What is the "1000 Days Club"? Do many plants achieve this?
The "1000 Days Club" is an informal way of celebrating a significant milestone in workplace safety. While it’s just a number, it represents a period of sustained excellence in safety practices. At the moment, we have two plants in this club, with one of them, Zabinko, at 2,500 days. Other plants are close by with 700 or 800 days. Reaching such milestones requires continuous improvement and a deep commitment to safety protocols. It’s not just about preventing incidents but also about cultivating a proactive approach—a real culture around safety that helps identify and mitigate potential risks. But the number on the screen is not what matters.
 

What does matter?
During my 8 ½ years at Xella, I can feel and see if there is a strong safety culture in place. You can assess it in two ways: through watching how people work and looking out for all the small artifacts a site makes use of. Everything we see in the plants says something about safety and it already starts before the gate. Is there a sign indicating safe routes and required PPE. Are there designated traffic routes for pedestrians? Do you see pictograms? Do you see people behaving safely, not rushing? Do they have their lockout/tagout padlocks with them? Do you see locked machines when people are inside a safety zone? Is the 5S methodology (Sort, Set in Order, Shine, Standardize and Sustain) in place? Safety culture, for us, means creating an environment where safety is ingrained in every aspect of our operations. It’s about fostering a collective mindset where all employees prioritize safety and feel responsible for not just their own well-being, but also for their colleagues. And in that, it is a never-ending story and not accomplished after 1000 Days.

How does Lean Management complement safety in your plants?
Lean Management is integral to our operations, particularly in how it aligns with our safety goals. By focusing on efficiency and waste reduction, Lean principles promote a safer work environment. For instance, we implement TPM, 5S, and Single-Minute Exchange of Die (SMED) to streamline processes and reduce potential hazards. Cooperation between plant managers, their teams, Marcin Mas, our Head of Lean Management and our EHS team headed by Michal Wieczorek, is crucial . Conducting regular audits and ensuring that Lean tools are tailored to meet the specific needs of each plant Marcin supports the plants to develop highest production and safety standards. After all, when we started out with Lean Management, it was important to us not to overengineer things.

How do you engage employees in maintaining and improving safety standards?
Engaging employees starts with education and involvement. We began by training our plant managers and Lean coordinators in safety and Lean principles. People need to understand the ‘WHY’ , then you get them onboard. We made sure to explain why these changes were necessary and how they would benefit everyone. It’s crucial that employees see the value in these initiatives and understand their role in maintaining them. We promote transparency and regular communication, with Michal and Marcin visiting the plants regularly, sometimes without prior notification, to ensure adherence to safety standards.

What do you believe is the role of leadership in fostering a strong safety culture?
Leadership is key to setting the tone for a strong safety culture. Leaders must be role models, demonstrating a commitment to safety in everything they do. This means being proactive and ensuring that safety is felt throughout the production process. Leaders must set high standards and consistently reinforce them. Living a high standard of safety influences everything else around you. It’s about creating an environment where every employee feels responsible for their own safety and that of their colleagues.

What are you most looking forward to in the future regarding your safety initiatives?
I am looking forward to continuing to professionalize and refine our safety practices. I want to visit our plants and see and feel the safety in every aspect of our operations. It's about taking the next steps in our journey and ensuring that our safety culture remains strong and continues to improve, so that everyone is returning home safely at the end of the day. Sustaining this standard requires ongoing effort from everyone. You see, it’s a never-ending story.