Workplace case studies

Belief in

our potential

Back to safety basics at Amcor Tobacco Packaging

Amcor Tobacco Packaging (ATP) has undertaken a ‘Back to Basics’ approach to improve its safety performance this year.

Safety check-ups review of lock out/tag out procedures has been conducted for all ATP sites.

Co-workers have received behavioural audit training to reinforce safe behaviours and to assist everyone in identifying safety risks. Co-workers have also been asked to read and sign a copy of the Amcor Safety Contract, confirming their commitment to a safe workplace.

Smart phone safety reporting

Amcor’s Packaging Distribution business in the Americas has developed a smart phone application (app) for safety incident response and reporting. The app works on iPhones, Blackberrys, Android phones, iPads and computers and puts critical information in the user’s hands, ready for when they need it.

Should an accident occur, anyone with safety reporting responsibilities can quickly pull out their phone and refer to injury response procedures that will guide them through the steps they need to take – from treating the injury to controlling the scene through to how to inform the treating doctor.

The app also includes a short incident notification form that the user completes using their smart phone. Information about the incident is then automatically sent to a distribution list, ensuring that the right people receive the right information at the right time.

The app is available in English, Spanish and French and includes an up-to-date list of emergency contacts.

Safe driver training

Our sales force drive thousands of kilometres around the world every year; safety is an imperative on the road.

In Europe, our Coffee, Tea and Culinary sales team underwent an intensive car driver safety training program this year. The one-day program addressed a range of health and safety topics such as the correct driver position in the car and how to handle critical driving situations. Participants learnt important skills such as how to brake correctly in curves and how to avoid rapidly approaching obstacles.

Driving speed during the exercises was limited to between 50 and 70 kilometres per hour. All participants experienced what can happen at these speed limits and the potential physical impact at even higher speeds.

The main outcome from the training day was that while learning to handle critical situations is important, a preventative approach to car driving is strongly preferred!

Two Amcor co-workers building a box at a training session

Diversity in Venezuela

Amcor’s site in Valencia, Venezuela decided to focus on people with different capabilities, and began assessing the possibility of incorporating co-workers with disabilities into their work teams.

To support this program, work tasks were reviewed and work stations and facilities were modified to allow those with disabilities to work in the same conditions as other co-workers.

A two-month sensitisation campaign for all co-workers on the site reinforced the importance of labour diversity and inclusion.

In July 2010, the first co-workers with disabilities joined the Amcor site. The program has been very successful and the new co-workers are now part of the team.

Empowering our people for success

The co-worker engagement rating at our Australasian Functional Coatings site improved by over 10% in 2010 compared to 2009.

Site Manager Hayley Pearson credits a number of things for boosting the engagement and morale of co-workers at the site, including achieving sales growth, meeting budget targets, and improved communication. Importantly, co-workers are empowered to deal with obstacles that affect the success of the business.

An enhanced safety focus on site has also included improvements to the corrective action system, communicating regular safety topics in the weekly report and daily mail, and regular safety tool box talks. The key message of the safety activities has been ‘zero harm’, with a firm belief that no injuries is achievable. To ensure the message is taken home, a children’s safety drawing competition (to complete risk assessment of a summer holiday activity) was also well received.

Believing in the team, valuing coworker’s inputs and giving them the right tools to enable them to do their jobs have been important factors in improving the site’s engagement ratings. Hayley said “We will continue to build the level of trust and increase morale throughout all areas of the business. We are all one team, with one goal – the ongoing success of our business!”

New vehicles reduce loading and unloading risks

Safety incidents during loading and unloading trailers have reduced by twothirds since the introduction of more user-friendly vehicles at Amcor Paper.

Using the convential trailer, handling large paper reels was a risky job for an Amcor co-worker, who would have to stand on the back of the truck and work near heavy machinery to complete the task.

As part of the new contract extension signed with a fleet supplier, Amcor requested that they introduce Wingliner vehicles to replace many of the conventional trailers in the network. This came at a cost, but the investment is worth it to reduce the safety risks.

While previous trailers had only a rear door for loading (similar to a shipping container), the solid sides of Wingliners can be hydraulically lifted to allow for loading through the side of a truck.

Wingliners are a safer option because a person does not have to stand on the back of the vehicle during loading and unloading, reducing the need to climb into the vehicle and working close to reel grabs. The new approach also reduces the risk of strains in moving heavy reels around the back of the truck or injury due to reels falling from the back of a vehicle if there is a fault with the heavy lifting equipment. The driver can now stand safely away from the loading operation.

Advancing our talent

Amcor Australasia’s Talent Advancement Program (TAP) is designed to accelerate the development of co-workers, broadening their experiences and networks, and providing them with the opportunity to undertake an Action Learning Project.

Earlier this year, TAP participants presented their Action Learning Project findings and recommendations to the Australasia Leadership team. From Top Line Growth to Diversity, the team enjoyed ten presentations on topics of strategic importance to the division.

TAP participants and the Australasia Leadership team also joined together to spend some time mentoring high school students taking part in the ‘Worlds of Work’ Program with the Foundation for Young Australians. Amcor Australasia’s TAP is run biennially.

In the safety spotlight

Amcor was included in the report issued by CITI, 'Safety spotlight: ASX100 companies and more'. The report compared the safety reporting and the safety results achieved by the companies in the ASX100 index of the Australian Securities Exchange.

Amcor's reporting is considered comprehensive, when compared to many other companies in the index. We have addressed the clarifications needed for our reporting to be judged as best practice. We are also addressing the problem of lower reported injuries at our sites in developing countries.

Compared to the ASX100 companies that report safety data, Amcor has some of the lowest LTIFR and RCFR numbers.

Earthquake response at Cartons, Christchurch New Zealand

Co-workers at Cartons, Christchurch were quick to respond to the devastating effects of two major earthquakes that struck the New Zealand city this year.

When the 7.1 magnitude earthquake struck Christchurch in the early morning on 4 September 2010, co-workers were quick to arrive at the site to ensure safety hazards were minimised. A crisis team was established to ensure all pallets and gas lines were secured, arrange immediate machinery maintenance and to conduct vital safety checks to ensure all co-workers could confidently return to work. Success of the recovery has been attributed to having a comprehensive and well understood Emergency Response Plan which covered people, building, machinery, materials, product and neighbours.

When the second devastating quake hit the city on the 22 February 2011, the site was quick to implement the Response Plan again. While there were no casualties or lost time injuries following both earthquakes, the impact to our co-workers has been personally devastating, with a number of people losing their homes and others with homes that are no longer liveable.

We understand that our Christchurch co-workers will continue to feel the impacts of the natural disaster for many months to come. We will continue to work together through this difficult time and focus on the safety and health of our co-workers.

Beverage Cans Rocklea - Recognised for Safety

The Beverage Cans Team at Rocklea were finalists in the National Safety Council of Australia’s (NSCA) Safety Awards in October.

They were highly commended in their category of Business Excellence through OHS&E Management. This category recognises leadership and excellence in integrating occupational heath, safety and the environment within business operation systems.

Beverage Cans Rocklea pulled the whole site together with a huge range of initiatives focused on safe equipment, systems and behaviours. Along the way the team solved some of the sites longest running hazards with innovative guarding and LOTO (Lock Out/Tag Out) solutions.

Courageous conversations were encouraged and recognised at every morning meeting and the site introduced a weekly meeting of shift safety representatives to address issues specific to their shift. Shift managers and team leaders were also encouraged to hold ‘switch on’ conversations with their crews on their first shift back each week. The entire Rocklea team learnt more about what it takes to make a safe work culture everyday.

The safety journey continues but the team has shown a tremendous turn around in 2009- 2010 with over 600 days LTI Free and are now well on the way toward achieving zero harm.

Risk assessment improves safety

Our Functional Coatings site in Australia demonstrated that traditional methods of working can be challenged to improve safety.

Identifying and resolving an unsafe practice that was more than 20 years old, Functional Coatings was awarded Amcor Australasia’s internal Sharing Safety Solutions award for their work in minimising plant and manual handling risk at the site.

The previous practice involved the removal of wrap around a roll of material, known as a ‘Chill Roll’. Past practice saw removal of the wrap by means of a co-worker walking on the roll in a treadmill fashion, whilst hanging onto an overhead crane rail. The site’s Safety Team assessed the risk associated with this activity and suggested a better solution involving the removal of the chill roll from the machine prior to removing the wrap. This process introduced the use of an overhead crane to minimise manual handling, but also revealed other manual handling issues to address. Again, the Safety Team were able to adapt further improvements to resolve these flow on issues.

This winning safety solution, and running up entries were communicated to co-workers through an internal newsletter as well as on a Safety Intranet Site.

Mobile phone safety policy

A publicised fatality at a non-Amcor site in Australia, involving the use of a mobile phone in a workplace, prompted our Australasian safety leadership team to develop a new policy for the safe use of mobile phones and other devices.

The policy prohibits the use of any phone or two-way radio while operating vehicles or non-stationary equipment (including talking, texting and taking photos). The policy stipulates that mobile phones, two-way radios and personal music devices (e.g. iPod, MP3, radio) can not to be used in hearing protected areas, restricting their use to designated areas on Amcor Australasia sites.

The new policy has been made available to all Australasian co-workers through the intranet and on site safety noticeboards.

Comments:

Amcor Australasia’s Talent Advancement Program (TAP)is a great step to further develop leaders within the company. Can this be rolled out into all the Amcor divisions?

Posted by Anonymous on October 18,2011 | 05:55AM