Since it was set up, QDVC has pledged to pursue VINCI’s zero accident policy, which refutes the idea that workplace accidents are inevitable, by applying strict standards with respect to health, safety and quality of life at work.
Health and safety policy
Safety initiations are mandatory for anyone working on construction sites, including temporary workers, subcontractors and site visitors. QDVC supplies all workers and temporary workers with PPE (personal protective equipment) free of charge. QDVC also supplies any specific item of PPE, should a task require such equipment.
No work is undertaken on any construction site without a Work Method Statement, which sets out the method to follow to carry out the specific task safely, assesses any related health, safety and environmental risks and identifies the appropriate checks to mitigate them. This process also applies to subcontractors.
Each new worker on the project undergoes mandatory training, which comprises four modules:
- 1. Identifying risks and dangers, and manual lifting
- 2. Working at height and handheld power tools
- 3. Personal protective equipment and site shut down
- 4. Fire risk prevention, first aid, well-being and waste management
Workers undergoing training wear a distinctive symbol on site to enable their colleagues and supervisors to easily identify them and support them where necessary.
Continuous training in safety, forums and 15-minute safety sessions are held throughout the year on all construction sites. A free medical is conducted as part of the recruitment process, as well as at regular intervals to ensure workers are physically capable of doing the job they are asked to do and protect their health. First aid stations and clinics staffed with qualified medical personnel are also open to all people working on construction sites and living on base camps, including temporary workers and subcontractors. The medical includes an assessment of the person’s physical condition, conducted by a doctor, as well as monitoring of blood glucose and blood pressure levels. Medical training is provided to doctors and nurses, covering cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR), basic care and first aid.
Extreme heat
To protect workers from high temperatures, a heat-related risk prevention programme is rolled out every year. A campaign to raise awareness is organised involving all workers and sites are equipped with temperature and humidity sensors. Officers regularly check the apparent temperature on construction sites using specialist measuring equipment to take the WetBulb Globe Temperature (WBGT), a measure of the heat stress in direct sunlight, which takes into account temperature, humidity, wind speed and visible and infrared radiation on humans. If the WBGT exceeds 32.1 degrees, work on site is suspended.
In summer, between 1 June and 15 September, all work outdoors in direct sunlight is prohibited between 10 am and 3.30 pm.
Workers operate in pairs throughout the summer so they can watch over one another and identify the onset of heat stress. The nurses employed by QDVC are trained in dealing with cases of heat stress. Shaded and ventilated rest areas are set up on site, a few minutes’ walk away from each work station. Where possible, vast air-conditioned rest areas are installed on site. Workers receive as much cold drinking water as they wish and during the summer season, fresh fruit and juice are distributed each day.
QDVC health and safety record
In 2021, the QDVC accident severity rate (number of days not worked due to workplace accidents x 1,000/number of hours worked) came out at 0.008 and the frequency rate (number of accidents with lost time of one day or more x 1,000,000/number of hours worked) came out at 0.30.
At their highest, these indicators reached 0.045 and 2.2. The data includes all temporary workers and people employed by subcontractors. They correspond on average to 1 accident with lost time every 2 million hours worked.
For a more detailed description of the QDVC health and safety policy and record, read the pages 15 to 20 of the report published on the Business & Human Rights Resource Centre website..
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Psychosocial risk prevention programme
An innovative psychosocial risk prevention programme has been put in place in partnership with Eutelmed, a firm specialising in solutions for expatriates and foreign workers through a network of multilingual psychologists operating via a secure video consultation platform or by telephone.
Whenever they feel the need, employees are able to consult a psychologist through individual or group sessions where confidentiality is ensured. They also have access to an emergency hotline. In-house counsellors employed by QDVC have been trained to provide psychological first aid in a crisis and recognise signs of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD).
Furthermore, with support from Eutelmed, QDVC rolled out an in-house peer support programme. So far, 29 workers, known as buddies, have taken part in several workshops run by a psychologist from Eutelmed to help them detect early warning signs of suffering among their colleagues so they may listen and provide advice to help them seek the support of a professional.
QDVC hired in-house counsellors for each project and the workers' community
In 2020, as part of the Covid response measures, QDVC also called upon the services of Eutelmed to provide its employees with the necessary resources to handle the changes brought about by the pandemic in their work/private lives. Two special training courses were provided to managers and healthcare providers (doctors, nurses and counsellors). Videos were produced to provide workers with techniques to manage stress and anxiety. Furthermore, a battery of other measures put in place by QDVC as part of its Covid response package was highlighted in the public answer made in 2020 to the survey conducted by the Business & Human Rights Resource Centre (BHRRC).
Lire aussi : Employment and living conditions
Lire aussi : Workers’ representation