SHIELD and the advocacy for life

Valuing health and safety reflects the quality of a business, because it not only focuses on product or service delivery, but is also genuinely committed to the well-being of peoples’ lives. This principle is at the heart of cement manufacturer and building solutions expert, CEMEX Philippines, as it has always put health and safety at the forefront of its operations.

“Safety is at the core of who we are at CEMEX, and what better way to promote a culture of commitment to safety than to share it with our customers and partners,” said Albert Benedicto, CEMEX Commercial Manager for Institutional Accounts.

The emphasis on safety led the company to establish the Safety and Health Initiatives for Enablers, Leaders, and Doers (S.H.I.E.L.D.) program, which upholds sharing and highlighting of health and safety best practices for use in various work settings.

Since its inception in 2015, the workshop has included basic first aid training and proper response to common emergencies. This year, CEMEX gathered safety officers, quality control engineers, project and site engineers that are assigned to construction sites of institutional partners to a boot camp that raises awareness on construction hazards.

CEMEX’s Battle Cry – Zero4Life

Elevating health and safety standards is the driving force behind the S.H.I.E.L.D. workshops. During the first part of the boot camp, Ron Escaler, CEMEX’s Environment, Health, and Safety (EHS) Engineer, discussed the importance of ensuring stringent safety measures in industrial zones at all times.

The need for a well-rounded approach to safety formed the context of CEMEX’s “Zero4Life” battle cry. “Zero” refers to having no accidents, while “4” stands for Accountability, Behavior, Communication, and Dedication (ABCD) that are key components to maintaining positivity in the work environment and even outside of it, as everyone cares about the safety of others and are always mindful of risks.

Darrel Jay Culot of Sunmix Cavite, a participant in S.H.I.E.L.D. workshops since 2016 said that, “I came out of the training with safety knowledge that is applicable both at the ready-mix plant where I work and, most important to me, at home.”

Strengthening Safety Capabilities

The S.H.I.E.L.D. boot camp provided interactive workshops in partnership with Lifeline EMS Academy. The highlight of the activities focused on prevention and proper response to situations involving major construction hazards. In fact, the module on construction hazards is the second of a series which enables participants to lead the promotion of a safety culture in the high-risk environment where they work.

The activities also imparted knowledge on the use of personal protective equipment (PPE) and gave a refresher course on first aid for common workplace injuries.

Don Kristi Catambay saw the implications of the S.H.I.E.L.D. approach for his organization, 10K South Concrete Mix Specialist, Inc. “The S.H.I.E.L.D. workshops enhanced my knowledge and skills as a safety officer and first aider in my company. We are now planning to pattern our company’s health and safety program after CEMEX’s S.H.I.E.L.D.”

The advantages of S.H.I.E.L.D. also made a mark on Alvin Petalber, production head of Allied Concrete. He learned how to spot potential safety risks early on and emphasized the importance of time, explaining that time was of the essence in “issuing advance warning to others and resolving any safety hazard” that put lives at risk. Petalber also emphasized that threats needed to be addressed as early as possible.

These observations were shared by other quality control engineers, safety officers, and project managers from companies like Sta. Lucia Ready Mix & Construction Corporation, Delta Concrete Corporation, Ahnex Builders, and AXEIA Group of Companies, among others.

Apart from the health and safety workshops, CEMEX has also installed safety signages and first aid cabinets in more than 300 partner construction sites and hardware stores nationwide.

With safety as its top priority, CEMEX is committed to continuously uphold a culture of commitment to safety among its customers and partners which is part of how the company wants to make a difference in the lives of people, now and in the future.

CEMEX Philippines offers a broad product mix of building solutions to the Philippine market. Through its subsidiaries, Apo Cement Corporation and Solid Cement Corporation, it produces and markets cement and other building materials in the country. These cement manufacturing plants carry the well-established cement brands APO and Rizal.

ADVT