At Griffith Foods, we are committed to advancing our workplace health and safety standards. Our Health and Safety Management Program (WHS) is aligned with the International Organization for Standardization (ISO) 45001 Occupational Health and Safety Standard, ensuring that we adhere to all applicable health and safety laws and regulations. Currently, five of our 20 sites are ISO 45001 certified, and we are actively working toward certifying additional locations. Through regular risk assessments, hazard identification walk-throughs, and audits, we continuously strive to enhance our safety measures.
Achievements and Strategic Improvements
In fiscal year 2023, we made significant strides in improving our health and safety performance:
- Reduction in Total Recordable Incident Rate (TRIR): We successfully reduced our global TRIR by more than 35% from FY22 to FY23, demonstrating fewer injuries requiring medical treatment per 1 million hours worked.
- Zero-Injury Target: We have made notable progress toward eliminating life-altering events and reducing lost-time injuries. Our unwavering focus remains on providing a safe and accessible workplace for all employees.
Policy and Management Enhancements in 2023
Our efforts to cultivate a culture of safety include several key initiatives:
Cultural and Behavioral Safety Enhancements
- “Safety Built In” workshops: These two-day leadership workshops aim to drive safety performance through cultural improvement. They have been held in Scarborough, Canada; Alsip, Illinois; Lithonia, Georgia; and Costa Rica, with plans to expand to more locations in FY24.
- Employee engagement: By involving employees in our safety strategy through regular workplace observations and continuous improvement processes, we enhance their participation in reducing incidents.
- Ergonomic risk reduction: We have implemented a global systematic approach to reduce ergonomic risks associated with material handling, promoting safer work conditions.
Global Safety Systems
- New technology: We upgraded to an improved software system for tracking incidents, implementing corrective and preventive actions, and soliciting employee safety concerns.
- Workplace Health and Safety Perception Survey: The results of our inaugural survey have been shared with employees. Actions are being taken at all manufacturing locations to enhance safety performance based on the feedback.
Continuous Improvement and Compliance
Our commitment to continuous improvement and compliance is reflected in our health and safety committees:
- Health and Safety Committees: These facility-level committees are essential in implementing our health and safety policies. They identify specific challenges and lead local training initiatives. They report to our Global Workplace Health and Safety Committee, which meets monthly, and to our WHS Community, which convenes quarterly.
By fostering a culture of safety, Griffith Foods ensures that all employees work in an environment where their health and wellbeing are prioritized. We will continue to build on these achievements and strive for excellence in workplace safety.
