10 February 2024
Safety is everyone's responsibility at Harita Nickel. Every employee must ensure their own safety and look out for their coworkers. This commitment is guided by the Safety Pledge and the Four Steps to Safe Work, which align with the company’s Occupational Health and Safety (OHS) policy.
However, safety in the workplace is often seen as the sole responsibility of the Safety Department. Employees often follow protocols, like wearing their Personal Protective Equipment (PPE), only when they sense watchful eyes. The presence of the OHS team can sometimes feel intimidating, creating a culture where compliance is driven by oversight rather than genuine concern for well-being.
Younsel Evand Roos, PT Trimegah Bangun Persada Tbk (TBP) Director of Operations, emphasized that workplace safety is the priority in company’s operations. The slogan “Safety First,” which underscores the importance of OHS, signifies that safety must be the primary consideration before any work begins. It emphasizes a collective responsibility, extending beyond the individual to safeguard the well-being of everyone in the immediate environment, fostering a culture where protection is built into the foundation of daily operations.
“If someone reminds us to wear PPE or follow standard operating procedures (SOP), it means they are doing their job. Employees with a safety mindset will think about whether they're working safely and take immediate action to correct any unsafe behavior or conditions to protect themselves and others,” he stated during the closing ceremony of National OHS Month 2024.
Understanding the importance of occupational health and safety, the government and corporate stakeholders celebrate OHS Month each year. This tradition goes beyond a simple ritual; it aims to build a culture of safety in the workplace, ensuring that health and safety are top priorities for everyone.
“Safety must never be compromised. If production falls behind, we can catch up. However, a single lapse in safety can have dire consequences. This is the essence of ‘Safety First,’” he stated, emphasizing that the comprehensive implementation of all aspects of occupational health and safety will contribute to the company's productivity, ultimately benefiting employees and ensuring that both priorities progress in harmony.
Ngainur Rofiek, Head of Occupational Health, Safety & Training (OHST) for Harita Nickel’s mining operation, discussed the company’s efforts to integrate OHS into its workplace culture. He explained that the company has set policies reflected in various regulations and that these regulations are incorporated into the Safety Accountability Program (SAP) to ensure they are effectively implemented on the ground.
Rofiek elaborated that the SAP outlines how the OHS monitoring system operates, including when when inspections are conducted, who is responsible, the extent of their responsibilities, and how this information is communicated. To ensure comprehensive coverage, monitoring is conducted in a tiered system—starting from the foreman level, to supervisors, and upwards—where each level carries defined duties and responsibilities.
“These regulations are designed to instill a culture of safety. Initially, compliance is driven by rules and the potential for sanctions, but over time, these practices become ingrained and evolve into a workplace safety culture,” he explained.
To ensure comprehensive understanding and foster awareness, the company gradually provides training on the importance of occupational health and safety (OHS) alongside established regulations. At Harita Nickel, since 2023, Leadership Training has been implemented progressively, involving all employees from managers to staff across all departments.
According to Rofiek, training is a key part of accelerating the development of an OHS culture. The application of OHS principles is demonstrated through the leadership of each individual, with every employee being a leader for themselves and their surroundings.
“Our current task is to enhance our maturity level in safety implementation. There are five stages of safety maturity, and we are currently at the reactive stage. This is what we aim to improve,” he explained.
For context, the five stages of safety maturity include: vulnerable (basic), reactive, compliant, proactive, and resilient. At the first stage, safety exists only on paper, with minimal implementation. In the second stage, OHS becomes a priority only after incidents occur. The third stage focuses on compliance with regulations. In the proactive stage, efforts go beyond compliance, embedding safety into the company culture from top management to the workforce. At the resilient stage, safety becomes fully integrated, with ongoing innovations to enhance OHS practices.
Rofiek is confident that the maturity level of employees in applying OHS principles will continue to improve, largely due to strong support from management. He emphasized that OHS success is not solely dependent on regulations, sanctions, or training programs that expedite the development of a safety culture, but critically on the strong commitment from leadership.
“SOPs, regulations, sanctions, and training are key drivers in accelerating the development of a safety culture. However, the most significant factor is management's commitment. Thankfully, our top leadership is fully supportive,” he concluded.
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