Obsession is an understatement
We want our guests to have the time of their lives. We want them to experience a world like no other, to tick off their bucket lists, to create memories to share and stories to tell for years to come. But more than this, we want them to be – and feel – safe and secure from minute one.
It’s why we’re pretty much obsessed with safety and continually look for new ways to build on our safe practices. Some might call it pedantic, we call it the foundation of everything we do.
We don’t just train our staff in safety practices once and then forget about it. We’ve pioneered a dedicated safety management system (SMS) which is aligned to international best practice safety standards including ISO 45000 (2018) – Occupational Health and Safety, andincorporates a rigorous hazard reporting structure, a clear and detailed safety policy, a culture of non-punitive reporting, and clear safety responsibilities.
An Accountable Executive, Group Safety Manager and Accountable Managers are all formally appointed and a team of 12 trained Safety Officers are deployed throughout our operations.
Safety training is ongoing with over 120 safety related trainings and in excess of 240 safety meetings are conducted per annum by Safety Officers, Accountable Managers and the Group Safety Manager.
Safety officers are reviewed and appraised quarterly , which culminates in the prestigious SW Annual Safety Awards, where all safety personnel are thanked and rewarded for their efforts and performance throughout the year.
By actively working to identify hazards at root level, and then implementing effective control measures, we find and rectify potential accidents or incidents before they happen. We also have a very detailed emergency response plan (ERP) in each operation that doesn’t just live on paper. To make sure they’re implemented effortlessly and efficiently, we host regular table-top and simulated ERP exercises in-house and at independent external training facilities. On top of this, we constantly review all practices to ensure we’re up-to-date and in line with international standards.
This way of doing things is leading the way in the adventure tourism industry and our annual safety statistics have proven just how effective our safety obsession really is.
Victoria Falls has escaped the Covid pandemic relatively unscathed and the government has prioritised tourism for the vaccine role out. As of April 2021 the majority of the community have received a double vaccine.
All frontline Shearwater staff have been vaccinated and are ready to welcome you.
But to be doubly safe all recommended covid prevention protocols are observed.
Creating meaningful change
Every day we work, live in, and experience the beauty of Africa. It’s only right that we help enhance and uplift the communities, people and wildlife around us. The Shearwater Fund – a not-for-profit fund where we donate a percentage of our turnover.
