Concern for safety
Mining along with a host of related other activities are some of the most dangerous professions in terms of workplace accidents, including fatal accidents. This is why occupational health and safety issues at JSW Group must be treated with equal importance as production and economic results. When it comes to occupational health and safety management, the objective seems to be obvious, i.e. to limit the number of accidents.
Objectives:
- zero fatal accidents
- reducing the number of accidents at work (including accidents involving third party employees)
OCCUPATIONAL HEALTH AND SAFETY MANAGEMENT SYSTEM
The Group’s strategy sets, among others, the following objectives in the OHS area:
- constant monitoring of natural hazards and working conditions and preventive measures,
- ensuring high technical level of the mines,
- maintaining a certified management system for occupational health and safety management as regards extraction, processing and sales of coal,
- maintaining the high quality of OHS training, with particular emphasis on up-to-dateness and practicality of the issues discussed,
- raising OHS awareness (“Crew Head’s zone and more” web training and information platform),
- taking action to prevent accidents, occupational illnesses and potential accidents,
- taking actions aiming to limit the spread of the SARS-CoV-2 virus.
According to the Integrated Management System Policy, the management commits to ensuring the necessary funding and resources to shape safe attitudes among the employees, and monitor the hazards and reduce their impact on the work environment. It also emphasizes constant development of employee qualifications. Among key OHS procedures, the following should be mentioned: “Identification of hazards and assessment of occupational risk” (PZB-7.01), “Accidents at work, occupational diseases and events that may lead to accidents” (PZB-7.02), “Monitoring occupational health and safety” (PZB-8.01), “Actions taken in JSW S.A. in the event of a mass accident or industrial disaster.” (PZB-8.02). Other procedures outlining the principles of operational management, which are important from the point of view of employee issues, include the following: “HR management” (PSZ-6.01), “Internal and external communication” (PSZ-5.02) and the Procedure of conduct in the event of an emergency situation, e.g. epidemiological, biological or chemical threat (PZB-8.03).
No exemptions from the requirements of the occupational health and safety management system were intensified at JSW, concerning both employees and service providers.
In order to improve working conditions and protect employee health, occupational hazards are identified and evaluated directly at JSW's entities. Assessments of occupational hazards for specific groups of jobs are performed by a team of employees with essential knowledge in:
- assessing occupational hazards,
- identifying hazards at the jobs being assessed,
- assessing harmful impacts of hazards,
- specifying and selecting preventive measures.
The risk identification process is compliant with the procedure "Identification and assessment of occupational hazards," which is part of the Integrated Management System.
The systematisation of rules concerning investigations of causes and circumstances of work-related accidents, occupational diseases and near-misses at JSW entities is incorporated in the procedure "Work-related accidents, occupational diseases and near-misses" within the Integrated Management System.
| KEY OHS STATISTICS IN THE GROUP | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Expenditures for OHS (in PLN 000s) | 1 004 529,2 | 991 290,9 | 979 726,6 | 834 415,0 |
| Number of accidents at work – total number of accidents | 439 | 391 | 412 | 404 |
| a) Number of fatalities at work | 1 | 1 | 3 | 7 |
| b) Number of accidents at work – serious accidents | 2 | 5 | 4 | 0 |
| c) Number of accidents at work – minor accidents | 436 | 385 | 405 | 397 |
| LTIFR BY JSW ENTITY* | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| KWK Borynia-Zofiówka-Jastrzębie | 5,37 | 5,61 | 5,38 | 6,02 |
| KWK Budryk | 11,94 | 10,26 | 11,05 | 13,04 |
| KKWK Bzie-Dębina under construction | 6,85 | 7,28 | 3,58 | - |
| Knurów-Szczygłowice | 4,51 | 3,13 | 8,25 | 5,70 |
| KWK Pniówek | 9,83 | 9,67 | 8,56 | 8,08 |
| ZWP | 3,71 | 1,80 | - | 4,19 |
| Management Board Office | 2,45 | 1,23 | - | 1,48 |
| TOTAL JSW | 7,25 | 6,61 | 7,54 | 7,42 |
Health prevention
Due to the working conditions at JSW's mines, employees are subject to an extended scope of preventive medical examinations. The extended scope of examinations covers mandatory additional examinations concerning prevention of cardiovascular diseases for own employees and mining services providers at JSW.
Employees are admitted to work in specific jobs on the basis of a medical certificate confirming a lack of contraindications for performing such jobs. All data concerning employee health is stored at an occupational medicine service centre.
In hard coal mines, due to the specific mining conditions, employees are exposed to harmful and arduous conditions in the workplace. The most frequent occupational disease among current and former employees at JSW’s mines is pneumoconiosis. Other diseases such as occupational hearing damage, chronic musculoskeletal system diseases, vibration white finger have been eliminated or reduced to incidental occurrences.
At other companies, activities in the area of occupational health and safety are performed in accordance with the existing legal regulations and individual internal regulations and procedures.
Work-related accidents and occupational diseases
| 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| JSW Group | ||||
| total work-related accidents involving employees | 439 | 391 | 412* | 404 |
| light work-related accidents involving employees | 436 | 385 | 405 | 397 |
| major work-related accidents involving employees | 2 | 5 | 4 | 0 |
| fatalities among employees | 1 | 1 | 3 | 7 |
| Accident frequency indicator | 13,7 | 12,8 | 13,5 | 14,3 |
| accident frequency rate (accident at work per 1000 employees) | ||||
| total work-related accidents involving service providers: | 57 | 63 | 109 | 86 |
| light work-related accidents involving service providers: | 57 | 63 | 107 | 84 |
| major work-related accidents involving service providers | 0 | 0 | 2 | 2 |
| fatalities involving service providers: | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| number of identified occupational disease cases | 55 (49 - pneumoconiosis, 4 – work-related hearing impairment, 1 – chronic bronchitis, 1 - Carpal tunnel syndrome. |
52 (47 - pneumoconiosis, 3 – work-related hearing impairment, 1 – vibration syndrome 1 - epicondylitis of the humerus) |
51 (pneumoconiosis) | 46 (pneumoconiosis) |
| including JSW SA | ||||
| total work-related accidents involving employees | 326 | 288 | 310 | 310 |
| light work-related accidents involving employees | 323 | 282 | 304 | 303 |
| major work-related accidents involving employees | 2 | 5 | 3 | 0 |
| fatalities among employees | 1 | 1 | 3 | 7 |
| Accident frequency indicator | 14,1 | 13,1 | 13,8 | 14,3 |
| accident frequency rate (accident at work per 1000 employees): | ||||
| total work-related accidents involving service providers: | 57 | 60 | 108 | 77 |
| light work-related accidents involving service providers: | 57 | 60 | 106 | 75 |
| major work-related accidents involving service providers: | 0 | 0 | 2 | 2 |
| fatalities involving service providers: | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| LTIFR for JSW SA | 7,25 | 6,61 | 7,54 | 7,42 |
| number of identified occupational disease cases | 53 (48 - pneumoconiosis, 4 – work-related hearing impairment, 1 – chronic bronchitis.) | 46 (43 - pneumoconiosis, 2 – work-related , 1 – vibration syndrome) |
51 (pneumoconiosis) | 43 (pneumoconiosis) |
| Expenditures on occupational health and safety (PLNk) | 1 004 529,20 |
991 290,9 |
979 726,6 | |
In hard coal mines, due to the specific mining conditions, workers are exposed to harmful and arduous conditions in the workplace. The most frequent occupational disease among current and former workers at JSW’s mines is pneumoconiosis. Other diseases such as occupational hearing damage, chronic musculoskeletal system diseases, vibration white finger have been eliminated or reduced to incidental occurrences.
In 2021, JSW noted 53 cases of occupational disease, including 40 cases in former employees (in 2020: 46 cases of occupational diseases)To reduce the exposure of JSW mine employees to factors causing occupational diseases, mine-specific prevention programs for occupational hearing damage and pneumoconiosis are in place, in cooperation with the Institute of Occupational Medicine and Environmental Health in Sosnowiec and in-mine occupational health and safety personnel.
In 2021, activities and initiatives in the area of occupational health and safety were also aimed at preventing the spread of the SARS-CoV 2 coronavirus
OHS TRAINING FOR EMPLOYEES
In order to ensure a high level of knowledge about OHS and appropriate professional qualifications of employees, at all the JSW units a plan of OHS training as well as training and courses to raise qualifications was implemented, subject to the restrictions associated with the SARS-CoV-2 coronavirus pandemic. Training was given to all the employee groups, taking especially into consideration persons working in conditions involving natural risks. In 2021, in connection with the pandemic, a JSW e-learning platform was created for periodic OHS training for specified groups of employees in JSW and JSW SIG in the form of self-learning managed using means of electronic communication and Internet.
Employees can receive training on the platform in the area of periodic occupational health and safety training for employers and other persons in charge of employees, engineering and technical employees working underground and on the surface, and administrative and office staff.
On a quarterly basis, the Company's entities hold occupational health and safety committees, which are composed of an equal number of the employer's representatives, including occupational health and safety personnel, a doctor providing preventive healthcare for employees, and employee representatives, including a social labour inspector. The committee's aim is to review working conditions, conduct a periodic occupational health and safety assessment and provide feedback on the employer's prevention measures for work-related accidents and occupational diseases, formulating conclusions regarding improvements in working conditions and cooperating with the employer in compliance with occupational health and safety obligations.
In connection with the epidemic threat in 2021, committee meetings were held as video conferences, as stationary meetings or were cancelled.
Foreman’s Section and more
The "Foreman's Section and more" is a multi-award-winning training and information platform at JSW, which is intended to provide employees with various tools and information to raise awareness and enhance knowledge in the area of occupational health and safety and to raise occupational qualifications. The 8th edition of "Online competition for familiarity with occupational health and safety rules and regulations" was held on the platform in 2021.