Employee health and safety

Most of our collective bargaining agreements recognise a joint commitment to safety by the company and employee groups.  This is a particularly important issue for Coca-Cola Enterprises because many employees work in manufacturing sites with equipment and vehicles that have an inherent safety risk. For that reason, this section focuses predominantly on Coca-Cola Enterprises.

Managing health and safety

Accidents are almost always preventable - so we are committed to promoting and rewarding safe behaviour, as well as educating all of our employees in safety procedures.

We work hard to continually improve our performance on safety by:

• Promoting an environment in which doing things safely is our priority
• Constantly monitoring our health and safety performance to ensure continuous improvement
• Working to continually identify hazards and risks in the workplace so we can eliminate or reduce them as far as possible

All of Coca-Cola Enterprises' manufacturing and distribution sites have health and safety employee representatives. Alongside management representation, they sit on formal committees - helping to monitor and advise on occupational health and safety programmes. Every employee in our site operations (accounting for more than 50% of Coca-Cola Enterprises' total workforce) is represented in this way.

Assessing safety risks

We have a safety risk assessment tool for our production facilities that includes an analysis of the job safety of each position in the organisation. This tool guides us in reducing the risks associated with each role.

Training employees on health and safety Issues

All new recruits are briefed on our health & safety policies, and receive thorough safety training, appropriate to their role.. Every employee has access to our policies through our intranet or through printed copies displayed throughout our sites.

Back Track

It's important to help employees understand that most accidents are linked to behaviour or actions that are avoidable and to work together to develop good safety habits.  In Northampton we wanted to help warehouse pickers keep their backs healthy and avoid developing poor ergonomic habits and lifting styles.

Our solution was to invest in Back Track, a small unit worn on employees' belts that vibrates if the wearer bends or stoops too far.  It also stores information so we can educate colleagues about better picking stances.  The devices show visible results to employees because as they develop better habits they active the units less.  As a result of its success, Back Track, was introduced to all sites by the end of 2010.

Monitoring performance

Health and safety performance is one of our Key Business Indicators. We review performance at both site and corporate level. The Coca-Cola Enterprises safety manager presents the results to the senior management team twice a year.

All our manufacturing and distribution sites:

• Meet both Coca-Cola Enterprises' & The Coca-Cola System's stringent Health & Safety Management System standards.
• Have written codes of practice, procedures and review processes to ensure compliance with company policies and regulatory requirements
• Have comprehensive emergency response procedures.

• Have been certificated to the recognised standard OHSAS 18001.

Read more about Coca-Coal Enterprises' TQMS standards and The Coca-Cola Company's TCCQS in product quality.

Performance

Coca-Cola Enterprises

In 2010 we achieved our best ever safety performance for our business.

• Operations sites had lost time injury frequency rate of 0.56*. This was a 5% improvement over 2009 and an 81.2% improvement since 2006
• Sales Regions had a lost time injury frequency rate of 0.65
• The company overall lost time injury frequency rate was 0.61 in 2010. There were no fatalities at our sites or regions in 2010.

*Lost time injury rates are based on claims per 100 full time equivalent employees

In 2011, Coca-Cola Enterprises will design a new visiting contractor management system to influence and support visitors and contractors to our sites to keep safe and consider the environment.

Coca-Cola Great Britain

Health and safety is a high priority for Coca-Cola Great Britain. We brief all new employees about our health and safety policy when they join.

During 2009  Coca-Cola Great Britain will be rolling out a complete programme on work area health and safety tips and techniques. This includes posture and ergonomics and working practices, such as taking regular breaks. We will also fulfil our bi-annual display screen equipment (DSE) assessments.