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SCSR-Dimensions

I. Responsibility for Occupational Safety Line management is responsible for occupational safety. The safety department advises the executive management and senior management (issues instructions). Team leaders proactively take responsibility for safety matters in their area without being asked or prompted by others. Employees take responsibility for safety matters on their own initiative and intervene correctively within the team in a self-regulating manner. Responsibility for safety matters lies with the safety department.
II. Dealing with Incidents and Observations Incident investigations are conducted sporadically for all types of incidents; there is no systematic follow-up of actions; there is no systematic approach for reporting observations (unsafe conditions and actions, near-misses). Incident investigations are systematically conducted for all classes of occurrences (work accidents, environmental incidents, property damage, reputation damage); there is a systematic approach for follow-up of actions and the analysis of occurrences. Incidents are communicated within the company. Employees are encouraged to report observations (incidents that have not led to any damage). Investigations are carried out both in the case of incidents and observations; both are systematically analysed and communicated within the company. Teams taking ownership for incident investigations; observation reporting is a fundamental element of continuous improvement. Accident investigations are only conducted for (serious) workplace accidents; there is no systematic approach for conducting incident investigations, nor for the follow-up of measures and the analysis of incidents.
III. Conducting Safety-Meetings Meetings on safety topics are initiated and conducted by executive management or the safety department. Management sets the agenda, determines discussion points, and ensures that safety meetings take place regularly. Meetings are held once a month, and participation is mandatory. Participants are encouraged to introduce their own topics into the discussions. Meetings are planned by executive management or the safety department, but employees actively contribute by identifying relevant safety issues. Employees are encouraged to proactively present important safety topics to their colleagues and take responsibility for addressing concerns. Their efforts are recognized accordingly. On-site discussions about safety topics are held regularly, driven by employees’ initiative. Meetings on safety topics are planned and conducted by employee teams based on issues and their own needs. Any team member can lead the meetings; on-site discussions about safety topics can be initiated at any time by anyone. Every meeting in the company starts with a safety moment, in which a safety topic (work-related or personal) is briefly explained and discussed. Meetings on safety topics take place sporadically and are initiated by the safety department.
IV. Safety-Trainings for employees The safety department or the supervisor conducts the majority of the required safety training. The training formats mainly consist of "reading the instruction and signing" or e-learning modules. Employees are encouraged to submit suggestions for safety training. Employees voluntarily sign up to conduct safety training sessions. Feedback from training participants is actively collected to continuously improve the quality and value of safety training. A cross-functional "training team," primarily composed of employees, conducts a needs analysis for safety training and oversees its implementation. The training team determines how the qualifications are conducted. Safety training is rarely conducted on time or not at all. The safety training only meets the minimum legal requirements.
V. Safety-Training for Supervisors, Team Leads, Management A mandatory safety training specifically for leaders (supervisors, team leaders, and management) is conducted, covering the legal responsibilities related to safety. In addition to safety training for leaders, specific training sessions on the application and implementation of particular topics (KPI reporting, risk assessments, hazardous substances, work permits, etc.) are offered to management. In addition to safety training (responsibility, implementation of specific topics), leaders receive recurring training and coaching on intercultural competencies to further develop the company’s safety culture. No safety training specifically for leaders is offered or conducted.
VI. Carrying out Safety Inspections Safety inspections are planned and conducted by safety specialists in accordance with legal compliance requirements. Follow-up on agreed measures with the departments occurs sporadically. Safety inspections are systematically planned and conducted regularly (annually). Risks are assessed, and agreed measures are tracked with the departments. Inspections are regularly analyzed, and results are communicated. Team leaders are involved in the planning and execution of inspections. Team leaders and department managers proactively contact safety specialists to request additional inspections tailored to their needs for improving work processes. Improvement potential is actively discussed within the team. Team members actively participate in inspections and regularly conduct self-inspections. No safety inspections are conducted.
VII. Dealing with Risk Management A safety risk management process for conducting risk assessments has been introduced; however, risk assessments are time-consuming, difficult, and primarily serve to confirm legal compliance. They have no real significance for operational business. Team leaders and management rely on the support of safety specialists to carry out risk assessments. The risk management process covers all aspects of safety, is easy to understand, and simple to apply. Risk assessments are conducted by supervisors together with their teams. Senior management regularly evaluates the company’s key risks based on the available department-specific risk assessments. The risk management process is easy to understand, cross-functional (including safety, quality, finance, and business risks), and simple to apply. Employees independently conduct risk assessments in their areas without requiring strict guidelines. Existing risk assessments are proactively updated based on incidents (living document). Risk assessments play a crucial role in the company’s continuous improvement process. There is no safety risk management process in the company.
VIII. Ensuring compliance Compliance with legal requirements is ensured through a certified management system (ISO 9001, 14001, 45001). Compliance with legal requirements is ensured not only through the certified management system but also through systematic inspections conducted by safety specialists. The follow-up of agreed measures is the sole responsibility of the leadership team. Compliance with specific requirements of all kinds is ensured by both leaders and employees, with support from safety specialists. Inspections are initiated independently by the departments. Every employee is encouraged to report any observations (learning organization). Compliance with legal requirements is ensured by (external) safety specialists who conduct safety inspections based on legal requirements.
IX. Equipped with Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) The required personal protective equipment (PPE) is provided by the employer; price is not a key factor in the selection and procurement of PPE. The safety department selects the required PPE; the selection and provision of PPE exceed legal requirements. Leaders are responsible for providing employees with the necessary PPE according to a company-specific PPE catalog. Employees are actively involved in the selection and procurement of their PPE, with support from the safety department. Employees choose their PPE in consultation with their supervisor based on a company-specific PPE catalog. For PPE not listed in the company catalog, employees can request approval from the safety department. Only the legally required PPE is provided by the company. In the selection and procurement of PPE, price is one of the key factors.
X. Safety Leadership (Leading by Example) Safety department supports management in the development and implementation of a safety leadership program. A specific leadership training was introduced, and measures have been defined (e.g., conducting safety walks [Gemba Walks]). Managers are only moderately engaged and are taking a "check-the-box" approach to meet expectations of upper management. A safety leadership program was introduced at all levels of the organization. Leaders are regularly on-site and actively engaging  with the workforce to receive feedback. Leaders continuously communicate about safety topics within the company and their area. Managers are personally interested in continuous on-site improvement. A dialogue-based communication (two-way approach) has been implemented to address safety issues. Managers take responsibility for following up on the agreed actions with the employees. Safety issues are communicated transparently and without any fear within the organization. There is no specific safety leadership program in place.
XI. Safety Communication in the Organisation Safety topics are communicated within the company by the safety department via email and/or the intranet. Safety topics are systematically communicated across all available channels within the company. These topics include current results, safety campaigns, training, events, and potential accident incidents. Communication channels are designed to be interactive. Safety communication is a top priority in the company. Employees are actively involved in the process. To continuously improve the safety culture, personal stories related to safety are shared by both employees and leaders. There is no regular communication of safety topics within the company.
XII. Implementation of behavioral prevention After serious incidents, employee-related ad-hoc campaigns are developed and implemented by the safety department, such as "Safety Standdown", "7 Days Safety", etc. to address behavioral issues Safety campaigns are prepared and communicated by the safety department based on actual incidents, hazards with increased risk potential, and employee suggestions. Managers and employees implement the campaigns accordingly (e.g., monthly safety campaign, weekly Safety Flash, Safety Day, Health Day). All employees are repeatedly trained in behaviors and behavior patterns that could lead to undesirable events. This way, employees learn why events occur and acquire techniques to prevent the occurrence of such events. The training program is conducted by the employees themselves (Train-the-Trainer). There is no behavior prevention program implemented in the company.
XIII. Prepare for Emergencies Necessary emergency drills are planned and conducted by the safety department. Emergency procedures are adjusted as needed. There is a central emergency warning system, and its use is practiced at regular intervals. Executive management is trained in internal emergency procedures. Employees receive primary training in emergency procedures (fire protection, first aid, evacuation). Specific emergency drills are organized and conducted by leaders. In addition to emergency procedure training, extensive emergency drills are conducted regularly (at least once a year) in collaboration with rescue services. Small local teams (employees, leaders, and the safety department) regularly review established emergency measures independently and continuously implement improvements. No special emergency drills are conducted.
XIV. Implementation of Safety Programs, Policies and Procedures Specific programs, policies, and procedures are developed and implemented by the safety department. Compliance with legal requirements is a priority. Safety processes are highly complex ("a lot of paperwork"). Policies are statements of intent without concrete measures. Programs, policies, and procedures are implemented in consultation with managers. Their structure and content are straightforward. Supervisors and team leaders actively support and encourage their use. Policies, programs, and procedures are clearly and simply formulated. They include only what is necessary and give employees and leaders the freedom to act independently within defined boundaries (guidelines). Employees and leaders provide active feedback, which is promptly considered by the safety department in the continuous improvement of safety processes. Specific programs, policies, and procedures are implemented to meet the minimum legal requirements.
XV. Safety Digitalization Individual digital tools have been introduced for specific safety tasks, such as conducting accident investigations and recording and analyzing key performance indicators (KPIs) (e.g., in Excel or Word). A centrally managed IT tool for recording and utilizing safety data has been implemented in the company. Only a defined group of employees and managers has access to the tool and its data. The IT tool has not yet been adapted to the company's specific requirements. A centrally managed IT tool is tailored to the needs of all employees and managers. It is user-friendly and includes mobile app functionality. The tool simplifies internal workflows and processes (e.g., reporting observations, conducting inspections and safety walks, contractor evaluations, KPI reporting, and action tracking). The IT tool is continuously adapted and improved based on the company’s needs. There is no IT-supported recording of safety data in the company.
XVI. Dealing with KPIs (Key Performance Indicators) The introduced KPI scheme only includes lagging indicators such as the number of workplace accidents. A portion of the bonus payments for executives is based on such KPIs. The established KPIs have no significant impact to drive continuous improvement. The company focuses on driving improvement based on so-called "leading indicators" such as the number of observations or the execution of safety walks by the leadership team. "Lagging" indicators are recorded but serve only as reference information. KPIs are discussed at least monthly within the management team and are easy to understand. The company is introducing additional "leading indicators". The metrics are proposed by managers and employees. These "leading indicators" relate to the implementation of behavior prevention programs, contractor management and safety culture improvement. The metrics are easy to use and actively communicated within the company and its departments. There are no KPIs defined for safety in the company
XVII. Workplace Conditions When designing workplaces, it is important to meet legal requirements. Less critical aspects that could be improved (e.g., ergonomics) are often not implemented. Managers take responsibility for ensuring compliance with workplace regulations and also consider ergonomic aspects. Employee satisfaction and workplace improvements are key factors in workplace design. Employees are actively involved in shaping their workplaces. A feedback loop is in place to continuously improve workplace conditions. There are no concrete measures to review and improve workplace design.
XVIII. Tracking corrective and improvement actions Actions from audits, inspections, and incident investigations are tracked by the safety department. This follow-up process is not standardized. The follow-up of actions from audits, inspections, and incident investigations is carried out jointly by managers with support from the safety department. The progress of action implementation is centrally tracked. A central IT tool has been introduced to track all types of actions. The safety department supports teams in implementing actions independently. Senior management is informed about the implementation status and reviews actions that are delayed or not completed. There is no process for tracking actions from audits, inspections, and incident investigations.
XIX. Involvement of subcontractors Safety rules are drawn up for subcontractors, which must be confirmed in writing. Before the order is placed, safety relevant information is requested by C&P department. Accidents are included in the company statistics and investigated internally. Subcontractors are involved in safety measures, processes, and internal communication. An integrated subcontractor management concept covers the entire contract life-cycle (from contract award to completion of work); specific measures are determined based on the subcontractor's risk profile. An exchange of experiences with relevant subcontractors takes place at least once a year (Subcontractor Safety Day). Subcontractor employees are treated the same as own employees and are included in all safety related measures, processes, and communication. Specific behavior training's are also introduced for subcontractor employees. Subcontractors are engaged to report observations and actively contribute to the continuous improvement process. Specific requirements for subcontractors are not defined. Each subcontractor is responsible for themselves.
XX. Work preparation and planning Work preparation and planning are carried out by the responsible departments (internal or external). Often, complex instructions and risk assessments are created. There is no feedback loop from operational activities. Operational managers are involved in work preparation and planning. However, the instructions are quite complex and bureaucratic. Operational managers use internal tools (e.g., last-minute risk assessment) to identify and mitigate safety risks before implementing the instructions. An internal process to simplify documentation has been initiated. Employees are involved in work preparation, planning, and reviewing instructions. The instructions are user-friendly. A feedback loop between the specialist department and the operational unit is implemented to review documentation (instructions, risk assessments). Suggested improvements to instructions and risk assessments are reviewed and implemented within a short time. There is no work preparation and planning related to safety.

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