Edited by Eamonn Ryan
In the cold chain, where operational continuity depends on people working safely around moving machinery, industrial equipment and high-risk environments, workplace safety is about far more than compliance.
It is a critical factor in protecting employees, maintaining productivity and ensuring the uninterrupted movement of temperature-sensitive products. From manufacturing facilities and refrigerated warehouses to transport operations, building a strong safety culture requires both robust systems and personal accountability.
This was the focus of a recent workplace safety initiative launched by FUCHS LUBRICANTS SOUTH AFRICA during its annual Safety Day, held in partnership with KBC Health & Safety. The event celebrated the company’s Zero Harm achievement in 2025 while introducing its new Golden Rules of Safety programme.
Centred on the theme, ‘Safety Starts with Me: Every Task, Every Time’, the initiative places personal ownership at the heart of workplace safety, encouraging employees to take responsibility for both their own wellbeing and that of their colleagues. The Golden Rules focus on key areas including personal accountability, personal protective equipment (PPE) compliance, and the safe operation of vehicles and moving machinery.
“Safety is not simply a policy at FUCHS, it is a core value embedded in how we operate every day,” says Anneline Jairaj, SHEQ manager at FUCHS LUBRICANTS SOUTH AFRICA. “Our Golden Rules are designed to give every employee ownership of their safety and the safety of others around them. Zero Harm is a significant milestone, but we are committed to maintaining and improving that culture through ongoing awareness and accountability.”
The emphasis on safety leadership is particularly relevant in industrial environments where employees routinely interact with potentially hazardous equipment and processes. Cultivating a proactive safety culture helps organisations minimise workplace incidents while supporting operational excellence.
A highlight of the Safety Day programme was a motivational presentation by former Bafana Bafana goalkeeper and Riski Diski ambassador, André Arendse. Drawing on his professional football experience, Arendse spoke about resilience, teamwork and personal responsibility, using sport as a powerful analogy for how individual actions contribute to collective success.
Developed by KBC Health & Safety, Riski Diski is a soccer-themed, gamified safety training programme that uses the language and dynamics of football to improve hazard awareness and operational risk management in high-risk workplaces. By combining experiential learning with practical safety principles, the programme is designed to make workplace safety more engaging and memorable for participants.
Employees participated in foosball activities and practical safety scenarios covering hazard identification, risk assessment, PPE compliance, safety controls and the Swiss Cheese Model of accident prevention. The interactive approach reinforced the importance of recognising and addressing risks before incidents occur.
“We believe behavioural change is key to effective safety management,” says Sian Thurtell, commercial director at KBC Health & Safety. “Using experiential and gamified learning approaches, like Riski Diski, is a great way to practically and memorably engage employees to improve risk awareness and decision making in the workplace.”
As cold chain operations become increasingly complex and automated, initiatives that strengthen safety awareness and encourage individual accountability will continue to play an important role in creating safer and more resilient workplaces. Programmes that move beyond compliance to embed safety as a shared responsibility help ensure that every task is performed safely, every time.