Environmental safety in action: living our Golden Rules
At Lightsource bp, our Golden Rules aren’t just principles on a poster—they are daily practices that aim to protect our people and ensure business continuity, especially in the face of climate extremes.
Safety isn’t something we simply aim for; it’s at the very core of everything we do. Our Golden Rules help us build and maintain a strong culture of safety, ensuring everyone who works with or for Lightsource bp knows how to protect themselves and those around them every day.
Our Environmental Safety Golden Rule reminds us that environmental conditions — from extreme heat, bushfires, to tornadoes—must be actively managed to keep everyone safe, no matter where we work in the world.
During the summer season across the Northern Hemisphere, here’s how our teams stepped up in the Americas, EMEA and APAC to bring this Golden Rule to life.
AMERICAS | Extreme Heat Preparedness at Jones City 1, Texas
At our Jones City 1 project, Lightsource bp and our engineering, procurement and construction (EPC) contractor implemented a rigorous and proactive heat mitigation program—an exemplary model of Environmental Safety in action.
Visible controls and training included:
- Shaded break trailers and hydration coolers
- High-velocity fans and electrolyte freeze pops
- Cooling gear (neck bands, towels, hardhat liners)
- Onsite heat illness prevention training delivered by a medical professional
- Daily safety talks and real-time heat index monitoring
- Automated alerts and modified work/rest schedules when temps exceed 95°F/35°C
- Structured acclimatisation for new workers or those returning from leave
- Use of the buddy system and reinforced emergency response plans
This comprehensive approach not only met but exceeded local regulatory expectations—setting a benchmark for our construction partners globally.
AMERICAS | Tornado Shelter at Black Bear, Alabama
In a first for our USA assets, a dedicated tornado shelter was installed at the Black Bear site in Alabama following a detailed climate and site hazard risk assessment. Leveraging historical tornado data and climate resilience analytics, our Health, Safety and Environmental (HSE) team worked with various internal and external stakeholders to implement a practical and cost-effective mitigation measure.
This initiative was a great example of how data-driven insights and cross-functional collaboration, combined with “thinking safety” throughout the entire project lifecycle, could come together to reduce risk in the field. By proactively addressing severe weather hazards, the shelter not only safeguarded onsite personnel but also supported operational continuity, cost avoidance and asset longevity. Its presence helped minimise downtime, enhanced insurance and permitting benefits, and ultimately maximised the economic value of the Black Bear project while reinforcing our commitment to resilient, sustainable solar developments.
EMEA | Adapting to Heat and Weather Alerts Across Southern Europe
Our EMEA teams also stepped up with structured summer plans and regional adaptations to heat and environmental risks:
- Spain: From June 24 to Sept 5, working hours shifted to early mornings to avoid peak heat. All work halted when temperatures exceeded 38°C/100°F or heat index thresholds.
- Madrid office: When there were heat or flood alerts, office staff were encouraged to work from home, with reminders to stay safe. From mid-June to mid-September, Madrid adopted a condensed workday schedule to reduce peak exposure.
- PPE enhancements: New high-visibility, lightweight long-sleeve shirts and neck covers were available to team members going on sites.
- Awareness campaigns: Informational posters in bathrooms showing urine colour to indicate hydration levels, UV exposure forecasts in welfare areas, and toolbox talks helped teams stay heat aware.
These collective measures reflected a proactive, regionally tailored approach to Environmental Safety.
APAC | AI-powered bushfire detection at Goulburn River, Australia
In response to the increasing bushfire risks across Australia, Lightsource bp rolled out AI technology at the Goulburn River site. This state-of-the-art system uses artificial intelligence to actively detect bushfires and send alerts in real time to EPC contractors, emergency responders and site leadership.
Key benefits include:
- Early fire detection before small ignitions become major incidents
- Faster emergency response coordination
- Enhanced protection for workers, including those in temporary on-site accommodation
This is a critical step toward leveraging advanced technologies to better manage our environmental-related risks.
One Golden Rule; global impact
Whether it’s electrolytes and cooling trailers in Texas, adaptive schedules and hydration awareness in Madrid, or AI-driven bushfire detection in rural Australia—our Environmental Golden Rule is clearly being lived across Lightsource bp’s global operations.
These real-world stories show how we are focused on embedding safety into every project, every team and every decision. Our goal is to partner with all to drive operational excellence, risk reduction and zero harm for everyone, everywhere, every day.
Read more about our commitment to safety.
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