IMPACT ON SOCIETY AND EMPLOYEESHighest safety standards

Employee health and safety is a very important area of management in our organisation.

The occupational health and safety management system was implemented based on the recognised standard PN-ISO 45001:2018-06 Occupational health and safety management systems. Requirements with guidance for use.

The approach to managing the health and safety of PSE employees revolves around the implemented integrated environmental and occupational health and safety management system. All employees are covered by the system, and its objectives are pursued by all organisational units. Contractors working with PSE must also comply with the requirements of the system. The Office of Work Environment Management is a dedicated unit responsible for occupational health and safety as well as meeting the requirements of the system.

Objectives of the Office of Work Environment Management:
  1. Ensure compliance with legal requirements and following the available HSEQ (health, safety, environmental and quality) practices with reference to employees, environmental protection, equipment and infrastructure maintenance, safety and quality for the company’s operations, asset maintenance, and investment process implementation.
  2. Exercise supervision and control over working conditions and environment, as well as over observance of OHS, fire protection and environmental protection regulations and rules for PSE’s assets, in accordance with applicable laws, also during the implementation of an investment process.
  3. Minimise the probability of incidents in the work environment by implementing incident prevention solutions.
  4. Perform tasks to determine the circumstances of potential incidents and accidents in relation to the work environment: people, environment, maintenance of equipment and infrastructure at PSE, as well as analysis and determination of root causes of incidents.
Tasks of the Office of Work Environment Management:
  1. Building a system and culture of safety and quality with regard to the functioning of PSE, including the maintenance of assets and the implementation of the investment process.
  2. Developing the Company’s quality management in accordance with the accepted standards and best practices.
  3. Performing the duties of an occupational health and safety service.
  4. Supervising the operation of the fire protection system for PSE facilities within the capacity and authority of the fire protection inspector.
  5. Ensuring compliance with environmental protection requirements at PSE facilities.
  6. Organising and operating a system for the supervision of the HSEQ work environment.
  7. Assisting units responsible for the maintenance of buildings, civil structures or sites with regard to health and safety, environmental protection and fire safety requirements.
  8. Developing regulations for the identification and analysis of hazards and risks to human and environmental safety at PSE.
  9. Cooperation with the company’s employee representatives in consulting on health and safety issues.
  10. Collaborating in the development and updating of standards, including technical and technological standards, within the Office’s remit.
  11. Supporting units in reviewing tender documentation and contracts in the HSEQ area.
The tasks of the Bureau and the OHS service are carried out on the basis of the detailed organisational regulations of the Office and the provisions of law. The organisation ensures occupational and environmental safety by:
  • maintaining and certifying an integrated environmental, health and safety management system (PN-EN ISO 14001:2015-09, PN-EN ISO 45001:2024-02) for network operation management in the power transmission system, ensuring the current and long-term operational security of the transmission system, operation, maintenance, repair and expansion the transmission grid, operation of the central commercial balancing mechanism,
  • setting the objectives for the integrated environmental, health and safety management system,
  • providing training for the OHS service,
  • providing the OHS service with the necessary materials and work tools (e.g. measuring instruments, detectors, analysers).

The unit responsible for occupational health and safety management at PSE is the Office of Work Environment Management (BH), of which the OHS service forms a part.

Direct contact of employees with representatives of the Office takes place during:

  • induction and periodic training required for all employees of the company,
  • specialised training,
  • monitoring activities,
  • supervision of contractors – exercised in respect of investment tasks by the HSEQ Department forming part of the Office of Work Environment Management.

Access to information on the unit’s work can be obtained through:

  • publications on the intranet – current announcements and alerts,
  • internal regulations (e.g. OHS manuals, fire safety manuals, occupational risk assessments),
  • training materials provided (e.g. on first aid),
  • articles in the corporate magazine “Przesył”,
  • direct emails to employees (e.g. the monthly “HSEQ News” for managers),
  • training provided by the OHS service,
  • HSEQ reporting platform for reporting workplace hazards and good practices,
  • educational activities and competitions to promote care for a safe work environment.

Identification and assessment of work-related risks is conducted on the basis of the Manual for Hazard Identification and Occupational Risk Assessment at PSE. New risks are also identified following actual events, including accidents at work, as well as the work of the Disturbance Investigation Committee, ad hoc and scheduled inspections, or analysis of reports submitted to the HSEQ platform. In 2024, the Instructions for reporting incidents and hazards in the work environment were updated, supplementing it, among other things, with a template for reporting an actual incident. The template is designed to help the reporting person to accurately describe the situation by answering the questions in the form.

The quality of the process is guaranteed by the occupational risk assessment team (ZORZ), which is composed of OHS service personnel, social labour inspection, representatives of the HR department, representatives of the staff and relevant organisational units, as well as, where appropriate, the doctor in charge of medical care and experts from outside the workplace.

Information on the results of the occupational risk assessment is communicated to employees individually, during the OHS induction and periodic training, on-the-job training, as well as other workshops relating to OHS and fire protection. In the follow-up on occupational risk assessment, actions are taken to reduce the risk, having regard to the hierarchy of hazard control (e.g. elimination, substitution, physical safety systems, organisational and administrative measures, personal protective equipment). Information about updates is communicated each time on the PSE intranet and through the HSEQ newsletter. The results of the occupational risk assessment are made available on the intranet, in the “knowledge zone”. The tab is available on an ongoing basis for each employee.

PSE has adopted the Instructions for reporting incidents and hazards in the work environment. Each employee has the option to report anonymously (no blame policy) via the HSEQ platform or by calling the HSEQ contact number, operated by a BH employee. Reporting is also possible by email: hseq@pse.pl or orally.

The PSE has a “stop work policy”, which is incorporated in each safe work organisation manual. According to the provisions of the Labour Code and the Instruction for reporting incidents and hazards in the work environment, an employee has the right to refrain from work or leave the hazard area if the working conditions do not comply with the provisions of occupational health and safety In the case of work that requires special mental and physical fitness, when the employee’s mental and physical condition does not ensure the safe performance of work and poses a risk to others, the employee has the right to refrain from performing this work. The above is the subject of induction and periodic OHS training in each case.

Accidents at work are investigated in accordance with the provisions of the Regulation of the Minister of Family, Labour and Social Policy of 24 May 2019 on the template report on circumstances and causes of an accident at work. In each case, the Employer appoints an accident investigation team, which consists of an employee of the OHS service employee and the Social Labour Inspector. In addition to the accident investigation, a root cause analysis (RCA) is carried out in each case to identify the root causes of the incident as well as indirect causes. Accident risk assessment is carried out using PSE’s HSEQ hazard and risk matrix. In the follow-up of the analysis of the incident, corrective recommendations are made, taking into account the hierarchy of risk control. The Instruction for reporting incidents and hazards was updated in 2024, which included adding reporting forms. The forms help to describe the incident through the questions asked.

Workplace safety promotion activities

PSE conducts a number of activities to promote occupational safety. In addition to mandatory training in occupational health and safety, performing a comprehensive update of the occupational risk assessment and implementing an update of the remedial plan for exposure to noise and mechanical vibrations, training courses are organised on subjects including fire fighting and evacuation of workers and handling of hazardous substance leakage.

In the course of 45 training sessions held in 2023, 434 employees were trained in fire safety.

The training sessions addressed issues related to:

  • available firefighting equipment,
  • practical extinguishing of Class A, B and C fires (e.g. office equipment fires, flammable liquid fires, dealing with flammable gas fires and electrical equipment fires),
  • practical evacuation from a burning vehicle and ways to extinguish the vehicle,
  • ways to extinguish burning clothing on a person,
  • environmental rescue equipment and sorbents, dispersants and neutralisers,
  • containment and cleanup of hazardous substance spills.

We keep our employees informed about developments in the world, in the country and in our company – we publish announcements on the intranet and articles in the corporate magazine. In 2023, as part of knowledge-sharing and building and strengthening a safety culture, we continued the publication of the HSEQ News email monthly for managers, which began in June 2022. The monthly magazine contains short articles on legal requirements, their changes and application, and the implementation of internal company regulations. Another newsletter, the HSEQ Bulletin, is distributed quarterly to contractors, to inform them on occupational and environmental safety trends in relation to tasks performed for PSE.

Internal communication 2023

HSEQ reporting platform

One of the objectives arising from the company’s strategy and the tasks of the Office of Work Environment Management (BH) is to build a safety system and culture for the work environment – both in PSE’s core business and in the investment process. Actions are taken with regard to employee safety, environmental protection, and safety of equipment and infrastructure in the work environment. To enable employees to contribute, we maintain and improve the electronic HSEQ (Health, Safety, Environment, Quality) reporting platform implemented in 2018, which allows anonymous submission of the types of observations specified below:

    • POS – Positive Observation;
    • UC – Unsafe Conditions;
    • UA – Unsafe Act;
    • NM – Near Miss;
    • AC – Actual Casualty.

Number of observations from the HSEQ reporting platform (employee reports related to human and equipment/infrastructure safety)

HSEQ supervision of task contractors

In 2023 we conducted 574 HSEQ checks vs. 401 planned checks. The plan was implemented in full. We carried out an additional 173 checks on an ad hoc basis, due to the need for ad hoc measures and additional checks, especially due to incidents and high-priority observations.

Potential hazard observations:

  • UA (Unsafe Conditions) – 2,585, including 2,403 resulting from HSEQ checks and 182 reported by PSE employees via the HSEQ platform.
  • UA (Unsafe Acts) – 318, including 285 resulting from HSEQ checks and 33 reported by PSE employees via the HSEQ platform.

Positive observations:

  • POS (Positive Observation) – 185, including 93 resulting from HSEQ checks and 92 reported by PSE employees via the HSEQ platform.

The number of HSEQ checks conducted vs. scheduled for 2023

Number of observations in 2023 by nature of observation

Number of observations in 2023 by risk level

In accordance with the applicable regulations, our organisation has an Occupational Health and Safety Committee in place. Meetings between the employer’s representatives and employee representatives are held on a quarterly basis. In addition, the company’s occupational medicine physician attends the meetings to analyse and advise on problems in the area of occupational medicine and employee healthcare. Meetings of the Occupational Health and Safety Committee are documented in the form of minutes.

The Occupational Health and Safety Committee meetings discuss occupational health and safety issues related to issues such as:

  • periodic reviews of the working conditions,
  • proposals to improve the working conditions,
  • analysis of potential hazards reported by employees,
  • analysis of actual incidents,
  • analysis of conclusions and recommendations from cross-checks performed by the social labour inspectors and the OHS service, as well as the decisions made by accident investigation teams,
  • review and evaluation of specifications for the purchase of PPE, etc.

At PSE, the interests of employees are represented by social labour inspectors – the company inspector and regional inspectors responsible for their respective branches.

Employees can report their observations, problems or risks in several ways, including:

  • email to HSEQ@pse.pl,
  • HSEQ reporting platform,
  • contact with the superior,
  • contact with the OHS service,
  • contact with the Social Labour Inspector.

Health and safety communication channels include intranet publications, direct mailing to executives at every level of the organisation, the OHS newsletter issued to PSE’s contractors, training courses, webinars and the company’s Przesył magazine.

All information and documents on the occupational health and safety management system are made available via the intranet.

The effectiveness of the system is evaluated on an annual basis in the form of a management review. The results are presented to the Management Board.

Our company offers employees subscription health packages from one of the leading providers of such services. Employees have the option to choose the scope of services. There are three types of packages to choose from that differ in the scope of benefits offered. Two types of packages are fully funded by the employer, and the third, with the broadest coverage, is subsidised. It is possible for family members and pensioners to purchase the package.

Other forms of support include:

  • A prevention programme offering the opportunity to participate in rehabilitation camps.
  • Employer subsidies for sports and recreational activities (MultiSport, MyBenefit card top-up).
  • Holiday subsidies.
  • Free “Be Healthy” webinar series for all PSE employees.
  • The opportunity to participate in periodic workshops on first aid.

PSE does not provide contractors with access to medical services. PSE allows contractor employees and visitors to use first aid kits and stations, including those equipped with a defibrillator.

The organisation conducts planned and ad hoc inspections of the work environment to identify hazards and risks and takes measures to minimise them. The organisation provides measurements of the working environment, including noise, electromagnetic fields and mechanical vibrations. Periodic electric shock protection measurements are also performed for the safety of workers. The results of these measurements are analysed and, if necessary, corrective action is taken to ensure that negative effects on the health and lives of workers are minimised.

Risks and hazards are managed taking into account hazard hierarchy control, starting with elimination through change, technical safeguards, organisational and administrative measures, and personal protective equipment.

On the sites of power facilities, particularly hazardous work is carried out by licensed and authorised persons in the process of safe organisation of work on power equipment and systems, while ensuring multi-level verification and supervision of the activities carried out. In addition, employees have access to the “Be Healthy” webinar series on ergonomics and occupational health. In order to protect employees from infections, “Guidelines for work organisation related to minimising the risk of infecting employees with infectious diseases” are in place.

OHS and fire protection inspections

In 2023, OHS and fire protection inspections were carried out on the basis of an inspection on the basis of an inspection plan approved by the President of the Management Board.

Evacuation training involving the State Fire Service in 2023

HSEQ requirements for contractors carrying out investment tasks for PSE

Work continued in 2023 to improve the effectiveness of HSEQ oversight of contractors, encompassing OHS, fire and environmental protection. Standard contractual clauses developed, which include HSEQ requirements, are part of contractual provisions. These clauses were developed in three versions, depending on the subject matter and level of detail of the requirements imposed on contractors. The different versions make it possible to accurately match contractual provisions to the risks encountered during the performance of a particular contract. HSEQ clauses are used by in all investment contracts entered into by PSE, as well as for maintenance and operation work, which is possible owing to their universal character. The use of HSEQ clauses arises from standards implemented at the company, its strategy and policies, as well as its broad responsibility for the safety of people and the environment. The improvement of contractual conditions is also an element of cooperation with PSE’s contractors. We seek to jointly enhance the awareness of the significance of safety of people and the natural environment, as well as solidarity-based commitment to matters related to the safety of employees, equipment, infrastructure in the work environment, and environmental protection.

For several years, PSE has been applying a schedule of contractual penalties to identified breaches by contractors of specific occupational health and safety, fire protection, and environmental protection regulations and rules. The schedule of penalties is part of agreements entered into with contractors carrying out investment and operational tasks.

The HSEQ schedule of penalties and the Guidelines for contractors performing work for PSE related to the health and safety management system, fire safety regulations, environmental protection and quality were updated in 2023.

The Employer’s staff – regularly, as provided for in the HSEQ inspection schedule adopted – verifies the contractors’ compliance with OHS, fire and environmental protection regulations during the performance of investment and operational tasks.

Number and results of internal OHS audits

In 2023, 24 internal audits covering the health and safety requirements were conducted at PSE. All the audits performed resulted from the annual schedule adopted for the company. They were based on a random sample, and their criteria reflected the requirements of PN-ISO 45001:2018-06, legal acts, administrative decisions and internal regulations. Audits were conducted in 22 departments and offices in: Bydgoszcz, Katowice, Kraków, Konstancin-Jeziorna, Poznań and Warsaw. The results of the audits confirmed the effectiveness of PSE’s health and safety management system, operationally integrated with the environmental management system.

Percentage of contractor and subcontractor employees that have undergone relevant OHS training (estimate based on HSEQ checks)

Occupational safety promotional activities

In October 2023, our company organised Safety Leadership training for the fifth time. The onsite conference for representatives of selected contractors was held in Konstancin-Jeziorna and concerned the principles of safe organisation of work on power equipment and the instructions in this area in force at PSE. Meetings with PSE managerial staff addressed the employer’s health and safety responsibilities and duties. Employees had four dates of remote training to choose from.

During the period under review, the company held webinars for employees on occupational safety. The one-and-a-half-hour online meetings focused, for example, on the prevention of respiratory diseases, self-discipline in health-promoting habits and ways to maintain a healthy body weight.

Another element of building a safety culture at PSE is the dissemination among PSE employees and associates of the Life Saving Rules (LSR), a set of rules of conduct relating to the greatest hazards associated with the company’s operations. The Rules specify the responsibilities of those who perform the work and those who supervise them, as well as prohibited actions. The LSRs are published in the form of posters and flyers. The rules were formulated as slogans calling for specific actions, namely:

  1. Keep a safe distance! – due to the risk to health and life posed by electric shock and arc flash burns while live working or working near live equipment;
  2. Follow the work order instructions and use checklists! – for work on grid assets under particularly hazardous conditions, based on a written order;
  3. Observe safe organisation of work in the power sector!
  4. While working at heights, protect yourself and your tools against falling!
  5. Wear work clothing, safety footwear, as well as personal protective equipment whenever required!
  6. Drive safely!
  7. React to and report dangerous situations!
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