Safety
Public safety, workplace safety - our first priority
Safety targets
Our objectives
At ESB, we believe that all injuries are preventable and we are dedicated to ensuring the safety of our staff and the public, both at home and abroad.
Our ambitious safety targets require continuous input. We are grateful for the help and commitment of our staff, contractors and the public and encourage everyone to take a personal responsibility for electrical safety and accident prevention.
Fatalities
ESB monitors all fatalities to staff and contractors working on our behalf. Fatalities to members of the public as a result of coming in contact with ESB live electrical apparatus are also monitored.
We try to achieve and maintain zero fatalities and we are constantly reviewing our public safety campaigns, contractor safety management processes and our own staff safety management programmes to help us achieve this goal.
The graph below shows the total number of fatalities associated with ESB and our network each year since 1996.
- There have been no ESB staff fatalities at work since 2003.
- There have been no contractor fatalities while working on behalf of ESB since 2005.
- Fatalities to members of the public peaked during the years 2002 to 2004.
- In 2006, there were no fatalities to members of the public.
- In each of 2007 and 2008, there was one fatality to members of the public as a result of coming in contact with electricity.
- In 2008, four members of the public were fatally injured in road traffic collisions involving ESB or our contracting partners.
All Fatalities, 1996-2008.
Electrical Fatalities on supply side of the meter, 1996-2008
Lost time injuries
We aim for zero injuries to our staff and contractors. We define injuries as lost time injuries when they prevent a person from working for at least one day beyond the day the injury occurred.
Lost time injuries among staff declined from 301 to 47 between 1998 and 2008
Lost time injuries among our contractors declined from 95 to 34 between 2004, when we began monitoring, and 2008.
Health and wellbeing
Our principles
We are committed to the health and wellbeing of our staff, and believe that:
- People are our most important resource, and every staff member has a unique, value-adding contribution to make
- Concern and care for their health and wellbeing is essential to our business success
- A company with healthy employees has a positive impact on its community and customers
- We will meet all legal and regulatory health obligations and standards and constantly strive to exceed them.
- Employee health is an integral part of our business and is built on the belief that all injuries and many illnesses are preventable
- Early diagnosis of illness is crucial for long term good health
- Every employee at every level has a responsibility for their own health and wellbeing and for contributing to a healthy work environment and a healthy lifestyle
- We will promote optimal physical, mental and social wellbeing among our workforce
- Providing health and wellbeing information and guidance facilitates and supports personal healthy lifestyle choices
Our principles in action
Each year we develop and review programmes that aim to deliver these beliefs.
Our Health Services department, in association with officers from the ESB Employee Assistance Programme, provides a range of health and wellbeing programmes aimed at prevention, promotion and rehabilitation.
These include awareness-raising seminars and workshops on a range of health and wellbeing issues, health screening, and assistance with case management of staff who are sick.