Highest safety standards

In order to strengthen the safety culture at PSE, the Life Saving Rules (LSR) have been developed. It is a set of general rules of conduct which refer to the greatest risks related to the company’s activities. The rules specify the responsibilities of the personnel performing tasks, prohibited activities and responsibilities of work supervisors. The rules are addressed to PSE employees and associates. The rules are formulated as catch phrases demanding specific actions, which are listed below:

1. Keep safe distance! – due to the risk to health and life caused by electric shock and arc burning while live working or working near live equipment;
2. Follow the work order and use checklists! – for work on grid assets under conditions of special risk based on a written order;
3. Observe safe organisation of work in the power sector!;
4. While working at heights, protect yourself and your tools against falls!;
5. Always use working clothes and shoes, as well as personal protective equipment where required!;
6. Drive safely!;
7. React to and report dangerous situations!;

The LSRs are displayed both at our offices and at substations, in the form of relevant posters and animations. We know from our colleagues that the materials are often a reference point for talks on safety as part of internal and external meetings (safety moments).

At PSE, professional risk assessment has been performed for identified groups of job positions. Risk documentation has been developed according to the PN-N-18002 methodology in the three-degree scale and the Risk Score. All employees newly hired in 2019 and employees changing job positions were informed about the professional risk occurring in a particular position. They acquired knowledge of threats, preventive measures, methods and organisation of work.

Medical examinations are mandatory for every employee working at PSE and are conducted on an ongoing basis. Pre-placement, periodic and follow-up medical examinations are conducted by a physician authorised to perform preventive examinations on the basis of a referral containing information on all harmful factors and noxious conditions existing in a given job position. Preventive medical examinations are conducted under an agreement with the Lux Med occupational medicine centre. Periodic medical examinations are conducted at dates designated by a physician authorised to conduct preventive examinations. In 2019, no contraindications were found for work in existing job positions nor any case of occupational disease was recorded.

All activities aimed at improving OHS performance that we had planned for 2019 were completed. At the same time, a number of additional measures were taken, i.e.

The OHS Committee operates at our company, which is composed of equal numbers of the employer’s representatives (including representatives of the OHS function and a physician providing health care services to employees), and employees (including the Social Labour Inspector). The Committee operates at PSE level, with local organisational units.

The Committee’s responsibilities include performing reviews of working conditions and periodic status assessments of OHS, issuing opinions on measures taken by the employer to prevent accidents at work and occupational diseases, and drafting conclusions concerning the improvement of working conditions.

In 2019, work was continued to improve the effectiveness of supervision over contractors in the field of HSEQ, encompassing OHS, fire protection, and environmental protection. In particular, standard contractual clauses were developed containing HSEQ requirements. The clauses were elaborated in three versions, with the subject matter and level of detail being graded according to the requirements imposed on contractors. The variation of clause versions makes it possible to adjust contractual provisions to risks arising in implementing a particular contract. HSEQ clauses are used by PSE in all investment contracts, also for operation and maintenance work, which is possible owing to their universal character. The use of HSEQ clauses arises from standards implemented at the company, its strategy and policy, as well as broad-based responsibility for the safety of people and the natural environment. The improvement of contractual conditions is also an element of cooperation with PSE’s contractors. We are seeking to jointly enhance the awareness of the significance of safety of people and the natural environment, as well as solidarity-based commitment to matters related to the safety of employees, equipment, infrastructure in the working environment, and the environmental protection.

Since 2019, PSE has been using a rate system of liquidated damages for discovered cases of beach by the contractor of specific rules and regulations on occupational health and safety, fire protection rules and regulations, as well as environmental protection rules and regulations. The rate system is incorporated in new contracts entered into with contractors for investment projects and O&M work.

“Safety Leadership, or safety in contract performance” is the title of a conference on safety culture which was held in 2019 by the Working Environment Management Office at PSE for contractors engaged in investment projects and O&M work for us. The conference was aimed to enhance the awareness of the significance of safety of people and the natural environment, as well as commitment to matters related to the safety of employees, equipment, infrastructure in the working environment, and the environmental protection issues. The meeting was held at the company’s headquarters in Konstancin-Jeziorna. Representatives of 32 contracting firms who participated in the meeting were welcomed by members of PSE’s Management Board. On behalf of PSE, the conference was also attended by directors of the Central Investment Unit, Operations Department, Administration Department, ICT Department, Communication Department, and the Legal Office. The meeting was divided into a conference part and a workshop part. In the first part, the participants discussed OHS, environmental protection and quality guidelines as well as the HSEQ penalty rates, approved by the Management Board of PSE as contract requirements for contractors. In the workshop part, contractors’ representatives and the company’s employees jointly performed a hazard and risk assessment (HRA) analysis and a root cause analysis (RCA) for set event scenarios.