At the flooring company Areo A/S, everyone is working hard to increase occupational safety on construction sites. A financial bonus has been introduced for floor installers if they avoid work-related injuries and orders from the Danish Working Environment Authority. In addition, all fitters have been given protective equipment bags, so they no longer have to share safety equipment with their colleagues.
Flooring company Areo A/S has tightened up on occupational safety and the use of safety equipment. Management is now using more carrots and less sticks to avoid work accidents and orders from the Danish Working Environment Authority.
The fitters receive a bonus if they complete a year without any work-related accidents resulting in sick leave. There is also a bonus if they avoid injunctions from the Danish Working Environment Authority, and this has paid off, says Director Hans Jørgen Pedersen.
“We didn’t have a single lost-time accident or any orders from the Danish Working Environment Authority in 2024, and we’re really proud of that,” he says.
Satisfied installers
The installers themselves are also happy with the approach. A financial gain motivates everyone to take extra care of themselves and others. Production manager and floor fitter Søren Vestergaard Christensen says.
“We’ve certainly gotten better at making a friendly recommendation to our colleagues if someone has forgotten to put on a suit or helmet,” he says.
He also says that it works well that each fitter now has a PPE bag with their name on it, where all safety equipment is gathered and ready for use. Previously, things had to be stored in the back of the fitters’ trucks, and then it could happen that a fitter forgot their overalls or safety glasses,” he says.
Tough requirements
The safety equipment required on each construction site varies. Of course, there is always a minimum requirement to bring – and wear – safety shoes, work gloves and a reflective vest. Depending on where you are on site, you may also need to wear a hard hat.
However, some contractors have extra high safety requirements. That’s why some sites require installers to wear waterproof coveralls, and when working with Epoxy or PU floors, special safety gloves, goggles and sometimes respirators are also required.
APVs (workplace assessments) are also given extra attention, along with the quality assurance reports (QA). All of these measures together ensure that safety is under control when Areo delivers the goods.
Better work environment – here’s how
The health and safety team at Areo has focused on protective equipment throughout 2024. Here there have been several focus points:
- Instruction and training: New installers are trained and instructed even more systematically, so Areo ensures that everyone receives the same thorough training and instruction.
- A detailed, written description of what new installers must go through at start-up has been created. This has had the side benefit of creating a different culture in terms of safety on site – especially in connection with the use of protective equipment.
- Safety equipment bag: Each fitter has been given their own bag with safety equipment so that they do not have to share protective equipment with the others in the team. Each fitter is responsible for ensuring that the mandatory safety equipment is in the bag.
- Bonus: Fitters are paid a bonus if they make it through a full year without any serious lost-time accidents and without any orders from the Danish Working Environment Authority. In 2024, everyone received a bonus.
The new goal for 2025 is to focus on cleanliness and cleaning in all workplaces based on the motto: A clean workplace is a safe workplace.