Health & Safety

It’s not just the personal growth and emotional well–being of our workforce that is of concern to us. Physical safety is paramount. Employees need to be reminded that a construction site can potentially be a dangerous working environment. We need to understand the potential for health and safety risks and strive to implement measures to reduce, or even better, avoid these risks. Stringent safety and loss control measures are enforced across all our building sites, and equipment and scaffolding is stringently inspected on a regular basis.

A full–time Safety Officer, our own Safety Plan and Client Specifications, and Safety Manuals ensure that we continue to meet – and exceed – our own standards. Our safety officers valued input, training and inspections not only help ensures a safer working environment, but also give peace-of-mind and the necessary guiding to our clients and professional team.

A clean and tidy construction site not only instils a sense of pride in the work on hand, but also helps to create a safer environment in which to work. Therefore we believe a neat site is a safe site. Site managers are also reminded that a tidy, well organised site is a good marketing tool.

The company always employs experienced people on site; people who have enough experience to identify and report any possible safety risk. All new workers undergo an induction programme to increase safety awareness that is site specific. All employees are required to wear prescribed safety gear and to be regularly trained in safety procedures.

The company’s high regard for occupational safety is reflected in the large number of safety awards it has received over the years, and the number of buildings that have received BIFSA’s star gradings for adherence to the industry’s safety standards.

Training

Ongoing training has always been a corner stone of our commitment to quality and to the people who will ensure the continued growth and success of our company into the future. Effective training contributes to both personal growth and quality workmanship. It helps attract like–minded employees and keeps our quality–conscious clients returning.

Today, Isipani Construction (Pty) Ltd provides extensive in-house training to Site Agents, Project Managers, Foremen and Artisans through on–the–job training and mentorship programmes. In addition, employees are also encouraged to attend courses provided by the Boland College and the MBA in Rondebosch. Performance evaluations are done twice a year to assess individual needs.

Our office and senior site personnel also regularly attend seminars and other courses to familiarize themselves with current trends. These include computer, financial, tax and contract law courses. We also employ Technikon students as junior Supervisors and - Quantity Surveyors.

During 2011 we had the following people in training:

Corporate Social Investment

Our day–to–day operations depend on the people from the communities in which we operate. We are firmly committed to empowering the members of these communities by generating employment and transferring skills to local tradesmen.

Over the years the company had identified various créches, day–care centres, youth groups and an AIDS orphanage to help out according to their individual needs. Donations may range from emergency food parcels, to blankets or soccer kits. The programme is widely supported by both office and site staff members. It is through the Itisa Committee that most of this work takes place.