The use of a LED spot to warn employees when a crane is in operation was elected the best-in-class safety solution.
Gerd Götz, Director General of European Aluminium, commented: “Today’s safety solutions prove that the aluminium industry is leading the way in safe manufacturing. Underpinned by creative thinking and the use of innovative technologies, our solutions are applicable to many other manufacturing industries.
Very often the most effective safety measures are easy to implement. All three front runners are perfect examples for our inventive, safety-conscious and forward-looking industry. This award is particularly valuable as the winners are selected anonymously by a group of peers.
As an industry, we have already achieved a 79% reduction in incidents since 1997, and have set ourselves a reduction target of another 50% by 2025 in our new Sustainability Roadmap. Employee safety remains a top priority of the sector, with thousands of tonnes of aluminium melted and cast safely everyday” Mr. Götz added.
Hosted by European Aluminium and gathering 67 experts from across the globe, the Safety Workshop aimed to help aluminium companies to achieve their new, voluntary Total Recordable Incident reduction target of 50%. Participants discussed fatality and high-risk incident prevention, ex-post assessment, leading indicators and KPIs, and how to ensure a strong safety culture in the workplace.
As part of the Workshop, the Safety Solutions Competition received a record number of 46 applicants. Expert attendees judged the following to be amongst the best and most innovative safety solutions today:
1st prize: Real Alloy Germany (Aluminium Recycling): The use of a LED spot to warn employees when a crane is in operation
2nd prize: Intals S.p.A. Italy (Aluminium Refinery): The installation in vehicles of a radar system for detection of personnel in the action area of the vehicle
3rd prize: Sapa Profiles Sweden (Aluminium Extrusion): New type of hook to ensure a safe lift of die to a safe lift
