Safety and Occupational Health

Nothing we do is more important than the safety of our employees, contractors, customers and the general public. 

Our approach to safety and occupational health is set out in our Vision for Safety. Our objective is to achieve zero work-related injuries, zero work-related ill health and zero injuries to the public. While this objective is demanding, we believe it is achievable.

A safe workforce

We have clarified our definition of employee lost time injuries in order to align our approach to recording employee acute lost time injuries, chronic injuries and occupational ill health cases in the UK and the US. As a consequence, we are restating down the total employee lost time injuries for 2006/07 from 142 to 97 and the corresponding employee lost time injury frequency rate from 0.34 to 0.24.

During 2007/08, 88 of our employees received injuries that resulted in them taking time off work, compared with 97 in 2006/07 and 117 (number not restated) in 2005/06.

Since joining National Grid in August 2007, 42 lost time injuries have been sustained by our employees acquired with KeySpan.

Employee lost time injuries track our progress towards our target of zero work-related injuries. However, our employee lost time injury frequency rate provides a more accurate indicator of year-on-year performance as it takes into account changing employee numbers resulting from acquisitions and disposals. Employee lost time injuries per 100,000 hours worked was 0.24 in 2007/08 compared with 0.24 and 0.28 (number not restated) in the two previous years.

A healthy workforce

We are committed to protecting employees’ health during work activities. 2.46% of available work days were lost due to sickness absence in 2007/08 compared with 2.48% in 2006/07.

The safety of those who work with us

Our target of zero work-related injuries and illnesses extends to those who work with us. There was a decrease in the number of contractor lost time injuries, falling to 105 in 2007/08 compared with 131 in 2006/07.

The safety of the public

36 members of the public were injured as a result of our operations compared with 28 during 2006/07. This includes a member of the public who died as a result of a road traffic accident in the US.

Process safety

During 2007/08, we have reviewed the risk profile of our gas assets and have completed a culture survey to find out the views of employees on process safety. We have also trained our Executive Directors and senior managers on process safety and issued a new commitment statement agreed by the Board.

Carbon monoxide

Carbon monoxide (CO) is a colourless, odourless and poisonous gas that can be given off as a result of the incomplete burning of gas by household appliances. 

National Grid operates the National Gas Emergency Number (0800 111 999) across Great Britain, is the largest owner of gas distribution networks in Great Britain and is the Gas Transporter (GT)/Emergency Service Provider (ESP) for the North West, West Midlands, East Midlands, East Anglia and North London Regional areas. 

Reports or actual escapes of carbon monoxide are responded to and made safe at no charge by the relevant Gas Transporter/Emergency Service Provider responsible for the network.  Under the GT/ESP's respective license conditions, the arrangement of work other than making safe is the responsibility of the consumer and/or their gas supplier.  More information on CO can be found on the CORGI website.