SINCE embarking on his journey with corporate giant Red Stripe back in 1999, veteran medical practitioner and occupational health expert Dr Horace Fisher has dedicated more than two decades of his career actualising one of the company’s values to “care for people”. While it was not an easy feat, the good doctor ensured he made a significant mark on employees’ health and wellness, providing invaluable support for the company’s growth over the years. Now celebrating 25 years of service, he reflects on his journey.

“Do you believe in destiny? Few years before coming to Spanish Town Road my previous employers, a global oil and gas company, sent me to a two-week occupational health and safety workshop in Holland. I was the only doctor representing the Western Hemisphere while my fellow attendees were from Asia, Europe, Africa. At the end of the two weeks I shared a project on establishing an occupational health unit in a manufacturing company. I presented it, got very good reviews, came back to Jamaica, put it in the filing cabinet and locked it away,” recalled Dr Fisher.

Following that trip to the Netherlands he travelled to the United Kingdom (UK) where he networked, explored occupational health units, and saw practical demonstrations. Dr Fisher had no idea the exposure was part of his preparation for his next major assignment. As fate would have it, Red Stripe would soon require his expertise to establish a proactive occupational health unit, and his guidance to drive a safety culture across the business.

“Shortly after returning from the UK I received a call informing me of Diageo’s acquisition of the company, accompanied by a sobering audit result rating the company at just over 30 per cent in terms of occupational safety. The team said, ‘Look, you’ve got to do something about this.’ I visited the plant, observed the environment, and spoke with the management team. I told them I was willing to come on board, but they had to assure me that they were going to be supportive — [and] not just on paper. I wanted the employees to really experience the changes,” Dr Fisher asserted.

With the support of a capable team Dr Fisher wasted no time in conducting a thorough assessment, pinpointing and eliminating avoidable hazards while effectively managing those elements that required retention. From advocating for protective gear to implementing corrective measures, he did his best work. A few months later an audit score of more than 90 per cent attested to the impact of his contribution.

“Not only did we amaze them with our rating, about two years later our unit was awarded ‘The Best Occupational Health Unit’, and since then I’ve been able to maintain the standard over the years.”

With a clear mission to prioritise the company’s people, Dr Fisher has maintained a sense of trust between his department and others across the company. Whether it is addressing health conditions, assessing employees who work in hazard-prone departments, hosting extensive health and wellness programmes, making consistent recommendations and providing wellness solutions, supporting the mental and physical health of all employees, Dr Fisher and his team have proven that a healthy workforce is a productive workforce.

With Red Stripe operating at a global health standard Dr Fisher urges other companies to increasingly prioritise the health and wellness of their staff and not only focus on profit generation, stressing, “Be concerned about the people working for you.”

After 25 rewarding years where does he see himself with Red Stripe? “I see myself here. This unit is my little baby and I like working here. As I said, I think I was destined to join this company so I will continue doing the best I can at the things I think should be done. How much longer? I don’t know. Depends on the world. But once I can function, I am good.”