Sandvik highlights importance of safety culture

A large number of Sandvik customers operate in hazardous environments, such as mines, oil and gas facilities and nuclear plants. Other industries, such as aerospace, automotive and medical, may face lower production risks, but the safety requirements on their products are extremely high. All of these industries place a high priority on the safety of their employees and their products.

“You can do everything right for 999 days, but if you have one serious injury on the next day, all the injury free days will be forgotten,” says Stuart Evans, Global Head of Environment, Health and Safety (EHS), Sandvik Group. “The safety of people is of course what matters the most, but a good safety performance is also good for marketplace credibility and for strengthening your brand.”

Having a strong safety culture is an important part of the Sandvik strategy, both in the company’s own production and when providing equipment or services to customers.

Among other things, Sandvik has developed tools and machining processes that can handle the extreme safety demands in the industries where they are used. Tight tolerances and vibration free, smooth machining processes are critical in avoiding residual stress in the components.

“Our tools must be both productive and extremely reliable in increasingly advanced materials and often very large components,” said Per Forssell, Business Segment Manager, Energy, Sandvik Coromant. “Patented products, such as Silent Tools™ boring bars and Coromant Capto™ tool holding system, help our customers machine large and complex components without vibration.”

Within the construction industry, Sandvik often helps its customers carry out maintenance. When Sandvik technicians see safety risks, they always discuss them with the customer to help them improve safety in its operations.

“We had a situation where a Sandvik technician from Italy found a number of safety issues at a customer site in Ethiopia on his first visit,” says Peter Lange, Global EHS Manager at Sandvik Construction. “After a written nonconformity report, the customer quickly provided new routines for a safer crushing plant. The technician could then go back and start maintenance activity under safe conditions.”

Adapted from press release by Rosalie Starling

Read the article online at: https://www.hydrocarbonengineering.com/refining/02062015/sandvik-highlights-importance-of-safety-culture-872/