Engineers With Drones HSSE Our Health and Safety Policy and Management Systems

On this page:

1. Our Health and Safety Policy
2. Directors' Commitment and Core Principles
3. Positive and Safe Work Environment
4. Environmental and Sustainability Policy
5. Drone Safety

Our Health and Safety Policy

Health and Safety is a core principle of our business. We instill a proactive health and safety culture within our organisation, through a combination of effective safety management systems, constant practice, knowledge, and learning.

Our people are our greatest assets, and they are our ambassadors for health and safety; so we educate them to the highest standard possible. Having the knowledge to understand risks, and a keen eye for hazard identification, is integral to their individual ability to positively contribute to our health and safety culture.

We, as an organisation, are committed to:

• Developing a positive Health and Safety culture in our organisation. One which is tangible to our people, and where staff can visibly see the results from their inputs.
• Operating in a manner that quickly and effectively resolves Health and Safety concerns. This is a core principle in how we implement safety and shows our people and others that we are serious about Health and Safety.
• Continuously developing and improving our HSSE systems, procedures, and policies to ensure they are up-to-date and the feedback from our personnel is incorporated into our Safe Systems of Work (SSoW).
• Developing and training our people at all levels so that they can improve their knowledge and capability, and contribute to ensuring that we collectively work safer each day.
• Maintaining good records and assessing our company safety performance based on our company policies, KPI’s and through routine auditing and review.
• Meeting or exceeding the legislative and regulatory requirements of the state or regulating bodies.
• Ensuring that there is clear management direction, appointment, delegation of accountability and responsibility for the critical activities of our HSSE systems.

The welfare of our people and others around us is paramount above all else. We are dedicated to minimising or eliminating the effects of hazards in the workplace as effectively as possible. We recognise that safety is in the mindset of us all, and collectively this ethos is fostered in the way we work within our company.

Directors' Commitment and Core Principles

The honesty, integrity, and reliability of our business is embodied in the people who work within it. We conduct our operations in a way that ensures our people are committed to upholding these principles, and that they have the tools and understanding to develop a positive culture within the company. This is true for all employees from senior management to all workers in the field.

Our goal is that these principles be carried throughout our systems of work, and these are reflected in the core principles of our company’s safety management system.

Core Principles

• Knowledge

  Fostering a company ethos that promotes learning and knowledge sharing, and therefore understanding, of the hazards and risks associated with our work environment.

• Trust

  Operating effective policies, procedures, and a HSSE system that is tangible to all our employees and above all one that is responsive at resolving employee concerns.

• Effective Risk Assessment

  Having all areas fundamental to our work thoroughly risk assessed whilst providing the guidance and tools that allow our personnel to adapt to new emerging hazards.

Positive and Safe Work Environment

We ensure our organisation is a positive place to work. Our people are our greatest assets, and good working relationships are integral to ensuring healthy company systems, safety culture, and a proactive mindset. We provide a workplace environment that is inclusive and supportive; Where personnel are comfortable with the company’s systems and feel they can participate in the improvement of our operations for their own, and the company’s, overall benefit.

We want all our employees to feel they are part of an organisation that is not demanding or restrictive, and where people are part of a team working towards a common goal. Our people are given autonomy in their work and are rewarded for contributions to their team and the company.

We are committed to fostering an ethos that promotes learning, development, and knowledge sharing, and equips our people with the understanding of the hazards and risks associated with our work environment.

The management of Engineers With Drones takes initiative in fostering a positive and safe working environment for all its personnel. We understand that a culture in itself is not made up of a few people but of the entire organisation. Therefore we value the contributions from our personnel in helping us achieve these goals.

Environmental and Sustainability Policy

Engineers With Drones is by nature a low emissions company. We are committed to further improving our sustainability and proactively reducing our carbon footprint.

We are committed to:

• Planning and conducting all work responsibly, to avoid causing damage to the environment through our own actions. This includes the management of any waste generated and risk mitigation in activities where an environmental impact may occur.
• Working to exceed the requirements of local environmental legislation and guidelines from the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).
• Ensuring we have adequate protective measures in place when we work and taking prompt action in the event of an environmental incident. We report any incidents immediately to the relevant local and environmental authorities.
• Encouraging the use of low-emission transport where possible.We reduce the emissions from our vehicles through good maintenance practices, and adopting more efficient technologies when available.

Drone Safety

When operating specialised equipment such as drones, understanding the equipment is the first step to safely using it. Our drone pilots are well versed in the manufacturer's guidelines of the drones, and have extensive flying experience, both in practise and inspection flights.

We take the following steps to ensure the safety of our team, the public, and all others present.

Before Take Off

Before each flight, we confirm our drones are free of faults and in perfect working condition. Any maintenance that’s required is carried out in advance of your scheduled inspection. We always take off with a full set of batteries to avoid disruption. Drones don’t get tired or make mistakes - people do. That’s why our drone pilots are fully rested and unimpaired before starting drone operations.

We review airspace maps to ensure our flight path is not limited by controlled airspace. Weather conditions are closely monitored up to the last minute, and we adapt our approach accordingly.

During The Flight

EWD follows EASA guidelines for safe drone operations at all times. This includes flying within the specifications laid out by the Specific Category for civil drones. We never fly our drones over uninvolved people and remain out of controlled airspace to avoid interference with manned aircraft.

Taking off with a strong signal ensures our drone will return safely to us in the event of any interference. A strong signal keeps open communication between us and the drone, ensuring we have an uninterrupted flow of information about your asset.

When multiple drones are in the air, our pilots communicate and fly according to a set of guidelines that improve navigation. If needed, we have a non-pilot present who can notify others in the area of the drone flight in progress. This also minimises distractions to the pilot - keeping their focus on what’s important.

Drone operations are an iterative process. We keep a log of each flight and note areas for improvement. A near miss can become a serious accident in the future if not correctly addressed - and we will not allow that to happen. Engineers With Drones has an ethos of learning, and we aim for each flight to be safer and more efficient than the last. We review logs on a regular basis, and plan accordingly.

Drone Safety Features

Our cutting-edge Drones come equipped with several safety features. These enable the drone to self-regulate and avoid obstacles, as well as increasing the remote information available to the pilot - allowing them to make more informed decisions.

• UAV Health Management System
• 6 Directional Sensing & Positioning
• Aviation-Grade Situational Awareness
• Primary Flight Display that integrates flight, navigation, and obstacle information - giving the pilot exceptional situational awareness
• Advanced Redundancy Systems

Last Updated: 21 July 2021