Great start to 2021 for GGF Health, Safety and Environment

Great start to 2021 for GGF Health, Safety and Environment

James MacPherson, GGF Health, Safety and Environment Manager, reflects on productive first quarter of 2021 and looks ahead to the rest of the year with great optimism.

Whilst a lot of work was done in the later months of last year laying the ground work for what we are starting to see now it has been great to see the member value increasing from the Health, Safety and Environment team at GGF. So what’s happened so far this year then?

COVID

COVID is still here and the whole GGF team has been working to support our members and guide the way forward. The journey is still long but there is light at the end of the tunnel now with normality starting to become in sight in a few months.

The Glass Charter

As we discussed last year the GGF Glass Charter was in need of an urgent review. This review is well underway and parts of that approach we have started to see already. Our aim with the review is to take to become more evidence based using the most modern and forward thinking scientific research in safety and health to make a more inclusive approach that enables and empowers members to be successful! In the coming weeks you will been asked to complete a survey to help us review the glass charter and guide the future of Health, Safety and Environment. It is vital that as many Members as possible get involved in this because this will tell us what you need, and that is with completing the survey will enter you into a prize draw which will be announced soon so keep your eye out for that!

Lunch and Learn Health and Safety Webinars

A main focus of the new Glass Charter will be given Member access to as much help support and guidance as possible and part of this is the new Health and Safety webinars that kicked off with a standing keynote from Jason Anker MBE and Sean Toon up next we will be talking with the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) about how to manage mental health at work, then we have a whole series of monthly webinars covering the basics of safety and more in-depth technical and cultural ideas to support all Members no matter where they are in their safety journey. 

Code of Practice and Guidance

Late last year and early this year we have seen two new guides for our Members, we produced the “COVID Safe Guide for Manufacturing and the Supply Chain” to ensure that we are supporting all our Members.

In addition to this we have re-written the “Asbestos Cement in Rainwater Goods and Domestic Soffits” Code of Practice to bring it up to date but also to make it more helpful to Members. That why we engaged with Members who deal with this on a daily basis to understand the challenge in reality and then engaged with the leading asbestos approving bodies in the UK to make sure everything was correct.

What’s Next?

The relaunch of the Glass Charter is an exciting project to look forward to with a new approach is that is inclusive and forward thinking and lead by safety science. The framework we have developed will drive improvement enabling GGF Members to go beyond compliance and become successful resilient business’ with strong cultures to deal with whatever the future may bring.