Occupational health and safety performance
Of the 2313 reported incidents and hazards in 2014, 35% were assessed as having medium and high loss potential. 54 % of those were related to surveys and inspections, 16% to driving, transport and travelling and 10% to laboratory activities. Figure 2 shows how incidents and hazards that are assessed as high loss potential are distributed by work processes. The accident categories “hit against and hit by” represent 34%, and “slips, trips and falls” represents 39% of the 262 accidents resulting in injury to people.
Of the 157 occupational health issues reported, the most common causes were “overstrain, exertion or repetitive strain” (57%), and “exposure to too high or low temperatures, or inadequate lighting or air quality” (15%). Table 2 shows safety and health incident statistics 2010 through to and including 2014.
Table 2 definitions:
Lost Time Accident: Accident resulting in injury to people and work absence of >= 8 hours
Injury Accident: Accident resulting in injury to people and work absence of < 8 hours
Occupational Health Issue: Work environment conditions (including psychosocial work environment and musculoskeletal load) where exposure over a period of time results in illness to people, or a normal work activity resulting in illness to people.
Work-related: An occurrence during the performance of duty on behalf of DNV GL. Duty includes work or travelling to and from any location on behalf of DNV GL, or participating in a social event organised by DNV GL. Occurrences during travel between home and an employee’s DNV GL home office is not work related in this context.
LTAF (Lost Time Accident Frequency): Number of Lost Time Accidents/million worked hours.
SAI (Severity Accident Index): Number of days absence due to Lost Time Accidents/million worked hours.
IAF (Injury Accident Frequency): Number of Injury Accidents/million worked hours.
Total Sickness Absence rate (%): ((Accident+Sickness absence hours)/Number of worked hours)*100
From 2013, cases are allocated to a year in accordance to the incident occurrence date rather than incident recording date. This has a consequence for the occupational health and safety statistics in the way that results from the previous year will change when an incident is recorded in the year after it occurred. In the statistics, cases are allocated to a year according to recoding date for the years 2010 – 2012.
The occupational health and safety reports include hazards and incidents involving employees and sub-contractors (independent contractors) working for and on behalf of the DNV GL. Statistical data are not distributed on sub-contractors (independent contractors) as they, in the occupational health and safety management processes, are treated in the same way as employees. Such information has not been considered relevant for optimal allocation of resources on occupational health and safety improvement activities.
Lost time accidents per million worked hours (LTAF) decreased by 30% compared to 2013. There have been 716 days of absences due to accidents. The Severity accident index (SAI) increased by 71% compared to 2013. This significant increase is partly due to one serious HUET (Helicopter under water escape training) accident and one serious car accident, but is also affected by improved control of recording of the absences hours related to accidents. The most common types of lost time injuries were “fractured bones, sprains and strains” (38%), and “bruises, contusions, and cuts” (34%). Figure 3 shows how Accidents with absence of ≥ 8 hours are distributed by work processes.
Occupational health issues with absence per million worked hours is 1,0 in 2014, same as in 2013. There have been 384 days absences due to occupational health issues. The number of days absence due to occupational health issues per million worked hour has increased to 13,5 in 2014 up from 9,5 in 2013. The majority of the absence hours related to occupational health issues were related to office work (51%), (21 %) to Surveys and inspections, and (17%) to travelling. (66%) of the absence hours related to occupational health issues were related to physical work environment conditions and (34 %) to psychosocial work environment conditions. Figure 4 shows how Occupational health issues with absence of ≥ 8 hours are distributed by work processes.
The DNV GL annual People Engagements Survey – Questions related to safety.
In our annual People Engagement Survey 90% of all employees responded positively to the question: “I have been provided with relevant safety training and personal protective equipment for my job” and 85% responded positively to the question: “My line manager always promote safety first”. While these are important components of safety, we are striving to continuously improve our safety culture. That is why in 2015 we are focusing on strengthening our attitudes, beliefs and behaviour related to both health and safety across every area and level of our business.
Mitigating Health and Safety risks in Africa
DNV GL’s business in Africa grows, as does travelling into the continent with all the associated risks. When the doors of opportunity opened in 2014 for developing new business in Africa through our merged company we saw a significant increase in staff travelling into the Continent. For many this was the first time and meant we had to ensure all Business Areas developed stronger networks into Africa. Through communication and cooperation across organisational borders a deeper understandings of the dynamic risks were developed and this was cascaded down to the staff who visited challenging areas. Despite an estimated 100% increase in travel movements above 2013 we saw no significant HSE incidents reported as a consequence of travel in Africa. As all Business Areas look to develop their footprint in Africa, 2014 saw the first cross Business Area meetings and cooperation forums. The agenda focused on developing better understanding of each other’s business but also shared ideas on both risks and safety managing HSE challenges within the geography. Areas of special interest, such as Kenya and Nigeria were discussed and actions implemented that have resulted in cross organisational cooperative initiatives such as desk top security events.
Our approach to the Ebola epidemic in Nigeria
The first case of Ebola in Nigeria was brought in by a traveller, who flew to Lagos on the 17 July, 2014. To mitigate the risk of Ebola spread the management of DNV GL in Nigeria started collecting facts about the virus in general and the situation in Nigeria and related this to staff on a daily basis. Office meetings were held to educate and update the staff on the trend of the epidemic with every new information and knowledge. The Health Pandemic contingency plan was distributed to all staff. Health Insurance Management teams were invited to the Lagos and Port Harcourt office to give talks on the causes, symptoms, and effects of the Ebola virus, and how it can be avoided. All staff attended these meetings. Improved cleaning procedures were implemented in the office. Staff was also advised to stay off work if ill or noticed high fever or other symptoms.
A fatal accident at our head office in Høvik
A fatal accident occurred 11 August 2014 at our head office at Høvik. The injured person was an employee from an external maintenance service company, subcontracted by the external service management company, again subcontracted by DNV Eiendom for maintenance of buildings at the headquarters at Høvik. The accident occurred when two employees from the external maintenance service company were to repair a broken roller gate. They brought their own truck on their own lorry, equipped with a rear mounted crane. The injured person was hit by the crane lifting the truck from the lorry, and he died momentously of a head injury. The formal investigation of the accident uncovered that all direct causes of the accident were related to external maintenance service company’s HSE management system.
DNV GL has however had focus on indirect causes to the accident and how internal procedures could have reduced or eliminated the risk of the accident. Important learnings are captured and will be implemented in our contractor safety programme. Some of the most important aspects are:
- Improved system for pre-qualification and approval of contractors
- Improved admission control when contractors are arriving on site with increased requirements for control of personnel qualification, equipment certification and acceptance of relevant job evaluations as well as clear communication of DNV GL’s safety requirements
- Improved system for control and inspection of work performed by contractors to ensure all work is performed according to our safety standards, including securing the work area to protect DNV GL’s employees and visitors.