Tetra Tech Puts a Spotlight on Employee Safety
Tetra Tech has concluded its annual nationwide Safety Stand-Down events. With 14 events held nationwide, attracting hundreds of employees, the event was created to dedicate time and space to focus on safety awareness.
The stand-down events were led by our Health and Safety Advisors, with input from leaders and Directors across the organisation. Together, they provided educational sessions to learn best practices and open dialogue about potential hazards in the workplace. The event reaffirmed the organisation’s mission to foster a culture of well-being, collaboration, and continuous improvement while leading with science.
Phil Cottam, Head of Health, Safety, Environment and Quality (HSEQ), said, “Ensuring that people have the knowledge and awareness to work safely is important, but what’s even more vital is creating an environment where one’s health is prioritised, and safe methods of working are encouraged and reinforced by colleagues through practice and day-to-day interactions. Taking care of the well-being of our employees is essential, not only for managers, but to the entire organisation.”
Concrete Examples
The presentation included engaging real-life case studies, illustrating incidents from various industries, with highlights on the lessons learned. These case studies served as powerful tools for enhancing situational awareness and reinforcing the importance of continually assessing your environment and following procedures to avoid risks and harm. The case studies demonstrated how preparation can help in keeping you safe at work.
“When you see how others have done it, it provides a lot of perspective on what to do and what not to do.” Said one attending Tetra Tech Employee. “It also puts you in their shoes and makes you think, what would I have done?”
Live Demonstrations
The team also conducted demonstrations to explain the importance of proactive safety measures and to understand how to deal with potential hazards and mitigation. The attendees were shown videos demonstrating the appropriate way to deal with short duration street works. This was then followed up by practical demonstrations to reinforce the learning.
In addition to this, Tetra Tech now offers in-house Occupational Health services for employees, including a comprehensive health check, blood pressure, safety critical medicals, fitness for work assessments, statutory medicals, and more. The stand-down days invited Occupational Health specialists and technicians to conduct assessments of employees and provide an insight into the type of care they will be provided.
“Having the ability to check your health and monitor it while working day-to-day is an amazing advantage.” Said a Tetra Tech employee. “It also shows the investment that is being put into the health of employees.”
Employee Engagement
Tetra Tech emphasised the involvement of all employees in the event. From top-level management to frontline workers, everyone was encouraged to actively participate in discussions, share insights, and contribute to the collective goal of maintaining a safe working environment. A digital feedback form was also sent to all attendees to encourage a healthy conversation.
“Being able to take care of your health is important. With all this support, it makes it that much easier for us to do our work and stay safe,” concluded another Tetra Tech team member.
Safety Always Comes First
With many strong themes running throughout the event, the event made it clear that health and safety are about making the right choices in our day-to-day work, with the event providing a prominent reminder to always work safely.
Tetra Tech plans to continue hosting regular safety-focused events, integrating safety practices into daily operations, and promoting a workplace culture where safety is a shared responsibility. By prioritising safety through education, engagement, and continuous improvement, Tetra Tech aims to set a benchmark for safety excellence in a multitude of disciplines and industries.