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Safety programmes

We systematically assess risks to anticipate potential accidents, and put programmes in place to minimise them. We learn from investigating the causes of accidents and make improvements accordingly. In this section we cover three key areas: driver safety, process safety and chemical exposure.

For information on our approach to ergonomics see Employee health.

Driver safety
Our sales representatives drive long distances every year and are therefore particularly at risk of being involved in work-related road traffic incidents. In 2005, there were 137 driving accidents resulting in lost time, and these accounted for 25% of lost-time injuries.

Our Global EHS standard on Occupational Travel includes requirements on driver safety. In 2004 we developed 11 technical instruction documents to help GSK businesses comply with the standard. These cover topics such as training, vehicle selection, risk assessment, accident reporting, driving and the environment. In 2005 we combined these documents with additional safety guidelines to create a compliance tool for commercial businesses called ‘EHS Essentials’.

Approximately 60% of GSK’s Commercial businesses have extensive driver safety programmes in place. They include driving licence checks, guidance on the use of mobile phones in vehicles, driver safety training, tracking and reporting incidents. We are working to ensure all sites have the same high standards in place.

In a few countries we provide motorbikes or scooters for employees and have produced a GSK Motorbike Rider Safety Manual. This has been translated and distributed to employees in countries such as Bangladesh, India, Indonesia, Pakistan and Vietnam. These countries have now also fully implemented the GSK requirement for every driver of a motorbike to wear a helmet. We will continue to follow up and monitor the implementation of the motorbike safety programme.

See more on our approach to driver safety in EHS Programmes in GSK Commercial.

Process safety and safety engineering

Our process safety programme ensures that safety is built into all manufacturing, research and development processes. The programme is based on hazard identification, control and risk assessment. During 2005 we expanded our Risk Assessment Tools & Evaluations (RATE) System. It now includes tools covering: Failure Mode & Effects Analysis, Hazard & Operability, and Failure Mode Effects Criticality Analysis. The programmes apply globally, allowing us to standardized assessment documentation and share safety information across all business sectors.

In 2005 we launched an initiative to ensure our Primary Supply and Antibiotics Supply Chain has updated safety plans that focus on key risks and regulatory compliance.

For background information on our approach to process safety and safety engineering see here.

Material hazard information
We have developed safety data sheets (SDSs) for more than 1,200 of our products. Some 600 of these for pharmaceutical products that are sold in the US or Europe are available on our website – see safety data sheets for more information. An email notification tool automatically keeps employees up-to-date with changes to SDSs. We have started to make environmental testing data available on our SDSs.

Our HazClass System tracks hazardous material shipments worldwide and monitors the transportation of over 10,000 materials per month. For more information see more on safe transport of materials.

Occupational hygiene and control of chemical exposure
In 2005, exposure to chemicals resulted in four respiratory or skin-related lost-time incidents and 101 cases which did not result in lost time. Together, they accounted for 31% of work-related illnesses.

In 2004 we developed a strategy to control chemical exposure up to 2010. This sets out a plan of action for achieving our 2010 goal of a ‘shirt sleeve’ working environment – a workplace where we contain chemicals using engineering controls during manufacture so that employees do not need to wear protective equipment.

In 2005 we introduced several steps to help us achieve this goal:

• we began recruiting Regional hygienists to deliver an improved Occupational hygiene (OH) service to businesses
• we began to design dispensary equipment for powdered pharmaceutical ingredients which eliminates the need for protective equipment
• we commissioned a benchmarking study of containment methods for potent chemical compounds
• we seconded a member of Engineering staff to Corporate EHS to work on ensuring that all relevant operations have engineering controls

• our new product support process is designed to integrate EHS considerations into product design. Teams include a product stewardship/occupational toxicology expert whose role is to ensure that chemical exposure and other EHS considerations are built into product design

See more on our approach to Occupational hygiene and control of chemical exposures.

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