Lightsource bp celebrates World Day for Safety and Health at Work 2024
At Lightsource bp we’re celebrating World Day for Safety and Health at Work. This is led by the International Labour Organization (ILO), a United Nations agency that “brings together governments, employers and workers to set labour standards, develop policies and devise programmes promoting decent work for all women and men.
This year’s theme is focused on exploring the impacts of climate change on occupational safety and health.
The ILO has highlighted the following hazards as caused by climate change.
- Increased ambient temperatures
- Extreme weather events
- Air pollution and quality
- Ozone depletion leading to increased ultraviolet (UV) radiation
- Vector-borne diseases
- Food and water safety
- Mental health.
Our mitigation efforts to the climate change hazards
“At Lightsource bp, safety is one of our core values and we are committed to maintaining the health and safety of our team members, preventing harm to those who may be affected by Lightsource bp operations and protecting the environment. This commitment is embedded in everything we do. As such, everyone who works for or partners with Lightsource bp has a part to play in meeting our health, safety, security and environmental commitments. Therefore our policy applies to team members, contractors and visitors.” – Joaquin Oliveira, Group Co-CEO.
Environmental safety
Environmental safety, a part of our Golden Rules, is integral to our business and people. To mitigate these hazards for our team members, we have various measures, initiatives and programmes in place as listed below.
Increased ambient temperatures
- Weather appropriate personal protective equipment (PPE) requirements
- Communication of hazards (eg. posters, toolbox talks, campaigns)
- Adjusted working hours when necessary
- Regular breaks in air-conditioned buildings or vehicles
- Create site awareness with pictures of plants and other species that are poisonous/venomous.
Extreme weather conditions
- Use of technologies to forecast extreme events and minimise the impacts (eg. tools for hailstorms and wildfires)
- Flood management plans implemented at high-risk sites
- Risk-assessment at the design stage
- Emergency response plans available.
Ozone depletion leading to increased ultraviolet (UV) radiation
- Raising awareness of hazards associated with UV and how to mitigate e.g. toolbox talks, internal posts, bulletins, posters
- Providing sunscreen and water for workers at construction and operational sites
- UV protective goggles available as PPE.
Air pollution and quality
- Task-specific respiratory PPE
- Monitoring of air quality in offices
- Limiting exposure to polluted environment and confined spaces.
Vector-borne diseases
- Travel risks assessments including medical advice on risk of region-specific diseases and relevant vaccines
- Appropriate PPE to be worn (eg. long sleeves and trousers).
Food and water security
- Philanthropy efforts to minimise our impact and help communities:
- Fundraising
- Volunteering
- The Lightsource Foundation
- Project initiatives
- Site vegetation plans consider water availability in that region.
Mental health
- Employee assistance programmes providing confidential support
- Mental health first aiders
- HR ‘Be You’ policies
- External talks from professionals.
Going beyond mitigating the climate change hazards
We are going beyond just mitigating the climate change hazards and are looking for ways to help make an impact on reducing greenhouse gas emissions, encouraging sustainable practices and developing innovative solutions to address climate-change related risks.
The strategic efforts include:
- GHG emissions reductions: Through our development of solar energy solutions, Lightsource bp is contributing to the global renewable energy transition, which is essential for mitigating climate change. While rapidly scaling up renewable energy capacity is critical, we also recognise the importance of reducing the emissions associated with our own operational footprint and our wider supply chain. We have committed to reduction targets for our scope 1, 2 and 3 GHG emissions, in line with a 1.5oC trajectory.
- Supply chain management: Encouraging sustainable practices throughout the supply chain can mitigate environmental degradation and ensure the resilience of operations against climate-related disruptions. We prioritise socially responsible practices by incorporating environmental considerations into our procurement processes, this includes assessing suppliers for environmental performance, promoting sustainable sourcing practices, and building resilience to climate risks in supply chain operations.
- Research and innovation: Developing innovative solutions to address climate change-related risks, such as climate-resilient technologies, and sustainable agriculture practices (eg. agrivoltaics, hail mitigation).
- Stakeholder engagement and advocacy: Engaging with stakeholders such as employees, customers, investors, and policymakers to raise awareness about climate-related health and safety risks and advocating for policies that promote sustainability and public health can help drive positive change. Our annual sustainability reports and companywide deep dives are key examples of this engagement.
We are committed to everyone being safe and going home, every day. Therefore, we are developing a safety culture which requires:
- Everyone – to own their safety and for those around them
- Everywhere – be safe at home, on the road, and at work
- Every day – all day long.
Safety: Our Golden Rules
Learn more about our commitment to our team members.
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