What safety means to me: Gavin Atkinson

At Orange Hire, we’re proud of our people and their commitment to safety. In this article, our Brisbane Workshop Manager Gavin explains how working safely is an ingrained part of the culture at Orange Hire.

Why is safety important to you from a personal perspective?

Outside of work, my wife and I are very physically active people. I would be devastated if a workplace accident was to impact that.

What kind of things does Orange Hire encourage, celebrate and acknowledge to ensure everyone has a focus on safety?

Orange Hire encourages all employees to have input on safety observations every morning during pre-start meetings. We like to pick the top 3 safety priorities that are relevant to each day and discuss them, whether it be the weather, contractors working on site, vehicle movements on site etc. This really helps set the tone for the day.

Do you think the hire industry overall is pretty safe, or does it have a long way to go?

The industry as a whole has a long way to go. There are certain companies leading the way which is good to see, and this is forcing the companies working with them to improve their approach to safety. This is creating a flow-on effect and slowly the culture around safety in the industry is changing.

How does Orange Hire’s safety culture compare to previous jobs you have worked in?

I have always worked for companies in more rural settings, in these cases safety was not really something that was ever talked about. It certainly makes me feel good at work to know we are all working with safety in mind.

How does Orange Hire support staff safety in other areas, such as mental health?

We have an anonymous support line set up so that if anyone feels like they need to talk or want to discuss something in an approachable way, they can call this number and share their thoughts.