6 October 2014

Innovative thinking has paid off for three members of the CostainMWH Severn Trent Water AMP5 Framework team.

Dave Doe, Works Superintendant at Frankley water treatment works; Annette Barnes, Senior Performance Analyst; and James Colclough, Site Manager, each won £250 in the latest round of the Framework’s Innovation Awards.

Dave came up with the idea of purchasing a road sweeper attachment for a telehandler to keep Frankley’s roads clear. Traditionally the site hires a road sweeper but Dave worked out that a fork-mounted sweeper attachment would pay for itself in just 58 days. It’s safer too – the telehandler and sweeper attachment can be used on demand and so any slip risks can be dealt with far more quickly. There is also the additional advantage of no risk of cross contamination from external sweepers.

Annette developed a quality module that can be added to the SHE (Safety, Health and Environment) capture system. The module records audits, related actions and individual non-conformance reports (NCRs). It allows the action or NCR owner to be informed via email, and the action/NCR remains open until the owner updates the information and closes it out. The module also provides effective monitoring of audit action close out and audit results, and can spot trends in actions, enabling recurring issues to be identified. Annette’s idea is now being considered for company-wide adoption.

Jim Colclough produced a poster that enables site operatives to quickly and easily identify the right glove for the job. Thirty operatives took part in a two-week trial to test which gloves were best for which tasks, checking for safety, comfort and size. Their feedback enabled Jim to identify the best and safest gloves for the various tasks on site and put this information in a poster. Jim also arranged for safety equipment supplier Arco to give a talk on different types of glove and how to identify the best glove for a particular task.

The award scheme, which has been running for five years, awards prizes every quarter. It is open to everyone in CostainMWH, who can enter as individuals or teams. All submissions are then submitted to the Knowledge and Innovation team at Costain’s head office.

“The Severn Trent Framework is always pushing the boundaries of working practise in all areas,” said Gavin Pearce, Project Manager.  “Innovations ensure we work more effectively, safely and further reduce costs. We actively encourage people to think innovatively, and therefore reward the individuals or teams who develop innovations in their projects. This has a positive impact on the framework and Costain’s wider approach.”

 

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