Safety, an overriding priority
SPIE ranks among the best in class for its risk prevention and workplace safety performance.
While the total recordable injury rate (with or without lost time) and the severity rate both improved in 2006, the number of lost-time injuries increased, for the most part in recently acquired companies. In addition, the greater use of temporary workers was accompanied by an increase in their number of accidents.
This means that safety is more than ever a priority at SPIE. In 2006, we continued to provide safety training (44% of the annual training budget), deepen management involvement, enhance the safety organisation (at year-end, 62% of employees were working under an OHSAS 18001-certified or equivalent safety management system) and offer safety orientation courses on worksites. The improvement initiatives conducted jointly with temporary worker agencies will be stepped up in 2007.
Safety Passport
Designed in 2006 by a cross-subsidiary working group that analysed the most common accidents and nearmisses, the safety passport is a handbook focused on seven safety-critical items, with explanations of what should and should not be done in specific hazard situations (driving, ergonomics, travel, dangerous substances, electrical hazards, work at height, etc.). The files are fastened together by a snap hook, a symbol of safe practices.
Every employee has received a copy of the document, which is also given to new hires during worksite orientation. As well, the passport is designed to help prevention and safety officers and site supervisors to lead "safety talks".The safety passport won first prize at the safety contest organised by the French Association of Electrical Engineering Companies (SERCE).
Electrical hazard handbook
Developed by the Prevention team at SPIE Sud-Est, our electrical safety handbook provides practical guidelines arranged by type of accreditation, which makes it easier to understand the key points of the C 18-510 standard published by the French Electrotechnical Standards Organisation (UTE).
