Vallourec Organizes Fourth "Safety Day"
06/21/2013 - For the fourth year running, Vallourec has rallied its staff to focus on safety. This Safety Day is the chance to remind everyone about the crucial role that safety plays in Vallourec company culture.
For the fourth year running, Vallourec, a world leader in premium tubular solutions, has rallied its staff to focus on safety. This Safety Day is the chance to remind everyone about the crucial role that safety plays in Vallourec company culture.
On Safety Day, staff at all Vallourec sites around the world gather together to devote their time to safety issues. Workshops are organized to raise awareness of professional and domestic risks, and a Safety Award is attributed to the unit who has performed best. As in previous years, members of the Executive Committee are present alongside the teams and show support for this major Group event.
At the end of 2012, the goals for reducing workplace accidents, with or without lost time, were again reached, and the results again exceeded the objectives set by the Group. Since 2008, the number of workplace accidents with lost time per million hours worked (the LTIR: Lost Time Injury Rate) has fallen by 72%. The results also show a significant reduction of the gap between the lowest and the highest performing sites, demonstrating the program relevance.
"Thanks to the actions implemented over the last few years and to widespread mobilization, we have continued to significantly improve our safety record. However, we have regrettably seen two fatal accidents since early 2013, which reminds us that safety can never be taken for granted. Now, more than ever, we remain highly focused on reducing the risk of accidents in the workplace. This is why Safety Day, this year based in particular on the theme "No rush", is so important and why we continue to raise everyone's awareness and further heighten vigilance," declared Philippe Crouzet, Chairman of Vallourec’s Management Board.
Safety is part of the Group's overall social responsibility policy, compliant with its Sustainable Development charter. It is one of the Group's fundamental values and is always given absolute priority. In 2011, a threeyear action plan, known as CAPTEN+ Safe, which endeavors to place Vallourec among the best businesses in the world with regard to this issue, followed on from the initial plan launched three years previously.
CAPTEN+ Safe focuses on the following areas: introduction of steering committees for better communication on the safety culture within the Group, organization of workplace safety visits, roll-out of risk assessment tools and introduction of preventive actions, including Safety Day and, finally, organization of continuous improvement teams (CIT).
CAPTEN+ Safe also aims to obtain OHSAS 18001 certification for all the Group's production facilities, and thus international recognition of Vallourec's commitment to this issue. As part of this plan, an initiative known as Safe Start®, based on the individual conduct of employees and their ability to take initiatives in risk situations, was rolled out at 18 sites in 2012. It is now being extended to all the Group's sites. A major communication campaign has also been introduced, with the theme "A parent can't be replaced."
