Staff matters
occupational health and safety
At Nedbank we understand that one incident in the workplace is one incident too many. Our Health and Safety Department continuously evaluates and implements standards that are more stringent than those of current legislation. We strive towards zero incidents in the workplace, evaluating current procedures and policies against the industry, thus ensuring that Nedbank’s health and safety programme is of the highest standard.
The overall compliance percentage for branches and headoffices participating in the Occupational Health and Safety (OHS) Management Programme for 2008, measured against the Occupational Health and Safety Act of 1993 and its regulations, is 98,56%. [Measured in terms of Nedbank’s OHS policy, incorporating more stringent measures than what are legislated, the overall compliance is 93,56% (2007: 91,22%).]
The banking, finance and insurance industries as a whole submitted a total of 1 734 workmen’s compensation claims relating to injuries on duty in terms of the Workmen’s Compensation Act (WCA) during 2008.
Of the aforementioned industry number of 1 734 claims, only 66 incidents of injury on duty were successfully brought to the Compensation Commission in respect of Nedbank, which illustrates Nedbank’s proactive approach to controlling and eliminating hazards in the workplace. Nedbank’s total number of claims is only 0,03% of the overall number of claims brought to the Compensation Commission, keeping in mind that the Nedbank staff complement makes up 10,2% of the number of employees registered in the industry type at the Compensation Commission.
According to Compensation Commission statistics, the disability incident frequency rate (DIFR) for the banking, finance and insurance industries as a whole is 2,35. Nedbank’s DIFR is 0,24, which is below that of the industry group and also well below the benchmark of 1.2008 OCCUPATIONAL HEALTH AND SAFETY HIGHLIGHTS:
- A total of 25 215 staffmembers completed the compulsory OHS computer-based training induction module.
- OHS is included in induction modules, including the learner programme induction modules.
- Further awareness sessions were held in 2008 to educate staff on the importance of health and safety in the workplace, as well as to ensure that staff follow correct hazard identification and incident- reporting procedures.
- Altogether 29 staffmembers made use of the Injured on Duty leave category with a total number of 253 man-days having been lost owing to injuries on duty. It must be noted that most of Nedbank’s injuries on duty are related to staffmembers slipping, tripping or falling.
- In total 90% of retail branches completed annual evacuation drills and 100% of headoffices completed biannual evacuation drills in 2008 in compliance with the OHS Act and in accordance with the Nedbank OHS Policy.
- Recognition functions were held in Gauteng, KwaZulu-Natal, Western Cape and Eastern Cape to recognise OHS representatives in Nedbank Group for their ongoing commitment to health and safety, over and above their day-to-day jobs. It is compulsory for all OHS representatives to complete legislative training annually.
- OHSAwareness Day was held at 135 Rivonia Road in June 2008. Similar awareness days will be held in the KZN and Cape regions.
- OHS Forums have been implemented at the Nedbank headoffice sites to ensure that the same health and safety standards and procedures are followed at each site.
- All Nedbank premises have full OHS committees and are part of the Occupational Health and Safesty Management Programme. The premises of Nedbank are inspected monthly and audited annually.
It is important to note that Nedbank reports on all incidents – from minor first-aid incidents (whether or not they occurred at the workplace, but in the event that they were treated at the workplace) to medically related conditions (eg asthma attacks) that are treated at the workplace, which include injuries on duty (WCA – 66).
| All incidents reported during 2008, including minor first-aid incidents: | |
| First-aid incidents | 1 268 |
| Medical incidents including: | 219 |
| • WCA – Nedbank Ltd | 66 |
| • WCA – contractors | 8 |
| Total | 1 487 |
Note: WCA incidents have already been included in the total number of medical incidents.
