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Nobody Gets Hurt
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2008 Performance
We strive for a workplace that will enable us to achieve our clear and simple objective: Nobody Gets Hurt.
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One of the ways we measure performance is by the total recordable incident rate. This industry measure includes lost-time incidents as well as injuries or illnesses that result in restricted duty or medical treatment.
Our 2008 total incident rate for employees was down 17 percent from 2007. During the year, there were two lost-time incidents for employees out of 10.8 million hours worked. Unfortunately, the contractor safety rate was 34 percent higher than 2007 levels. There were three lost-time incidents for contractor employees out of 13.2 million hours worked.
While our incident rates were better than the latest industry benchmarks, we recognize we can do better and will not be satisfied until we create a work environment that is incident-free.
Office Safety
Improving safety for our office employees remains crucial. In 2008, we held safety training across the company to increase awareness among employees of the risk of repetitive strain injuries and of prevention resources available to them. An office safety leadership team, led by senior management, was also formed to improve office safety.
Contractor safety
Special emphasis was put on contractor safety, leading to improved risk identification and management at job sites. We also enhanced short-service work programs, which require inexperienced workers to be mentored by more seasoned individuals. Outside our operations, we are partnering with other companies to develop shared approaches to contractor safety training at local industry sites. In partnership with Ontario Power Generation and others, we are developing a new industrial training centre to improve contractor safety in the Nanticoke area. Based on a collaborative model used in Sarnia, the centre will encourage common safety practices and procedures for use across local industry work sites. The new centre opened in early 2009.
Safety leadership training
Imperial works diligently to ensure safety roles and responsibilities are effectively executed. This calls for persistent emphasis on safety leadership training. In 2008, nearly 60 managers and supervisors participated in a threeday program designed to increase leader awareness and involvement in safety. About 70 representatives from contractor companies and safety regulators also participated in the program. A total of 1,460 managers, supervisors, contractors and provincial regulators have participated in this safety training since its inception.
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| Maintaining emergency preparedness
Emergency preparedness and response is an area where maintaining safety is critical. At the Sarnia site, we maintain emergency readiness to ensure we can take all necessary actions to manage any emergency situation safely. On August 26, 2008, our capability was tested. A tanker truck containing gasoline rolled over at a Sarnia highway intersection. It was outside our area but the municipality called us as part of our mutual aid agreement to see if we could help. By deploying firefighting staff and a fire truck, we helped to turn an incident that could have been dangerous into a safe, well-managed event. As Sarnia site fire marshal, I was very proud of my staff because it showed that, again, our firefighting teams are very prepared. No matter how difficult a situation is, they’re 100 percent professional. They know what to do. Their goal is always Nobody Gets Hurt.
Jim Belrose, fire marshal, Sarnia site
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