We have a Health and Safety policy and framework to ensure risks are identified, managed and controlled. Individual employees are made aware of the risks they face and the actions they should take to mitigate those risks.
Health and safety data are tracked in all BAE Systems companies and our performance is closely monitored by the Board. We also monitor employee health and have a number of initiatives to help employees lead healthy lives.
Good safety management requires the commitment and involvement of everyone at BAE Systems. All employees have a personal responsibility for health and safety in all aspects of their day-to-day activities. We value the involvement and efforts of the trade unions in supporting and encouraging the continuous drive for safety improvement across our business.
Each Business Unit is required to set targets for improving its Safety, Health and Environment (SHE) performance, which are measured against key performance indicators. Performance against targets is reported annually within each Business Unit and is reviewed both locally and at corporate level. In addition we have established a corporate framework for SHE. This will help ensure our SHE policy is implemented consistently across the company and that we achieve continual improvement in health and safety performance. The framework requires each unit to establish a formal SHE management system commensurate with the level of risk in their operations. Management systems will be formally audited and findings submitted to the Executive Committee.
Our work with the Health & Safety Executive (HSE) to identify and address the causes of accidents in aerospace manufacturing was completed in 2003 and a number of ‘good practice' guides resulting from the study were drawn up. We continue to work with the HSE and in 2005 we issued a joint statement with the UK HSE reaffirming our commitment to work in partnership to improve safety performance.
Management Statement
Joint statement from the UK Health & Safety Executive (HSE) and BAE Systems
BAE Systems and the HSE have now completed one year of a three-year partnership to address specific safety issues in the manufacturing sector. The initiative was launched as part of the HSE's commitment to Revitalising Health & Safety and followed on from a previous partnership between the two organisations. The Company and experts from the HSE are working together to develop and deploy standards of best practice in five key areas of safety risk (contractor management, hand-arm vibration syndrome,working at heights, confined space working, and slips, trips and falls). Employee involvement is being delivered in partnership with trade union safety representatives at BAE Systems' UK sites.
Both organisations recognise the benefit the partnership is bringing in progressing safety standards in Great Britain
BAE Systems is committed to achieving high performance standards for safety throughout the organisation. We are pleased to have this opportunity to work with the Health & Safety Executive on driving improvements in safety, not only in our own business but to establish standards of good practice which can be used across other sectors. We believe the partnership has many benefits both in access to expertise of the HSE and in improvements we’ve made to our own standards and processes. We look forward to continuing a positive and productive relationship over the next two years. HSE welcomes the commitment of BAE Systems to meeting the challenges of the Revitalising Health & Safety agenda. HSE, through the joint initiative, is committed to the development of an effective professional relationship across the manufacturing units. HSE is committed to assisting BAE Systems meet the challenges by establishing productive partnerships at all levels of the Company and sharing expertise to reduce injuries and ill-health.
Mike Turner
Chief executive, BAE Systems
HSE welcomes the commitment of BAE Systems to meeting the challenges of the Revitalising Health & Safety agenda. HSE, through the joint initiative, is committed to the development of an effective professional relationship across the manufacturing units. HSE is committed to assisting BAE Systems meet the challenges by establishing productive partnerships at all levels of the Company and sharing expertise to reduce injuries and ill-health. HSE recognises the positive approach and good offices of the Company, and the significant progress with the initiative. We want to build on this to realise our common goal of a safe and healthy workplace.
Timothy Walker
Director general, Health & Safety Executive
