Health and Safety Performance

 

In 2010, we standardised the reporting criteria across the RWE npower business units and therefore RTAs and Teambuilding accidents were no longer included within the Retail business. As a result, the 2010 targets were adjusted in line with this decision. In addition for 2010, SPI and hometeam (acquisitions for the Retail business) were included within the Retail rates. Following the re-organisation of the business in 2010, new targets for 2011 were established to reflect the updated structure.

Asset Operations and Technology

In 2011, our Asset Operations and Technology business was not subject to any improvement notices, fines or any other regulatory interventions regarding safety management occurring in 2011. We received one fine, as a consequence of the fatality at Aberthaw in 2007. The business had three dangerous occurrences in 2011.

The business met its target for Lost Time Accidents (LTAs) although it failed to meet the lower target for Serious Injuries (SIs): there were 10 LTAs, nine to our staff and one to a contractor.

Asset Operations and Technology will continue with a range of proactive and reactive measures including our ‘eye on the ball’ behavioural safety programme to reduce the number of minor accidents and injuries.

The Process Safety management group regularly reviews process safety indicator performance and all process safety incidents to ensure that standards of plant safety are consistent across the portfolio of plant. Our employees have worked closely with the Energy Institute and other utilities in 2011, and will continue to in 2012, in order to achieve consistency across the energy sector.

Customer Facing

In 2011, our Customer Facing businesses were subject to one Prohibition Notice in respect of the refurbishment of a block of flats in Wales. However, after discussion with the regulator, work was allowed to continue. There were no improvement notices, prosecutions, fines or any other regulator interventions regarding our safety management or risk control systems. There were no dangerous occurrences during the year.

Our Customer Services Performance Unit achieved all its non-vehicle related health and safety targets and suffered just one road traffic accident that caused lost time.
Our Customer Markets Performance Unit also made significant improvements over the course of 2011, but was still over its targets as was our Energy Services Performance Unit.

Across the whole of the Customer Facing business there were significant and substantial reductions of almost 30% in the number of Lost Time Accidents when compared to 2010.

Asset Development, Commercial Optimisation and our Functions all achieved their stretch targets of zero AFR and SIR.

Once again we have put in place challenging targets for both reactive safety performance and proactive initiatives, to further improve our performance throughout 2012.

Overall performance

In 2011, the Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents presented RWE npower with sixteen awards in recognition of its continued focus on health and safety across the company.