Grashyo Health & Safety

17/11/2024

mistakes improve your quality of decision-making if you accept on work self

05/11/2024

Give Them the Coffee They Want!

“A lack of a cup of coffee can hinder a positive safety culture and BBS performances: focus on your employees’ fundamental requests and experience the change.”
- Mdu Mathenjwa
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This short article is inspired by one of the brilliant leaders in the mining health and safety industry. Though I may not disclose his name, but the points he made as we were discussing the content I can use to address his employees made me realise how much of a selfless and employee-focused leader he is.
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The employees of Mdu Mining Resources had been facing repeat incidents for some time. After an intense Route Cause Analysis, there existed disengagement between leaders and employees across the hierarchy. The mitigating measures were applied, which included various undisclosed safety campaigns. Drastic positive change happened, and everyone was in harmony.

This positivity continued until Vusi, A.K.A Mavusana, a not-so-friendly but influential amongst other employees, made everyone realise that they have been asking to be supplied with coffee for refreshments, but they have been ignored for approximately three months across the hierarchy.

“If they don’t care about us asking for a cup of coffee, yet we were fully there in their multiple safety campaigns, then why would we care to comply with all their safety rules?” said Mavusana with his rough voice with KZN accent to his colleagues…
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I will not share what happened next but know that Mdu Mining Resources’ performances regressed again… all in the name of being denied a cup of coffee.
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This story may be hypothetical, but with my personal experience working at the mines and other chemical plants, including my current career as a Motivation Speaker on this subject, such is a real-life story.

Reflection to leaders: What seems as not much of a fundamental need for you may not be the same to the people you are leading. Be present and mindful in your space of leadership. Keep your fingers on the pulse of your subordinates and act promptly.

Then sit back and watch the magic of Zero Harm unfold.
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02/11/2024

safety is more than business - safety is personal. if something happens to you at work (business), your whole life (personal) is affected.

as soon as you're out, you are replaceable. ask me. that's why I have dedicated my whole life to speak about Occupational Health & Safety.

SAFE CLOCKING IN . SAFE CLOCKING OUT

Bookings: [email protected]

21/10/2024

21/10/2024

Live To Tell (LTT), and Positive Safety Culture interview.
















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21/10/2024

The Reactive Safety Culture Approach

“In this world of Occupational Health and Safety, being both reactive and proactive regarding zero harm are beneficial; however, leaders ought to choose their preference from the two entities.”
- Mdu Mathenjwa
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After deeply analysing the DuPont Bradley’s Curve, I could not help but grow interested in the model organisations can use to diagnose their positions regarding their workplace safety culture. The model assists leaders with taking stock of where they stand on the graph. Its ideal design is to produce employees who work safely because they WANT TO as opposed to employees working safely because they HAVE TO.
It helps leaders progress from leading employees who are both independent (personal reason why they must work safely), and interdependent (reason why they must work safely as a team) when it comes to their safety in the workplace.

In this Positive Safety Culture Approach, I will be motivating leaders across the hierarchy (from CEOs to Front-Line Supervisors), since I believe that safety is also a line function, to be inwardly committed to safety so the organisation may graduate from being reactive to proactive as far as workplace safety is concerned.

In the same light, the reactive approach is advantageous for various reasons:
- You are reactive because you did not ignore mitigating measures after the incident;
- Employees work safely due to Learning From Incidents (LFI);
- Employees comply to the OHS Act, or Mine Health & Safety Act for survival purposes;
- Employees’ degree of awareness heightens; and
- Past injuries shape the employees’ natural instinct when it comes to safety

The primary disadvantage of being reactive is the overaction of employees regarding workplace safety. For the echoing voice in the minds of employees that says, “I am working safely because I do not want to be injured like my colleague did,” is short-lived. Moreover, they may work in the presence of anxiety regarding the repercussions their colleagues suffered due to the incident.

Ideally, leaders seek to transform from having organisations whose employees work safely not because of the incidents they know occurred in their organisation, but to work safely for personal reasons.

Leadership Reflection: Where are you from the curve, and what will you do to keep progressing?

















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17/10/2024

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17/10/2024

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