TRAINING, RESPONSIBILITY AND SAFETY AWARENESS IN THE WORKPLACE: NECESSITIES AND OPPORTUNITIES

In 2022, reported workplace accidents increased by 28% compared to the previous year. Of these, the industry and services sector alone accounted for 578,340 reported accidents (+24.5%). Official INAIL data as of 31/12/2022* reveal a worrying picture for the world of work, especially considering that the trend showed no sign of decreasing during the first months of 2023.

On the occasion of the World Day for Safety and Health at Work, established by the ILO – International Labour Organization in 2003 and now in its 20th edition, GSE Italia, the Italian subsidiary of the French Group operating in the industrial construction sector, with more than 600 employees and over €1 billion in revenue in 2022, highlights the factors through which safety has always been more than just a prerequisite for ensuring workers’ wellbeing, improved quality of work, and consequently protection for clients and investors. It also becomes a real business opportunity for companies operating in the construction industry.

A cultural shift: safety as an opportunity
In the construction industry, as in industry in general, safety is often perceived as a constraint that slows down a company’s core activities. Since 2005, however, GSE has strongly believed in the need for a sector-wide cultural shift that places safety at the centre of all activities, transforming it from an “obligation” into an “opportunity” directly linked to the company’s ability to generate business. Indeed, only effective safety management on construction sites can guarantee both the protection and wellbeing of workers and the efficient and uninterrupted execution of projects.
To achieve this, it is necessary not only to implement clearly defined procedures, but also to promote greater awareness and engagement across all functions, from management to site personnel.

The evolution of management’s role: awareness beyond direct responsibility
For GSE Italia, safety is not just about methods, processes and programmes. Safety starts at the top of the organisation with the assumption of direct responsibility by management beyond regulatory requirements. To this end, the company established its Quality and Safety Department in 2005 as part of the executive management committee. Seven managers, coordinated by a director, are responsible for two fundamental missions: continuously measuring risk and delivering ongoing training.

This complex organisation, through its HSE Managers, supports site safety managers (namely Project Managers and Site Managers), operating independently from the Construction department and its financial reporting hierarchy. This is a significant and distinctive feature because it ensures that the Department remains completely independent from financial considerations and impartial in risk assessments, while operational safety responsibilities remain with those who have the authority to allocate resources and implement risk mitigation measures on site, thereby encouraging accountability among those directly responsible for construction activities.

Through a strong operational focus and a dedicated Plan for the Application of Standards and Procedures (a performance evaluation, technical risk management and training guidance system for the construction sector, developed in 2005 based on nearly fifty years of GSE experience and updated every six months), prevention management and anticipation of potential issues become effective and coordinated activities. As a result, GSE achieved a lost-time injury frequency rate** of 4 in 2022, significantly better than the average rate of 12 among direct competitors and 6 among larger companies.

Another key factor in the construction sector, as in many other sensitive industries, is the human element represented by every employee. This includes the company’s ability to identify problems and potential risks, but above all to effectively communicate critical information and essential safety rules.

“We must always remember that workers on construction sites tend, often unconsciously, to underestimate risk because they are accustomed to the daily routines of their work,” says Sofia Lamberti, QSM Manager at GSE Italia. “It is the responsibility of management, and therefore of the Department, to ensure that awareness remains high on this crucial issue. Across the sector, I believe it is essential to recognise the need to adopt different communication approaches for different categories of employees according to the type of work they perform, in order to effectively convey the information necessary to work safely.”

Continuous training and leveraging internal experience
Traditional training programmes are the subject of regular investment and are tailored to each work group. In addition, as much as 10% of every new employee’s time is dedicated to safety-related topics and solutions. Furthermore, all employees are provided with an up-to-date handbook containing rules and operational guidelines.

During training sessions and meetings, accumulated experience is shared and transferred across the organisation thanks to the contribution of every participant. Through this system, GSE does not rely on external auditors but instead identifies weaknesses and minimizes risk by capitalizing on internal experience, for the benefit of all employees, clients and contractors.

“For GSE, safety is not simply one aspect of work but a fundamental pillar that cannot be compromised,” comments Valentino Chiarparin, Country Manager of GSE Italia. “Safety means respect for people, their work and their lives. It is also respect for clients, contractors and their investments. This concept is fully reflected in our slogan, ‘Good Health and Safety is Good Business’: safety is an opportunity for growth for everyone.”