
"Anyone can come see me. We do everything we can to ensure that everyone works safely and in a healthy way."
Farm Trans is deeply committed to healthy and safety. Since May 2024, the QESH division (Quality, Environment, Safety & Health) has grown even more with the addition of Bart Minten. So what exactly does he do? Bart: ‘I’m a Safety & Health Specialist as well as a Prevention Officer. This means that one of my responsibilities is the health of the employees. I also look at how all employees can perform their work safely.’
After 15 years in a similar role at another logistics organisation, Bart felt it was time for a fresh start. He says: ‘If you stay with one company for too long, you sometimes become less aware of the danger. New environments and insights bring everything back into focus.’ Bart also says that his ambitions are aligned with those of Farm Trans: ‘Where Farm Trans wants to go appeals to me: we want to grow, and while doing so, we always aim to be a good employer that supports safety and our staff. You're meant to return home the same way you arrive: safe and in one piece.’
The QESH department focuses on several areas. One of these is Quality, which is key. Our quality is closely monitored in the broadest sense. A Sustainability Manager, who handles Environment, has since been brought on. Bart explains more about the areas of Safety and Health: ‘By safety, we mean: do we have the proper materials and procedures to ensure that people work safely? Or do we need to adjust things to make them safer? I always determine this in consultation with the individual departments. The subject of health is very broad: for us it is especially important that the environmental factors are healthy. This involves aspects like the right equipment quality or the correct adjustment of the seat in a vehicle.’
Bart describes his role as a Safety & Health Specialist with the following words: varied, challenging and rewarding. Why these three words? Bart: ‘The work is varied for two reasons. I work with many different departments and operations, and each one has its own challenges. I might be asked about working safely one day and about health the next. Not to mention that my role is divided between office work and some operations-related work. I alternate between detailing procedures, talking to colleagues about safety and checking our work locations. Therein lies the challenge: one is easy to arrange, while the other requires planning.’
Bart continues by telling us what is most enjoyable about his role at Farm Trans: ‘Once I’ve finished something, my colleagues can see that I have arranged for them to work more safely. They are often very grateful. Sometimes the gratitude comes when I'm just listening to them, and other times it’s after everything has been set up. That is very rewarding and makes you feel really good.’
As a Safety & Health Specialist, Bart faces many challenges and risks. For example, Bart says that the worst thing that can happen to him is when something happens to a colleague. He explains: ‘I want everyone to get home safely. Farm Trans focuses heavily on preventive safety. We train our staff well to prevent accidents. It is therefore also important that all accidents be reported. The goal is not to punish, but to learn from them as an organisation and prevent them in the future.’
It doesn’t matter if it's a small adjustment or a large project: Bart is always ready to listen and find solutions. Bart points out: ‘Anyone can come see me. We do everything we can to ensure that everyone works safely and in a healthy way. Together, we make Farm Trans safer and healthier ona daily basis.’
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