Safety First: Reka Cables’ Accident Rate Decreased by 68% in 2024
Emma Lehtonen, Safety Manager, Reka Cables
In 2024, lost time or medical treatment incidents decreased by 68% across Reka Cables compared to the previous year. This means that more than two-thirds of the time, our employees were able to return home safely from work. This result is excellent and demonstrates our organization’s strong commitment to achieving our most important goal: zero accident.
As Safety Manager, It’s easy to be satisfied with such a result, not only because we have significantly reduced accidents but also because of the safety culture development that has made this result possible. The development of a safety culture invariably requires the internalization of the idea that everyone feel responsible for their own safety and the safety of those around them. Safety is not just the responsibility of a few but of all. Additionally, the operation must be systematic and transparent to be genuinely improved. In these areas, I believe we have succeeded. Safety First is not just a slogan; safety is truely the foundation of our operations. Our employees have genuinely the right and the duty to stop operations if they cannot be carried out safely. This message is also strongly communicated by the company’s top management: It is important for us to produce safe and high-quality products for our customers, but no cable is more important than the health and safety of our employees.
Personally, I am truly impressed by how our employees, the skilled cable professionals, raise the issues they observe. In 2024, we recorded a total of 777 safety observations, or SUSA cards (Safe and UnSafe Acts and conditions), which was 3.5 times the number of the previous year. Observations are made not only in factories but also at the headquarters, indicating that safety awareness is growing at all levels of the organization. I am pleased to see that employees working in different functions observe safety issues, including positive ones, when visiting production plants and report them. The process for handling safety observations has also been continuously improved so that by the end of the year, 85% of the SUSA cards made were also processed and closed within the target time.
Together we are stronger, also in 2025
One major factor in the development of safety is also the Nexans Group, from which we receive tremendous support in our safety work. We have adopted Nexans’ 15 Safety Golden Rules, which highlight safety topics generally recognized in our industry and through experience. The rules describe requirements for operations such as handling cable drums or machine safety, which have of course already been important safety themes for us, but the group’s requirements and standards have brought clarity to the development of our operations. The extensive factory and colleague community also helps us find best practices for planning practical measures.
Year 2025 has started by continuing the same positive trend in safety. Our Keuruu plant has just surpassed its previous all-time record for accident-free days. Our safety culture is evolving and is being driven forward by the entire organization together.