”Communication
is everything”
Safety is a vital pillar at TCE, and we pride ourselves on upholding the highest standards. John Foster, Sodium Bicarbonate Production Manager, talks all things safety.
A culture of safety
John talks about the importance of everyone taking responsibility for safety at TCE. His role is to ensure the safety of the people, plant and local environment. TCE have a proud record of frequently achieving a year accident free through rigorous safety standards.
Taking ownership
“Whether you’re an apprentice, a shift operator or the managing director, it is essential that everyone is always striving for the highest level of safety. Everyone has the right to come into work and go home the same way they arrived and that has been ingrained into our safety culture. My team know that if I feel it’s needed, I’ll press pause in order to refocus: getting everyone round the table tennis table with a brew and some biscuits encourages us all to chat and take a little step back to zone-in on safety. If that means things take a little longer, then so be it. Safety is more important than any production. It really is as simple as that.’’
Leading from the front
“At TCE we believe that communication is everything. As a manager I’m constantly speaking to my team on the shop floor, supporting and educating them, so that we can continue our high standards of safety. I encourage everyone to ask me questions, challenge thinking and not just blindly follow instructions.
We lead from the front here and as a manager I’m always prepared, in good times and bad, to stand alongside my team and get my hands dirty. Even if that’s tidying or sweeping up, I’m ready to do whatever it takes to get us back to a safer position. I’m so proud of the team we have on site, during the pandemic they showed up day in day out and helped keep pharmacies up and down the country running. We continue to deliver every single year on safety and on budget whilst keeping our customers satisfied.”
Engagement drives standards
“What gives us the confidence to operate in a permanent mindset of innovation? We’ve faced and continue to face our fair share of challenges. Some of the biggest we’ve come up against on this newest project have been on a global scale – from the pandemic to inflation – but we continue to progress and evolve. A lot of our new ideas come straight from the top. MD Martin Ashcroft has been integral to our growth into other sectors and continues to lead from the front.”
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