Our environmental values support our overall EH&S policy and specifically state:
We recognize that conducting our business in an environmentally responsible manner is critical to our success.
Environmental policies, programs, and practices must be integrated into each business function and made a priority in the design of new processes and facilities and in the evaluation of new business opportunities.
- Pollution of air, water, and land can be prevented and waste eliminated.
- Where our past practices have created environmental conditions that require correction, we should responsibly correct them.
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We can supply products and processes that can be manufactured, distributed, used, and recycled or disposed of in an environmentally responsible manner, helping our customers to protect the environment.
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We must be an environmentally responsible neighbor for the benefit of our host communities and to retain the license to operate.
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We have a responsibility to protect the environment and conserve resources for future generations through sustainable development.
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Each employee must be given the training and tools needed to understand and support these environmental principles in their daily responsibilities.
Policies, Values, and Standards
Air Products is committed to being an industry leader in environmental, health and safety performance. Each year we set continuous improvement goals in these areas, with the ultimate goal of zero emissions of toxic and hazardous materials, and zero injuries.
In 2005, we improved our performance for most of our EH&S measures. This success was due to the efforts of thousands of employees who put safety and protecting the environment first. Their passion, together with our global EH&S system, formed a powerful combination for improving performance. Also in 2005, our corporate headquarters was certified against the American Chemistry Council's Responsible Care Management System requirements.
Our EH&S Policy
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We will be an industry leader in environmental, health, and safety performance and are committed to the following basic principles in managing our businesses worldwide:
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Compliance with all applicable environmental, health, and safety laws and regulations
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Continual improvement in health, safety, and security performance with the ultimate goal of zero injuries.
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Continual reduction of the environmental impact of our operations with the ultimate goal of reducing emissions of toxic and hazardous materials to zero.
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Open discussion of our environmental, health, and safety practices and performance.
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Development and production of products that can be manufactured, distributed, used, and recycled or disposed of in a safe, secure, and environmentally sound manner.
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Design and operation of our plants and facilities in a manner that protects the environment and the health, safety and security of our employees, contractors and the public.
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Active participation in Responsible Care and similar initiatives in the countries in which we operate.
EH&S Management Systems
Air Products has developed an extensive management system to address environmental, health, safety, and security concerns. Air Products' EH&S management system incorporates controls necessitated by corporate policies and government regulations, and supports the principles promoted by CERES, Responsible Care®, and international standards such as ISO 14001. These principles, along with legislative requirements and good management practices are included in the EH&S management system which covers:
- EH&S auditing
- EH&S training
- Safe systems of work
- Product stewardship
- Emergency preparedness
- Process safety management
- Incident reporting and investigation
- Incident reporting and investigation
- Occupational health protection
Protecting Safety and Health
Safety is no accident. It has to be managed through effective programs that make every employee take responsibility for his or her own safety as well as the safety of others. By using this approach, Air Products has built one of the best reputations for safety in the chemical and industrial gas industries and one of the best long-term safety records. In 2005, our safety performance for our global chemicals and gas operations continued to improve.
Our U.S. Healthcare business is a hands-on type operation— employees deliver healthcare products directly to customers' homes. As a result, there are many opportunities for ergonomic injuries, and the safety performance of this division is markedly different than that of our traditional chemicals and gases operations.
To help improve safety performance in our U.S. Healthcare division, we are continuing to implement the same process that has been successful in other areas of the company, our Basic Safety Process (BSP).
Recordable Incidents
A recordable incident is a work-related injury that requires medical care beyond basic first aid treatment. Examining recordable incidents and their causes gives us a better look at the severity of all injuries and helps in our prevention efforts. In fiscal 2005, our recordable rate for our global chemicals and gases businesses improved from the prior year, and in Asia and Europe we beat our recordable rate goals. Our overall recordable rate, including U.S. Healthcare, was 0.95.
Lost-Time Incidents
Lost-time or restricted work injuries or illnesses are typically the most serious incidents. They also are measured as part of our comprehensive efforts to create a safer workplace. In fiscal 2005 our global lost-time incident rate improved to 0.16 for our chemicals and gases businesses. Our overall lost-time incident rate, including U.S. Healthcare, was 0.24.
BENCHMARK SAFETY DURING CONSTRUCTION
During construction of a plant there are many opportunities for injury. However, the team building the new air separation unit in Xinfeng, Northern China, proved that zero accidents during construction is possible with a commitment to safety and strong management. There were over 450 workers on the Xinfeng site at the peak of construction, and when the plant was built; over 1 million work hours had been spent. But there were zero recordable injuries and zero lost-time incidents. The million hours worked without any recordable injuries is a new record for Air Products and is particularly noteworthy given the tight construction schedule, which included double-shift work, extended workweek activities and temperatures sometimes falling below zero degrees Fahrenheit.
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