Workplace health and safety

In 2009, the Integrated Nine Point Safety Improvement Plan, launched in September 2008, was launched throughout the entire Group. This plan represents Enel’s new strategy in reaching the goal of zero injuries and is based on the keen commitment of company leadership and a broad-based approach to safety. The activities developed for the project fall under 9 areas for improvement in safety processes, namely: culture; contractors; communication; response to events; training; planning and objectives; structural prevention; organization; and sharing experiences. For each of these themes, various projects and other initiatives have been developed, some of which have already been implemented, while others are to be implemented in 2010.
The second International Safety Week began on 30 November 2009. This initiative seeks to promote international awareness of the value of human life and the adoption of a unified approach to safety, as it is considered to be one of the organization’s fundamental values. This second edition, which featured some 800 events throughout Enel, including the involvement of Endesa, followed on the success of the 2008 edition, for which, in May, Enel received valuable recognition from the Sodalitas Foundation, calling it the best initiative in promoting the value of human capital.
Other initiatives and events related to health and safety in the workplace during the year included the Safety Community, aimed at promoting the exchange and integration of best practices around the world, and Safety Days, which were organized for each division or company.
Work continued towards obtaining BS OHSAS 18001 certification for the worker health and safety management systems implemented within the Group, which included completing certification of Enel Green Power.
In 2009, mergers within the Enel Group became of particular importance. Following the completion of the Endesa acquisition, an integration project began in relation to safety, aimed at aligning significant processes, creating synergies and implementing programs of excellence in operations. Within the International and Renewable Energy Divisions, Safety Surveys were conducted in order to monitor safety management processes in the international areas.
As concerns efforts related specifically to occupational health and safety, the company continues to work on activities of training and awareness. Again in 2009, important training initiatives targeted the issues of safeguarding health, safety and hygiene in the workplace – with more than 1,000,000 hours of training in 2009 (more than 12 hours per person) – in line with that of previous years and a testament to the essential role that periodic and ongoing training plays in nurturing a culture of safety.
Beginning in April 2009, training began for the worker safety representatives (RLSs), in accordance with Legislative Decree 81/08. The training program, involving some 500 RLSs, has also been discussed with the trade unions as concerns the duration and organization of the courses and the topics to be covered.
The financial commitment allocated to safeguarding worker health and safety in 2009 came to about €59 million. The total investment in 2009 has risen to nearly €98 million, including the cost of safety-related personnel.
With regard to the adoption of the compliance model required by Legislative Decree 231/01, in June 2009, special section F, adopted after the extension of administrative liability of legal persons related to the crimes of manslaughter and serious or very serious personal injury committed in violation of workplace health and safety laws, was updated and approved by Enel’s Board of Directors.

In 2009, there were three fatal accidents: ^([1]) one in Italy, due to complications during hospital care following an automobile accident; one in Slovakia during training to prepare for a scuba diving licensing exam; and one in Romania, by electrocution, during a repair operation.
The frequency rate for Enel went from 3.91 in 2008 to 3.59 in 2009, while the severity rate fell from 0.16 in 2008 to 0.14 in 2009.
Despite the continuing improvement, Enel continues to place a great deal of attention on safety issues in pursuit of the goal of “zero accidents”, not only for our own employees, but also for those of the organizations that work for Enel.

(1) The accident figures reported here are calculated in conformity with the "ILO Code of Practice on Recording and Notification of Occupational Accidents and Diseases". The figures regard a population of 81,127 employees and do not include the employees of the companies consolidated on a proportionate basis. The calculation of days lost as a result of accidents regards calendar days and counting begins on the day following that of the accident.