April saw CECA's annual Stop. Make a Change initiative come into play, with the 2018 national campaign focusing on Mental Health and Plant Safety in the construction sector.
Over 120 people attended the mental health workshops on 17th and 18th April which were hosted by Eiffage Kier mental health first aiders along with a specialist from RPS. The sessions were held both in the EK kitchen and the DJV Arcadis Cornerblock offices across the road. Centring on resilience and stress, the workshops explored what staff can do to look after themselves and each other amidst a fast paced and busy work lifestyle. Surveys were also sent out at the end of the sessions so that the Safety, Health & Wellbeing team can assess the best ways to improve work life for everyone involved with the project
Mental health is a very real and overlooked issue in the world of construction and it is important to have an open and honest conversation about it, which is why our mental health first aiders, who were trained by Mental Health First Aid (MHFA) England, are on hand to provide support and advice to staff when needed.
The following week EK's Health & Safety Manager and Logistics & Security Lead gave a presentation to the project team about People Plant Interface ahead of the Ground Investigation and Heave Works taking place in the coming months.
The talk focused on the measures that will be implemented to ensure people and plant segregation by employing Safe Systems of Work and types of barriers that might be used were also discussed with strong interaction from attendees who made suggestions and shared experiences from previous projects.
On 24th April, members of the Eiffage Kier team also attended a CECA Plant Safety Event which showcased a range of latest technologies in the plant world. Focus lay largely with reducing the numbers and sizes of blind spots by increasing driver visibility.
The next generation of Cable Avoidance Tool, which can link survey equipment to CAT scans to create an easy utility mapping system, was also exhibited.
These innovations are just a drop in the ocean and form a spring board in helping Eiffage Kier become an exceptional, industry leading contractor and bring to life the EK mantra of, “Safety, Health & Wellbeing, always".