“Zero Accidents” in Suez Cement group: Helwan plant achieves one year without accidents
Cairo, 3 August 2008. July 2008 marks the celebration of Suez Cement group of Companies, which is composed by Suez Cement Company, Helwan Cement Company and Tourah Portland Cement Company, for its latest achievement regarding health and safety within its plants: one year of “Zero Accidents” in Helwan Cement plant while almost three years in El Minya Cement plant and three years in Suez Bags plant.
These achievements are an outcome of the implementation of “Zero Accidents” project, the safety project that was launched by Suez Cement group in January 2006, as the group highly believes in the relationship between good working environment and good company performance; and had made safety and health at work a key and essential component of the company’s performance. Launching its occupational safety and health project came in line with the continuous efforts to reduce the frequency of workplace accidents and the severity rate of accidents where both had improved by approximately 75% compared to 2005.
Mr. Roberto Callieri, the Managing Director of Suez Cement group, had congratulated Mr. Ahmed El Sawy, Helwan Cement plant manager, and all Helwan Cement employees for their strong commitment and great efforts in this regard.
Mr. Aly Hussein, Safety Coordinator of Suez Cement group had confirmed that the group is exerting lots of efforts to reach a safe and healthy work environment by developing a substantive corporate safety culture and by raising employee awareness and concern for safety conduct. In addition to taking adequate steps to prevent accidents and injury; and providing safety management handbooks and training activities to all employees to ensure the institution of corporate culture of safety and to integrate safety as a core business strategy for the group.
In 2007, more than 16000 safety orientation and training hours were provided to employees on all levels besides establishing a corporate data base of accidents, injuries and lost workdays that tracks and analyzes safety performance indicators and helps in follow up, planning and taking corrective actions.
On a wider level, Suez Cement group had launched the nationwide multimedia awareness-raising campaign “Salamtak Bel Donia” (Your Safety is Your Life) to promote a culture of safety and the importance of principles and methods of safety and accidents’ prevention.
This project came in accordance with the full commitment of the group as a national leader in building materials that operates ethically and responsibly and focuses on integrating corporate social responsibility [CSR] into all aspects of company’s operation. “Salamtak Bel Donia” is implemented in coordination with the International Labour Organization [ILO], the Ministry of Manpower and Migration, the National Institute of Occupational Safety and Health and the Egyptian Trade Union Federation and the Federation of Egyptian Industries.
On this regard, Suez Cement group will maintain working hard on developing and supporting communication initiatives to promote a prevention safety and health culture within the Cement industry.
