Safety is the foundation for all of KGHM’s activities. In 2014, a uniform health and workplace safety policy was implemented called „Program to improve workplace safety in KGHM Polska Miedź S.A. to the year 2020”.
It optimizes the already implemented H&S practices in KGHM and augments the undertaking with locally designed good practices, as well as parameterizes actions at the level of individual initiatives. The document was adopted by the KGHM Polska Miedź S.A. Safety at Work Council, which consists of representatives of the Employers’ Union - the signatories of the collective bargaining agreement - as well as social inspectors from individual divisions.
General aims of the program:
- Improvement of the safety culture, to reach a state in which safety always has a top place
- Enhance H&S training quality
- Greater contribution of employees to maintaining safety at work
- Implementation of a consistent package of incentives motivating safe conduct
- Implementation of safety philosophy: safety as a value, not a cost
- Campaign to promote teamwork as a basis for work
- Focus on prevention – recording of incidents and elimination of potentially dangerous situations at the source
- Implementation of a consistent program of preventive health care for the employees of KGHM
- Introduction of new personal protective equipment and minimizing risks in the working environment
- Optimization of costs for health and safety at work
One of the greatest threats to the life and health of workers in KGHM’s mines are the natural hazards associated with underground mining of copper ore
, in particular, the dangers associated with the occurrence of seismic events and their potential effects, in the form of rockbursts and cave-ins. As a result, accidents may happen, with serious or fatal consequences, and damage to underground machinery and equipment / infrastructure, which leads to operational downtimes.
For several years, funds used to protect health and safety in KGHM have been at a constant, high level - to ensure the full financing of specific needs and to meet the highest safety standards existing in the mining industry.
Expenditures for H&S in KGHM Polska Miedź S.A. in the years 2012-2014 (PLN)
| Performance | Total H&S | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2012 | 2013 | 2014 | ||
| External services | 2 329 371 | 2 454 834 | 2 566 134 | 7 350 339 |
| Training | 510 086 | 509 536 | 358 769 | 1 378 391 |
| Meals included as H&S | 19 953 497 | 19 850 465 | 20 091 472 | 59 895 434 |
| H&S materials | 39 314 881 | 43 298 065 | 42 899 638 | 125 512 584 |
| Compensatory pensions | 8 411 461 | 8 163 545 | 8 122 035 | 24 697 041 |
| Health care (excluding medical care package and medical centre at the Head Office) | 13 748 204 | 14 739 432 | 14 528 082 | 43 015 718 |
| Total KGHM Polska Miedź S.A. | 84 267 499 | 89 015 877 | 88 566 131 | 261 849 507 |
Amount of injuries, professional diseases, lost days, and absences at work; and number of fatal accidents connected with work, by region and gender
| 2014 | 2013 | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Women | Man | Women | Man | |
| Total number of accidents (incidents) at work | 2 | 302 | 6 | 382 |
| Number of fatal accidents (incidents) | 0 | 3 | 0 | 3 |
| Number of serious accidents (incidents) | 0 | 4 | 0 | 1 |
| Number of minor accidents (incidents) | 2 | 295 | 6 | 378 |
| Total number of persons injured in accidents | 304 | 388 | ||
KGHM conducts systematic seismological observations, using an extensive network of surface and underground seismic stations, spanning all mining regions and fields. Steps are also taken to limit the risk of rock bursts and roof collapses. An example of this are the operating plans, which define the size and shape of the chambers as well as interchamber pillars, the most favourable direction of mine advance, and the optimal order of deposit selection. The Company systematically performs so-called rock mass destressings, applying group blasting and stress relieving blasting techniques.
Each accident in KGHM-owned plants is carefully investigated and analysed by specialists. In post- accident protocols the reason for the accident is indicated, as well as the responsible persons (if applicable) and – just as importantly – recommendations aimed at minimizing the risk of repetition of the accident. The circumstances of the events are presented and discussed with the employees of the Company. An example of this are the actions taken after the fatal accident which took place in September, in the Rudna mine. Analysis of the situation showed that one of the miners - despite the provided training and repeated warnings - was under an unprotected excavation ceiling, where entry is strictly forbidden. His death was caused by a patch of rock that broke off from the roof. The sole reason for the accident was the violation of the safety regulations by the fatally injured worker.
After the incident, all underground workers were acquainted with the circumstances of the accident. Special attention was paid to the specifics of work and movement underground. Additional training sessions were scheduled, dealing in particular with the prohibition of entering and staying in unsecured areas.
Accidents indicators
| Indicators of accidents frequency (IR, calculated as the total number of persons injured in accidents/ employment x 1000) | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2014 | 2013 | ||||
| Woman | Men | In total | Woman | Men | In total |
| 0,109 | 16,53 | 16,64 | 4,42 | 22,18 | 20,9 |
| Total number of days of incapacity for work due to accidents at work (LDR, calculated as the total number of lost days to the number of planned working hours of the employees in the reported period *200000) | |||||
| 2014 | 2013 | ||||
| Woman | Men | In total | Woman | Men | In total |
| 0,93 | 115,46 | 116,4 | 1,38 | 145,94 | 147,32 |
| Indicator of the seriousness of accidents (calculated as the number of days of incapacity for work due to accident/ number of accidents) | |||||
| 2014 | 2013 | ||||
| Woman | Men | In total | Woman | Men | In total |
| 69 | 55,78 | 56,8 | 18 | 58,52 | 57,61 |
| Indicator of identified occupational diseases (ODR, calculated as * 200.000) | |||||
| 2014 | 2013 | ||||
| Woman | Men | In total | Woman | Men | In total |
| 0 | 0,045 | 0,045 | 0 | 0,106 | 0,106 |
Employees with a heightened risk of contacting diseases associated with the workplace
| # | Identified risks, by factors harmful and dangerous to health | Information on which types of positions (group of employees) present a heightened risk of contracting certain diseases in connection with professional activities. | The number of employees working in hazardous conditions / at risk. | Information as to why there is a particular vulnerability of occupational diseases. | Description of mitigating actions taken by the organization (including pro- health programs, health and safety programs, etc.) | Percentage of workers exposed to a high risk of occupational disease for which preventive measures were taken - including professional risk assessment |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Industrial fibrogenic dust | Miners, metallurgists, processing line workers | 2 299 | Technologies and systems | Personal protective equipment | 100% |
| 2 | Carcinogenic chemicals | Metallurgists | 1103 | Pyrometallurgy process | Ventilation and personal protection | 100% |
| 3 | Noise | Miners, metallurgists, processing line workers | 6787 | Equipment | Personal protection | 100% |
| 4 | Vibration | Miners, metallurgists, processing line workers | 727 | Machinery and equipment | Higher quality of equipment | 30% |
| 5 | Hot microclimate | Miners, metallurgists, processing line workers | 3650 | Depth of the mine | Central air cooling, ventilation | 100% |
| 6 | Excessive physical exertion | Miners, metallurgists, processing line workers | 2115 | Working conditions | Mechanization of operation | 60% |
Collective bargaining agreements with the employees include health and safety regulations. Among the requirements are the providing of personal protective equipment to employees, health and safety training, and periodic inspections. Employees also have the right to refuse performing work in unsafe conditions, and employee representatives supervise the health and safety audits as well as accident investigations. The Agreement also involves periodic inspections and establishes a procedure for filing complaints. Health and safety issues are also included in one of the three agreements that the Company has entered into with the unions.