Chief Executive’s Review

Safety

Safety continues to be a major priority for National Grid – both the safety of our people and the communities we serve. It is heartening that once again the number of lost time injuries has fallen, but I am disappointed that the injury frequency rate has remained static. We are targeting further improvements. Investigation and analysis indicates that the majority of our lost time injuries are due to behavioural causes rather than inadequate procedures, working conditions or equipment. For example, a considerable proportion of incidents relate to road traffic accidents. We launched a refreshed approach to safety across the Company that recognises the strong safety training culture we have in National Grid, focuses on setting consistent standards for good safety behaviours and encourages employees and line managers to assess hazards for themselves and put in place sensible controls. I am optimistic that this ‘Trusted to Work Responsibly’ approach and the undoubted commitment of our employees will reinvigorate our performance.