avk-esg-2024-25 - Flipbook - Page 39
CASE
We work systematically with HSE processes,
risk assessments, and training to prevent
risks and promote safe behaviour. Employees
are encouraged to report incidents and nearmisses, allowing us to learn from experience.
Ergonomics is a key focus area, with
workstations and lifting tasks continuously
assessed to reduce strain and prevent injuries.
In addition to physical safety, we promote
well-being, skills development, and inclusion,
creating opportunities for learning and
collaboration. AVK will continue to develop
initiatives that ensure a healthy, safe,
ergonomic, and inclusive working environment
across all our companies.
Safety First
Companies in the AVK Group operate within the
process industry, and the employees perform
manual work which involves heavy materials.
While these processes are generally not
considered high-risk, accidents can still occur,
making Safety First a key priority.
We actively work to strengthen the safety
culture among leaders and employees. Our
goal is that no one takes unnecessary risks,
and that all employees contribute to prevention
by reporting unsafe conditions, unsafe actions,
and near-misses. Ergonomics and correct
working postures are integral to our preventive
measures, helping reduce strain and workrelated injuries.
We systematically collect and analyse accident
and near-miss data to identify trends and root
causes. This information forms the basis for
targeted improvements and safety initiatives
across our facilities, ensuring that preventive
measures are evidence-based and effective.
Through workshops and regular safety
walks, employees are trained to proactively
identify risks and implement practical safety
improvements. We use SQDIPP boards (Safety,
Quality, Delivery, Inventory, Productivity, and
People) for ongoing follow-up and collaborate
with selected companies with elevated incident
trend to establish local processes for reporting
near-misses and unsafe actions, ensuring a
consistent and high level of safety across
the Group.
AVK AUSTRALIA IMPROVES SAFETY
OUTCOMES THROUGH CONSISTENT INJURY
MANAGEMENT AND WELLBEING FOCUS
In 2024/25, AVK Australia achieved a remarkable
improvement in workplace safety performance,
reducing the Lost Time Injury Frequency Rate
(LTIFR) from 23.47 in March 2025 to 3.77 in
August 2025, and subsequently maintaining zero
lost time injuries across all operations.
This achievement reflects the ongoing
commitment of the teams to embedding a
proactive and preventative safety culture across
the business.
Following an internal review of incident data
and hazard reporting trends, AVK Australia
identified that many events leading to injuries
were preventable through earlier intervention
and improved situational awareness. As a result,
a structured improvement programme was
implemented under the theme “Stop, Think, Act”,
designed to strengthen decision-making and
reinforce personal accountability for safety.
Key elements of this approach included:
• Daily safety conversations: Introducing
“Start Safe” meetings at the beginning of
each shift, encouraging employees to stop and
assess their environment before
commencing work.
• Hazard identification and near-miss
reporting: Simplifying the reporting process
and empowering staff to raise potential hazards
immediately, fostering a culture of early
intervention.
• Leadership engagement: Conducting safety
walks and informal discussions between
supervisors and employees to identify
improvement opportunities in real time.
• Focused training: Delivering targeted
training sessions on critical risk management
and control verification, ensuring workers
understand the ‘why’ behind safety protocols.
• Collaborative reviews: Reviewing all
reported near-misses and hazards as a team
to identify trends and implement corrective
actions swiftly.
These initiatives have created stronger
employee ownership of safety outcomes and
improved communication across all levels of the
organisation. The shift in focus from reacting
to incidents to preventing them has been a key
factor in driving the LTIFR down to zero.
AVK Australia’s experience highlights the impact
of combining leadership visibility, workforce
involvement, and simplified processes to
achieve lasting cultural change. The success
demonstrates that when every individual takes
responsibility for identifying and addressing
risks before they escalate, true safety excellence
becomes attainable.
AVK Group Sustainability report 2024/2025 | 39
