In Denmark, HSE colleagues create a safe work environment one bite-sized morsel at a time.

Some MAN colleagues are engaged in production, working with sharp tools or hot substances, Others travel the seas, lifting heavy components in tight quarters. Still others work long hours at desks in stationary positions. So creating a safe work environment in a complex company like ours is a vast endeavor. Just ask Charlotte Skovmand, Health, Safety and Environment (HSE) manager for Denmark. Since arriving at MAN ES in Autumn 2022, she and the HSE team, situated at various sites across Denmark, have asked themselves: how can we develop the HSE culture towards the proactive level and communicate roles and responsibilities of leaders and managers regarding health and safety in an easy-to-understand and non-time-consuming way?

Maintain safety as part of our mindset

“The vast majority of risks are caused by over-reliance on ineffective controls,” says Charlotte. “To prevent an accident from happening, we must constantly maintain safety as part of our mindset in everything we do during working hours. As soon as we get ‘lazy’ or overconfident – accidents happen.” To achieve that mindset, we need our managers and leaders to demonstrate safety leadership and show the way. And for the leaders and managers to do that, they must be aware of their health and safety responsibilities.

Target group line management

To break down the complexity and keep safety top of mind within the line management, she and the HSE team have developed ‘safety nuggets’. These bite-sized, non-time-consuming safety trainings and information are focused solely on the line management and take no more than max. 15-20 minutes. The ‘safety nugget’ is typically a short Teams-meeting that is recorded, so that managers that do not have the time to participate in real time, can watch it later. ‘Safety nugget’ applies to all managers and is mandatory training. The presenters vary from time to time and can be for example the country manager of MAN ES DK, one of the chairpersons of the Working Environment Committee, HSE or HR.

Eliminate potenial risks

“That way, all managers and leaders can act as role models and take responsibility for themselves and others, making sure that all risks are addressed and mitigated before an incident or accident occurs,” says Charlotte. The obvious goal is to further develop an effective HSE management system properly designed to eliminate any potential hazard in the work environment. In this way, we can ensure that no one gets hurt in the workplace. “Our HSE team is highly focused on fostering a proactive health and safety culture where safety leadership and values drive continuous improvement,” says Charlotte. “If our managers and leaders show the way, the organization will follow.”