For the World Business Council for Sustainable Development’s (WBCSD) Cement Sustainability Initiative (CSI), the number-one priority for all its 24 member companies is safety. Revised guidelines published in May 2013 on measuring and reporting aim to make the industry a safer place.
Prioritising safety is not new to CSI members. They have always been aware of the challenges concerning drivers and contractors as well as those operating in regions where safety education and adoption of best practice are still being developed. “The mission to eliminate all fatalities is an ambitious one, but this is what our members are aiming at because even one fatality is already too much! Moreover, the cement industry is targeting to take its place alongside other leading sectors whose safety records stand up as best in class,” says Philippe Fonta, WBCSD-CSI managing director.
Recognising the need for action, a dedicated health and safety task force – established in the early days of the CSI’s existence – published guidelines on measuring and reporting, along with its first major look at safety, in December 2004: “Health and Safety in the Cement Industry – Examples of Good Practice”. At the time, the CSI advocated the need for common reporting guidelines, providing an accurate register of all occupational injuries that would enable the global industry to address the most pressing safety issues. It also encouraged the sharing of good practice by providing guidance on occupational health and safety (OHS) management systems. It was the first work of its kind to set out common reporting standards for the whole industry.
