Occupational health and safety: LA6 - LA9


  • LA6 Percentage of total workforce represented in formal joint management-worker health and safety committees that help monitor and advise on occupational health and safety programmes.


    Effectively 100% of employees are covered by health and safety committees on which both management and employees are represented.

    Barloworld believes that it is every employee's right to work in a healthy and safe environment. To this end, health and safety committees are established across the group. Management consults with the committees with a view to initiate, develop, promote, maintain and review measures to ensure the health and safety of all employees and visitors.

    OHS is the direct responsibility of divisional CEOs, and formal health and safety committees comprising management and worker representatives cover all South African staff.

    Regional laws apply to staff in Iberia, UK, Russia and US operations, all being covered.

  • LA7 Rates of injury, occupational diseases, lost days, and absenteeism, and number of work-related fatalities by region and by gender.

    Integrated Report:
    Performance against key indicators - Lost-time injury frequency rate Performance against key indicators - Number of work-related fatalities Chairman's letter - Work-related fatalities Q and A with the chief executive Group executive: Human resources, strategy and sustainability report 2015 progress review - People - 2015 performance Looking forward - Our medium-term strategy to 2020 - Aspirational group-level 2020 targets Looking forward - Our medium-term strategy to 2020 - Aspirational group-level 2020 targets People - Health and safety - Work-related fatalities People - Health and safety - Lost-time injury frequency rate Innovative customer solutions - Equipment and Handling - Social - Lost time injury frequency rate Innovative customer solutions - Equipment and Handling - Social - Work-related fatalities Innovative customer solutions - Automotive and Logistics - Social - Lost time injury frequency rate Innovative customer solutions - Automotive and Logistics - Social - Work-related fatalities Innovative customer solutions - Automotive - Social - Work-related fatalities Innovative customer solutions - Corporate - Social - Lost time injury frequency rate Innovative customer solutions - Corporate - Social - Work-related fatalities

    LTIFR* by division 2015 2014 2013
    Equipment and  Handling 0.89 0.93 1.03
       Equipment 0.79 0.91 0.00
       Handling 2.36 1.18 2.65
    Automotive and  Logistics 1.26 1.46 0.96
       Automotive 1.37 2.00 1.20
       Logistics 1.13 0.71 0.60
    Corporate 0.00 0.00 1.53
    Barloworld Group 1.11 1.23 0.99

    * LTIFR= (No. of LTIs x 200 000)/Total hours worked

    The group uses Lost-Time Injury Frequency Rate (LTIFR: Lost Time Injuries multiplied by 200 000 / Total number of hours worked) as the material indicator of safety performance. This enables trends to be observed and performance benchmarked against industry norms and peers. The group operates across a number of industries and geographies with different risk profiles and legal requirements.

    In reporting its safety statistics, including LTIFR, the various divisions and operations report appropriately for their circumstances, including the nature of their operations and working environments. A LTIFR approach document detailing each divisions approach to safety reporting is available on the Barloworld website.

    For comparability and consistency purposes, the major business units' LTIFRs are reported separately and also on a consolidated basis.

    This approach to LTIFR reporting will be reviewed on an ongoing basis to ensure it remains relevant, informative and aligned to the respective business activities, appropriately reflecting the risks and impacts for the group, its divisions and operations globally.

    Majority of injuries reported during the financial period were sustained by male employees. Most injuries occur during the service and maintenance of plant, equipment and machinery. Majority of our service technicians are male with a small but increasing percentage of female technicians emerging of the recent past.

    The following is a breakdown of injuries sustained by gender:

    2015 2014 2013
    Injuries by Gender Male (%) Female (%) Male (%) Female (%) Male (%) Female (%)
    Equipment southern Africa 97 3 91 9 94 6
    Equipment Iberia 100 0 100 0 100 0
    Equipment Russia 100 0 100 0 100 0
    Handling 81 19 56 44 95 5
    Automotive and Logistics 89 11 87 13 90 10
    Corporate Office 0 0 0 0 33 67
    Barloworld Group 91 9 89 11 92 8

    Severity* Index by division 2015 2014 2013
    Equipment and  Handling 19.15 14.46 15.74
       Equipment 17.54 14.93 15.73
       Handling 27.06 8.29 15.79
    Automotive and  Logistics 7.68 8.24 8.16
       Automotive 6.85 7.50 8.62
       Logistics 8.93 11.11 6.73
    Corporate 0  0 6.00
    Barloworld Group 11.34 10.17 11.52

    *Severity Index = Days lost due to LTIs/ No. of LTIs

    Pleasing there were no work-related fatalities reported in the 2015 financial period.

    Occupational disease by division 2015 2014 2013
    Equipment and  Handling 2 2 0
       Equipment 2 2 0
       Handling 0 0 0
    Automotive and  Logistics 0 0 0
       Automotive 0 0 0
       Logistics 0 0 0
    Corporate 0 0 0
    Barloworld Group 2 2 0

    Absenteeism included

    • Sick leave 72 422 days
    • Industrial action 7 144 days – of these 6 276 days lost by Barloworld Transport Solutions when employees proceeded on an unprotected strike. 868 days lost by Barloworld Equipment employees based in Venetia due to employee allegations around nepotism, victimisation and favouritism.

  • LA8 Education, training, counselling, prevention, and risk-control programmes in place to assist workforce members, their families, or community members regarding serious diseases.

    Integrated Report:
    People - Health and safety People - HIV/AIDS statistics in Barloworld South Africa

    A number of employee wellness and support programmes are in place, including medical aid schemes and assistance programmes. These programme also contribute towards the mitigation and control of risks related to HIV/Aids as well as other health and wellness related issues.

    HIV/Aids receives particular attention in countries with high prevalence rates. Programmes to address HIV/Aids cover education, prevention, voluntary counselling and testing (VCT) and disease management, including provision of anti-retroviral medication.

    All employees are encouraged to take the necessary precautions to prevent infection and to regularly check their status. Currently 714 employees receive HIV/Aids assistance, through medical aid, company- and state-sponsored programmes.

    Barloworld Equipment has on-site clinics in South Africa and Spain. These provide primary health care and occupational health services to employees, including confidential and anonymous counselling and assistance on any issue that could affect productivity and wellbeing. Other divisions have appropriate resources.

    Automotive's businesses in South Africa and Barloworld's Corporate division also in South Africa have the Independent support services which cover health and related issues as does Barloworld Equipment South Africa.

    The logistics business has an employee 'wellness line' in place for its South African employees and their families. The corporate office in South Africa has wellness days when employees can undergo a number of health-related assessments and tests, and receive advice.

    Across the group, there are no serious communicable diseases other than HIV/Aids, which mainly affects southern African operations. A group policy ensures no discrimination and victimisation of HIV-positive employees in the workplace. The company programme consists of a number of initiatives in the following key areas:

    • Prevention: programmes include poster campaigns, awareness programmes, free reading materials, dispensers with free condoms at all workplaces, high-profile initiatives for World Aids Day.
    • Education: initiatives include workplace seminars for all employees on relevant topics and training for managers on managing HIV/Aids in the workplace.
    • HIV/Aids testing: a free know-your-status and voluntary testing programme is implemented at each business unit and promoted during the monthly induction programme for new employees.
    • Disease management: all employees have access to counselling, medical advice and appropriate treatment. In some instances treatment is covered by medical aid schemes, but in most cases assistance is provided through a company-sponsored disease management and treatment programme. This is reviewed annually in line with national and industry developments. Family counselling is also available. The above programme is applicable in South African operations and employees received training and information on five disease lines ' body mass index, hypertension, cholesterol, glucose levels and HIV/Aids

    In Equipment southern Africa, occupational health personnel provide counselling on various communicable diseases. An occupational health section on their intranet is available to all employees. An independent employee wellness programmes includes access to various counsellors and related professionals on a national basis.

    The table below gives an indication of the prevalence of HIV/Aids in the group's South African workforce (some 6% of the group's workforce) and assists the group in assessing its risks relating to HIV/Aids. Comprehensive risk assessments are conducted in a structured manner throughout the group. An assessment of HIV/Aids is not excluded from these assessments and it would feature in the event that it is perceived as a serious risk for the entity conducting the assessment.

    HIV/Aids statistics in South Africa
    % of employees who know their status * 2015 2014 2013
    Equipment and  Handling 72% 68% 50%
       Equipment 72% 64% 46%
       Handling 72% 100% 83%
    Automotive and  Logistics 81% 97% 56%
       Automotive 100% 100% 65%
       Logistics 46% 52% 33%
    Corporate 62% 59% 44%
    Barloworld Group 79% 88% 54%

    * Cumulative figures over a 3 year period

    % of employees tested who are HIV positive* 2015 2014 2013
    Equipment and  Handling 3% 4% 3%
       Equipment 4% 5% 4%
       Handling 1% 1% 1%
    Automotive and  Logistics 6% 5% 5%
       Automotive 5% 5% 5%
       Logistics 9% 6% 4%
    Corporate 6% 6% 4%
    Barloworld Group 6% 5% 4%

    * Cumulative figures over a 3 year period

  • LA9 Health and safety topics covered in formal agreements with trade unions.

    There are no formal health and safety agreements with trade unions although this aspect may be included on the agenda of union meetings and discussions with management in the various operations. To the extent safety matters are discussed and agreed with unions during meetings, these would be regarded as formal agreements on such aspects. Businesses that operate under industry agreements with unions are covered to the extent that these issues are addressed at industry level.