For OPTALERT customer, BIS Industries Limited (BIS), Zero Harm is more than just a catch phrase – it’s a crucial part of business strategy.
Not only is BIS a leading provider of innovative support solutions to the resource sector, the steel sector and their related industries, they’re also recognised as a leader in the embracement of new technologies aimed at achieving a Zero Harm environment.
In addition to providing specialised services to primary industries within Australia, the company also has extensive experience in major infrastructure projects and related support activities.
BIS’s Director of OHS&E, Tim Gibson believes their positive reputation and success over many years has been fostered by a dedication to safety.
“Our commitment to Zero Harm and achieving the best occupational health, safety and environmental practices for employees, contractors, customers and communities is a key component of attracting and retaining the best people,” says Gibson, who’s work with BIS has included implementing a systematic risk management system for the organisation’s mining, coal and steel sectors across Australia.
His role also includes conceptualising, developing and implementing leading edge OHS and Workers Compensation (WC) policies, programs and systems to facilitate and support the achievement of a Zero Harm environment.
Gibson says BIS has been working with OPTALERT over the last four years, with the technology forming a critical part of the BIS Zero Harm Focus in terms of assisting with Fatigue Risk Management.
“The culture we are trying to develop is one of interdependence, with all employees empowered to make the necessary decisions to ensure their own safety as well as that of people around them.”
Gibson says at BIS, Zero Harm means zero injuries and zero environmental damage, adding that the company places great emphasis on encouraging a safety culture by setting clear goals, ensuring employees are skilled and trained and encouraging people at all levels to be leaders in safety.
“Every manager at BIS is accountable for achieving Zero Harm, and is expected to demonstrate leadership in creating a culture which actively promotes that as a key organisational policy,” he says. “We reinforce health and safety as a core value.”
A crucial part of that policy, according to Gibson, has been the adoption of the OPTALERT Alertness Monitoring System.
“The fact that this technology can give the driver live information on their own level of drowsiness and associated risk, means they are able to make decisions about managing their own fatigue before ‘microsleep’ has a chance to occur,” he says.
That is very much in line with BIS’s broader Zero Harm policies and philosophy, and it has seen the company work with OPTALERT to specifically develop technology which is suited to their on-road logistics operations.
Gibson sees the potential for expansion of the OPTALERT technology’s applications across the company’s mining, coal and steel sectors for both on and off road operations, adding that the integration into their operations over time has allowed them to fine tune the approach taken to engaging employees.
“Like all new technologies people take time to understand the value it can bring, but BIS employees have embraced the OPTALERT glasses and understand the introduction is entirely about their safety,” he says.
It’s an attitude which informs the company’s hiring policy, and is reflected in the attitudes of every employee.
“At the end of the day, we believe that workplace safety is everybody’s business, and all accidents, injuries and harm can be prevented,” Gibson says. “OPTALERT allows us to pursue that goal, and ensures we can offer the best possible tools to every employee so that they can own that objective also.”