1 Million Hours Recordable Injury-Free: A Remarkable Safety Milestone for the Belle Banne Conveyors Team
Belle Banne Conveyors’ journey to 1 million hours free of a recordable injury began in March 2018 and culminated at the end of August 2023.
Over the five-year period, the 150+ employees who make up the Belle Banne Conveyors Team, have served clients across various industries in the Victoria region including mines, power stations, quarries, and manufacturing plants including paper mills. Beyond Victoria, Belle Banne Conveyors also provide supplementary labour to support projects from parent company, Fenner Conveyors, throughout Australia.
In these diverse and challenging environments, team members take on high-risk activities every day, including conveyor maintenance, belt installations and refurbishments.
These risks are mitigated through safe systems of work, specialised training, verification of competencies, safe work procedures all the while Belle Banne providing open two-way communication for employees to report all/any hazards and improvements.
Health & Safety Officer, Ane Soares Grass, explained that the nature of conveyor service work can be extremely high-risk if not conducted safely.
“Our team members are required to move across sites and around systems with heavy-duty equipment moving at high-speeds. This is why we've invested in our team's safety,” said Soares Grass. “Initiatives such as SafetyCircle and HIRAC (Hazard Identification, Risk Assessment and Control) are among many competencies within the Fenner Conveyors Group’s training programs which all contribute to providing a safe place of work.”
The Belle Banne Conveyors team's dedication to safety is evident through monthly Safety Act Observations (SAOs), regular safety audits, and Health and Safety toolbox meetings, ensuring potential hazards are addressed promptly.
“Since beginning with Belle Banne Conveyors 12 months ago, I have witnessed the efforts our employees make every day to ensure their health and safety, as well as that of those around them. I am proud of the dedication and hard work of our people. While there is always room for improvement, we can achieve this through maintaining a strong safety culture and open communication,” said Soares Grass.
Workshop Supervisor, Duane Hill, said “Safety is embedded throughout all our job tasks.”
The team consistently utilise and update standard job instructions, including rigging procedures which encompass pictorial instructions taking out all the guess work.
“In our workshop we maintain SDS folders for all products on site. We provide all the safety equipment and PPE necessary to do the work. We complete mobile plant inspections daily and work within our customers rigorous plant access and permitting systems,” said Hill.
Yallourn Branch Manager, Ray Moretti, encapsulated the significance of this safety milestone for the team; "Every day is a huge milestone. Every day that we don’t hurt anyone, we’ve had a great day.”
“To get to 1 million hours is outstanding, but ultimately every single day our utmost aim is to ensure all team members go home safe."
Reaching 1 million hours without a recordable injury is a testament to the dedication, hard work, and commitment of the Belle Banne Conveyors team. It's not just a milestone; it's a reflection of their unwavering commitment to ensuring the safety and well-being of all team members.
“Now, and as we move forward together, Belle Banne Conveyors will remain focused on maintaining our safety culture and setting industry-standards for excellence,” said Moretti.
