Throughout 2008 we strengthened our efforts on health and safety, integrating a new management framework into our business operations which will allow us to focus on measuring and reducing risks proactively and improve our corporate governance.
In 2008, our reported accident incident rate per 100,000 employees, (injuries causing >1 day absence) decreased significantly from 1101 to 778. We recognise we can reduce this even further and have set ourselves targets to reduce this by 10% for 2010.
We had two major successes through our working in partnership with two key clients. In operating the gas network in the north of England on behalf of our client, Northern Gas Networks, we achieved a 40% reduction in lost time injuries. We also succeeded in winning the IGEM/SBGI 2008 gas industry safety award.
The 4D consortium, of which UU is a part and which has a contract with Southern Water, worked for more than a year without a reportable accident as defined by RIDDOR (Reporting of Injuries, Diseases and Dangerous Occurrences Regulations 1995). At the end of March 2009 4D had reached the significant milestone of recording 4.2 million man hours worked since their last reportable RIDDOR accident.