Recently, at Monument Kallo’s plant in the Port of Antwerp, Belgium, the team gathered to celebrate a significant milestone – five years without a lost time injury (LTI). The event was celebrated with well over 100 employees and contractors, and with Monument’s CEO Paul Raymond. Pizza trucks were on site, handing out slices to each and every member of the team – all of whom were a vital part of this achievement.

The site’s commitment to Health, Safety, and Environment (HSE) was revitalized when Site Manager Manu Gyselinck joined the Monument team over six years ago. Since then, Manu and Kallo’s Health and Safety Manager, Gretel Sandrap, have integrated safety into daily discussions, ensuring it remains a top priority for everyone.

“In the beginning, we focused on incidents,” Manu noted. “Now, after five years, our focus has shifted to cultivating a strong safety culture. The organization has evolved from primarily addressing incidents to developing long-term strategies and actions to maintain a safe environment.”

The milestone achieved by the Kallo team began in the meeting rooms with a renewed commitment to HSE. This commitment ensured that HSE remained a top priority in every discussion, creating an understanding that safety is crucial not only for the employees, but also for the contractors, shareholders, and overall community.

“In the past, our HSE meetings only included HSE members,” explained Gretel. “Now, we have weekly meetings that involve all operational departments and even beyond. We conduct feedback sessions and always ask, ‘What can we do better?’ We remain open to constructive feedback. Over time, you start to see the broader team discussing HSE independently of these meetings.”

During the celebration at Kallo, employees received t-shirts with the Monument Chemical logo on the front and the words “Safety Never Takes a Break” on the back. This simple yet powerful message encapsulates what Manu, Gretel, and the team strive to instill.

“Every year, the team's drive and commitment to safety grow stronger,” said Gretel. “This growth is a testament to people wanting to be involved, getting on the shop floor, and communicating. Safety doesn’t have to be complex; it starts with communication and spreading the word every day.”

And the focus remains on the future. “Our drive is to surpass the previous record of six years without a lost-time injury for as long as possible,” Manu said. “Incidents can happen at any time, but we have the opportunity to shift the safety culture in our team's minds and build cooperation across departments.”