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Oil, Gas, Petrochemical Industry News
News Release from: Quadrant
Edited by the Processingtalk Editorial
Team on 19 August 2005
5000 accident-free days on record
Maintaining and extending its strong safety record, Quadrant Engineering Plastic Products Technology Centre at Tielt, passed the milestone of 5000 accident-free days on 21 May 2005
Maintaining and extending its strong safety record, Quadrant Engineering Plastic Products (Quadrant EPP) Technology Centre at Tielt, passed the milestone of 5000 accident-free days on May 21, 2005 The Quadrant EPP definition of an accident is any event that requires more than minor first-aid and results in an operator not immediately being able to return to his duties, and therefore a loss of work
This article was originally published on Processingtalk on 23 Sep 2004 at 8.00am (UK)
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The last such accident at the Tielt facility was recorded on September 11, 1991.
"This achievement is very much a team effort," says Tielt TC Manager, Paul Hernou: "We have good safety procedures in place but, ultimately they work only because every individual commits himself to following them: The fact that we have not had a lost-work accident for more than 13 years is proof of that commitment".
The effort required to maintain safety is not inconsiderable.
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Quadrant EPP employs 40 staff at its Tielt Technology Centre, 30 of them directly engaged in production.
"We operate a two shift system, which means that the workshop is active 16 hours a day," explains Hernou "Our work is machining plastic stock shapes into finished products and for the most part involves using metal working machines for turning and milling.
However the final production step is the deburring of parts and that is carried out manually using a knife, so overall we have a potentially high safety-risk environment".
To counter this risk all staff regularly follow safety courses, including temporary workers assigned to the team.
This is supported by a number of programmes that Paul Hernou believes are key to ensuring safety in the workplace.
"We operate what we refer to as a 'Stop Programme'.
Anyone who sees anything that they consider to be unsafe reports it.
If it's a procedure then it's stopped immediately.
All such reports are registered, investigated, changes put in place if necessary and then monitored.
In addition to improving safety, we share this information as it contributes to best practice.
We also operate a 'Job Safety Analysis' programme.
If a job that we are to undertake is perceived as potentially hazardous, a complete analysis is carried out to determine what actions need to be taken to make the task safer.
This is a vital accident prevention process in which operators make a valuable contribution".
The Tielt TC facility 5000 accident-free days are a testament to these work practices.
To mark this success the Technical Centre received the Quadrant Safety Award, recognising the achievement, from Tielt Site Manager Arie Zwep, on May 23.
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