One worker’s idea at Busways’ Grafton depot has sparked a major safety upgrade across the company’s 20 depots, showing how small, practical feedback can lead to significant results.
The change began when a staff member suggested installing a better eye wash station during a Safe Work Month “Safe-Tea” session. What started as a single depot initiative became the catalyst for a system-wide review of first aid preparedness across Busways’ operations.
- Subscribe to our free weekly newsletter to receive the latest news and classifieds from Australasia’s bus and coach industry.
- Don’t miss a second and subscribe to our monthly ABC magazine
Busways safety manager Jo Edwards says the investigation revealed a gap between consistent safety procedures and varying equipment quality.
“It became clear that while our first aid processes were consistent, the equipment wasn’t,” Edwards says.
“We needed to rethink the design and location of eye wash stations. If something gets in your eye and you can’t see, they need to be close by and easy to use. It was an opportunity for us to improve how first aid kits were restocked.”
The Busways Safety team conducted a full audit, assessing incident risks, existing systems and ways to standardise first aid readiness. As a result, every depot now has multiple strategically placed eye wash stations with redesigned enclosures to keep them clean and accessible.
“By focusing on scalable systems, we created fast, simple solutions that could be deployed seamlessly across every location,” Edwards says.
First aid stock management has also been automated, with suppliers now dispatching equipment directly to depots to ensure consistent readiness across all sites.
“These initiatives are part of a broader effort to make sure every team member has access to the same high standard of safety equipment, regardless of their location,” she says.
Edwards says the results show that feedback from the ground level can be one of the strongest drivers of improvement.
“The lesson is clear – small, practical feedback can drive system-wide safety improvements,” she says.
“When you design consistency into your safety systems, the right thing to do also becomes the easiest.
“This National Safe Work Month, we’re visiting more depots to hear from our teams on the ground and continue building safer workplaces – because safety is every job, every day.”
Read more:
- Melbourne services to be disrupted again as negotiation dispute continues
- Suppliers confirmed for NSW bendy and double-decker bus orders
- BIC launches new safety screen initiative to keep Queensland drivers safe
- Tabled documents reveal Victoria is underinvesting in bus services
- Western suburbs in Melbourne score major transport boost
