By Cameron Weston
LAVERTON plastics manufacturer Australian Vinyls (AV) has been nominated for a major Victorian training award.
The company is one of three in the running for the Employer of the Year award, presented to an employer which conducts outstanding employee training programs.
AV training manager Michael Grout said a new system was put in place in 2000 and 2001, that improved the company’s bottom line and its safety record.
Mr Grout said to remain competitive in Australia, a company like AV could build a new plant, improve plants or improve the skills and training of employees.
“We’ve upgraded our plant, so the technology there is fairly good, and we’ve also upgraded our people.
“We’ve tried to invest in our people, getting them to be better and smarter, having fewer injuries and delivering better quality. We’ve really focused on that.”
Eric Eaton, a plant operator employed at AV for 18 years, was taking a “reaction chemistry” session in his training – the type of detailed, specialised study typical for a worker there.
Mr Eaton said there were dedicated training days at an on-site facility, and training time was rostered into every shift cycle.
He said training was regulated to ensure that people didn’t miss out on important sessions.
Mr Eaton believed it vital that workers were well-trained, so that best practice and safe working practice became second nature.
“Having an allocated training time makes things a lot easier. This is definitely the most consistent training I’ve had.
“We work in a dangerous facility and so its incumbent on us to know all the ins-and-outs of the system.”
The Laverton AV plant is a major hazard facility, one of the 10 most potentially hazardous sites in the state, so continuous training for all operators is essential, especially with frequent equipment upgrades.
“The training has to cover all the hazards in our operation, like manual handling, chemical awareness, confined space entry and breathing apparatus,” Mr Grout said.
The sessions, delivered by experienced trainers from the Bendigo TAFE, have also helped lower the injury rate at AV Laverton from 29 injuries four years ago, to 23 last year, and down to 12 this year.
Lynne Kosky, the Minister for Education and Training, said the awards recognised the benefits of co-operation in training and the workplace.
“Vocational education is a partnership that works best when individuals, training providers, industry specialists and businesses collaborate to keep training relevant and responsive to industry needs.”
The winners of the training awards will be announced on Monday, 31 July.
