At engineering firm Movares, safety is about much more than ticking boxes. Vincent van Zaalen knows this better than anyone. As Health and Safety Advisor, he is responsible for everything related to internal safety: from SCC and ER to policy and awareness. ‘The whole playing field’, as he calls it. And it was this playing field that called for a future-proof solution.

From in-house app to customised collaboration

‘We had our own application, but it was outdated,” explains Vincent. It was becoming too expensive to maintain and the platform was outdated. As the IT department considered a new system, SafetyFirst came into the picture. “We started talking and thought: this could be it. Everything we needed – from notifications to LMRAs – was in there.

The transition was not entirely smooth. We had to find our way in the beginning – as with any change, there were some teething problems and it was a matter of aligning expectations. But as the collaboration deepened, trust grew. “Now it works well. We are evolving together and adding new functionality all the time. Twice a year I come to the SafetyFirst office and we go through everything. Things that aren’t working or adjustments we want to make. We have made quite a few adjustments. SafetyFirst also comes up with its own improvements, which we then implement. And if there is ever a problem, they solve it quickly.

Movares Safe: recognisable and effective

Movares uses SafetyFirst under its own flag: Movares Safe. The application has been given its own look and feel, including a house style, logo and specific modules such as “work alone” and document management. “We have adapted the process accordingly, and you can see that people know how to use the system better and better. We have also added modules. Yes, I really like the way it works and the end is not yet in sight. So it’s getting better and better.

Overall, the system works well and is stable, says Vincent. “You know, if something goes wrong, it’s often down to the people themselves. For example, they scan the QR code with their own scanner instead of the one that comes with it. But overall the response has been very good. People like the convenience.

Other parties in the industry have also caught on. “For example, we needed an instruction module. It turned out that another large engineering company had the same need. So we got in touch and developed it further. Now another party is getting involved. We try to do this as broadly as possible, because all engineering companies have the same problem. The broader we can do it, and the easier it fits into other people’s processes, the more everyone benefits.

No paperwork, but ownership

The big challenge? The huge variety of work within Movares. From counting bats to inspecting bridges and everything in between. “We employ ecologists who count bats in the forest or check from a platform in a tree whether the butterfly has laid eggs. Other people are standing by the side of a country road digging a trail trench, or under a bridge on a pontoon inspecting a bridge. I can give you so many examples of what our people are doing! You want to organise safety without it getting bogged down in paperwork. So one H&S plan for everything is not realistic. We have also developed an internal training course: half a day, including a certificate. Anyone who goes outside has to take it. This training gives our people enough tools to work safely. Movares Safe is an essential part of this.”

Advice to other companies

“My advice to other organisations is to try to work with other companies in the same industry. I think companies sometimes keep too much to themselves, which is a real shame. There’s so much variety now, for example in safety passports and safety clothing, that people can’t see the wood for the trees. It would be nice if the whole industry could use the same application. That collaboration is something I really long for.