Long-term goal: Zero accidents
Henkel launched a Company-wide program in the year 2000 with the long-term objective of achieving “zero accidents.” The first interim target was a 45-percent decrease by 2005. In fact, we achieved a reduction of 67 percent, putting us well ahead of schedule. The next interim target is to halve the number of accidents again by 2010, relative to the base year 2005. In 2007, we had already almost reached this second interim target by decreasing the incidence rate to 1.7 occupational accidents per million hours worked.
Aligning the timescale to that of our corporate objectives for the next five years, we have now set ourselves a new interim target: a further 20-percent reduction in occupational accidents by 2012 (base year 2007).
To facilitate the achievement of our ultimate target, we intend to integrate newly acquired companies more rapidly into our corporate structure and to further expand training and support measures at all Henkel sites.
Occupational accidents: Status 2007
Henkel employs Company-wide instruments aimed at preventing occupational accidents. They are based on the worldwide corporate standards, and their implementation is checked by independent auditors from Henkel headquarters. All accidents are registered centrally and analyzed as part of a worldwide reporting system. In 2007, 98 percent of Henkel employees were covered (excluding employees of contractors who worked at Henkel sites). For the first time, employees of external companies who work at Henkel sites and are directly contracted by Henkel were included in our reporting:
Serious Accidents
In 2002, a standardized worldwide reporting system was introduced to gather data on serious accidents. In 2006 and 2007, no fatal occupational accidents were suffered by Henkel employees or employees of contractors carrying out work for a Henkel company:
Activities to raise awareness of occupational safety
| Site | Activity |
| Brazil Diadema, Itapevi, Jacareí |
Comprehensive health promotion program. Employees are encouraged to perform daily gymnastic exercises designed in part to help prevent work-related accidents and illnesses. |
| China Changchun |
100 days of safety activities: Comprehensive safety training for all employees, as well as intensive annual instruction sessions, some presented by manufacturers of personal protection equipment. |
| China Guangzhou |
A safety quiz with attractive prizes was organized for production and warehouse employees. |
| China Shanghai, headquarters |
Bilingual safety handbook (Chinese/English) for all persons involved in the construction of the new China Technology Center. |
| Italy Caleppio di Settala, Casarile, Cerano, Ferentino, Lomazzo, Parma, Zingonia |
Comprehensive presentations, films, training courses and discussions on all management levels. |
| Spain Abrera, Malgrat, Montornés, San Adrián, Santa Perpétua, Alcalá de Guadaira |
Safety awareness training: Different training courses are offered each year, based on current examples. Photos of safety deficits and potential causes of accidents are presented and discussed. |
| Thailand Bang Pakong |
Contractors’ employees are shown an introductory video with comprehensive safety advice before they start work. |
Worldwide management training for plant managers
Leadership performance and the training and awareness of employees play a crucial role in focusing our activities on sustainability. In a special training program we therefore coach all plant managers around the world in managerial approaches to safety, health and environment concerns. The course content ranges from risk analysis and managing emergencies to stakeholder dialogue. Besides imparting skills, the plant manager meetings foster better networking among the sites and provide an ideal opportunity to share examples of best practice from the various regions. Since 2006, we have trained more than 120 employees in all regions of the world in these special topics. We regularly assess the training needs of our employees and integrate appropriate environmental protection and health and safety seminars in our basic and advanced training programs. Moreover, our sites and companies also carry out regular activities to promote awareness.
More safety for employees of contractors
We began, in 2007, to integrate contractors’ employees who work at Henkel sites into the accident reporting system as far as possible, recording days lost due to accidents. Accidents concerning directly contracted employees of external companies are recorded in accordance with the same criteria as for our own employees.
