Forging a stronger shield

If you think about what actually goes into building a towering skyscraper or a sprawling residential development, you may find yourself amazed at how construction sites work. These are centers where man and machine come together to wield parts that are both mammoth and miniscule and build structures that reach for the sky. It’s also easy to understand why building sites are considered a high – hazard environment for the construction workers, field officers and engineers who call these job sites their office.

CEMEX, global leader in cement manufacturing and building solutions, knows how vital it is to incorporate safety into routine operations. CEMEX builds a culture of safety that starts from the cement plant, to the cement trucks that are on the road 24/7, and extends to the job site where cement is delivered.

CEMEX has made safety an integral part of doing business through its S.H.I.E.L.D. program which stands for Safety and Health Initiatives for Enablers, Leaders, and Doers. Through its safety workshops for partners and customers, CEMEX hopes to promote a culture of safety and provide a “safety S.H.I.E.L.D” for its partners and customers.

A S.H.I.E.L.D workshop has two basic but very important elements: sharing of CEMEX’s global practices in building a culture of safety in the workplace and a specialized course such as First Aid. Most recently, CEMEX also shared practical tips on fatigue management in light of the demanding work hours and round-the-clock shifting some construction projects call for.

Arnold Alonzo, CEMEX Environment, Health, and Safety Superintendent in the Visayas and Mindanao regions, led the safety briefing on CEMEX’s best safety practices and emphasized the importance of having a mindset of safety. “The moment that we let our guard down, we make ourselves and those around us vulnerable to an accident,” said Alonzo.

Representatives from the Philippine National Red Cross conducted the workshop on First Aid and Common Emergencies and demonstrated how to keep calm and quickly respond in the critical first hours of emergencies.

The first set of S.H.I.E.L.D workshops for the first quarter of the year was conducted in Cebu, Davao and Iloilo and was attended by engineers, field supervisors, project managers, safety officers, and office staff from companies responsible for developments in key cities in the Visayas and Mindanao.

“CEMEX is not simply in the business of selling building materials. We value safety and want to share global best practices with our partners. We believe that safety is a shared responsibility,” said Albert Benedicto, CEMEX Commercial Manager for Institutional Accounts.

“The basic safety knowledge that I gained was useful and practical. For employers, promoting a culture of safety and reducing harm is a concrete way to show its employees that it cares about them,” said participant Harry Ramirez, Primary Properties Corporation Park Administrator.

CEMEX has been reinforcing its message of safety in ways that go beyond the workshops, through initiatives such as the installation of first aid cabinets and safety signs in construction sites and hardware stores. Through the S.H.I.E.L.D program, the company demonstrates its commitment to bring work-related hazards down to zero, not just within its facilities, but in the communities where it operates. CEMEX aims to raise the standards of safety in the construction industry by improving and expanding safety initiatives such as S.H.I.E.L.D. ADVT