ANNUAL REPORT ARCELOR 2003 - paperJam

Health & safety and risk managementObjectives• Prevention and control of major risks- Full implementation of Seveso directives- Absolute safety of plants, processes and products• Significant reduction in the frequency and severity ofworkplace accidents- Zero serious accidents/fatal accidents- LTA frequency (lost-time accidents per million hoursworked) < 5- Accident severity rate (number of workdays lost toaccidents per thousand hours worked) < 0.30• Total safety of products in useSignificant improvement in safety resultsThe year 2003 saw a significant improvement in theGroup’s safety indicators. The frequency rate ofaccidents dropped nearly 40% between 2002 (9)and 2003 (5.5) and the severity rate dropped to 0.38(down 13% from 2002). After a difficult year in 2002with regard to fatal accidents (11 Arcelor employeesand 13 subcontractor employees), a very significantdrop occurred in 2003 (5 Arcelor employees and6 subcontractor employees). However, this number offatalities is still too high and efforts are underwayto drastically reduce this number in 2004. The goalremains “zero accidents”, which has already beenachieved in many Group companies.“Safety Thursdays” to mobilise all employeesWithin the framework of the health and safety policy, theManagement Board decided to visit the plants as oftenas possible to show support for existing or new safetymeasures.By going into the field, the Management Board intendsto reinforce the principles of Arcelor’s health and safetypolicy, support ongoing activities, and contribute to thepromotion of the best practices in this area.In 2003, the Management Board systematised thesemeasures with “Safety Thursdays” and visited aboutfifteen plants of the Flat Carbon Steels, Long CarbonSteels, Stainless Steels and Distribution-Processing-Trading sectors, located in Belgium, France, Luxembourg,Brazil, Germany and Italy.During his visits, Guy Dollé insisted on the exchange ofinformation and methods as well as on the transfer ofbest practices within Arcelor.The GESIM challenge in FranceIn June 2003, 22 departments or units within Arcelorreceived a safety award at the annual award ceremonyorganised in France by the Steel and Mining IndustriesAssociation (GESIM). This ceremony was theculmination for 33 steel industry teams of a year ofwork aimed at reducing occupational accidents in theirplants.One of the success factors of the challenge is theinvolvement of all members of the candidate teamand the various players at the plants: operators,management and members of the Health and SafetyCommittee (CHSCT). The methods used by each teamare thus definitely participatory, with working groupsbeing established for each action. This teamworkencourages the emergence of new ideas to promotesafety, with the accent in 2003 on prevention andthe responsibility that each person has individually andnot just as a team.While this French challenge does not yet have anyimitators in Europe, an Italian team from Arcelor didparticipate in the 2003 competition.sustainable development > Group profitability/health & safetyANNUAL REPORT ARCELOR 2003 99