SEKISUI HOUSE GAINS SAFETY CERTIFICATION
SEKISUI HOUSE HAS SECURED AS / NZS 4801 SAFETY MANAGEMENT CERTIFICATION ACROSS ITS AUSTRALIAN OPERATIONS, INCLUDING THE SYDNEY QUALITY CONTROL AND MANUFACTURING CENTRE FOR THE SHAWOOD PREFABRICATED HOUSING LINE.
The internationally recognised AS / NZS 4801 standard benchmarks occupational, health and safety management. A statement from the company confirmed certification was the latest step in a strategy to build its profile as an efficient, cost-effective and reliable property developer in the Australian market.
In addition to achieving the standard itself, the certification process had elevated the expertise and efficiencies of Sekisui House’s Australian workforce, according to Sekisui House Australia’s WHS Manager for NSW & QLD, Darren Butt.
“It’s that learning process that is the true value of any professional certification. I’m confident that as a result of taking the thousands of people who work for and with us on the journey, our manufacturing production line, logistics, development and construction sites are safer, more efficient places to work.
Originating in Japan, Sekisui House established a presence in Australia less than a decade ago and since then has in alignment with Australian Standards of safety. However, its move to formal accreditation is regarded as significant in signalling the company’s commitment to risk management and efficient project delivery, to partners, suppliers and contractors.
In other news, according to Shawood product development and manufacturing manager Makoto Ochiai, market interest in Shawood homes is on the rise, with 250 homes completed in Sydney since the range was first introduced to Australia in 2012.
Ochiai reportedly told The Fifth Estate in October that the last two years had been particularly good for business, driven largely by word of mouth endorsements from existing customers.
Education of end-users on the benefits of prefabricated and sustainably constructed homes is an important factor in driving demand, Ochiai indicated.
With offsite manufacture reducing construction waste, prefabricated Shawood homes leak 65 per cent less air than conventional homes, resulting in a comfortable temperature without reliance on heating and cooling systems.
The average Shawood home receives a predicted 6.5 Star NatHERS rating and a BASIX (Building Sustainability Index) rating of 6.5 stars. The homes are also designed to optimise natural light. ■
Sekisui House’s safety accreditation, encompassing the Sydney quality control and manufacturing centre for Shawood homes, signals certainty to the market.
