BBL wins five-star safety award for the third time

LEKOPANYE MOOKETSI
Correspondent | Tuesday August 9, 2011 00:00

 

The award, which is the highest of the star ratings, ensures that companies have thorough processes in place to manage occupational health, hygiene and quality management.  The NOSA system also focuses on processes that manage social responsibility in the workplace.  A BBL representative, Larona Makgoeng, spoke about Project Tshelang, which is the company's managed health care system that offers free anti-retroviral drugs to employees and their immediate dependents as well as medical assistance for chronic illnesses such as diabetes, hypertension and asthma.

Said General Manager of Botswana Breweries (Pty) Ltd, Thomas Mpedi, of the award: 'This award brings to life the quality credentials that we strive for as underpinned by the framework on sustainable development, which we deem fundamental to how we do business.'  The NOSA five star standard is implemented by international organisations the world over, providing them with a rock-solid framework for managing workplace health and safety programmes.

The NOSA audit uses a five star grading system that focuses on programme status and the Disabling Incident Frequency Rate (DIFR) of the company.

NOSA awards a star rating based on industry-established criteria (ranging from level 1 to 5).  NOSA also provides numerous standards under strict audit guidelines that manage the safety, health and the environmental aspects in an integrated manner.

This is based on the risk profile of a particular site, with emphasis on effectiveness at the operational level.  'At BBL pursuit of excellence is standard practice and we consider our employees as an integral part of our business as it is through them that we gain an enduring advantage,' Mpedi said.

'To this end, at BBL, we believe that the health and safety of our employees is not just as an operational imperative, but a human rights issue that needs to be upheld.  'Botswana Breweries (Pty) Ltd is very pleased to have achieved the coveted five star NOSA rating as this vouches for (our) remarkable efforts and commitment to ensuring adherence to occupational risk management standards in the workplace.