HSE chair Judith Hackitt was shown how innovative technology is intertwined with a strong safety culture during a recent visit to Jaguar Land Rover’s Castle Bromwich facility.
During the walking tour, Ms Hackitt witnessed the manufacturing techniques involved in the company’s aluminium car-body production, and heard about the safety systems in place.
She was also given an insight into the company’s ‘Safety Commitment’, which involves managers at all levels taking accountability for safety. Along with proper plans in place to manage safety on a day-to-day basis, the company considers this ‘Commitment’ to be the driver behind a year-on-year reduction in lost-time incidents.
Commenting on what she saw, Ms Hackitt said: “Many of the engineering innovations I saw at Jaguar have helped improve productivity and efficiency and also eliminate risks to employees. The advanced robotic technology used by Jaguar Land Rover and the move to aluminium bodywork are not only efficient from a manufacturing perspective but from a worker safety point of view, too.
“I was also pleased to hear about the company’s commitment to create a health and safety culture that everyone is part of, from the top table down to the workers on the ground – a great template for other companies to follow.”
Grant McPherson, operations director at the site, said: “At Jaguar Land Rover we continue to strive for improvements in safety and, as we develop and invest in new technologies and our future, we look forward to a continued positive and open relationship with the HSE, in order to be part of how industry can drive forward the safety agenda.”
Manufacturing is a traditionally high-risk sector, but has made some progress on health and safety in recent years. In 2010/11, the industry accounted for 27 fatal injuries to workers compared with an average of 30 in the previous five years – about a quarter of the number 20 years ago.
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