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Active Frontline Engagement - A key factor to safe productivity

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Leighton Asia

Safe delivery is of paramount importance as the EKCC project is located in a busy and densely populated area.

On any given day at Leighton Asia’s East Kowloon Cultural Centre (EKCC) project in Hong Kong, an average of around nine construction teams and more than 30 subcontractors are working on site.

The nature of construction work is dynamic and continually challenges our project teams to plan and ensure safe production is achieved each day. Fergus Lam, Leighton Asia Construction Manager of EKCC has found one solution to meet this responsibility.

“Providing a safe workplace doesn’t need to be complicated – it simply needs all of us, including our management teams, engineers, supervisors, frontline workers and subcontractors to feel confident enough to speak up on safety issues and to act in accordance with our safety standards and procedures.

One initiative currently being rolled-out is ‘Interactive Project Safety Stand Downs’ – a new style of briefing with a focus on the ‘interactive’ element. These briefings are being delivered to our direct employees, and also the frontline workforce of our subcontractors.

Fergus LamLeighton Asia Construction Manager of EKCC

“We regularly review our project’s safety performance, and based on the feedback received we identify the key focus areas to be communicated at the Safety Project Stand Down,” said Fergus.

The ‘Interactive Project Safety Stand Down’ uses images and live demonstrations to ensure all workers, whether employed by Leighton Asia or subcontractors, are aware of the expected safety standards and procedures. The briefing is being used at a number of Leighton Asia projects in Hong Kong.

Although key safety procedures and messages on Class 1 risks, such as ‘Working at Height’ and ‘Falling Objects’ are nothing new, Billy Law, Leighton Asia Superintendent of EKCC still finds it extremely useful to maintain continuous discussion and open dialogue on these safety topics.

A picture is worth a thousand words. The safety standards and procedures are clearly showcased to all frontline workers at the ‘Interactive Project Safety Stand Down’ presentations, along with live demonstrations.

Billy LawLeighton Asia Superintendent of EKCC

How does the Interactive element of the stand down work?

There is more focus on providing ‘live demonstrations’ to target audiences who are engaged in high risk activities, such as banksmen, persons working at height etc. The live demonstrations typically involve a ‘mock-up’ scenario, covering a critical risk activity and a specific type of incident event, such as a worker falling from height or a worker being struck by an item of moving plant. These types of mock-up scenarios have a high impact and really grab the attention of the workers attending the stand-down. The benefit of the mock-up scenarios is that they not only demonstrate what can go wrong, but more importantly how to correctly implement critical risk control measures, and how these controls can assist in preventing incidents from occurring.

“With teams from different companies with distinct experience, backgrounds and working cultures, it is important that these key safety messages are refreshed regularly to ensure everyone on site maintains acceptable levels of risk awareness and are aligned and fully compliant with the safety standards and procedures of Leighton Asia,” said Billy. 

The EKCC project aims to reinvigorate the eastern Kowloon region in Hong Kong. The building comprises three studios, a 1,200-capacity auditorium, 550-seat theatre and other ancillary facilities.

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