"Managers must stand behind occupational safety"

Mr. Jäggi, can you give us a brief overview of your role as Safety Officer at Entsorgung + Recycling Zürich (ERZ)?

Robert Jäggi: I strive to avoid human suffering. That is my main task. This includes reducing accidents and lost days and promoting and maintaining employee know-how in the area of occupational health and safety. Our employees have very different areas of work: from employees in waste disposal and waste recycling to office workers, who of course have completely different hazards. The focus in terms of occupational health and safety also changes depending on this.

How has your area of responsibility developed in recent years?

There have been many new regulations in recent years, and both employees and managers have developed a greater understanding of occupational safety. One example: last year, SUVA issued a new regulation stating that operators of industrial cranes no longer just need internal instruction, but an official course. I clarified at short notice who was affected, what the budget was and how we could implement this new requirement. So I had to get the management on board at short notice and explain why the SiBe suddenly needed more budget. Situations like this don't happen often, but they are challenging.

How many employees do you look after in terms of occupational safety?

I myself am responsible for the waste recycling plant and logistics. We also have 25 company paramedics and over 30 divisional safety officers. I myself am an ASGS specialist. The divisional paramedics are the specialists on site. At each of our sites in the city, there is a divisional safety officer who acts as an extension of me, so to speak. I am their line manager in terms of ASGS and they report to their respective line managers. I have regular contact with all of them, and all employees can come to me. The divisional SiBes usually get in touch if there are deficiencies or questions arise.

What does a typical working day look like for you?

No two days are the same. I start at 6 a.m. and work on my emails in peace and quiet. This is often followed by meetings, requests from superiors who want to see something on site, or tours where I'm called in. I am very externally driven.

Can you give us figures on accident statistics at ERZ Zurich?

This is a complex question to answer. SUVA, for example, assumes an average of 90 accidents for 1,000 full-time employees in the public administration/waste disposal sector. We are below this figure at 72. That's good, but we still can't sit back and relax.

How did you arrive at these figures?

We record every incident to find out what happened and how we can prevent this from happening in the future. An incident counts as an accident if it leads to more than one day's absence. A minor cut that can be treated with a plaster does not count.

Which departments or activities are particularly accident-prone?

Of course, employees who work outside are particularly affected, especially in road traffic or in the open air. The weather plays a major role. There are fewer accidents in a mild winter, but the risk increases with the sudden onset of winter. For our employees in the office, tripping accidents are the greatest danger.

How many training or further training courses in the area of occupational safety are held each year?

All new employees receive a safety briefing on their first day at work. This is followed by regular training and refresher courses; for example, we provide first aid and fire safety training every five years.

We also carry out targeted campaigns. For example, we set up a SUVA tripping course at our premises and raised employee awareness. In logistics, we observed employees jumping off vehicles before they had come to a complete stop. Here, too, we naturally raised awareness of the dangers.

How do you measure the success of your prevention measures?

With the tripping course, we noticed that tripping accidents fell sharply after the first session. After that, they slowly increased again, so we repeated the training. You always have to stay on the ball.

What is the budget for occupational safety measures?

We have an ongoing budget of around 350,000 francs for materials and training. If extraordinary measures are necessary, as in the example of the cranes, we turn to the management.

What new technologies or approaches do you use?

We always try to keep up to date, attend trade fairs and exchange information in networks such as the SUVA-SiBe network. We also test new technologies, such as an exoskeleton. Some found it impractical, others found it very helpful.

How do you promote a safety culture?

I actively involve the people concerned. If a problem arises somewhere, I ask the employees what's going on. It's important to me not to impose anything on anyone. Instead, I want to motivate everyone to get involved.

What motivates you in your role?

I get an insight into many areas of work, from waste incineration to power plants. It's exciting and varied. The well-being of the employees is important to me. I want them to come home healthy.

Do you have a message for other companies?

Managers must be unconditionally behind occupational safety. It is difficult without their support. They should trust the SiBes and let them do their job.