Prevention of domestic accidents
Social initiative award nominee 2007
The Sud Region of Veolia Water has published a booklet and CD-ROM designed to familiarize employees and their families with good safety habits.
Who took this initiative?
The Southern Region of Veolia Water operates in the Languedoc-Roussillon region and Aveyron, Ardèche and Drôme départements.
A major health and safety plan was introduced for all employees in 2003, and it was against this background that, this year, the Environmental Service Quality Department developed an original initiative targeting employees and their families.
Why
For long-term effectiveness, good safety habits must be demonstrated and learnt at the earliest possible age.
Fully aware of this fact, the company updated its Safety and Accident Prevention Booklet for employees, and produced an entertaining CD-ROMf or their children.
For whom
The CD-ROM is designed to encourage employees and their families to take care in the workplace and in everyday life.
Implementation
An analysis of the risks attached to work and domestic life was conducted in coordination with educationalists at the French Education Ministry and emergency doctors at the hospital in Aix.
A multimedia pack called La Maison de Tête-en-Bois (Wooden Head's House) containing the booklet and the CD-ROM describes and analyses the risks posed by falling, electricity, water and other sources of danger in the home.
How
Generously illustrated with everyday domestic situations and presented by the little character "Wooden Head", this multimedia pack is designed primarily to help children aged 3-9 learn the essential basics of accident prevention in an entertaining way.
Outcome
La Maison de Tête-en-Bois received the top multimedia award at the Safety Media Festival, and is now available in shops. The educational value of the CDROM has also been recognized by the French Education Ministry.
The Health & Safety Management system operated by Veolia Water in the Sud Region was awarded ILO-OSH 2001 and OHSAS 18001 certification earlier this year.
Problems & solutions
In order to maximize its impact on children, the booklet should be sent out just before Christmas to the homes of all 752 employees.
Extending the initiative
The use of interactive, entertaining, family-oriented media could inspire other units with similar risk profiles, and where safety is a major challenge.
