Our Performance

 

Management of Safety

We take a proactive and preventative approach to the management of safety. We partner with designers, developers and scientists at the very earliest stage of projects to. In this way we identify and manage the hazards ensuring that the risks are minimised throughout the project and once the end product is delivered. For example, we have taken considerable care in the construction, occupation and management of our new buildings at Sandwich and Granta Park and Chesterford Park in Cambridge.

Similarly, the development and operation of our offices R&D and manufacturing process plants are undertaken with prevention of accidents as a priority. Our current key focus areas include driver safety, manual handling and other ergonomic injuries and ensuring a robust Safe System of Work programme.

We are proud to note that both the Research and Development operations at Sandwich have certification to the international Health and Safety Standard OHSAS18001. This is recognition of the high standard of the management of safety and is an excellent position on which to continue to further improve our safety performance.

 

Accidents and Near Misses

There is a wide variety of activities performed in our facilities with the potential for accidents or hazardous incidents. These activities range from office working, construction activities, handling hazardous substances and business and personal travel.

We define an accident as an occurrence that has resulted in an injury to a person, or in significant environmental impact. A Near Miss, however, is an occurrence that has the potential to result in an accident. We believe that all accidents and near misses are preventable. Studies have shown that for every accident (causing injury or damage), there are many more near miss incidents that on another day may have caused an injury. The reporting and investigation of near misses is therefore a valuable tool in identifying actions to reduce the likelihood of future accidents. For this reason we continue to raise staff awareness of near misses with the specific aim of getting a greater percentage of them reported.

We operate reporting and investigation procedures for all accidents and near misses. The level of investigation varies depending on the seriousness (or potential seriousness) of each event. However, our principle objective is to identify the underlying or root cause and take corrective action. This may include providing improved training, correcting the cause of equipment failures or improving our systems of management.

 

Performance

Our overall UK Near Miss to Accident Ratio for 2008 averaged 2.8 against a target of 3. This average includes, our Manufacturing Division at 3.9 our Research and Development Division 2.6. Our Sales and Marketing Division with start the formal reporting of near misses in 2009.

We continue to promote the significant benefits of reporting near misses to enable colleagues to correct deficiencies which have the potential to result in harm.

We also track all accidents (irrespective of any lost time) as the number of accidents for each 100,000 hours worked. Our accident frequency rate has dropped during 2008.

We also track all accidents (irrespective of any lost time) as the number of accidents for each 100,000 hours worked. Our accident frequency rate has dropped during 2008.

Greater than three-day injuries

Any absence resulting in absence for more than three days is reportable to the Health and Safety Executive (HSE). Although the number of these types of accident is relative small in comparison to our employee population we of course aim to have no accidents where employees are affected in this way. During 2008 there were 4 accidents that resulted in greater than three days lost time.

These accidents may also be expressed as a frequency rate to take account of the employee population. In 2008 our performance remains well below the average for the UK based on data published by the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) relating to 2005 to 2008.