AboitizPower whistles for safety
DIVINE S. NGUJO
Celebrating their combined 20 million safe man-hours without lost time injury (LTI), AboitizPower subsidiaries AP Renewables, Inc. (APRI) and San Carlos Sun Power, Inc. (SacaSun) employees blew whistles together for 20 seconds, a symbolic activity that highlights the high value AboitizPower places on safety.
Since AboitizPower’s acquisition of the facilities in 2009, APRI’s Tiwi Geothermal Power Plant in Albay has recorded zero accident resulting in injury, while the MakBan Geothermal Power Plant, which spans across the provinces of Laguna and Batangas, has already reached seven years without injuries resulting in lost time.
Meanwhile, SacaSun has maintained zero lost time injury rate since the start of its operations, despite the extensive construction that involved more than 4,000 workers even before it was commissioned in 2016.
Engr. Alberto Suansing, Chairman of the Board of the Safety Organization of the Philippines (SOPI), graced the commemorative activity held in APRIMakBan.
“The attainment of 20 million accidentfree man-hours [is] no simple feat. It takes hard work and focus,” Suansing said.
Recognizing the challenge of operating and maintaining large-scale power generation facilities, APRI Senior Vice President for Operations Kevin Beavers said, “The unified blowing of whistles, which lasted symbolically for 20 seconds, is a testament to the hard work, determination, and teamwork that are the key ingredients to achieving this 20 million safe-man hours milestone.”
With safety being at the forefront of AboitizPower’s business operations, team members across the different business units all over the Philippines are encouraged and empowered to become safety ambassadors. As for APRI and SacaSun, their Environment, Health, and Safety Departments have rolled out several safety programs including monthly huddles, regular emergency drills, safety orientations, and various trainings and certifications on occupational health and safety.
“Safety begins with each one of us. I wish to thank our leaders for giving us a clear mandate so that I and my fellow employees can go home safely to our families every day,” said APRI-Tiwi Safety Specialist Casimiro Flores, Jr.