qr annual report 2007 - 2008.pdf - Queensland Rail

OUR JOURNEY TO ZERO HARM
Employee
safety
At QR, we believe ZERO Harm is a goal we are all accountable
for achieving. Our ZERO Harm belief goes beyond our work
environment – it is part of our daily life, our families, our friends
and our community. It is a way of thinking, doing and being.
Zero Harm journey
Sometimes it’s difficult to look back and think when a journey
began. I started with QR in 1967 when practically all work was
manual. We thought accidents and injuries were part of the job.
Times have changed. We are no longer a Railway Department
but a highly mechanised national business, working with some
of the best technology in the industry. We have also made
significant improvements in safety and to achieve ZERO Harm
we need to build a mindset that all accidents are preventable
and that one injury is one too many.
It’s often the simple things that make a big difference. I have
made a personal commitment to make safety a fundamental
value not just at work but at home as well. I’m more aware
of my environment and the hazards we could be exposed to.
This is heightened even further when I have my 20-monthold
grandson around. At the end of the day, safety is about
protecting ourselves, our workmates and the people we love.
That’s why we need to speak up if something’s not right.
I’m passionate about the role of leadership in safety and how
important it is we demonstrate the level of safety performance
we want. I appreciate that the eyes of our workers are on
us to see if we’re giving lip service or making a genuine
commitment followed up by action.
In my new role as General Manager, Safety and Risk for QR
Services I am acutely aware that it’s people and culture more
than systems that will deliver ZERO Harm. It’s important that we
build on the great strengths of QR and get on board this journey.
Stuart O’Hare
General Manager, Safety and Risk
12
QR team members working through a Pre-Start Brief.