To ensure the health and safety of all staff, ongoing training and professional development are essential. ‘Safety Day’ is one of the initiatives organised annually by ISS’s HSE experts across all regions of Switzerland to provide practical training on safety issues for managers and staff. A visit to ISS Central Switzerland in Kriens on ‘Safety Day’.
Three topics were on the agenda for “Safety Day” 2022 in Kriens: first aid, working at heights, and the prevention of cuts and puncture wounds. Divided into three groups, the Central Switzerland management team received one hour of training each from HSE experts René Lütolf (HSE Manager), Audrey Sauvage (Head of Health & Safety), and Barbara Duppenthaler (Project Manager for Transition & Projects and Healthcare Safety Officer) for one hour each. It is their responsibility to subsequently pass on this knowledge to frontline employees.
First Aid
René Lütolf provided training on the proper response following an accident or in a medical emergency
Things quickly got hands-on with René Lütolf. For example, when the longtime, experienced paramedic and employee of the emergency medical services and anesthesia departments at the Olten and Zofingen hospitals performed a life-saving emergency procedure on an ISS employee who was in danger of choking. When he demonstrated to a colleague how to apply pressure to an artery in the event of severe bleeding. Or when the participants placed each other in the recovery position, as recommended for unconscious individuals. “An unconscious person is always in mortal danger,” René Lütolf reminded the ISS management staff. The reason: The base of the tongue can slide backward in the throat and block the upper airways.
René Lütolf also reminded everyone of the basic rules that everyone should know: Simply alerting emergency responders correctly can save lives, said René Lütolf, and he repeated the “5 Ws rule”: Who is calling? What happened? Where did it happen? When did it happen? Wait for follow-up questions. “The dispatchers at 144 need to know what’s going on.”
Working at Heights
Audrey Sauvage emphasized that when working at heights, the priority is to prevent accidents from happening in the first place
The potential hazards involved in working at heights are significant - and so are the sheer number of regulations and guidelines. There are good reasons for this: It starts with the ground, which has a decisive influence on the stability of lifting platforms, (mobile) scaffolding, and ladders. Ladders may only be used if there is no safer alternative. They are prohibited at standing heights above two meters unless additional safety measures are implemented. When cleaning large window facades, there are risks beyond just falls - for example, the danger of automatic blinds suddenly lowering.
The participants engaged in active discussion using real-world examples. Conclusion: The work, the equipment, and the necessary protective gear must be carefully planned in advance. And the most important rule that Audrey Sauvage shared with the participants: “Say ‘stop’ if it’s unsafe.”
Prevention of Puncture and Cut Injuries
Barbara Duppenthaler raised awareness about the dangers of puncture and cut injuries in everyday work
In particular, contact with blood, blood-containing bodily fluids, and objects contaminated with blood carries the risk of contracting a communicable disease such as hepatitis or HIV. This risk applies not only to ISS employees in horticulture - for example, when they handle a used syringe without protective gloves - but also to healthcare workers in hospitals and nursing homes.
The first and most important measure to prevent such injuries is having well-trained employees. Barbara Duppenthaler demonstrated additional measures to Central Swiss management staff, such as puncture-resistant gloves, face masks, safety goggles, and proper waste disposal. She placed particular emphasis on hygienic hand sanitization as well as putting on and taking off disposable gloves, because during the next wave of the coronavirus pandemic, hygiene will quickly become a major priority again in all areas of work.
ISS is a signatory to the Safety Charter
Every year, 250,000 workplace accidents occur in Switzerland. This means that on a typical workday, an average of 120 workplace accidents occur per hour. One in every three of these accidents is fatal. The Safety Charter was launched by Suva in collaboration with employer associations, planners, and labor unions. It is an alliance among all parties involved in the workplace aimed at improving workplace safety. The signatories of the Safety Charter are committed to ensuring that safety rules are followed in the workplace. The goal is to protect the lives and health of everyone involved. Approximately 18,000 companies have signed the Charter. As responsible companies, they therefore require all supervisors and employees to adhere to the following principle at all times and in all places: STOP WHEN THERE IS DANGER | ELIMINATE THE DANGER | CONTINUE WORKING