We’ve wrapped up another meaningful October Safety Month as part of our #GoHomeSafe campaign. Every day, our goal remains the same: that everyone who comes to work at AG goes home safe.

Throughout the month, we focused on weekly themes, Toolbox Talks, and activities that brought our teams together to share knowledge and strengthen safe working practices. It’s a month that truly reflects AG’s core values: Innovation, Integrity, Customer Care, Wellbeing, and Sustainability.

By championing smarter safety solutions, supporting one another, and keeping wellbeing at the centre of what we do, we continue to build a safer, stronger and more sustainable workplace for all.

Each week highlighted one of five key areas:

Week 1: Lock Out & Isolation: Lock, Tag, Live  

We began the month by placing priority on Lock Out and Isolation, reinforcing the importance of our Lockout and Tagout (LOTO) procedures in preventing machinery-related incidents. During the first week of October, teams across all AG sites took part in toolbox talks and refresher training to strengthen awareness and understanding of these safety measures. Employees were also reminded that their personal padlock and tag should be viewed as essential PPE, helping safeguard both themselves and those they work alongside.

All teams were asked to watch a refresher LOTO awareness video and complete Isolation/Lockout Audits to verify that every step and procedure is being correctly followed to achieve a safe and effective isolation.

We also took the opportunity to revisit the video we submitted as part of our entry for the ‘Safer Production’ category in the 2024 MPA Health & Safety Awards.

Week 2: Wellbeing

Week 2 centred on wellbeing and the importance of prioritising mental health at work. We encouraged open conversations and reminded everyone to look out for one another.

We were pleased to welcome representatives from Lighthouse, The Construction Charity, to AG Toome as part of the #MakeItVisible campaign, which aims to place mental health and wellbeing at the forefront of the construction industry.

The session delivered a powerful and relatable message, encouraging open conversation and reminding us that support is available whenever it’s needed. The Lighthouse team helped challenge stigma and reinforced that asking for help is a sign of strength. No one should ever feel they have to face difficulties alone.

Lighthouse provides emotional, physical and financial support to construction workers and their families, offering free, confidential assistance 24/7.

This week also provided an opportunity to remind employees of the additional support available across AG, including:

MetLife Support – 24/7 confidential counselling and guidance, with face-to-face sessions available where required.

Onsite Mental Health First Aiders – A network of trained colleagues on hand to offer support whenever it’s needed.

Week 3: Personal Responsibility + Ownership: Stop & Think

Week 3 highlighted the importance of personal responsibility in maintaining a safe workplace. Using the message “STOP & THINK”, we encouraged employees to continue treating safety as a personal commitment. The week also introduced updates to our Good Catch programme, including an expanded range of prizes. This initiative encourages staff to report safety observations, helping to prevent potential incidents before they occur.

This week also offered AG employees the amazing opportunity to take part in two immersive training days delivered by Theatre at Work, using performance-based learning to explore key health and safety themes.

Through interactive scenarios and facilitated discussion, participants were able to examine how everyday decisions can influence workplace safety outcomes. The sessions focused on areas such as personal responsibility, risk awareness, and speaking up when something doesn’t look right, helping to encourage open dialogue and reflection.

This innovative approach offered a thought-provoking and engaging way to reinforce safe behaviours and strengthen our safety culture across the organisation.

Week 4: Workplace Transport & Pedestrian Segregation: Drive Danger Out

Workplace transport safety remains a key priority across all AG sites, and Workplace Transport Week in October reinforced the importance of managing vehicle-related risks.

We took the opportunity this week to revisit our Forklift and Mobile Plant Safety video that was part of a wider campaign. It reminded employees of essential safety measures, including daily pre-use vehicle inspections, ensuring clear visibility with high-visibility PPE, and strictly adhering to designated pedestrian routes.

By continuing to apply the principles of Safe Site, Safe Vehicle, Safe Driver, we are strengthening our commitment to keeping both pedestrians and drivers safe. This forms an important part of our year-round #GoHomeSafe campaign and our mission to #DriveDangerOut across every AG site.

Week 5: Occupational Dust: Don’t Let Dust Decide

The final week of October Safety Month turned its attention to an often overlooked but serious workplace hazard: occupational dust. We welcomed a representative from The FFP Company, a Fit2Fit-accredited provider of professional face fit testing for respiratory protective equipment, along with a representative from our PPE supplier PJD. They visited our Fivemiletown, Toome and Carryduff sites to meet with Managers, Supervisors and Team Leaders.

The sessions provided valuable guidance on the importance of correct face fit testing and helped staff understand the PPE options available to protect against airborne dust. Discussions focused on selecting the right respiratory protection for each task, ensuring not only compliance but effective, reliable protection.

Face fit testing will take place in the coming months, with chosen respiratory equipment carefully matched to the type of work, the level of hazard and the individual needs of the wearer.

Throughout the month, we also ran a Guess the Safety Slogan competition, inspired by a cash-call style challenge. Each week centred on a specific health and safety theme, and staff were invited to recall the slogan for the chance to win a range of prizes, including a Dash Cam, Nutribullet, Android tablet and more.

Our annual October Safety Month continues to be an important part of strengthening our #GoHomeSafe culture at AG. By reinforcing safe behaviours and integrating good practices into everyday work, we are committed to ensuring every site remains a safe environment for everyone.