Our Health and Safety Policy is approved by the Chief Corporate Executive and complemented by local policies at site level. We measure our performance annually against our company Health and Safety Standards that are designed to promote world-class performance.
An executive Health and Safety Governance Committee provides executive level focus and drive, and we have a Health and Safety Council, comprising union appointed safety representatives, trade union officials, employee representatives and managers.
Most sites and key departments have health, safety and environment committees, which meet regularly.
Health and safety is integrated into our management processes, including business planning. It is embedded in our business risk and control framework and is one of the key criteria used to measure managers’ performance.
Health and Safety Management
A central safety department and occupational health team provide specialist support to the businesses on matters ranging from occupational hygiene to public safety.
Since 2009 all health and safety management systems in the company have been certified to the Occupational Health and Safety Assurance Standard – OHSAS 18001.
During 2010 we installed a new Health and Safety Management IT System, Cintellate, which will improve the sharing of data across the business.
We continually review our working practices and processes to ensure they remain in line with best practice and to assess new risks that may arise from new areas of business.
Equipment and Training
Specific equipment requirements are defined within a raft of appropriate policies and procedures, all of which are supported by a suitable and sufficient assessment of risk and from the measures required for the control of such risks.
Contractors and subcontractors are expected to comply with ScottishPower requirements and in doing so, carry out risk assessments to identify any control measures required.
Safety training is given high priority, especially for staff requiring ‘authorisation’ for technical, safety-critical roles. Our two technical training centres offer a wide range of safety training, including NEBOSH (The National Examination Board in Occupational Safety and Health) and IOSH (Institution of Safety and Health) courses. These courses are provided by specialist external suppliers.
Our training centres also provide training in leadership, behavioural safety, First Aid and refresher courses on risk assessment.
Site-level courses cover a wide range of subjects from working at height and working in confined spaces to electrical safety and defensive driving.
Training records are maintained by HR Development and refresher training for safety critical requirements is carried out to defined frequencies.
Employee Involvement
We have a network of health and safety committees throughout the company and operate a safety suggestion scheme in several of our businesses to encourage employee contribution and feedback.
We have union appointed safety representatives in all businesses, as well as workplace safety co-ordinators.
In March 2010 a new Health and Safety Representatives’ Charter was formally signed off by senior full time officers of the four main trade unions. Copies of the charter have been presented to all Health & Safety Reps and a pdf is available on the company Intranet.
We communicate on health and safety via a range of channels, from conferences and magazines, to team talks, posters, plasma screens, email and the intranet. Our safety brand “Health & Safety Matters” makes our communications instantly recognisable.
Our branded health and safety campaigns, developed by Glasgow-based Good Creative design agency won a Gold Award in the Design Business Association’s Design Effectiveness Awards, just outside the reporting period in February 2011.
Contractor Safety
The Flue Gas Desulphurisation (FGD) Project Alliance of ScottishPower, Alstom and Amec, based at Longannet Power Station, has achieved significant safety milestones. The first, on 16th June 2010, was achieving three years since the last Lost Time Incident.
In reaching this milestone, almost 3 million site man-hours had been devoted to the project. As at December 2010, the project had also recorded a Total Recordable Injury Rate (TRIR) of zero.
Energy Wholesale’s long-term contractor, Cape Industrial Services, was selected as the winner of the 2010 IBERDROLA’s suppliers’ awards in the category of “Operational safety and health”. Representatives from Cape, along with Longannet Station Manager, Ewan McMillan, attended the awards ceremony in Murcia during November.