10th July 2024: Pearl Group, an international leader in polyurethane (PU) insulation solutions and other PU-based applications, has celebrated a significant safety milestone, reaching six years of operations at its Dubai North manufacturing facility without any accidents or lost-time incidents. This achievement represents 2,192 days of continuous operations without a single safety incident, reflecting Pearl’s commitment to maintaining the highest safety standards.
Leslie Gyertson, Pearl’s chief operating officer, said: “Safety is deeply ingrained in Pearl’s culture and guides every aspect of our operations. To ensure the safety of our team, we implement a comprehensive safety awareness programme, strict safety standards, and rigorous training processes. This commitment to safety starts with making sure our people can carry out their roles with minimal risks and extends to providing our customers with the highest standard of safety across our entire range of solutions.”
Each shift at Pearl begins with an informal group discussion on safety issues known as Toolbox Talks, ensuring that all team members are aware of potential hazards and safety protocols. Each of Pearl’s management team members conducts monthly safety walks to identify and address potential safety concerns, while both the plant and logistics manager perform daily safety walks to ensure all safety measures are in place and adhered to. Weekly safety discussions are also held with the entire operations team at each site to reinforce the importance of safety and review any safety issues.
Leslie added: “We empower our employees to speak up and report any near-misses or incidents. We have an active process supported by a dedicated company online forum for immediate reporting and response. Non-conformities and near-misses are discussed in our monthly management meetings to ensure continuous improvement in our safety protocols. Our site adheres to processes as per the ISO 45001 standard, demonstrating our commitment to occupational health and safety.”
Pearl also conducts regular training sessions based on legal and internal requirements, including first aid, firefighting, and handling dangerous goods. The organisation’s training approach ensures that knowledge and best practices are cascaded from the plant manager to supervisors, operators, and production workers through the ‘train-the-trainer’ concept.
Pearl Group’s commitment to safety has led to significant business success, and, coupled with robust training and safety protocols, has built trust and reliability among customers and employees. Pearl’s recent certification as a Great Place to Work™ highlights the positive impact of its safety culture on employee satisfaction and overall business performance, reflecting how integrating safety into every aspect of operations can lead to recognition and success in the industry.