sain t-gobain annu al report 2008 annual report

In addition to complying with regulatory requirements
in each country, we introduced our own NOise Standard (NOS)
in 2004 to detect, measure and control potential forms
of noise exposure in the workplace. In 2005, the NOS
was rolled out to the entire Group, including facilities
outside of Europe, for the purpose of protecting
all employees and contractors. The standard includes
guidance on establishing indicators that can be used
to prioritize noise reduction initiatives, monitor conditions
and track progress over time. The NOS is applicable
to all Group companies regardless of local legislation,
and may be more stringent than national regulations in a
given country. Noise levels are determined based on a specific
measurement standard applied to groups of comparable
types of exposure. This ensures more precise measurement
of exposure levels and consistent methods of exposure
assessment across the Group. Data is entered in the Gaïa
reporting system, which generates a matrix that classifies
the information by level of exposure (high, moderate or low).
The standard is scheduled to be rolled out to Maxit, acquired
in 2008, during the course of 2009. A training kit is available
to assist with local deployment of the NOise Standard.
2008-2010 OBJECTIVE
Each Division will monitor reductions in noise exposure
as part of its annual plan.
Preventing exposure to toxic agents
Our operations entail the use of raw materials that are
then processed and treated to create high-technology
products – potentially leading to mineral dust and chemical
exposure. We have introduced a standard policy for measuring
and controlling the risk posed to the workforce.
The TAS (Toxic Agent Standard), developed in 2004,
provides a framework for identifying, assessing
and eliminating or controlling potential sources of exposure
to toxic agents in the workplace. As with the Group’s other
standards, the TAS has been rolled down into four
implementation guides. The first of these concerns
crystalline silica and was issued in conjunction with a 2005
project involving the distribution of crystalline silica kits
to all Group companies supported by appropriate employee
training. Maxit, the company acquired in 2008, will implement
TAS in 2010. Sites that have identified a silica dust hazard are
required to monitor their employees’ exposure according
to standards that are stricter than local regulations.
Through our industry federation, we played an active role
in crafting the European agreement of April 25, 2006,
on “Workers Health Protection through the Good Handling
and Use of Crystalline Silica and Products containing it.”
Negotiated by representatives of the European Union,
industry and the trade unions under the aegis
of the Negotiation Platform on Silica (NepSi), the agreement
aims to protect employee health and minimize exposure
to respirable crystalline silica.
Three other guides have been issued since 2004:
• The Saint-Gobain EHS Code of Conduct Applying
to Nanomaterials which was updated in 2008 as part of
a joint initiative by EHS, medical and Research
and Development personnel. It contains instructions for
protecting Research and Development staff (Guidelines 1+).
Instructions dealing with new product development
(Guidelines 3+) are currently in the test phase pending final
validation. As indicated previously, in 2008 an EHS sign-off
procedure was added to the process for managing Research
and Development projects (known as “Saint-Gobain EHS
Stage-Gate”). At each major “gate” in the process, project
managers must now submit to the steering committee an
EHS checklist that identifies each issue to be addressed
during the course of the project. These issues include
concerns relating to nanomaterials. Finally, instructions
dealing with specific production situations – such as
the elimination or replacement of nanomaterials –,
protective equipment and controls over the application
of procedures, were finalized in late 2008
and will be applicable from 2009 (Guidelines 5+).
• A guide to the use of fibrous materials that explicitly
defines safety rules for the use of fibrous materials
in processes, equipment, systems or buildings. In 2007,
with support from Saint-Gobain Conceptions Verrières,
the EHS Department provided technical, engineering
and research teams from each Sector and Division
with online access to a Group database on fibrous materials,
and on October 1, 2007, Saint-Gobain imposed a Group-wide
ban on the use of any fibrous material not listed
in this database.
• A guide to the construction, renovation and maintenance
of melting furnaces.
The Sectors and Delegations have implemented a number
of risk-reduction solutions appropriate to each business.
The Innovative Materials Sector – High-Performance Materials
has developed a particularly innovative computer application
called Toriman to meet TAS objectives. Toriman identifies each
substance used within the Sector and, based on potential
risk and conditions of use, provides information
and recommendations by product family concerning
the substitution of certain substances, general protective
measures and, as a last resort, mandatory protective
equipment to be used by individual employees. Toriman is a
critical resource for enhancing toxic risk assessment in each
country, regardless of differences in local knowledge
and expertise. It is set to be incorporated into an online
resource, along with our risk assessment application, during
2009 and deployed at all of our industrial sites in all countries.
MANAGEMENT REPORT
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Saint-Gobain - 2008 Annual Report