The Fiji Sugar Corporation was concerned with protecting the safety, health and welfare of employees in the workplace.

Chief Operating Officer Navin Chandra said the enjoyment of these standards at the highest levels should be accessible every worker.

Late last month, FSC Rarawai Mill prided itself in being the first of the company’s sugar mills to reward employees who advocated and adopted a safety culture within their work environment.

Mr Chandra officiated at the presentation and challenged staff saying the safety journey was one taken towards making sure each and every staff member was safe.

“We are individually responsible for safety. It starts with us”.

Two Health and Safety programmes were introduced in the company in May. – these were the Hazard Identification and the Safe Moves Check programmes.

Since its inception, a total of 118 Hazards and Unsafe Moves have been identified across all three mills.

The programme identified Monthly Champions which eventually led to Champions being recognised each quarter.

In the first, the Champions for the Quarter all worked at the Rarawai Mill.

Over a span of three months, Saimon Balram, the Champion of the Quarter reported a total of 27 hazards,  Asish Lal reported 10 whilst Kritesh Kumar reported four hazards respectively.

Additionally, the Rarawai Mill also reported a total of 58 Hazards and Unsafe Moves within this same three month period.

“It is essential to take a systematic approach towards ensuring a safer work environment,” FSC chief executive officer Graham Clark said.

“Safety should be part of our key values, not a priority because priorities can change.

“But if we see safety as a key value, it becomes embedded in everything we do as we engage ourselves in the work environment”.

Whilst the FSC has a challenging road ahead in enhancing workplace safety in all its mills, given the age of these mills, the FSC quality and safety journey has well and truly begun.

Feedback:  charles.chambers@fijisun.com.fj