Biffa Case Study
Biffa successfully takes on the challenge of behavioural safety
The Waste Industry is the most dangerous place to work in the UK when viewing fatality figures. The establishment of a good safety culture was proving to be a real challenge due to the constantly changing workplace, the inconsistencies of the waste-producing public and industrial customers, the high staff turnover, business acquisitions and ever increasing new contracts.
Working closely with JOMC they have now engaged with their workforce to achieve a more open and inclusive culture, resulting in sustained improvement in safety outcomes.
The work started in South Wales as a pilot in 2002. This resulted in a 37% reduction in Lost Time Injuries (LTI) and 39% reduction in RIDDOR injuries. The JOMC programme was then rolled out to other parts of Biffa across the UK. To date 5500 employees have all taken part in Culture Based Safety workshops - with every one being attended and supported by a Biffa Director. These have been followed up by the introduction of a behavioural support programme - BiffSafe.
The results speak for themselves with overall accident rates being halved from a Reportable Injury Rate (per 100,000hrs) of 2.87 in 2004 to 1.43 in 2007. The most notable success has been seen in the Integrated Waste Management Contracts. During the time working with JOMC there has been an 80% reduction in LTI rates. See chart below.
Biffa is committed to improving safety through the sustained improvement in its Safety Culture. In 2007 Biffa was cited in a detailed comparative report from the Chartered Institution of Wastes Management to be the operator in the UK that demonstrated 'best practice'.
