More than just working safely

“SHE -Safety, Health and Environment - is Van Loon Group’s number one priority” says Wilfried Aarsen, SHE Manager Van Loon Group. "Together with a team of dedicated SHE coordinators -each responsible for Health & Safety at their own site- Wilfried gives meaning to 'Caring for People' every day, for example through the implementation of established 'Life Saving Rules'."

Together, we investigated work-related on-site incidents. We analysed the causes and compiled a top three. It was immediately clear that action needed to be taken. We decided to intensify previously established safety agreements and – last but not least – supported supervisors in initiating conversations about these issues. This support took the form of a campaign we called ‘Life Saving Rules’. In this campaign, toolboxes and visual materials are used to explain the rules are and their importance. Employee well-being is at the heart of everything,” states Jaap Kok (SHE Coordinator, Best location).

Marcel Veelders (SHE Coordinator, Denekamp site): "As SHE coordinators, we are intrinsically motivated to do things differently and raise awareness among colleagues. We definitely don’t want to come across as preachy; rather, we want to convey that we care about everyone and are doing everything in our power to ensure our colleagues work safely. Our goal is to ensure everyone returns home safely every day - that’s what we’re aiming for. Of course, we can’t achieve this alone; we need each other. So, the goal is twofold - we also want to make other colleagues aware that we all need to look out for one another and help each other work safely."

"To truly implement the ‘Life Saving Rules’, we conduct ‘Safety Walks’ at our site. During these walks, managers regularly tour the facility and discuss potentially hazardous situations with colleagues - while also offering positive feedback when the ‘Life Saving Rules’ are being followed. This way, it's not just talk; you could say our policy is being transformed into real-world behaviours. Another way to encourage action is through the Zenya app. In this app, all employees can report unsafe situations. Action is taken based on the reports, and feedback is provided. It’s great to see more and more employees getting involved and actively submitting reports via Zenya! We need to find the risks before they find our colleagues,” says Wilfried.

When asked, “What will ‘Caring for People’ at Van Loon Group look like in five years’ time?”, the team unanimously replies: “Our ultimate goal is to become redundant because there are no more unsafe situations or accidents. That would be the ideal outcome. In reality, there will always be an SHE team, precisely because we always want and need to stay up to date at Van Loon Group. 

In five years’ time, colleagues will take even better care of one another, speak up about unsafe situations, and report more incidents through the Zenya app. These reports will be followed up extensively, allowing us to take appropriate actions to prevent unsafe situations from happening again — a clear step on our ‘Road to Zero Harm’.