Zeneca Hellas (Factory)

Transcription

1 Zeneca Hellas (Factory) Name: Zeneca Hellas Address: 2 nd km Kinotikis Odou Enofyta Agiou Thoma, Enofyta Viotias, Greece Telephone: Fax: Contact Person: Mr. R. Donalson and Mr. Zambogiannis Type of Company: Production of pesticides and public health products Zeneca Hellas (factory) is located in the industrial area of Enofita Viotias 50Km out of Athens. It is a subsidiary of a larger enterprise Zeneca formally ICI and is involved in mass production of pesticides and public health products. There are 32 full-time workers in Zeneca, 17 women and 15 men while there are 6 to 7 seasonal workers. Zeneca was rated one of the 100 economically successful companies in Greece for It was one of the first companies in 1991 to obtain ISO 9002 and is in the process of obtaining ISO The factory has both an occupational physician and a safety engineer while the senior manager is also in charge of OSH issues. In 1998 Zeneca Hellas was given an award for the company s excellent performance in the areas of safety health and environment (SHE). Employee participation Zeneca Hellas has a policy of involving all employees to a high degree of participation in all matters of work organisation including workplace health and safety. For example: When the senior executive manager of the factory was first employed in 1985 he restructured the company s OSH policy. The process included the active participation of the employees especially those working in the company over a long period of years and in close co-operation with the company s occupational physician. Employees had the opportunity to express both suggestions and problems regarding OSH issues and as a result important improvements were

2 achieved in the area of health and safety. The manager of the factory stressed that apart from formal employee meetings workers expressed their ideas mainly through informal discussions with factory management. At present renovations are in progress and members of the employees are participating in the process of setting safety and health standards for the new buildings. Person to person communication among employees and manager is at a good level allowing regular meetings in which workers are encouraged to exchange ideas on company issues including health and safety. According to the manager many changes in the company areas were made based on suggestions from the workers. Small appreciation awards are given to employees who suggest practical solutions to problems in the company areas. Working schedules In Zeneca employees are scheduled to work for 8 hours from 7:30 in the morning to 3:30 in the afternoon with a half-hour break. There are some situations where workers face particular problems with the work schedule. Management deals with these instances by acknowledging the problem and working with the employees towards solutions. For example special attention is given to working mothers and employees who live a long distance from the factory. These workers are given the opportunity to come to work a few hours later so as to work their schedule better. Statutory health and safety regulations Zeneca Hellas has adapted to the Greek OSH legislation. There is an on site safety engineer and an occupational physician, while employees have representatives for workplace health and safety. The senior manager is also responsible for implementing safety and health measures in the factory. All necessary precautions are taken to secure employees health and safety especially since Zeneca is involved in the repacking of potentially hazardous chemicals. Specifically:

3 In the areas of production all personnel wear protection glasses, gloves and uniforms and under no circumstances come into contact with the product. There is emergency equipment in the production units that can be used in the unlikely event of a worker coming into contact with chemicals. Showers have a separate exit thus workers who finish their shift have no chance of carrying production chemicals at home. At the end of the working day all production areas are cleaned with special machines. Production areas are washed down with water, which is collected in special effluent collection tanks prior to treatment. Special large surface water collection reservoirs are available to collect rainwater from roadways and other areas of the factory. All contaminated water undergoes flocculation treatment to eliminate chemical traces and the atmosphere then evaporates the purified water. No contaminated water leaves the site There are emergency exits in all working areas of the factory. Smoking is forbidden in all factory areas and especially production units. There are fire extinguishers in all areas and the factory has an autonomous emergency fire extinguishing system. All containers in which chemicals are stored are destroyed through a special process conducted on the factory premises. Responsibility for OSH Workers said they felt safe while working in Zeneca, a direct result of the safety measures implemented especially in the production units. Management indicated their employees feel responsible for safety and comply to a great extent with company safety measures. According to their beliefs compliance is a result of the following factors: 1. Good level of communication between employees and management. 2. Frequent seminars on safety and health issues (both at the beginning of employment and during employment) that have increased not only employees knowledge on safety measures but also the degree of importance workplace safety has for workers. 3. The existence of frequent signs in all areas of the factory informing workers on safety measures and possible hazards in their working environment. There is also

4 an electronic message screen in the workers recreation area that flashes health and safety messages. Workplace conditions Experts in close co-operation with the company s occupational physician have ergonomically designed all areas of the factory. Offices have recently been renovated and are spacious with high ceilings, painted in colours chosen by employees. Production units are also spacious with approved ventilation, heating in the winter and large vents that are kept open in the summer. Most of the equipment used by the employees including working chairs are anatomically designed to protect employees working postures and movements. Employees have a 30-minute break that is spent in the recreation area where coffee and soft drinks are available free of charge. Employees have their own locker rooms and there is a separate smoking room for smokers. All areas of Zeneca have been repeatedly inspected and approved by the government health and safety Inspectorate. Training and qualification Candidate employees are hired on trial base for 15 days during which they undergo medical tests to ensure they are not allergic to the chemical substances used in the production of pesticides. Absence of allergic reactions to chemicals is an important criterion for employment in Zeneca. Candidate employees also attend a training program mainly in the area of chemicals, chemical safety and safe use of equipment after which they are placed in different workplaces while their performance is monitored and recorded. After the person is employed she/he according to their performance record is placed in an appropriate position. Employees records are kept and updated with details of training programs and seminars they might attend in the future while the occupational physician keeps separate medical records. All records are strictly confidential.

5 During employment there are many opportunities for the personnel at Zeneca to attend national and international conferences, seminars and training programs so as to improve their knowledge and keep up with technological developments. For example the company s occupational physician, technical safety personnel and chemists have attended various training programs according to their occupational role in the company. Workplace Health Promotion Workplace health promotion is practised jointly by the company s occupational physician and the senior manager in charge of health and safety. The occupational physician conducts various disease preventive tests mainly after employee requests and keeps a medical record with personal medical profiles. Apart from these activities the occupational physician has created a blood donation bank and developed a voluntary program for the mapping of monoclonal antibodies. In the area of health promotion Zeneca has conducted the following programs which have been positively received by employees. Smoke cessation program Safe driving program Seminars on healthy life-style Seminars on HIV/AIDS Seminars conducted by fire brigade officers to ensure all employees know how to use fire extinguishers and know how to act in a fire emergency situation given the particular characteristics of Zeneca which involves large amounts of flammable chemicals in the production process. Training seminars on correct and safe ways of lifting heavy weights. Training seminars on correct postures and movements during work. Welfare related activities Zeneca provides private medical insurance coverage to all employees in addition to paying the compulsory employer s contribution to the National Insurance Foundation

6 (IKA). The company s policy supports the reintegration of the long-term sick employees although these instances are very rare. For example the occupational physician and the senior manager mentioned the case of a chronic alcoholic employee who was given the necessary medical treatment and guidance to overcome the problem. The employee continues working in the company despite past medical and personal problems. Zeneca has also employed in the past handicapped members of the community and has a positive policy on this issue. Zeneca also has a strict policy against the employment of illegal migrants a recently widespread phenomenon in Greece. Zeneca is built in an industrial zone of the country and because of this is in close cooperation with the local community in setting chemical and biological standards for the regional environment. Furthermore, because of the experience Zeneca has acquired in the area of chemical production, chemical safety and water sewage treatment, members of staff share their knowledge by giving lectures to the local community, other pesticide industries and universities. Results and Summary of OSH policies in Zeneca Hellas Occupational accidents are practically non-existent in the company and absenteeism due to occupational sickness is very low. Zeneca (factory) has experienced no serious or fatal accidents in the last 15 years. Employee satisfaction is revealed through the very long employment periods observed among workers in Zeneca who in many cases have retired from the company. All these factors point to a strong relationship between good workplace health and safety policies, improved state of employee health and satisfaction but also economic growth as Zeneca enjoys success in the Greek pesticide market. According to Zeneca s senior manager in charge of health and safety and the company s occupational physician the most important elements of any successful occupational health and safety policy are: good communication venues between management and employees;

7 ability of the executive manager to co-operate with employees and listen to their proposals and criticism; and good working conditions Our interviewees in Zeneca emphasised in their closing remarks that SMEs in Greece need to establish health and safety networks and disseminate experience and information on health and safety good practice. SMEs also need more support from governmental institutions and need to establish co-operation with technological institutions and universities. Finally, an important point made is that WHP in SMEs will develop more through the development of specialised university education which at present does not exist in Greece.