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Thursday the yearly World day for safety and health at work organized by the International Labour Organization (ILO) will be held. Mourik Industry has decided to take part because safety is very important and we want to promote this also internationally. This year's theme is talking to each other about safety in order to jointly achieve a positive work environment in which attention for safety is always stimulated. Although safety has been commonplace within Mourik for years and an issue of great importance to all of us, it is certainly not yet a common good worldwide. Approximately 300 million employees worldwide cannot comment on safety or insecurity or incidents without running the risk of being punished. International attention to safety is therefore very important and speaking out about it is also an important part of our sustainability policy. Within Mourik Industry, the purpose of the day is to talk to each other and to agree per department, project or location to work together on improving a positive safety culture and to express this in the coming months. And also to inform each other and to talk about where it can be done better. Positive attention to safety is important every day of the year. Do you want to know more? Please contact our HSEQ department. Want to know more about our Just S@M safety culture? Please contact us.
Today we are celebrating our 6th annual Safety Day. Across the world, our directors and managers are discussing safety at Mourik with their employees. The theme of this year’s safety day is: Thumbs up for safety! Our people do their best each and every day to carry out their work properly and safely. That mindset requires knowledge, skills and, especially, focus. Today we are celebrating the fact that most of the things we do simply go according to plan, without damage, injury or another form of loss. Working at Mourik is both enjoyable and safe, and that’s something we are proud of. Past results During previous Safety Days, we paid particular attention to rules, such as our Last Minute Risk Analysis, Sisser reports, and the essential safety rules, as well as to the five biggest hazards in our type of work. By discussing these topics with each other, we have started working safer and more effectively, and this is reflected in our workplaces and at our projects. And so our employees more than deserve a compliment for this fact. A safe future A lot is already going well, that much is clear. However, we want to continue working safely in the future too, meaning we must never relax our attention to safety. So, today we will be answering two questions: What's going really well and what should we continue doing? What do we think deserves a thumbs up when it comes to safety at Mourik? To kick off Safety Day 2021 we present the video below. Video link
At Mourik, we always say: “we do it safely or not at all.” Our safety policy has grown from rules to culture. That means working safely not because we have to, but because we want to. This idea also lives on among our clients, such as Zeeland Refinery. Marnix Bezemer is Head of HSE at Mourik Industry and talked to his counterpart at the Zeeland refinery: Safety Specialist Marc Brandes. “For us, it's about everyone being able to go home healthy every day,” says Marc. “Of course that's a huge cliché, but it's true. That is why clear rules are important. But we are dealing with people. You can say: it's in the procedure, but it's not that simple. It's about awareness. My role as a security officer is to help the people in the field. Not as a big brother, but as a colleague. I'm here to help.” Approach is crucial “It's quite complicated for the guys in the factory,” adds Marnix. “A lot of them come in different places, with different rules everywhere. A simple example: the emergency numbers are different at every factory. If you're an engineer and you're here at Zeeland Refinery one day and somewhere else the next, try calling the right number right away. Our job is to make it easier.” Marc says: “My experience is that people are open to help, but the way you approach them is crucial. Approach neatly, show interest, remove barriers. This is important." Cultural differences An additional challenge is the amount of nationalities on the plant. “We have all kinds of nationalities here. Workers from Romania, Poland, Estonia, Latvia, from everywhere. It is extra difficult for them," says Marc. “That is because of the language barrier, but also because of cultural differences. In other cultures they deal with rules very differently than we Dutch. Here, for example, we are used to directly addressing each other about behavior, but that is by no means common everywhere.” Safety awareness video Marnix adds: “Often our boys are very go-minded. They want to pass for the boss and finish the job. Sometimes they forget the stop reflex. Think before you go to work. Is everything safe? Are you wearing the correct personal protective equipment? Do you smell anything? Shortcuts are dangerous.” Mourik made a film about this subject together with Zeeland Refinery, specifically about the delivery of pipelines free of pressure and product. “That shows very clearly how we deal with potentially dangerous situations. It is very recognizable for the men in the workplace.” Video link Open to rewards “At Zeeland Refinery, we have had a program to encourage and reward safe behavior for years: We Intervene,” Marc explains. “This ties in nicely with the video. We want to make people aware of risks and make sure they report them. Making mistakes is allowed. It's not to snitch someone, but very important. We can learn something from these kinds of reports. That is why we reward people who talk about it openly and honestly. This can be done very simply, for example with a voucher of a few euros for the canteen. It's about the gesture." Creating conditions for safety At Mourik we have a similar culture program: Just S@M. Marnix: S@M stands for safety at Mourik. Reports of potentially dangerous situations are very important to us. We call them SiSSers. And we always follow them closely. How could the situation arise? Were the permits in order? Was the work preparation correct? That's where safety actually starts. Personal protective equipment and safe behavior in the factory are of course important, but we also have to create the conditions to be able to work safely. New ways to share knowledge Videos are a great way to share knowledge. Marnix says: “Times are changing. And you have to address the new generation in a different way. That can also be done with an app, for example.” At Zeeland Refinery, for example, they use an app to secure installations. Marc explains: “The program is called Blind-it. In the app, employees can view their work in real time: am I in the right location? Can I start and how should I do it?” Marnix emphasizes that technology is not a substitute for experience. “We have a lot of expertise in house. We also need to ensure that the old generation transfers knowledge to the young generation. Win win Marc thinks it is very important to work together on safety. “Ultimately, we all have the same challenges. So we really like to get feedback from our contractors: are our procedures workable? What could be better? The people of Mourik are in the field every day with their safety shoes. We can learn from that. And such a video is also a good idea. I also think about other topics, such as working at heights. We are happy to work with you, because this is really a win-win situation. When it comes to safety, we are all on the same team.”
Every year we organize our safety day in which all our colleagues participate. During the last edition, the Mourik values were taken as the starting point. These were addressed through a performance based on situations straight from practice. Klein Barnum provided an unforgettable performance. Through recognizable scenes, the actors made us think about the dilemmas we face at Mourik. It provided a unique blend of entertainment and awareness. After the performance, it was time for reflection. We divided into groups to discuss the scenes, share experiences, and reflect together on how we can be even more conscious of safety in our work environment. Hereby we would like to emphasize how important safety is to us. Not only during Safety Day, but every day. Together we make sure that at the end of the day we can all go home safe and sound. Because you know, safety is not a coincidence, it is a choice.
Video link If you don't see the video, please click on:: https://youtu.be/SM1UcceT2ZY Today we're having our fifth Mourik Safety Day. On this day, Mourik employees all over the world, from all layers of the organization, talk with each other about safety. This time, the central theme is 'Keeping each other safe'. Because of the measures to prevent further spread of the coronavirus, large in-person staff meetings are not possible. That is why this year we have online discussions with each other. Our CEO Kees Jan Mourik and four divisional directors pay attention to five key pillars of our safety policy. After watching the video, every employee can indicate through our RMS reporting system how, in his or her opinion, the safety pillar in question is dealt with in actual practice. The answers from which you can choose are based on the Hearts & Minds system and give insight into our present degree of safety adulthood. Results and possible points for improvement will be fed back to and discussed with all colleagues.View above the compilation of the video messages.The video pays attention about 10 essential safety rules and our 'sisser reports'. Read more about safety at Mourik.
On Tuesday 10 September 2019 Kees Jan Mourik, CEO of Mourik, handed Raymonde Wagemaker, managing director, the award for reaching the safety milestone of working two years without LTI (Lost Time Incident) for Mourik Industry global. This is a unique event within this industry. Two years working without LTI means that Mourik Industry, globally, has worked without any (long-term) sick leave caused by a safety incident at work. The fact that Mourik globally has worked for more than 6 million safe man hours is something Mourik is very proud of. Kees Jan Mourik: ‘Two years may not sound long but it concerns all Mourik Industry locations worldwide. We are doing our utmost to work as safe as possible, and then it is rewarding to celebrate these milestones. S@M, Safety At Mourik Safety is essential for Mourik. The starting point is to get everyone safe at home at the end of the day. Therefore, Mourik bundled a cohesive package of safety initiatives in the S@M program, Safety At Mourik. The program has a positive base: Just S@M, developed for and by employees. This manifests in the yearly safety celebrations at locations for years without LTI. Also, every year Mourik organizes a safety day, globally, for all employees. This year the subject was the ten essential safety rules by Mourik.
Mourik has appointed Erwin van den Broek as Safety Director. With 35 years of experience in industry and infrastructure, Erwin brings a wealth of knowledge with him. Erwin van den Broek also fulfills the position of Regional Director at Mourik Industry, which strengthens the connection between safety and daily operations. Strive for higher safety standards CEO Kees Jan Mourik is pleased with the appointment of Erwin van den Broek. He expects Erwin to play a crucial role in further raising safety standards within Mourik. “Just as our clients are making increasingly higher demands, so do we. Together we build a safe future, where everyone goes home safe and sound every day. Erwin van den Broek emphasizes: “At Mourik we are already doing well with safety, but we want to do even better. The complete press release is available here as a PDF.
We take safety seriously, that’s why customers take us seriously Björn Schuilenga is a project manager at Mourik Industry and responsible for New Business Projects. He spent many years working inside reactors himself, so he knows better than anyone what safety awareness means. From the portrait series How Are You Shaping Tomorrow We take safety seriously, that’s why customers take us seriously “Everyone home safe at the end of the day, that’s what it’s all about. That’s nothing new for Mourik, because safety is in our DNA. We don’t wait until something happens; we critically assess our own work: how do we keep people out of the line of fire? How can we do more non-entry work? That mindset is present throughout the organization, from the design office to the job site. That’s why we continuously invest in technology that makes the work safer and more sustainable. The StoneAge robot for bundle cleaning is a good example, as is the CatSpider suction arm, which allows us to unload reactors without anyone having to go inside. In collaboration with our customers, we determine what works best. We’ve even developed a scan for this: what type of reactor do you have, what options do we see, and what is most effective? Customers see that we take safety seriously at Mourik, and that’s why they take us seriously.” You can’t learn safety from a book“For years I traveled the world for Mourik International, cleaning out reactors, so I know what it’s like to work in confined spaces and how dangerous that can be. You end up in a tight space that’s filled with nitrogen. You’re constantly aware of the dangers around you. Nothing ever happened to me, but it shaped my safety awareness. Even now, when I walk through a factory, I’m very conscious of what’s happening around me. That kind of awareness isn’t something you learn from a book. I benefit from it too, because I can coach young colleagues at work based on my own experience. It’s because of my experience that my younger colleagues listen to me and take my advice seriously.” A Mourik story“Safety isn’t my story, it’s a Mourik story. Within that, I want to share my experience and knowledge. In the coming years, we’re going to automate even more. People will remain a crucial link, but we can convert many manual and high-risk tasks into technology, making the work safer and more appealing in the long run. That’s necessary, because if you do nothing, you’ll be left behind as others pass you by. So, innovate! At Mourik Industry, we have an effective triad of New Product Development, sustainability, and my part: making sure it works in practice. At the same time, people’s behavior remains the most important factor for safety. You have to take the time to explain things, to coach, and to help people adjust their behavior. In five years, I hope to have passed on my knowledge and skills to the new generation, and to have contributed to innovations that make the work healthier and safer.” Supporting the transition to a greener industry The pressure of a new weir Our core values in action
Solid partner for integral cooperation Mourik offers total solutions. We support you in all your construction, environmental and industrial projects with an integral package of specialised services. Wherever in Belgium and however challenging they may be. What can we do for you? Mourik, established in Antwerp for more than 45 years, is an experienced and solid partner. Customers from the private and public sectors can call on us for a range of specialised services: Mourik n.v. also has a participating interest in the Soil Recycling Centre with sites in Kallo and Zolder, where contaminated soils are cleaned, both physicochemically and biologically. Our strengths Working with Mourik Belgium is choosing for a total service and the certainty that your project is in good hands. Discover here where we make the difference. Multidisciplinary and all-round At Mourik we personally guide you through the entire process of your project. From preparation through execution to maintenance, you have a single point of contact with us. That works easily. Because we have everything under one roof, we can offer you the right solution more quickly and relieve you of all your worries. You remain in control of your project, its costs, safety and quality. With more than 270 professionals, we ensure that everything runs smoothly, supported from A to Z by our Prevention department. Certificates, approvals and permits We work by the book. This means that we have all the required documents to manage your project. VCA-P ISO9001 Approved as a works contractor: Class 8 Collector of waste materials (including PCBs, PCTs) in the Flemish, Walloon and Brussels regions Approved for the demolition and removal of asbestos Achilles VGM care system for soil remediation works Registered soil remediation contractor in the Brussels Capital Region Innovation and cooperation Mourik is a family business. We do not have to be the biggest, but we do strive to offer you the best possible solutions. For us, that is entrepreneurship. Quality, safety, innovation and personal service come first. After all, we like to invest in long-term customer relations. Safety before everything Safety is a top priority at Mourik and always will be. Safe and responsible behaviour is embedded in everything we do and we support it with: Weekly toolbox meetings Kick-off meetings for each new job Safety meetings and annual Mourik Safety Day Safety awards Work safely is mainly a question of awareness. That is why at Mourik we pay special attention to a safety culture that helps and encourages people to work safely. Not because we have to, but because we want to.
Mourik UK is a leading international contract partner in the field of catalyst handling and industrial cleaning. Safety is our top priority. We are therefore committed to increasing safety and individual safety behavior at all levels. Mourik UK has been providing technical services in the petrochemical and environmental industries for over 25 years. Our services include catalyst handling, high pressure water jetting, vacuum cleaning, Tank Cleaning, column packing removal and heat exchanger Pull/Clean/Push. With a flexible work force and an extensive fleet of equipment, we provide specialist services to our British and Irish customers. Having nationwide coverage with several sites allows for competitive pricing and rapid response time to client needs. Specialist total package services We mainly provide specialist project services and regular maintenance services. Due to an increasing demand for total packages in catalyst handling as well as heat exchanger maintenance, we provide tailor-made services. The services may involve carrying out complete projects, including, but not limited to; mechanical work and transporting and processing spent catalyst. Our strategy is aimed at providing high-quality and specialist services in both project and maintenance works. Maintenance contracts for the Petrochemical and Energy Industry Mourik UK has several annual contracts for cleaning and Catalyst Handling services. Under these contracts, work is carried out in alliances and performance-based contracts, with the emphasis on safety, quality and planning. We bear full responsibility for achieving the intended result and accept that we share in some of the risks.
On Mourik’s 6th Safety Day, Mourik Industry was presented a certificate for working without a lost time injury (LTI) in any of its operations worldwide for an entire year. In other words no one needed to go on sick leave due to an injury at work. It is not the first time that Mourik Industry has achieved this: they previously had a three-year period without LTI. In the view of Gert Griffioen, Corporate Head of Safety, this is a major achievement given that it does not only concern operations in the Netherlands, but also in Venezuela, Aruba, Germany and the United States. The crowning touch is having the award ceremony coincide with this Safety Day, a day on which we celebrate positive matters concerning safety. At the Zeeland Refinery site, Kees Jan Mourik presented the certificate to Erwin van den Broek, Regional Director for the South Region, who accepted the certificate on behalf of the whole Mourik Industry. Erwin: “Every day everyone returns home safe and sound: that’s what we’re all about!”
So how do we move forward? An engaged steering committee guides the process in the right direction. Together with colleagues from different functions and departments, we start an interactive workshop. During this session, we create a clear overview of safety tasks and indicate who is responsible for what: the prevention department, project management and implementation. Together, we look at what everyone in his or her function can do to improve safety. We have colleagues who are on site every day and put safety into practice. Their experience and insights are a great asset in this session. The workshop is the start of further actions, such as strong safety leadership and clear agreements on safe workplace behaviour. This is how we build a strong safety culture in line with our strategy to work with unrivalled safety.
Engineered by Mourik. Designed for Safety We combine a passion for catalyst handling with innovative technology and unrivalled expertise. As a trusted partner, we help our customers achieve their goals, increase productivity, and build a sustainable future – always with the highest focus on safety. We offer a wide range of catalyst unloading techniques, including water flooding, a remote-controlled mechanical suction arm, and the CatSpider. In all cases, the number of inert entries is significantly reduced or even completely eliminated. Our catalyst handling expert team executes catalyst change-out projects worldwide – from North and South America to Asia, from Europe to the Middle East.
Kees Jan Mourik, Chairman of the Board of Management He has been the new chief executive since January 2013. Kees Jan Mourik has found that collaboration between the various Mourik companies is becoming increasingly important. This is all the reason he needs to ‘keep a tight hold on the strings’ in this field more than in any other. Kees Jan provides his vision on this and other strategic issues. "Great companies that join forces" ‘We have a fantastic set of companies that join forces to tackle multidisciplinary projects. This offers our clients decisive advantages. The Mourik mentality of “putting our backs into it” is highly valued. Therefore, I want to hold on to and stimulate this unique Mourik culture in collaboration with our employees, who live up to it.’ Feeling with the shop floor ‘Here, this is a typical project of ours that illustrates the power of the collaboration between the various disciplines within Mourik.’ Kees Jan is talking about the turn-key project Wilmar Autoroute, which several Mourik companies are collaborating on. He can talk endlessly about countless Mourik projects, sometimes going into the technical details and innovations, to emphasise the added value of an integrated approach. In 2012 the formation of divisions within Mourik took centre stage. ‘We have found that the various forms of collaboration are continuously developing, within the company, between client and contractor, but also between contractors. Looking at Mourik, you will see more than just a group of companies that offer the same services, but rather a nice combination of technical companies with a lot of diversity, a number of which work in niche markets. Every company is quite independent and has its own responsibility. We purposely stimulate this to promote entrepreneurship and in connection with specific technologies, products, services and markets. We provide, as Board of Directors, the general framework and aim for synergy between the Mourik companies, and safeguard entrepreneurship. My role in this? I keep an eye on the big picture and strive to always know what is going on out in the field, am a connecting factor and have an eye for current innovations. Having been appointed president in January 2013, I am also the one who takes the final decisions where necessary. But first, I want to know exactly where things stand.’ Leadership Being the chief executive can be a lonely affair. Managing a complex technical company is not always easy. ‘Even if I do say so myself, I am an accessible and approachable leader,’ Kees Jan says with a smile. ‘Since I joined the Board of Directors almost five years ago, I have invested a lot of time and effort in making contact with people. I regularly make safety rounds with the head of Corporate Safety and visit projects. In addition, I want to know about the strategic details and be able to talk to our people on a project level. What determines the cost price? How do you ensure that there is a compliance policy? I think feeling with the shop floor is just as important as management experience. Of course, I bear ultimate responsibility for the general course of affairs. My three personal areas of interest in this are Purchase, Innovation and Safety.’ Though sustainability is not explicitly included in that list, Kees Jan leaves no room for doubt about his view on this: ‘To me, that is not a separate subject, nor a hype. Sustainability is simply interwoven in our operational management and is part of running a good company.’ Returns ‘But when all is said and done, money needs to be made. This means a healthy return is required. However, in my view “return” is more than just the figure at the bottom of the page. The sentimental value I attach to the return is motivation, dedication, loyalty and the safety of the people who work at Mourik. Our social policy reflects that too. After all, we are a family business and we value our people. Sustainable employability is a nice term, but what it comes down to is that all employees can do their job in good health and fitness and make it to retirement. An active health policy plays an important part in this. In addition, we give our people every opportunity to develop.’ ‘My personal goal on the horizon? I want the Mourik ship to continue sailing in the right direction, even in rough seas, and I want us to continue doing the things we are good at and get even better at them.’ ‘A good operating result is important, but I want to look beyond that. I also want us to extend our horizon, through innovation, new markets, work methods and collaborations. I want us to be a modern company with an eye for social developments. I stand for Mourik's continuity.’
We either work safely or not at all. We're not the only ones emphasising this, but it's a fundamental truth. For a family-owned business, this sentiment holds even more weight. To make it clear: we don't tolerate harm to individuals, assets, the environment or the community. Our unwavering objective is zero accidents. To achieve this, we have safety guidelines and protocols in place. However, the culture we foster is even more crucial. Safety is a responsibility shared by all.
