Health and safety

• We achieved our targets for reductions in accident injury rates, time lost associated with injury and work-related illness and for senior management inspections on site. We made good progress in our programme to carry out health surveillance for our employees with highest risk to their health from their work.
• A health and safety policy document is signed by all executive board members. David Paterson, Executive Director, is our designated health and safety champion.
• Senior directors are appointed with responsibility for health and safety in each division and these safety champions review performance and guide the strategy onwards through continual improvement.
• Interserve has signed up to the HSE Strategy Pledge to work with them to "Be Part of the Solution" and we continue to adopt a formal and disciplined approach to health and safety management across the Group.
• Formal safety management systems continue to be implemented throughout our operations. The systems are specific to each business and provide appropriate guidance to deal with the range of risks encountered by our employees. At the end of 2010 92 per cent of operational employees were covered by safety management arrangements certified to OHSAS 18001 (2009: 93 per cent).
• Proactive management of health and safety is delivered with programmes of health and safety competence and awareness training delivered by our in-house teams and external providers as appropriate.
• Managers have the responsibility for delivering health and safety on site. They are trained appropriately and are supported by a team of over 30 full-time health and safety professionals including specialists in occupational health.
• Every employee has a responsibility for their own safety and that of their colleagues. They receive relevant health and safety training and are encouraged to take proactive action and address unsafe conditions or work practices.

We continue to be recognised for our health and safety performance with national and local awards:

• Over 100 RoSPA Awards and five sector awards in five years.
• Engineering Construction Industry Association (ECIA) Safe Working Award secured by our Industrial business.
• Environment Agency’s Exemplar Health, Safety and Environment Team Award for flood defence scheme at Wisbech.
• In Qatar our associate company Gulf Contracting was recognised for achieving five million man hours without a lost-time injury at the Nakilat site.

Unless otherwise specified, the data covers the Group's UK-based operations:

RIDDOR injuries - incidence per 100,000

A total of 137 (2010: 160) reportable injuries were recorded at an incidence rate of 310 (2010: 377) per 100,000 workforce. This is the lowest annual rate we have recorded and met our target of 341. There has been a 31 per cent reduction in AIR reported over the last five years.

For employees and directly-controlled labour, a total of 95 (2010: 117) reportable injuries were recorded at an incidence rate of 278 (2010: 379) per 100,000 workforce. This is the lowest annual rate we have recorded and continues the long-term trend of improving performance. There has been a 44 per cent reduction in AIR reported over the last five years.