Making safety a way of life

Managers and workers in the construction industry are at the forefront of building structures that usually involve working in high-hazard environments. These make it necessary for construction practitioners to have knowledge of safety practices and first aid to become safety leaders in their own companies.

For cement manufacturer and building solutions leader CEMEX Philippines, putting safety first is not just a goal, it is a way of life. Enforcing the value of safety in the spirit of genuine caring for others is at the heart of how the company works and makes a lasting positive impact among its stakeholders.

“We encourage everyone to always practice safety and make it a personal accountability, as nothing is more important than coming home safely to our family,” said Ron Escaler, Environmental, Health, and Safety (EHS) Officer at CEMEX Philippines.

Safety is an integral part of CEMEX’s hallmark of delivering sustainable products and operations that are foremost in quality and innovation. Hence, its vision of ensuring safety day in and day out extends to its partners as well.

Providing a safety shield

The company promotes a culture of commitment to safety among its customers and partners through the flagship program called Safety and Health Initiatives for Enablers, Leaders, and Doers (SHIELD) which serves as an avenue for sharing health and safety best practices.

The SHIELD Program recently held workshops that invited its customers’ safety officers, company nurses, project managers, and site engineers, among other relevant personnel to encourage them to practice safety leadership within their own organizations. The workshops also aimed to influence participants and their actions towards elevating safety standards in the Philippine construction industry.

Safety is paramount

The topics focused on how health and safety is of paramount importance to CEMEX and its people. Seminars on the Basics of First Aid were held as well to train the participants to handle, respond and lead in cases of emergency.
Participating companies included First Balfour, Inc.; Frey-Fil Corporation; Monocrete; Delta Concrete; DATEM; and EEI Corporation; among the other partners of CEMEX.

The first part of the workshop called “Health and Safety at CEMEX” discussed how zero injury and fatality can only be achieved by being vigilant and mindful of possible risks at all times, to intervene when necessary, and always act in safe ways.

“At CEMEX, we believe that having zero incidents is all about making safety a personal responsibility and holding each other accountable,” said Camille Ladores, Marketing Officer at CEMEX Philippines. “This means looking out for each other and making safety a personal and professional commitment.”

Serving others with the right knowledge

Meanwhile, the second part of the SHIELD workshop called “Basics of First Aid, Common Emergencies, and Fatigue Management” was delivered by Lifeline Rescue Philippines. Attendees were trained on the proper response that should be given during emergency situations, such as caring for various types of wounds, fractures, and burns, to the more serious ones such as poison ingestions, strokes, and heart attacks.

The SHIELD workshops show how achieving zero injuries and fatalities should not just be an objective, but even more so become an integral part of daily living. “We see it as our responsibility to help our customers and partners observe safety the way we do, because successful endeavours can only be attained if there was no harm done to people and the environment,” noted Jennifer Valenzuela, Marketing Manager at CEMEX Philippines.

SHIELD at your doorstep

Aside from the workshops, the SHIELD program provided safety signages and first-aid cabinets equipped with medical essentials in more than 300 hardware stores and construction sites.
In addition to SHIELD, other initiatives of CEMEX that uphold health and safety for everyone involved and affected by its operations include regular wellness programs for the company’s workers and their families, the Ligtas 24-Oras Program, and Listo Tayo! Road Safety Campaign for Children which has already educated over 10,000 students in the country.

CEMEX Philippines offers a broad product mix of building solutions to the Philippine market. Its subsidiaries, Apo Cement Corporation and Solid Cement Corporation, produce and market cement and other building materials in the country. These cement manufacturing subsidiaries carry the well established cement brands APO and Rizal. ADVT.