Safe – celebrating Safety around the world

As we mark World Day for Safety and Health at Work 2023, we take a look at some stories from around the business highlighting different aspects of Safety.

From LIBERTY Steel UK

LIBERTY Częstochowa – we speak to V. Krishnamoorthy about the Safety Transformation at the plant.

• Talk us through some of the transformation you are leading in Częstochowa?

LIBERTY Czestochowa is the youngest in the Liberty Group. It was bought in 2021 and at the time, there was an absence of a “safety culture”. There was a real concern about how to bring the site to the high standards of the other plants. In many ways any improvement we made, would have resulted in a positive impact. It was an uphill task, but we were undaunted, we took tasks that bordered on the impossible with a time frame that felt outright insane. Our strategy was to break the challenges to chewable bites, look at one element at a time, and assigned task forces that handled individual bits. We broke the challenge to:

• Uniform PPES
• Procedure for working at heights
• Access to confined spaces
• Housekeeping
• Access to moving parts
• LOTOv system
• High voltage protection
• Standard access platforms for loading, unloading and repair works
• Walkways and marking
• Chains and lifting equipment
• Tagging and marking mobile equipment
• Forklift safety
• Use of stoppers for wagons

And followed up relentlessly with weekly reviews performed by me, with a monthly review by senior management and regular safety audits by all members of the team. The safety head was leading the entire process, ably assisted by every department director, maintenance heads and union representatives. My role was that of an observer and facilitator.

Safety is non-negotiable. Nothing is more important. This transformation simply means we value our place of work and our people.

• What are key elements that you must do, to make it successful?

Besides making financial resources to reach certain industry standards, the most I had to do was drive safety in every walk of life. Every review starts with a recap of safety. Every planned maintenance starts with a safety plan. And the main message that safety is an ongoing journey, you never reach the end because you always have to stay vigilant. One can’t rest on one’s laurels. Years and years of work can be destroyed in one careless moment. It is like running on a treadmill running in the opposite direction. You do a lot of running to stay where you are. One moment of rest and you are dragged and dumped from where you progressed!

From SIMEC Mining Iron Ore Australia

SIMEC Mining marks the day with fair dinkum Aussie barbie

The SIMEC Mining Magnetite operations team chose a traditional and appropriate way to mark World Safety Day on April 28. 

The team gathered for a barbecue in the Pellet Plant and at SMR Fixed Plant at the Whyalla steelworks in South Australia.

A broad range of people participated including team members from processing, maintenance, safety, CI and training. 

It was a good opportunity to come together, share a barbie and pause and reflect on why we work safety

Daniel Rowland

The barbecue and get-together was an ideal way to remind everyone of this year’s GFG Alliance World Safety Theme of ‘what’s your reason for being safe’. 

“It was a good opportunity to come together, share a barbie and pause and reflect on why we work safety,” Head of Magnetite, Daniel Rowland said.

“It gave everyone a chance to step away for a moment from their otherwise busy day to remind ourselves on the personal ‘why’ we stay safe and share those reasons with others. 

“Thanks to everyone who helped organise this event and everyone who chooses to work safely every day.” 

From the GFG Adelaide office in Australia

Pictures tell safety story in Adelaide office

The GFG Adelaide office came together on World Safety Day (April 28) with an innovative approach to our theme of ‘what’s your reason for being safe’.

Adelaide staff and visitors from other sites were brought together by Kellie Collins (Head of Health and Safety for LIBERTY Primary Metals Australia Safety) for a morning tea and to share their reasons for being safe and what they go home to.

Every staff member was asked to bring their phone into the lunchroom and bring up a picture that represented their main reason for going home safe. Ranging from family to pets, hobbies, places and football teams, staff then shared their pictures with others before an impromptu survey on our commitment to safety in our business and an enlightening talk from Kellie.

We all share a common belief that all injuries and illnesses can and should be prevented in our workplace

Kellie Collins

“I’d like to thank everyone for coming together to remind each other of our continued commitment to reducing workplace harm,” Kellie said.

“When we asked, in the impromptu survey, if we truly believed that all injuries and illnesses were able to be prevented in our workplace, and whether we felt that our direct manager and peers cared for our safety, the response was an anonymous belief.    

“We all share a common belief that all injuries and illnesses can and should be prevented in our workplace.

“But this can only be achieved if we work together.

“By getting to know each other, and sharing what is close to our hearts, empowers us to look after one another … our commitment to caring.” 

Events like this in the Adelaide office, and others around our various sites, illustrate the Australian businesses vision of Be GFG Safe and reinforce our Safety Connect messages that explains why we must intervene and why we need to go home safely.