From 2022, safety awareness will be included as an obligation in many tenders and contracts in construction. With the aim of fewer accidents on the construction site. This has been established by clients and industry parties who are united in the Governance Code Safety. This joint agreement is called: Safety in Tenders (ViA).
From 1 January 2022 with the start of the ViA (Safety in Procurement) the obligation of at least step 2 in tenders will come into effect. From 1 January 2024, at least step 3 will be required of all contractors and subcontractors.
Apart from this obligation, the Safety Culture Ladder helps your organization to create a safe working environment.
The most important benefits for your organization at a glance:
Safety steps:
Step 1 Pathological:
Within the organization, the prevailing view is: 'nothing goes wrong with us, we deliver excellent quality, so why spend time on preventive safety activities' and 'what you don't know won't hurt you'. Little to nothing is invested in improving safety behavior within the organization.
Step 2 Reactive:
The organization only tends to change after things have gone wrong. Reactive actions are taken based on ingrained fixed patterns. Within the organization, employees feel more like victims than responsible. 'But that's not my fault?' Change behavior is often short-lived.
Step 3 Calculating:
The organization has further defined its safety rules, which are considered important within the company. It makes itself vulnerable, takes its responsibility, but often out of self-interest. 'What does it yield the company?' The involvement in safety and compliance with rules and laws lies mainly with the (higher) management within the organization.
Step 4 Proactive:
Safety has a higher priority within the organization and is visibly anchored. Continuous investments are made in improving safety awareness, whereby employees and third parties who perform work within the company are encouraged to address each other about unsafe situations and behavior. Improvements are implemented and evaluated in a structured manner. There is thinking ahead and initiative is taken.
Step 5 Progressive:
Safety is fully integrated into the business processes and the organizational culture. It is a fixed component of reflection and evaluation within the organization and with chain partners and industry peers. Safety awareness is anchored in the actions of all employees; they are not used to anything else.
To comply with the Governance Code for Safety in Construction/ViA as an organization, there are the following options:
If your client requires you to comply with ViA, he will indicate which of these three you must have. Your client will do this by means of this risk matrix:
You can contact Bureau Via for the following related services:
Support in setting up the Safety Culture Ladder.
Conducting internal audits.
Guidance during certification.
Training your staff in safety awareness.
Maintenance of the Safety Culture Ladder.
