By Oliver Wallace BCs (Hons) TechIOSH, Health, Safety and Sustainability Officer at Whitecroft Lighting
In 2021, Whitecroft Lighting embarked on a transformative journey to elevate our health and safety practices and support our sustainability goals, opening a new role with two primary objectives: to drive health and safety throughout the organisation and support Whitecroft’s move towards its sustainability objectives and net zero target.
Oliver Wallace, Health, Safety and Sustainability Officer, reflects on his journey toward safety excellence.
Starting with Whitecroft
It began in 2021 when I met with Alex Gibbons, Business Improvement Manager, and Robert Bates, Operations Director, to interview for a new position with Whitecroft Lighting.
After meeting and discussing their vision, I was filled with a sense of positive optimism and motivated to take the opportunity if it came my way, and fortunately, it did.
Once I had started at Whitecroft, my primary focus was to facilitate the business in achieving its strategic objective of ISO 45001 certification. Understanding the value and significant influence this would have on our safety performance, I was determined to make it a reality.
The process
It began in 2021 when I met with Alex Gibbons, Business Improvement Manager, and Robert Bates, Operations Director, to interview for a new position with Whitecroft Lighting.
After meeting and discussing their vision, I was filled with a sense of positive optimism and motivated to take the opportunity if it came my way, and fortunately, it did.
Once I had started at Whitecroft, my primary focus was to facilitate the business in achieving its strategic objective of ISO 45001 certification. Understanding the value and significant influence this would have on our safety performance, I was determined to make it a reality.
Milestones and statistics
I take enormous pride in being involved in Whitecroft's health and safety accomplishments since we started developing our systems. Throughout the ISO 45001 implementation, we witnessed an unprecedented 413-day lost time accident-free streak. The tangible impact of our efforts became evident in 2022, with a 67% reduction in accidents compared to the previous year, resulting in just 12 reported incidents. This translated to an exceptional accident frequency rate of only 1.64 per 100,000 hours worked.
Moreover, we saw a notable 29% increase in near misses reporting compared to 2021, a clear testament to the efficacy of our new systems.
The audit
After 14 months of implementation, I felt we were ready to test the system, so in December 2022 I organised for an external auditor from BSI (British Standards Institute) to conduct a stage 1 audit, this would help to identify system readiness prior to our full audit.
Following our stage 1 assessment, a full 6-day audit known as stage 2 was planned for April 2023, where every aspect of the organisation would be assessed, including:
The stage 2 audit was intense and thorough but during the conclusion of the audit we were thrilled to discover only a few minor non-conformances, each of which presented me an opportunity to enhance our practices further.
The official confirmation process takes up to 12 weeks for the BSI Technical Teams to review the reports, however, we were pleased to be advised in the closing meeting that we would be recommended for certification.
Certification achieved
On the 12th of July 2023, we received formal confirmation and a copy of our certification, to show Whitecroft Lighting as a fully certified ISO 45001 organisation. This, for me, is a career highlight of which I am incredibly proud.
Our commitment to health and safety must remain a priority as part of the certification cycle requires that we are subject to continued audits on a 6-monthly basis from September 2023 onward, which is designed to will drive proactive continual improvement throughout the business.
Without the financial and leadership support of the directors at Whitecroft Lighting we would not have started this journey however, the hard work and dedication that all my colleagues showed when adapting to and participating in the changes to the organisation and its systems ensured we achieved certification.
As we celebrate this milestone, we are excited about the path ahead, continuously striving for excellence in health and safety practices and making a positive impact on the world around us.
"I’m Oliver Wallace BSc (Hons) TechIOSH, Health, Safety and Sustainability Officer at Whitecroft Lighting. I ensure correct health and safety practices are implemented and upheld, creating a safe workplace for all at Whitecroft."
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