News

Putting Safety First

At Rokon, safety isn’t just something we talk about, it’s something we live by. That’s why on Friday, 1 August 2025, we had a company wide shut down to Stop for Safety. The idea was simple but powerful: down tools, gather as a team, and refocus on what matters most – making sure everyone goes home safely at the end of each day.

Why We Stopped Work

We recognise that complacency can seep in, and by getting everyone together we could discuss what the noticeable trends/behaviours are. Our leaders wanted to hear what our employees are noticing, collate these ideas and implement change, keeping safety front of mind. Rather than waiting for an incident to occur, proactively listen and manage the risks.

Following the shutdown that was held last year, a real shift in behaviour was observed, especially at a time when fatigue and burnout were setting in. It was a timely reminder to stay vigilant, not just for ourselves, but for our mates and families waiting for us at home.

What Happened At Each Stop For Safety

A leader at each site discussed the reasons for the Shut Down, and then all employees were asked

• What are the top 3 to 5 risks you face each day?

• How can these risks be managed?

We then welcomed some Inspectors from WorkSafe Victoria, who presented on safety trends observed in the industry and common issues generally observed during civil work site inspections.

This was followed by a candid review of recent Rokon incidents, an important step in making sure we learn from the past and don’t repeat mistakes. In the words of WorkSafe “the best learning comes from workshopping real life incidents/events”.

We finished up by reviewing the group activity results and discussed next steps. We also took the opportunity to remind everyone the Rokon Whistleblower hotline is available for reporting HR or HSEQ issues.

What Were The Outcomes

Fantastic employee engagement and response to the exercise, renewed and heightened safety awareness and an expected subsequent shift in behaviour as per the last shut down.

Employees contributed and shared ideas about how to improve the way we work. The result is a heightened safety awareness across our sites, with practical insights that will now feed directly into our annual Safety Strategy.

Across our projects, three risks came up consistently:

1. Trench safety

2. Working around mobile plant and live services

3. Communication, Complacency and Behaviours

It proved, once again, when everyone has a voice, safety culture strengthens and behaviours shift for the better.

Looking Ahead

The Stop for Safety initiative has become an important part of how we do things at Rokon. Our commitment to safety is unwavering, and we are always looking for new ways to spark conversations, share learnings, and keep safety front of mind for everyone, every day.

The suggested improvements from the brainstorming exercise include:

1. Trench safety: improve flagging, safe shields, signage, no go zones, 1x1x1 benching, more education on safe trenching.
2. Working around Mobile Plant & Live Services: improved segregation, eye contact/ radio, positive contact, no phones while operating.
3. Complacency/Communication: stop to evaluate, training, risk assess, small toolboxes, speaking up.

These suggestions are feeding into actionable improvement plans which will be delivered over the coming months, supporting our ongoing focus on continuous improvement in HSEQ.