Safety Week at Colas

At Colas, safety is our number one priority. We are fully committed to maintaining a proactive approach to health and safety, ensuring a work environment where everyone can thrive, and accidents and injuries can be prevented, all underpinned by our ten fundamental Life Saving Rules.

Like any organisation operating in a high-risk environment, health and safety is deeply ingrained in our company culture. We strive to create a work environment that promotes physical and mental well-being, where individuals feel safe, supported, and valued. By prioritising health and safety, we aim to not only prevent accidents and injuries but also enhance productivity and efficiency. Our goal is to create a culture of safety excellence where every person returns home safely at the end of each day.

With our business areas and team operating in very diverse ways, within our Asset & Maintenance Solutions business – where our operational population is largest – we have recently developed our Safety Toolkit. The toolkit is designed to build even more engagement by empowering teams to develop their active approach to safety through the elements available within the Safety Toolkit. There are of course mandatory requirements within the toolkit which ensure we adhere to legislation, as well as ensuring the fundamentals of our safety programme are delivered. But we have also included a series of optional elements which empower our teams to make their own decisions about which approaches will work best for them based on their own operational requirements.

To facilitate this customisation process, the toolkit equips them with resources, templates, and guidance to assess and address their unique safety requirements. By involving employees and local stakeholders, we ensure that those closest to the work have an active role in shaping the safety measures that are implemented, fostering a culture of empowerment, engagement, and accountability when it comes to safety.

Across the entirety of our business, our safety policies, procedures, and training programs are regularly reviewed and updated to address emerging risks and incorporate lessons learned from incidents. Our goal is to create an environment where our teams are empowered to take responsibility for their own and their colleagues safety, led by Managers who have attended our Positive Safety Leadership programme which gives them the skills to guide their teams in ensuring there is a proactive approach to safety by everyone, for everyone.

Aligned with our unwavering commitment to health and safety, we recognise the importance of safety across the Global Colas Group during our annual Safety Week. This week-long event serves as a dedicated platform to highlight the importance of health and safety within our organisation.

This year, our theme is the “Management of Change” and the principle of Stop, Think, Act. It highlights the importance of effectively managing and adapting to changes in our operations to maintain a safe working environment, and links strongly to our approach of individual responsibility.

Throughout Global Safety Week, we are engaging our colleagues in activities and discussions centred around the Management of Change and Stop, Think, Act. We emphasise the need to pause, reflect, and evaluate potential risks before taking action. By integrating this principle into our daily operations, we encourage all employees to consciously assess their tasks, consider potential hazards, and take appropriate safety measures. This proactive approach ensures that safety remains at the forefront of every action we undertake.

With daily activity taking place for many teams, they are also taking the opportunity to include training and discussions on wider safety matters. For some this may include the development of their local safety plan and for others it could be training relating to underground services.

Our values are active in Colas, and our approach to health and safety highlights this. We bring Caring, Sharing and Daring to life via our fundamental Life Saving Rules and initiatives such as Global Safety Week, and bespoke safety measures. They empower us to continually enhance our safety performance and promote a culture of proactive safety across our organisation.