In the OHS area, we operate in accordance the applicable legal regulations. Group companies strive to eliminate accidents at work and occupational diseases and to raise awareness of occupational hazards among Employees (among others through training and knowledge contests), as well as to increase their responsibility and involvement in improving safety at work. They also introduce further ergonomic improvements (e.g. equipping workstations with footrests or wrist pads, replacing office chairs with ones with adjustable armrests).

We monitor new technical solutions affecting the OHS level, among others through annual participation of designated employees in seminars and lectures organized during the Work Safety Expo. The state of Occupational Health and Safety is continuously monitored and improved, which is guaranteed by the accepted policies, procedures and instructions. Some companies have social labor inspectors appointed in accordance with the Rules and Regulations for appointing Social Labor Inspectors in the ENEA S.A. Group, who inspect the OHS conditions on behalf of Employees and put forward improvement proposals. Staff representatives also sit on OHS Committees operating in some of the companies.

Selected activities undertaken by ENEA Group companies in the OHS management area in 2019

OHS prevention activities in ENEA Operator included an education campaign entitled “Our Choice – Safe Work” addressed to employees of companies in the Distribution Area (it included, among others, publication of the “Safe Work” monthly, meetings, monthly electronic newsletters, distribution of posters). The Company also adopted two new procedures: First Aid in ENEA Operator Sp. z o.o. and Premedical Rescue Organization Procedure in ENEA Operator Sp. z o.o. It also started the implementation of procedures for standardizing first aid kits, organizing rescue services and working with chainsaws and established a team to draw up new instructions for working with power installations.

ENEA S.A. and ENEA Centrum expanded the induction training program to include practical first aid demonstrations on dummies using training defibrillators, conducted first aid training and kicked off training in the practical use of fire extinguishers for people leading evacuations. They also improved the ergonomics of workstations, among others by equipping them with supporting pads to prevent carpal tunnel syndrome.

ENEA Oświetlenie replaced some of its fall protection equipment for working at heights and shock protection equipment and the majority of its employees took part in the first aid training. Other initiatives included improved ergonomic conditions for office work, upgrades of air conditioners, equipping Employees in the field with repellents in the periods of increased insect activity and distribution of brochures on the topic of work safety.

ENEA Bioenergia established an OHS committee and it implemented an improvement plan in this area, updated quarterly. The Production Division changed its work time organization system to a 5-crew system; that represented a significant improvement of the comfort of work of the employees responsible for continuity of operation of power equipment. The company additionally purchased a large number of machines, which increased safety of the persons accepting biomass.

ENEA Elektrownia Połaniec executed an OHS conditions improvement program, which included, among others: improvement of fire safety and change in the organization of workplaces, a program of organizational and technical actions aimed at limiting the exposure of Employees to noise; the company cooperated with the Central Work Safety Institute in the evaluation of mental stress associated with working on selected positions. The company also implemented formal requirements for its prospective contractors, which includes delivery of a questionnaire summarizing OHS conditions in the company and is one of the evaluation criteria for the submitted offers.

It also created a work safety site in the company Intranet, appointed a team for developing the new edition of Instructions on Safe Work Organization in ENEA Elektrownia Połaniec S.A. and teams to review and update operating manuals.

OHS activities undertaken in ENEA Ciepło Serwis, the Białystok CHP Plant Division, included, among others: training for manual Workers and their supervisors, who are or may be exposed to asbestos dust due to their responsibilities, measurements of harmful, noxious and dangerous factors linked with selected positions and vaccinations against tick-borne encephalitis for biomass Workers and Workers cuttings bushes along railway sidings. In addition, a new forklift was purchased and two old forklifts with high failure rates were liquidated.

The work safety improvement program executed in Lubelski Węgiel “Bogdanka” since 2017 deserves particular attention. Under this program, accident reconstruction videos and instructions on proper performance of vital activities are shown on screens placed in the spots where crews gather before descending into the mine.

RG “Bogdanka” – a company from the LW “Bogdanka” Group – purchased a new roadheader, anti-vibration mounts and other new equipment (among others hydraulic wrenches and bolters). In consultation with Employees, new personal protection equipment and new working clothes were introduced. The on-the-job instruction program has been modified to increase work safety levels and the induction training has been modified to make it more understandable, especially for people who have never worked in the mining industry (adding at the same time elements of first aid exercises). Employees received information materials containing the key practical information on OHS and first aid.

Accidents at work in 2019

In 2019, two fatal accidents took place involving persons performing tasks commissioned by ENEA Group companies.

In connection with the death of an installer from a company cooperating with ENEA Pomiary who got electrocuted:

• it was ensured that any subcontractors of the company hold required qualification certificates and have completed relevant instruction courses, both general and job-related,
• procedures and instructions were reviewed,
• professional risk assessment was updated for technical services,
• managers and foremen held a meeting with the subcontractors, discussed causes of the accident with them and reminded them of principles of safe work when installing and operating electrical devices and power grids.

The subcontractor whose Employee had the accident had held all the qualification certificates necessary to perform technical services in measurement systems and also had taken part in the mandatory instruction courses conducted by qualified employees of ENEA Pomiary’s OHS service.

The second fatal accident occurred at a location owned by the Kozienice Power Plant. The accident involved an employee of a specialized external company who was buried while an ash retention tank was being cleaned. ENEA Wytwarzanie, which is the owner of the power plant, complied with all the OHS duties following from the law.