Safety through the eyes of children

At P&O Ferrymasters, our commitment to safety has been unwavering throughout our longstanding partnership with Tata Steel UK, supporting them with export road transport solutions. When approached to support the Tata Steel Business Planning & Supply Chain Safety Competition, we were thrilled to be a part of it.

The competition aimed to raise awareness of potential safety risks and hazards from a unique perspective: through the eyes of children. The children should create drawings illustrating various aspects of workplace transport, including trucks, trains, cranes, boats, and essential personal protective equipment like hats, boots, and glasses.

Mike Shannon, our Director of Operations (Logistics), emphasized the paramount importance of safety in our daily operations. Mike continues: “As P&O Ferrymasters, we handle over 16,000 truckloads of steel annually for Tata Steel UK. We take great pride in our role as load safety checkers and work closely with Tata Steel's dedicated Health and Safety staff to ensure a secure working environment during steel collection. The idea of a drawing competition, focusing on safety through the eyes of children, is fantastic and I am pleased we could contribute to their prize fund”.

Martin Rees, Head of Safety, Compliance & Development, Business Planning & Supply Chain at Tata Steel UK, added: “Collaboration with our key logistic partners is fundamental to my aspiration of an injury-free supply chain.”

77 drawings were submitted by children of employees, contracting colleagues, and local schools. Many will be used as part of a wider safety campaign across the Tata Steel value chain to stimulate a different thought process about the potential consequences of decisions that people make at work.

At P&O Ferrymasters, we remain committed to upholding safety standards and fostering a culture of awareness and responsibility. Collaborations like these allow us to make a real impact, nurturing safety practices within our organizations and the broader community. Together with Tata Steel UK, we continue to prioritize the safety of our drivers, colleagues, customers, and the public as we carry out our daily operations.