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DELIVERING SAFETY AT
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WORDS KELLIE MUNDELL
AMAZON Building positive interactions at all levels and generating discussion about safety is crucial, say staff at the online retail giant.
PHOTOG RAPHY: AMAZON
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he average workplace has changed dramatically in recent years, and nowhere is this epitomised more than at online retail giant Amazon. Amazon’s workforce now works side by side with new technologies every day, which bring a unique set of challenges. Tasked with keeping its employees safe, Rob Burnett CMIOSH, the UK regional health and safety manager, oversees Amazon’s 17 fulfilment centres (FCs) in the UK as well as being part of the EU safety team contributing to safety projects worldwide. Cutting his safety leadership teeth at grocery giant Tesco followed by a stint at high-street chain Wilko, Rob believes a culture of engagement is the key to a safe and successful workforce. With a team of more than 100 safety professionals across the UK, Rob and his team look to engage employees in every aspect of their day-to-day operations. ‘Culture is absolutely critical; everyone needs to play an active role, so driving engagement is a big part of our
focus as a team,’ he notes. Open dialogue and regular communication with associates (the name given to FC operatives) help to ensure alignment with the safety-first culture. Building positive interactions at all levels and generating discussion about safety is crucial, says Rob, as it helps the safety team hear from everyone. ‘Every team member in our buildings can support us on safety by sharing ideas and suggestions. We encourage employees to provide feedback, which in turn encourages engagement. Recognition is vital and we always take the time to praise the best ideas that are submitted.’
Collaboration is key This type of feedback loop is critical for any business and keeping teams engaged is the key to success, adds Rob. ‘If you don’t have systems in-house for everyone to contribute ideas and then act on them, that collective ownership is lost and we no longer perform as a team.’ Amazon has various ways people can get in touch with the safety
team to ensure everyone’s preferred method, be it face-to-face, public or private, direct or indirect, are offered and promoted as engagement tools. Ideas from every part of Amazon help the company to improve every day, says Rob, and workplace safety is no exception. In addition to the basics you might expect – providing safety training for all FC associates and tracking workplace injuries (Amazon UK follows the OSHA framework, all injuries are reportable, and not just over-seven-day injuries) the firm stays ahead of safety issues by interacting with associates through multiple channels, including regular stand-up meetings and feedback systems. The Safety Leadership Index, for example, is an online tool that regularly measures associates’ perceptions across the company’s operations. ‘We always work collaboratively – many of our projects need to engage all the stakeholders directly and indirectly, which include collaborative inputs from the safety
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