Protecting health and safety at work
Our commitment : to provide better protection for our employees against work safety and health risks throughout the world.
A permanent requirement : safety andhealth of our employees
The health and safety of our employees has been the subject of increased attention since 2007 to limit the number of accidents that occur annually in our teams, at client sites and on the road.
The Group's Executive Committee declared the year 2008 as the "World Safety Year for Veolia Environnement".
This commitment will include three main actions
157,611 participants in safety training actions
- strengthen the involvement of managers through a system including targets, performance review and financial incentives;
- define and deploy safety and health standards throughout the Group;
- demonstrate the Executive Committee's commitment towards these problems through communication to at all employees;
2,971 dies dedicated to the study of health and safety problems
- integrate health and safety themes as essential components of our training courses;
- monitor the smooth deployment of this policy to all our entities throughout the world.
Health and safety of our employees is everyone's responsibility. Veolia's ambition is now to develop new behaviours and to apply daily the best practice everywhere.
Measuring the exposure of Veolia's employees
In May 2006, Veolia Environnement launched an international Hygiene for Health campaign to increase awareness of its employees about washing hands.
Recommended collective or individual protection measures necessary for safeguarding the health of Group's employees requires better knowledge about methods of exposure to hazardous elements,
that may be chemical, biological (e.g. bioaerosols) or physical (e.g. noise).
Veolia Environnement's Research (Health R&D) is working on characterization of work environments and development of tools for understanding health hazards, in partnership with Veolia Environnement's environmental analysis center and the Group's safety departments.
Graphics: 1 & 2
Exposure to bioaerosols
Studies have been initiated for employees working at materials recovery facilities and at wastewater treatment plants. Recommendations on threshold levels that must not be exceeded are still to be more precisely defined.
Targeted prevention and protection solutions have been defined.
Exposure of employees in research centers to chemical substances
A computer tool specially adapted to working conditions of employees in Veolia research centers was developed, following an analysis of the different work stations and chemical substances present.
This tool provides a valuable working basis for other activities performed in the Group.
Jiamusi: actions to improve safety at work
Veolia Energy-Dalkia was awarded a contract for operation and development of the Jiamusi heating network in north-eastern China, in May 2007.
Degree of commitment of Veolia Environnement