Occupational Exposures
The control of employee exposures and a reduction of occupational illnesses are the thrust of our approach to occupational health management. Our aim, consistent with the ‘hierarchy of control’ approach, is to remove or avoid hazards through engineering or design solutions wherever possible.
The ‘hierarchy of control’ approach uses methods to decrease the exposure source itself or to minimise the potential amount of employee contact. Personal protective equipment (PPE) is utilised where this approach is yet to be implemented or is not currently feasible.
While we seek to eliminate or minimise hazards wherever possible, it is equally important to fully understand the nature of our occupational exposure hazards where they do occur. To date therefore, our occupational health targets have been focused on establishing baseline data of occupational exposure hazards and the consequent establishment of occupational hygiene monitoring and health surveillance programs.
Where engineering controls are not practicable, we make every effort to protect all employees potentially exposed from any adverse health effect through the use of PPE. It should be noted that all exposures monitored are potential exposures, and do not take into consideration the use of PPE where utilised to mitigate exposure.
The drive within the Company is to progressively reduce exposures over time. The graph below illustrates potential employee exposures, if not for the use of PPE, recorded during the reporting period.
Percentage of Employees in Potential Exposures*
2004/05
*i.e., would be exposed if not wearing PPE
As the graph illustrates, we focus on three distinct categories for our exposure measurement data. These are:
- potential exposure of employees above the occupational exposure limit (OEL) for noise (85 dBA 8-hour time-weighted average)
- potential exposure of employees above action levels (50 per cent of the OEL exposure limit) but below the OEL for other exposures
- potential exposure of employees above the OEL for other exposures.
We have established the requirement for reporting potential exposures above action levels but below occupational exposure limits to give us an understanding of the potential for harm and to enable us to establish proactive plans to mitigate exposures. At levels above the occupational exposure limits, it is understood that harmful effects on health may eventually occur in a proportion of individuals if they are not adequately protected. While all operations provide PPE and other measures to reduce exposure, the reporting on employees in this category gives the Company a clear understanding of the exposures that need to be reduced to further minimise the chance of adverse health outcomes. The reporting of these two categories allows the tracking of our efforts to reduce on-site exposures over time and consequently reduce the incidence of occupational illness.
When compared to the previous period, potential exposures to noise, if not for the use of PPE, have decreased by two per cent across the Company from the previous year. Our focus will be to continue to improve these figures by maintaining a focus on controls to noise exposure that can be implemented.
For other exposures, the exposure data is set against our Company-wide Exposure Standards. Our exposure standards in many cases are more stringent than local regulations and reporting processes and set a lower baseline target throughout the Company. For other exposures, when compared tp te 2003/04 baseline, there has been an increase in the percentage of employees potentially exposed, if not fort he use of PPE, in both the 50 to 100 per cent of OEL and above 100 per cent of OEL levels. There will be a concerted effort to reduce these exposures over time. In the interim it will be important that our Personal Protective Equipment ( PPE ) programs are of the highest quality to ensure employees are protected against these potential exposures.
One of the key areas in this regard relates to potential exposures to diesel exhaust particulates in our underground mines. Recently a consensus has emerged that diesel exhaust exposure is now considered carcinogenic by many world regulatory bodies. Our Illawarra Coal operation has been leading the development of a program to manage employee exposure to diesel exhaust which is now being driven more broadly across the organisation. Refer to our case study, Illawarra Coal develops program to manage employee exposure to diesel exhaust.
Other principal exposures include those related to dust, heat, vibration and welding fumes. Vibration exposures mainly occur in drivers of earth moving equipment and in the longer term may result in back injury or pain. In addition to other health and safety modifications, we have been working to reduce vibration exposures as part of our strategic alliance with Caterpillar, our major earth moving equipment supplier. See our case study, Alliances with Toyota and Caterpillar are reducing sourcing costs while delivering vehicle safety features.
In line with our current health target, occupational exposure baselines have been established and occupational hygiene programs are being implemented. Over the reporting period we reviewed our health targets to further focus on reducing the number of people potentially exposed above the occupational exposure limit. Refer to HSEC Targets Review.
A number of our operations have been progressing initiatives to better understand and reduce occupational exposures. Refer to the following for examples of policy in action:
- Aluminium CSG implements comprehensive occupational health management strategy outlines the occupational health management strategy being implemented across our Aluminium assets to enable a comprehensive and systematic identification and management of occupational health risks.
- Wagon Vibrator Program at Hay Point Services – an Employee HSEC Award finalist demonstrates a good approach to using hierarchy of control through the implementation of an engineering solution to a previous high injury potential manual handling activity.
