Grainne Moore–Hand in Glove with Safety

The safety culture at Kapitol has been given an upgrade by the empowerment-based approach of HSE Manager, Grainne Moore.

Working closely with safety focussed client NEXTDC in a sensitive data centre environment, Grainne took the opportunity to rethink existing Personal Protection Equipment (PPE) standards at Kapitol. The result? A 5-point companywide PPE protocol that exceeds industry standards and requires:

1. Gloves
2. Glasses
3. Steel Cap Boots
4. Long Sleeves
5. Long Pants

This rethink included reviewing national industry data and comparing it to company data, which highlighted the need to do more to prevent hand and finger injuries, the most common form of MTI (medical treatment injury) in the construction industry.

Putting her finger on the problem

As a first step, Grainne banned a major cause of lacerations, fixed blade knives, with project teams assisting to enforce the ban and emphasise the risks at induction.
Grainne then met with hand injury consultants and subcontractors on site to discuss mandatory glove use. The major barriers to glove wearing were:

• Ill-fitting gloves make hands-on work difficult
• You can’t use your smartphone or touch screen device with gloves on
• Cheap gloves purchased in bulk are often what is provided and were unsuitable and not cut-resistant.

Actioned response:

• Through expert and user consultations, Grainne identified the right glove for the job, with correct cut resistance, and trialled gloves that work with phone screens.
• Every Kapitol team member now gets fitted for gloves on their first day and has it explained what gloves they need to be wearing and why. Leading by example is critical.
• Grainne works with subcontractors and business owners on compliance, helping them understand that avoiding injuries costs them more than buying gloves.
• Vending machines with appropriate gloves are on-site as well as a PPE expo that allowed business owners who are pressed for time to see the range and innovations in PPE.
• A zero-tolerance approach to compliance means that anyone not wearing the appropriate hand protection will be taken off the job and asked to undertake the safety induction again.

Hands down results

The results of Grainne’s multipronged intervention are stark, in 2021 there were 41 (6 MTI / 35 FA) injuries, and in 2022 there have been 9 (3 MTI / 7 FA) with hand and finger injuries dramatically reduced.
There is always room for improvement, fortunately, Grainne is up for the challenge.