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Accident prevention GRI - G4: LA6

The Snam Group is constantly committed to developing and promoting the protection of health and safety in workplaces as part of an ongoing process to improve its health and safety performance in accordance with the Company’s policy on Health and Safety, the Environment and Quality.

When managing relevant health, safety issues for all Snam Group companies, it is essential to implement standardised management systems that are developed and maintained in accordance with standard OHSAS 18001. To be specific, the goal of the Snam Worker Health and Safety Management System is to provide strategic guidelines, coordination and oversight to the Group’s operating companies.

Snam’s HSEQ unit has coordination and overall strategic duties for the entire Snam Group and for HSEQ units at individual companies with specific strategic, coordinating and support duties in relation to relevant operating units.

In 2014, there was further development of the documentary and management alignment process for HSE activities allowing for a more effective and efficient company management model in accordance with the international standard.

Seeking and adopting good corporate practices is progressively promoted, in line with changes in the regulatory, ethical and market contexts, not only in the sphere of the Company itself but also in relation to the suppliers concerned, in order to extend and improve collaboration on achieving the best possible performance and conduct in terms of health and safety management. Performance and conduct are constantly assessed and checked using benchmark standards.

Preventing accidents, which is the main aim of health and safety, takes place through targeted measures to eliminate or reduce the typical risk factors associated with working activities.

In-depth analysis of the causes of accidents is aimed at identifying any measures to eliminate, mitigate and correct risk factors, by applying technical and management organisational solutions to equipment, plants and workplaces, as well as operational and behavioural procedures. The results arising from the accident survey are examined in detail during regular safety meetings, where employees are informed about accident causes and any preventative and protective measures adopted.

Improvement and prevention plans focused on reducing accidents have mainly involved widespread measures to inform staff and raise their awareness, in order to promote safe and responsible conduct, in adherence to operating and safety procedures, and the proper use of work equipment and protective devices.

“Objective Safety” Project

The “Objective Safety” project is a programme aimed at the continuing improvement of aspects related to the health and safety of workers.

The goal of the programme is to expand the company’s culture in the areas of health and safety making it a key company objective through the involvement and participation of individuals while improving its HSE performance and constantly reducing accidents at work, with the ultimate aim of achieving “zero accidents”.

This programme was launched in 2010, and over the years has had important, positive effects on the attitudes, conduct and personal responsibilities of employees and outside interested parties, and its principles are continually disseminated through the accident prevention culture and serve as a driving force to enhance the company’s ideals, as well as those of all society.

Initiatives of the Objective Safety Project:

  • Health and safety training: development of a systematic approach, defining consistent training programmes and materials for the whole Group;
  • Safety messages: development of activities that involve all staff and communication activities, with safety information and messages disseminated on the IT devices allocated to operating personnel;
  • Safety handbooks: promotion of information on risks, good practices and prevention measures, with the publication of a series of handbooks to which environmental themes can be added;
  • Safety communication: renewing the safety communication campaign, showing new safety images and messages in working environments;
  • Safety agenda: raising safety awareness by customising the desk calendar with specific health, safety and environmental information and messages;
  • Safety Walk: on-site visits at the operating sites by technical and operating staff and management to promote involvement and the sharing of experience and aspects relating to health and safety at work;
  • Safety performance: implementation of the “Safety Trophy” (a competition between similar groups of operating entities that compete with each other to achieve the best safety at work results (number of accidents, severity, suggestions for improvement, “near-miss” reports, etc.) and the “zero accidents” initiative (a competition between similar groups extended Company-wide, with a target of 365 consecutive days without accidents);
  • Implementation of health and safety controls: monitoring and controlling compliance with legislation, deadlines and corporate provisions on health and safety at work, using auditing methods and checks on legislative compliance;
  • Computer applications for the management of accidents: development of IT systems for reporting and managing accidents among employees and suppliers;
  • Safety Trophy for subcontractors: development of a competition for suppliers, currently established at Snam Rete Gas, Italgas and Napoletanagas, that aims to involve suppliers and disseminate a culture of prevention of, and attention to, health and safety matters.

In addition to these plans, plant and safety equipment, systems and devices are maintained and checked by both internal staff and by external entities or qualified external firms.

At the same time, the launch of initiatives involving suppliers, and the constant and progressive raising of supplier awareness of the need to adopt best practices, led to positive improvements in health and safety management during contracting activities.

Supplier qualifications are closely evaluated, and suppliers are then checked and monitored using a feedback model, and inspections are performed during the work execution phase.

During the year, workshops are periodically held with suppliers that focus on building shared values between the company and suppliers.

Over time, these actions have led to a reduction in accidents of both company and contractor staff leading to a gradual improvement in accident frequency and severity indicators.

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ACCIDENTS AT WORK (no.)

 

 

 

 

 

2012

2013

2014

Total employee accidents

15

15

15

Total contractor accidents

27

22

16

Using the same consolidation of companies as in 2013, the index of the frequency of employee accidents was 1.31 (−13.2% compared to 2013), and the severity index was 0.08 (−11,1% compared to 2013). If AES is also included (starting 1 July 2014), the index of the frequency of accidents rises to 1.49, while the severity index remains largely unchanged. In 2014 no fatal accidents were reported among employees.

ACCIDENTS AT WORK (no.)

Employee frequency index

ACCIDENTS AT WORK (no.)

Employee severity index

CAUSES OF EMPLOYEE ACCIDENTS (%)

Causes of employee accidents (%) (Pie chart)

The commitment to training continued, in line with previous years. All health and safety courses were organised and delivered in compliance with the agreement of 21 December 2011 between central and regional governments. Relevant technical and professional training is conducted in classrooms and on the job, favouring in-house teaching from experts and, where appropriate, collaborating with external training institutions and organisations with an excellent reputation.

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HEALTH AND SAFETY TRAINING (no.) GRI – G4: LA9

 

 

 

 

 

2012

2013

2014

Hours provided

26,959

34,641

53,433

Attendance

4,062

4,255

5,886

A “ZERO-ACCIDENT” YEAR *

 

 

Company

Homogenous group

*

Homogenous groups that achieved 365 days without accidents in 2014

Snam Rete Gas

Northern district, plants, north-western district, Sicilian district, south-eastern district, investment project implementations and San Donato staff

Italgas

Proredi unit, northern district, Rome gas distribution, Sicilian district, registered office at Palazzo Uffici in Turin, southern district, central district

Stogit

Treste river centre, Crema (registered office), Ripalta Sergnano centre, Brugherio Settala centre, Minerbio Sabbioncello centre

Napoletanagas

The entire company

Gnl Italia

The entire company

At the same time, the launch of initiatives involving suppliers, and the constant and progressive raising of supplier awareness of the need to adopt best practices, led to positive improvements in health and safety management during contracting activities.

In recent years, Snam’s actions have led to a significant reduction in the accident indicators of suppliers, and this downward trend was also confirmed in 2014 with a decrease of 26,5% (compared to 2013) in the frequency index and of 37,5% in the severity index. In 2014 one fatal accident was instead reported among the contractor personnel.

ACCIDENTS AT WORK (no.)

Contractor frequency index

ACCIDENTS AT WORK (no.)

Contractor severity index

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