Health and safety
For all of the Company’s businesses, health and safety at work is a priority issue, being treated as a top priority in terms of deadlines, costs and production quality. The main guidelines on the subject are set out in the Sustainability Policy and in the Occupational Health and Safety Management Manual and Occupational Health and Safety Manual for Suppliers, which reinforce the role of leadership in the management of health and safety aspects and establish mechanisms for monitoring performance and action plans by the Board of Directors, the ESG Committee and the Board of Directors. The theme is also monitored by the Health and Safety Management System (SGSS), which covers 100% of own employees and third parties who work in all CSN units in Brazil, and disseminated through programs focused on accident prevention, risk mitigation and training of leaders and employees
In 2022, the CSN Group recorded the lowest accidents frequency rate in the last eight years. The target, by 2030, is to reduce the indicator by 30% compared to the base year 2020, reaching a rate of accidents with and without leave of absence for own and outsourced employees per million HHT of 1.7. In 2022, the rate was 1.79, a decrease of about 27% compared to 2020.
The Sustainability, Environment, Health and Occupational Safety area was created in 2020 with independent scope and goals, but at the same time agreed with operations, always in order to strengthen our risk management structure. The area has outlined a roadmap to improve the culture, standards and security processes at CSN to ensure that risk and safety assessments are at the heart of all decisions made in our company.
Management
In addition, through our Corporate Health and Safety Policy, we have defined the Occupational Health and Safety Management Manual and the Health and Safety Manual for Third Parties, based on good market practices, regulatory standards and Brazilian and international recommendations. The Manual contains guidelines to guide the actions of all employees and contracted companies regarding safe, proactive behavior, legal compliance, mitigation and control of hazards and risks, in addition to the prevention of occupational injuries and diseases through the ten elements aimed at define responsibilities and the needs of specific prevention tools. In CSN’s Health and Safety Management System, we have adopted two fundamental principles: – Ensure that the safety of our employees and the community is considered as the most important aspect in the development of our process activities; – Minimize exposure and preserve the physical integrity and health of employees and contractors, preventing accidents and occupational diseases. These principles are based on 10 elements:
Commitment and leadership
Communication
Standards and Procedures
Behavioral development
Risk management
Change management
Legal requirements
Planning
Management of suppliers and services
Skills and Abilities Management
OSH Pillars
Health and safetyWith the mission of unifying the policies and practices of especially important and synergistic areas, the Sustainability, Environment, Health and Safety Board launches its new Integrated Sustainability and HSE (Health, Safety and Environment) Policy signed by the Company’s Chief Executive Officer. Our Environmental Management Policy and System reinforce our commitment to generating value for our stakeholders and are aligned with regulatory guidelines and global best practices, promoting the deployment of these guidelines in all operations, detailing responsibilities and procedures to be followed. Guided by our Policy, the operating units have areas responsible for the Management of Sustainability, Environment, Health and Safety, which support the processes, with the mission of providing innovative and targeted environmental solutions, according to the context of each operating unit.
With the mission of unifying the policies and practices of especially important and synergistic areas, the Sustainability, Environment, Health and Safety Board launches its new Integrated Sustainability and HSE (Health, Safety and Environment) Policy signed by the Company’s Chief Executive Officer. Our Environmental Management Policy and System reinforce our commitment to creating value for our stakeholders and are aligned with regulatory guidelines and global best practices, promoting the deployment of these guidelines in all operations, detailing responsibilities and procedures to be followed. Guided by our Policy, the operating units have areas responsible for the Management of Sustainability, Environment, Health and Safety, which support the processes, with the mission of providing innovative and targeted environmental solutions, according to the context of each operating unit.
CSN HSE professionals support their leaders, especially in the technical, legal, behavioral and systemic aspects, so that everyone can exercise their HSE responsibilities with excellence. A continuous process of monitoring legal requirements and internal procedures is conducted in order to ensure early knowledge of requirements and maintain appropriate standards and procedures.
OSH procedures are designed and made available to serve as a reference for conducting projects and carrying out routine or non-routine activities. Procedures and standards are controlled so that they are kept up to date, available and accessible.
Correct feedback and example from leaders support the development of appropriate behaviors. Behavioral dialogues are held between work performers and behavioral observers (leaders being the main behavioral observers). Behavioral dialogues are conducted by employees skilled in the techniques of identifying deviations and approaching people.
HSE issues are always considered in the relationship with all suppliers. Every service is acquired according to a previously defined specification. The specifications establish OSH requirements and before contracting any supplier, it is ensured that they are able to supply.
Employees (own and third parties) are the only link capable of keeping CSN on the path to excellence. Therefore, care with the management of their skills and abilities is fundamental. The leader ensures that his team is prepared to exercise their responsibilities in a safe, clean and healthy manner. All activities that focus on the development of skills and abilities have their effectiveness evaluated. In addition to qualification, people are shown to the equipment’s and facilities that will have contact in the day-to-day work.
Performance
The identification and analysis of risks and impacts on OSH are carried out using qualitative and/or quantitative methodologies appropriate to each situation. The identification and analysis of risks and impacts on OSH are considered throughout the life cycle of the projects, from their basic conception to their eventual deactivation, passing through the design, construction, operation and improvement. The identification and analysis of risks and impacts on OSH are used to direct the management of all activities, routine or non-routine, and processes in order to prevent the occurrence of potential or real losses.
For issues related to health and safety at work, 100% of our employees, both in-house and outsourced, are covered by formal health and safety committees. The committees that deal with the matter, at the operational, managerial and leadership levels, are the following:
- Central Safety Committee – Business Unit;
- Corporate and Directive Committee on Occupational Health and Safety;
- Leadership Committee;
- Contracts Committee;
- Working groups for NRs (10, 12, 13, 20, 33 and 35).
At CSN, we carry out occupational examinations, in addition to providing assistance, which not only served to protect the health of employees, but also to assist in the demographic monitoring of our population, allowing us, based on the results obtained in these medical evaluations, to maintain programs in place. prevention and health promotion programs that already exist, such as the PPAE (Program for the Prevention of Alcohol Abuse and Narcotics), ergonomic programs, social support, occupational physiotherapy, in addition to the elaboration and implementation of the Viva Mais Program, with quality of life and health promotion.
Additionally, we have a mental health program structured in the main units of the Group, which, through a process of evaluation and diagnosis primarily conducted via periodic exams (ASO), maps out occupational risks related to the topic. Based on this information, action plans are developed to mitigate these risks, promote emotional well-being, and raise employee awareness about the importance of mental health. These plans include training sessions and workshops on stress management, resilience, and mindfulness practices. Furthermore, when a need is identified, employees are referred for psychological treatment and receive continuous monitoring to track their progress.
- Hearing Conservation Program;
- Respiratory Protection Program;
- Ergonomics Program;
- Awakening Program;
- Program for the Prevention of Alcohol Abuse and Use of Narcotics (PPAE).