Taking the health and safety high road
Sir Richard Branson once said that for a business to thrive it’s the employees who must come first.
We couldn’t agree more and for us a big part of that is making sure we are doing everything we can to keep our people safe. This was a key part of our reasoning to achieve ISO 45001:2018 certification – a global standard for occupational health and safety management systems.
Typically, the title is rather jargon-laden but it means we are following an international golden standard in terms of how we ensure our people are kept safe and healthy. Plus, it also covers how we manage other aspects of health and safety, such as worker wellness and wellbeing.
Health and Safety and Wellbeing has become a hygiene factor in every New Zealand business particularly following the introduction of new H&S in 2016. And, it’s especially relevant for 3R Group considering the often hazardous nature of the work our operations staff do; collecting and processing paint and solvents, collecting chemicals, driving trucks around the country and dismantling child car seats.
The wellbeing component has also been incredibly relevant over the last two years as we help our staff navigate Covid-19 alongside the other stresses of life away from the pressures of work.
The ISO 45001:2018 certification has been nearly four years in the making, with the decision to pursue it first made in 2018 after the standard was first released. After a great deal of groundwork, we made an attempt in 2019, which was supposed to continue in 2020. However, due to the Covid-19 outbreak this was delayed meaning we had to start over as too much time had passed. Our second successful attempt was started in 2020 and completed in 2021.
ISO 4501:2018 aligns closely with our ISO 14001:2015 Environmental Management certification, which we first achieved in 2008. Both certifications reinforce to suppliers and customers our commitment to environmental management systems and safe work practices. The certification, audited by TELARC, provides an independent third party audited framework.
The certification is valid for three years, but involves yearly ‘surveillance audits’, which not only help keep us sharp but provide a framework for us to grow and continually improve with.
