At Young Guns, workplace safety isn’t the responsibility of one person or one team. It’s something everyone owns.

That’s the thinking behind MATES (Monitoring Attitudes Towards Environment & Safety), a simple framework that encourages team members to recognise great behaviours, raise concerns and have conversations that help keep people safe.

It’s built on a straightforward principle: if you see something done well, acknowledge it. If you see something that isn’t right, don’t walk past it.

What is a MATES observation?

MATES stands for Monitoring Attitudes Towards Environment & Safety.

The framework gives every team member an easy way to observe what’s happening on site, have an honest conversation about it and record what they saw. There’s no complicated process or paperwork—just a practical way to notice, speak up and take action.

Whether it’s recognising safe behaviours, reinforcing standards or identifying potential risks early, every observation creates an opportunity to learn and improve.

The numbers behind the habit

Safety culture is built through consistent actions, and the numbers show the program is being used exactly as intended.

Last month alone, nearly 2,000 MATES observations were completed across Young Guns sites, involving more than 80% of the workforce.

Every observation created an opportunity to recognise great work, coach someone where needed or address a potential issue before it became a larger problem.

More than a safety form

MATES isn’t about ticking boxes.

It’s about accountability, shared standards and creating an environment where people feel comfortable speaking up. The framework works because people actively participate in it every day, helping maintain safe worksites for teammates, customers and visitors alike.

When safety conversations become part of everyday work, safer outcomes naturally follow.