Sustainability Channel

Maintenance at the heart of safety

Pirelli has joined the Safe and Healthy Working Environment campaign of the European Agency for Health and Safety at Work (EU-OSHA). The new 2010-2011 campaign, launched on 28 April by the European Commissioner for Work, Social Policies and Integration László Andor, centres on the theme of Safe Maintenance. The objective is to reduce the number of accidents at the place of work linked to maintenance practices.

The campaign envisages conferences, seminars, workshops and training sessions for the workers and all stakeholders involved in the work of maintenance, especially in the sectors in which the health and safety of the workers is most at risk, such as building, agriculture and chemistry. As well as the events that will take place throughout Europe over the next 18 months, in particular in October during the European Week for Safety and Health at Work, free informative printed and digital information will be distributed on the subjects of maintenance and safety.

Among the activities that Pirelli will promote is the organisation of an HSE Pirelli International meeting at one of the premises at which an EU-OSHA delegation will participate, and the external diffusion of good maintenance practices.

“We estimate that 20% of all accidents at work in Europe are connected with the practice of maintenance, and in some sectors half of them take place due to inadequate maintenance”, said Jukka Takala, director of the European Agency for Health and Safety at Work. “That is why it is fundamental that maintenance is carried out correctly, especially if workers’ health and security are at stake”.

This is the second partnership for Pirelli after that of last year centred on the Evaluation of Risk, which was proposed to promote a participatory approach to the evaluation of risks based on consultation and the participation of all people present at the place of work.

With over 30 countries involved and a volume of about four million items of informative material distributed in all the official languages of the European Union, over time the European campaign has become one of the most extensive annual awareness campaigns.

More details concerning the campaign and the commitments made by Pirelli can be found on the European Agency’s site in the appropriate section:
http://osha.europa.eu/en/campaigns/hw2010

PIRELLI PARTNERS EU-OSHA "HEALTHY WORKPLACES" CAMPAIGN

Pirelli has officially adhered as “Partner” to the ”Healthy Workplaces” European campaign, managed by the European Agency for Safety and Health at Work (EU-OSHA)

The Agency has run an annual European Campaign since 2000. With more than 30 countries participating, and some 4 million information materials distributed in all official community languages, the European Campaign has become one of Europe’s largest annual awareness-raising campaigns.

The Campaign faces a different theme each two years and, for 2008 and 2009 the subject is “Risk Assessment”. The two-year risk assessment campaign seeks to promote the idea of a participatory approach to risk assessment. It is essential for the workforce to be consulted and involved in the risk assessment to ensure that hazards are identified not only from principles of knowledge but also by knowledge of working conditions and patterns of adverse effects upon workers.

Pirelli’s engagement within this Campaign range from spreading of a risk prevention “culture” through both internal and external company communication channels, to organizing ad hoc meetings by Pirelli sites with the participation of Representatives form the Agency.

The spirit with which Pirelli adheres to the Campaign has been clearly expressed by Francesco Gori, CEO and Managing Director Pirelli Tyre:  “Attention to health and safety in the workplace has always been an important part of the culture of Pirelli, in all our factories and offices throughout the world. Knowledge, understanding and above all internal sharing of the concept of risk are key elements that we focus on, with the goal of raising the general awareness of the Company on a theme which, more than a collection of rules to respect, is a matter of culture. It is with this spirit that we adhere to the EU-OSHA campaign.”

More on the Campaign and on Pirelli’s engagements in the dedicated web page of the Agency’s site http://osha.europa.eu/en/campaigns/hw2008/partners/Pirelli