Health and safety comes before cost: 3M
The company, which manufactures various personal protective equipment (PPE), has launched 10 comedy videos as part of its new Wise Choices campaign to highlight health and safety tips.
Adele Wills, 3M senior marketing executive for personal safety, said: “Food and drink manufacturers are very aware of health and safety.”
‘A big issue’
“But, sometimes cost can be a big issue [for food and drink manufacturers], so we’re highlighting that this shouldn’t result in poor health and safety standards.”
The increasing pressures faced by food manufacturers to lower the cost of their products in response to supermarkets slashing their prices could tempt some businesses to cut costs in other ways, she added.
“We want to communicate to customers, not only the risks in the workplace, but also the risks posed when individuals have a lack of knowledge or awareness in protecting the workforce,” she said.
In the videos Ewen Macintosh, an actor from the sitcom The Office, plays lackadaisical purchasing manager Barry, who views health and safety and PPE as an inconvenience.
Braspirator
In one episode (see below) Barry can be seen substituting respirators with the cup of a lady’s bra, which he calls a ‘Braspirator’. He then pulls out a second example (bras used by breastfeeding mothers), and calls it ‘Braspirator Air’.
“The Wise Choices campaign is an amusing insight into a character’s flawed knowledge and awareness around the decisions that he is taking that directly impact the health and safety of his workplace,” added Wills.
Meanwhile, 3M has spent £2M on redeveloping its Bracknell Customer Insight Centre (CIC).
The CIC, which will be officially opened this September by television presenter Professor Brian Cox, will be used by 3M and its clients to develop solutions to technical problems.
