At Lafarge, Canada's leading provider of diversified construction materials, the quest for innovative and sustainable building solutions is matched by a commitment to safety and communication. Tommy Klassen, the Rural Area Manager for Lafarge's aggregates division, has played a pivotal role in using the power of digital signage to foster a safety-first culture across the company’s operations outside Calgary, Alberta.
Tommy Klassen oversees all gravel pits and crushing operations in the rural areas surrounding Calgary. His responsibilities include disseminating crucial safety and training information to multiple sites, a challenge that led him to advocate for digital signage as a solution. Tommy explained:
“We were looking for a way to translate all of our safety information, training information, and any information that we thought should get to the sites quicker than it was with being sent in an email. And then the foreman every morning would have to print it off and go over it with their guys.”
The Problem: Communication Across Widespread Worksites
Lafarge faced challenges with efficiently communicating safety protocols and operational updates across its widespread sites. Traditional methods involved paper bulletins that cluttered workspace and often went unnoticed.
In addressing the issue Lafarge faced with workplace communication, Tommy highlighted a common challenge: information stagnation. When safety information, training protocols, and operational updates are continuously posted in the same format or location, such as on cluttered bulletin boards, employees tend to become desensitized to the content.
This inattentiveness arises because the static nature of such displays fails to capture ongoing attention, causing critical updates to be overlooked. The familiarity of seeing the same old posters and printed notices day after day leads to a lack of engagement, with workers simply walking by without taking in the vital details necessary for their safety and productivity. This situation prompted Lafarge's search for a dynamic solution to keep the workforce alert and informed.
Adopting Rise Vision
The shift to digital signage was spurred by the inefficiency and visual clutter of paper bulletins in trailers and common areas. Lafarge sought a platform that could instantly update and display vital information across all sites, ensuring all employees had access to the latest safety protocols and operational updates. Rise Vision was selected for its ease of use and immediate impact on communication.
What sets Lafarge apart in its use of digital signage is the specific focus on safety in a high-risk industry. By displaying real-time safety alerts, toolbox talks, and environmental safety topics directly on screens in strategic locations, Lafarge ensures continuous engagement with essential safety information. Dynamic content also helps keep safety reminders at the forefront of workers' minds especially when switching from night shift to day shift, or when coming back to work from days off.
Digital Signage Content Examples for Industrial Organizations
To enhance communication and promote a safe, informed, and engaged workforce, industrial organizations can utilize digital signage in a variety of impactful ways. Here are some key content ideas that companies like Lafarge have successfully implemented to leverage the power of digital signage:
- Safety Messages and Toolbox Talks: Display daily or weekly safety tips, and detailed toolbox talk sessions that reinforce safe practices.
- Health and Safety Procedures: Outline safety protocols for emergency situations, including evacuation routes, location of safety equipment, and first-aid procedures.
- Positive Act Submissions: Encourage a positive workplace culture by highlighting instances of employees recognizing their peers for safe behavior and other commendable acts.
- Employee Survey Results: Share outcomes and actions from recent employee surveys to demonstrate transparency and responsiveness to feedback.
- Instructions for Submitting Feedback Anonymously: Provide clear guidelines on how employees can give anonymous feedback, which can be crucial for uncovering and addressing hidden issues.
- Contact Information for Telehealth Services or Accessing Employee Benefits: Offer easy access to health-related resources and information on how to utilize employee benefits, which can enhance employee wellbeing and satisfaction.
- Training Schedules and Reminders: Keep employees informed about upcoming training sessions, including dates, times, and locations to ensure high participation and compliance with mandatory training requirements.
- Operational Updates and Real-time Metrics: Show real-time updates about operations, such as production levels or downtime issues, to keep all staff informed and aligned with current operational statuses.
- Recognition of Employee Milestones and Achievements: Celebrate employee milestones, such as work anniversaries or special recognitions, fostering a sense of belonging and appreciation within the workforce.
Implementing Rise Vision to Enhance Communication
The implementation of Rise Vision at Lafarge has streamlined the way safety and operational information is communicated. Here are two key examples of how digital signage has made a difference.
Real-Time Safety Communications
Rise Vision has over 600 customizable templates like this Safety Compliance template.
Lafarge has leveraged digital signage to enhance real-time safety communications across its Calgary area quarries, a critical move given the inherent risks in the aggregates and mining industry. By transitioning to digital signage, Lafarge has been able to disseminate safety information swiftly and effectively, ensuring that all employees, regardless of their location within the site, receive timely updates about safety protocols.
This method of communication is crucial, considering the statistics around workplace safety in Canada. According to the Association of Workers' Compensation Boards of Canada, there were 993 workplace fatalities recorded in 2022, with a significant number of these occurring in industries similar to those operated by Lafarge. Furthermore, over 348,747 claims were accepted for lost time due to work-related injury or disease, underscoring the importance of effective safety communication to prevent accidents and injuries.
By implementing digital signage, Lafarge addresses these safety challenges head-on. Each screen strategically placed in the scale houses and lunch trailers of Lafarge’s operations displays vital safety reminders, including environmental tips and emergency procedures. For instance, a slide may remind workers to ensure all equipment is cleared of snow and ice before operation, echoing the company's commitment to operational safety amid variable weather conditions typical of the region.
This approach not only aligns with national safety standards but also reinforces Lafarge's dedication to maintaining a safe working environment, significantly contributing to reducing the likelihood and severity of workplace incidents.
Promoting Positive Act Submissions through Digital Signage
Employees can be recognized by their peers for safety and teamwork with the Employee Spotlight template.
A standout feature of Lafarge's use of digital signage is the innovative approach to fostering a positive workplace culture through "positive act submissions." These submissions allow employees to give shoutouts to colleagues who exemplify safety and teamwork, enhancing recognition and morale across the workforce. Each digital signage presentation features a QR code in the corner of the screen, encouraging employees to scan and submit their positive acts or suggestions anonymously.
The inclusion of QR codes has simplified the process, making it accessible and immediate. Since implementing this feature, Lafarge has observed a significant increase in employee engagement with the digital displays, as evidenced by the surge in submissions received. This uptick not only demonstrates the system’s effectiveness in capturing employees' attention but also boosts overall workplace morale by publicly acknowledging and rewarding positive behavior. (A $5 Tim Hortons gift card for being recognized certainly helps encourage submissions as well.)
This interactive aspect of digital signage at Lafarge underscores the platform's versatility beyond mere safety alerts, serving as a powerful tool for building a supportive and collaborative work environment.
Enhancing Workplace Safety and Communication at Lafarge Through Digital Signage
Lafarge’s approach to managing digital content has improved their internal communications. By using Google Slides linked to screens across all worksites, updates to announcements or safety protocols are made in real-time without the need to physically replace notices across sites. This method not only saves time but also significantly reduces paper waste.
Other construction and industrial organizations can learn from Lafarge’s strategic use of digital signage to enhance safety and operational efficiency. By centralizing content management and employing real-time updates, companies can ensure that crucial information is not only disseminated efficiently but also absorbed more effectively by the workforce.
Lafarge's adoption of Rise Vision stands as a testament to the power of digital technology in transforming workplace communication. The success seen in the Calgary area quarries underscores the potential for other industries to implement similar technologies to improve safety, efficiency, and employee engagement. As digital signage becomes more integral to industrial operations, its impact on company culture and operational success continues to grow.
Interested in how your organization can use Rise Vision? Book a free demo today.
