Occupational Risk Prevention
The cement industry is aware of the importance and well-being of its staff, so we continue our proactive approach to offer training, information and motivation to them. Strong investments in protection equipment and implanting effective risk prevention plans are allocated.
Oficemen is launching reports covering different aspects of the industry such as:
- Best practice guide for the prevention of occupational risks in the Spanish cement industry.
- A protocol guide on the crystalline silica agreement application.
- Cema Foundation study on the “Situation and perception of risk prevention in the Spanish cement sector”.
The Best Practice Guide on Occupational Risk Prevention in the Spanish Cement Industry
Oficemen in joint collaboration with the Safety and Health committee, in a continuous effort to minimize occupational risk, have issued “The Best Practice Guide on Occupational Risk Prevention in the Spanish Cement Industry”.
The main aim of this guide is to be a key communication resource to exchange experiences, interests and information in “occupational risk prevention” among all parties and serve as an example for other sectors.
The guide provides the security measures applied in the cement industry, presenting case studies that illustrate real events, analyzing the methods and actions that result practical and efficient. The results reported from the case studies will lead to the improvement of safety in all plants.
The following aim is to empower staff, offering educational supporting material in the work place or take away. It includes analysis, recommendations and general guidelines that have to be adapted to the characteristics and peculiarities of each plant.
This new dynamic guidebook is an open document, available to all, fostering thinking and debate.
Download The Best Practice Guide on Occupational Risk Prevention in the Spanish Cement Industry
Protocol Guide on the Good Handling of Crystalline Silica
Crystalline Silica is a variety of quartz that can be found in a variety of materials abundant in many industries such as, mining, construction, sandblasting, paints, glass, etc.
Crystalline Silica is a substance that when inhaled can cause respiratory diseases. Occupational exposures to crystalline silica are associated with any workplace where this dust can be generated. Nevertheless, our body natural mechanism may eliminate most of its particles if not exposed to long periods.
In 2005, sectorial associations and management took steps on negotiations and agreed on a report called “Agreement on Workers' Health Protection Through the Good Handling and Use of Crystalline Silica and Products Containing it”. This treaty will act as a complement to present legislation.
The cement industry has a very low percentage of diseases related to silica due to the low exposure in plants. Nevertheless, the Spanish industry decided to join the agreement and Oficemen voluntarily accepted the compromise. Therefore, Oficemen has established a protocol for the follow up and incorporation of the treaty in the Spanish cement sector consisting of a guide and presentation workshops.
In this way, all the Oficemen members have transferred this to their own safety committees and carried out the application of the procedures describe in the protocol.
Download Protocol Guide on the Good Handling of Crystalline Silica
Study on Risk Prevention in the Spanish Cement Sector by the Cema Foundation (Study carried out under the N° 031-IS/2006 Project financed by the Foundation for Risk Prevention 2006 summons)
With the intention of analyzing the efficiency of the action policy, Oficemen has collaborated with the study carried out by Cema, aiming at identifying the personnel’s perception and attitude towards risk prevention. Opinions from all sector-employees, union representatives and management- were collected.
According to the report, 90% of the Spanish plants staff considers to work always or usually in a safe working environment and to perform their task with responsibility. However, 92% consider there is a accident risk in their job. According to 42% of the employees asked, an excess of confidence and habit causes most of the accidents.
As for physical effort is concerned, 26% of the workers declare to do repetitive hand movements, and 8% remain in painful or tiring postures during most of the day. As for mental effort, 61% of the workmen believe to keep their attention level high or very high most of the day, while the 36% keep a high working rhythm and 23% does short, repetitive actions.
Finally, the study prepared by Cema concludes that muscle-skeleton annoyances are the most frequent complaints because they affect 66% of the workers and are more frequent to occur in the upper part of the body.
