‘Because I have someone to come back to’ - an unusual campaign for KGHM employees

‘My safety depends on me, because I have someone to come back to’ is the slogan under which a campaign is underway at KGHM Divisions to remind employees of the Company’s core value - safety. This time, the campaign refers to the daily communication of employees with their loved ones, adding safety to the list of daily responsibilities. Yellow post-it notes appeared in hallways, bathrooms and at workstations to remind people of the need to follow occupational safety and health rules and return home safely.

Safety is one of KGHM’s core values

It includes protecting the health of employees, creating a friendly working environment and minimising potential risks. This is ensured by all Company employees by adhering to safety procedures and rules.

‘Each of us should know not only the potential hazards, but also the appropriate procedures for responding when they occur. Each of us must be fully aware of how our actions can affect the safety of others. And one of the key elements of an effective safety culture is a sense of responsibility for one's own health and life. Every employee, regardless of their position, should remember that it is not only their own safety that depends on their attitude, but also the safety of those who work with them. In this context, the words “because I have someone to come back to” are particularly relevant’, says Mirosław Laskowski, Vice President of the Management Board for Production at KGHM Polska Miedź S.A.

Safety at KGHM depends on informed decisions made by each individual employee, whether they are working in production or in the office.

‘Zero harm’: motivation for safe behaviour

Prioritising a 'Zero Harm' policy at work, KGHM is continuously improving technology and management systems, building awareness and motivating employees to behave safely. Promotion and education of employees on safety is an important element of the organisational culture at the company.

And it is within the framework of educational activities at KGHM Divisions that post-it notes have appeared in various places where work is performed daily, with reminders, wishes and indications on the application of occupational safety and health rules written out by employees’ loved ones so that they can return home safely at the end of the day.

The notes, in content that refers to the most important social relationships, i.e. family relationships with loved ones, and in the seemingly ordinary daily activities they describe, show concern for safety at work and a safe return from work.

• ‘Dear Son! Buy milk on your way home from work - be sure to walk your dog when you return. Wear a helmet at work! Your Mom’
• “Dear Son. Don't forget that we're going to visit Grandma's after work. Return on time and safely! Dad’

‘My safety is up to me, because I have someone to come back to’ is the foundation of the safety culture at KGHM. Safety culture is not just about following procedures and standards. It is a way of thinking that implies responsibility, both for oneself and for others.

Campaigns for employees

Safety Days are held each year at the various Divisions of KGHM. The company then carries out a number of projects combining preventive health care, education and fun. The aim of the campaign is to promote the application of safety rules at work, but also to raise awareness of the impact and importance of daily habits to health. This year, employees were able to receive expert advice and have their sugar levels, blood pressure or weight and body composition checked. On the way to work, they could benefit from advice provided by nutritionists, first aid training and occupational safety and health competitions. This year's Safety Days at KGHM started with a seminar organised by the Polska Miedź Employers' Association on ‘Health Protection and Safety of Employees in the Raw Materials Industry’.