Heineken Control of Work

Video Transcript

My name is Steven O’Donoghue. I’m currently the plant engineer in Heineken, Ireland. Before Control of  Work, we used a paper permitting system. It wasn’t easy to actually ensure that everything was being filled out 100% as we wanted it to be filled out. We didn’t have the facility to attach RAMs; they were separate. They sometimes were emails, so it was quite difficult to manage the paper permit system, emails, and other documentation that would go with the permit system.

The main factor that drew us to the VelocityEHS system was the ease of use. It was very easy for people to use the system. Plus, the fact that we had great traceability and trackability of the permits. We found that the system was much more robust than the paper system, and that took a little bit of adjusting for people to adhere to. The system itself was very easy to use, so that made the transition quite smooth.

Over a space of several months, the system became embedded, and people were familiar with the system. It saves a lot of time – It saves time for online induction, it saves time for permits, it allows a person to review a permit 48 hours in advance, or whatever you set as the required time to review a permit. It’s very useful, as well, for tracking safety training, whether it be for contractors or for your in-house personnel. It also has a traffic light system that will tell you when the training is due for renewal or any of the documentation is due for an update.

For those who are moving to a digital system of Control of Work, I’d recommend that they prepare very well, that they ensure that people understand what their roles and responsibilities are in the system. By doing this and training people properly, you’ll ensure a smooth transition into the new digital control of work system. And ensure a safe system of work.