Abengoa’s occupational risk prevention policy is compliant with the various occupational health and safety regulations prevailing in the countries where the company operates, and is designed to integrate occupational risk prevention with the company’s mainstream strategy by means of training and awareness-raising.

In accordance with the company’s prevention policy and its Common Management Systems, all Abengoa Group entities have set up prevention committees, comprising senior management, department heads and dedicated prevention officers. The committees are in charge of tracking and monitoring implementation of the system.

In 2011, an Occupational Risk Prevention Officer was appointed. His brief is to integrate, bolster and improve Abengoa’s prevention capability. In addition, a new occupational risk prevention committee has been set up to provide a worldwide channel for communication, information and coordination.

Accident data

Abengoa has achieved an occupational accident rate that is remarkably low when compared to the average for the industries in which it operates, particularly bearing in mind the nature of its activities.

In 2011, the company’s accident rate was 2,806.35 (number of accidents requiring absence from work per hundred thousand employees), while the severity index was 0.30 (number of working days lost per thousand hours worked).

The overall rate of absence from work at Abengoa was 2.78 % (disciplinary penalties, accidents, absence with and without leave).

Absence caused by common illness came to 1.47%, while absence caused by occupational accidents came to 0.19%.

By region, the absence rate (excluding strike) was as follows:
Europe (Spain), 2.61 %; Europe (rest), 5.33 %; Asia, 1.90 %; Latin America, 2.98 %; North America, 1.55 % and Africa 2 %.

The number of occupational accidents requiring medically prescribed absence of more than one day was 752. Of these incidents, 69 arose while traveling between the workplace and the employee’s home. The accidents caused the loss of 14,413 working days, 1,416 of which related to the travel accidents.

In 2011, there were two fatal occupational accidents. One fatality was caused by the collapse of a tower, while the other was caused by collision with a traction unit.

The engagement and commitment of all employees to achieve ongoing improvement of the Abengoa risk prevention system continues to be the bedrock of the Management System.

A team of evaluators visited workplaces and sites to assess the occupational health and safety conditions under which the various activities were being conducted. Any detected shortfalls and irregularities give rise to appropriate troubleshooting reports and improvement actions.

In 2011, two events were hosted for executives in Spain and Latin America to raise awareness at all levels of company culture regarding occupational risk prevention.

Abengoa accords priority to minimizing occupational stress and preventing any disorders employees might suffer as a result of their jobs.

The company accordingly runs training programs and informational talks, and healthy workplace guidance is provided in the company newsletter.