VGC Be Safe brief October 2020

This is your October 2020 Be Safe brief 

There are two versions of the safety brief – a video version and a text version.

Please watch or read the version that you prefer, and then click at the bottom of the page to confirm that you have understood it.

Page contents

• Video version of the brief
• Text version of the brief
• Confirmation form to complete

Video

Text version

This month's brief includes

• thank you to Luiz
• seasonal clock change
• World mental health day

This month’s ‘See it, share it’ is a thank you to Jose Luiz

Jose (left) works on our GNetwork contract, installing 5G fibre broadband cables. He noticed an excavator weeping hydraulic fluid from a damaged hose, so he stopped the machine and asked the supplier’s mechanic to repair it.

Thank you, Jose – this shows we deliver on our promises, especially our promise to protect the environment, which is important to us and our clients. 

Please share observations and good practice by emailing besafe@vgcgroup.co.uk 

Welfare facilities

Health and safety regulations say you should have adequate welfare on site.

• You must have toilets, washing facilities, drinking water, clothing accommodation, changing facilities and somewhere to rest where you are protected from bad weather.
• You must have somewhere to store and heat up meals you have brought in.
• During the pandemic, it is vital to consider social distancing, and pre and after-use cleaning.

If you feel the welfare on site doesn’t meet your needs, please tell your line manager. If you would rather talk to our HSQE team, please email besafe@vgcgroup.co.uk

Seasonal clock change

The clocks go back on Sunday 25 October at 02:00. Be aware that your body will take time to adjust. And be extra careful on the roads: road casualty rates increase with the darker nights and poor weather.
Road traffic crashes increase by 3.9% in the fortnight after the autumn change. 
41% of the additional crashes, an average of 117 each year, result in injury to pedestrians.

Drivers:

When driving in the dark or in poor weather, leave more space between you and the vehicle in front, to give you more reaction time for braking. 

Check your vehicle before you drive off. Make sure the tyres are in good condition, the windows are clean and the washer bottle is topped up. 

Remember:

If you are wearing high-vis or driving a VGC vehicle, you are the public face of VGC. So please bear in mind that your actions reflect on VGC as a whole.        

World Mental Health day - 10 October 2020

World Mental Health Day is on 10 October. This year’s theme, set by the World Federation for Mental Health, is ‘mental health for all’.

All our lives have been changed by the COVID-19 pandemic. The months of lockdown and loss have had a huge impact on everyone. 

While awareness and understanding of mental health is improving, stigma still exists in the workplace. People still find it difficult to tell their employer that they have mental health difficulties, particularly in construction. 

At VGC, we believe that the mental health and wellbeing of our staff is key to our success. Our directors take an active role in promoting mental health awareness, and all managers go on an awareness course so they can support anyone who comes to them with issues.

If you have an issue or wish to discuss mental health, please contact one of the resources listed at vgcgroup.co.uk/mental-health. 

Remember the be safe rules

Be fit for work

• Come to work rested and alert
• Make sure you are trained for the job
• Have the right PPE for the task
• Declare any medical conditions which may affect your work.

Get a brief before you start work

• Make sure you understand what you are going to do and how.
• Have the right tools and permit
• Ask if you are not sure about anything.

Report anything unsafe

• However big or small it is, report anything you think is unsafe
• Put it right if you can.
• Tell your VGC line manager so we can learn from it.

Stop work if anything changes

• Stop work if something changes from the plan
• Make sure the change has been reassessed before you start again.

And finally

If you have questions about any part of this brief, or want to raise any observations of good practice or things that could be improved, please email besafe@vgcgroup.co.uk or fill in the online form at vgcgroup.co.uk/whistle.

Confirmation form

Please confirm that you have watched or read the safety brief and understood it.

Comments

If you have any questions about the safety brief, contact your line manager or the HSQE team on 01895 671 892 or besafe@vgcgroup.co.uk.