Emerald Kalama Chemical Site Rotterdam
2014 Occupational Health and Safety & Environmental Report
Theme for the years ahead: growth and efficiency “Emerald Kalama Chemical is doing well. After a difficult start in 2014 – a large number of production problems - the year ended well with a real sprint finish. Ultimately, we broke all previous production records; this is an achievement of which we can be very proud. Fortunately, we were able to maintain this positive trend in the first few months of 2015 as well. We are achieving a good rate of growth: not just in terms of turnover and profit, but in terms of volume too. We took a critical look at why we were producing less than target and then tried to identify solutions that would enable us to increase our maximum production capacity. Sometimes, the solution lies in minor adjustments and sometimes in substantial investments. You will read more about this in this annual report. Last year, Sun Capital sold Emerald Kalama Chemical to American Securities. This company sees good opportunities and is giving us the scope to grow significantly in the years ahead. As a result, we will be able to invest in efficiency and in environmental and safety measures too. We have already taken most of the steps necessary to ensure the efficiency of the production process. Fine-tuning is all that remains to be done in this respect. Where the achievement of more efficient energy consumption is concerned, my opinion is that much still remains to be gained here. I believe that a reduction of between 10 to 15% is feasible. This is good news in many respects: good for the environment, for the surroundings and for the costs involved for our organisation. Efficiency has played an important role in our business operations for a long time now. In 2014, we were pleased to win the award for being the most efficient Emerald site for the second time. We are determined to repeat our success for the third time in 2015. Given the difficult start to 2014 and our impressive sprint finish, this year was a dynamic but positive one. However, the fact that we managed to stay accident free throughout the year was far more important. Despite being very happy about this situation, it doesn’t mean that we can now afford to rest on our laurels. Safety still requires our constant attention and we intend to do whatever we can to make sure that 2015 is another successful, but above all else safe year.” Jan Eland, Site Director
Our processes and products Emerald Kalama Chemical BV, part of Emerald Performance
plasticisers that are based on phthalic acid. It is believed that
Materials, is the largest producer of benzoic acid in the world.
plasticisers based on phthalic acid may be harmful to health. The
As the product is of exceptionally high quality, Emerald supplies
plasticisers in the MP3 production line are loaded into tank trucks
many customers in the food industry as well as the international
in liquid form and sold under the trade name K-Flex.®
pharmaceutical industry. The production location produces a wide range of raw and auxiliary materials for application in the food and
Benzaldehyde (Bald):
pharmaceutical industry, the beverage industry and for cosmetic,
Benzaldehyde is used as a fragrance and flavour ingredient in
resin and adhesive manufacturers, amongst others. Emerald
macaroons, pudding (almond flavour), soft drinks and various
Kalama Chemical employs approximately 158 permanent staff
types of perfume (lily of the valley, rose and jasmine). It is also used
(20 of whom work in Geleen) and approximately 40 permanent
as a raw material in the manufacture of dye for
contractor employees.
packaging materials (malachite), cough syrup (ephedrine) and in the production of medicines. Emerald Kalama Chemical is the
Production process
largest producer of benzaldehyde in the world.
The production process is based on toluene oxidisation where toluene and compressed ambient air are brought into contact with
Benzoic acid (BZA): Purox B
each other. The resulting reaction produces benzaldehyde, benzyl
Benzoic acid is used as a preservative in food and cosmetics
alcohol and benzoic acid. Next, these products are separated from
(E210) and as an additive to alkyd paints to make the product
each other and refined via various purification steps to satisfy the
easier to apply, stronger and improve gloss. It is also used as a raw
required final specifications.
material for plasticisers.
Benzaldehyde and benzyl alcohol are liquids and are loaded into tank trucks. Benzoic acid is sold as a liquid or - after crystallisation
Sodium benzoate (NaB): Purox S
- as benzoic acid flakes. Emerald supplies the highest quality
Sodium benzoate is used as a preservative (E211) in ‘light’
benzoic acid by using the latest technology available. This product
products such as soft drinks and sauces. It is found naturally in
has been sold since 2002 under the brand name Purox B. Sodium
blueberries.
benzoate is created by allowing the benzoic acid to react with sodium hydroxide. Sodium benzoate is sold under the brand name
Benzyl alcohol (Balc):
Purox S.
This product is used in the paint industry as a solvent and in the chemical industry as a component for odour additives and
All of these products are semi-finished products that are used in a
flavourings and for pharmaceutical chemicals and agrochemicals.
wide range of products for industry and consumers. Plasticiser (K-Flex ®): Plasticisers
K-Flex is a Plasticiser that keeps products (particularly plastics
The Multi Purpose Plasticizer Plant (MP3) production line produces
such as PVC) flexible.
plasticisers. These are used to keep products soft or flexible (particularly plastics such as PVC). We use purified benzoic acid as the base raw material for this production process. The benzoic acid-based plasticisers are ‘green’ and a good alternative for Emerald Kalama Chemical | 2014 Occupational Health and Safety & Environmental Report 03
Environmental and occupational health and safety system Emerald Kalama Chemical BV has had an integrated quality-, envi-
2014 Projects
ronmental-, occupational health and safety- and (food) safety management system for many years. This management system is certified in accordance with the ISO 9001, ISO 14001, OHSAS 18001, FSSC
In 2014, Emerald Kalama Chemical BV implemented a
22000 (food safety for humans) and FamiQS (food safety for animals)
variety of large and smaller projects with the objective
standards. We conduct internal audits, amongst other things, to
of improving the company’s environmental and safety
ensure continued compliance with these standards. These internal
performance. The main projects were:
audits help us to determine whether the work processes comply with the aforementioned standards and we take action to ensure contin-
•
Implementation of new conditions based on the
uous improvement of our work processes. The 2014 audits yielded a
regulations for above-ground storage tanks (PGS
positive outcome.
29). The benzoic acid storage tank D-1103 was fitted with an extra cooling system, in order to comply with these conditions. Toluene day tank D-253 and the accompanying tank pit were equipped with a coolingand foam extinguishing system and an independent overfill protection system was installed on toluene day tank D-253 and toluene day tank T-1003. •
•
2015 Action Plan for Occupational Health and Safety and the Environment
Implementation of five annual sewer inspections to detect and repair potential leaks. The objective
Emerald Kalama Chemical always strives to improve its performance
of these inspections is to prevent possible soil
in the area of occupational health and safety and environmental care.
contamination.
The main projects in the area of occupational health and safety and
Updates based on the Dutch Soil Protection Guideline
environmental care are summarised below:
(NRB). The Dutch Soil Protection Guideline (NRB)
•
provides guidelines for determining whether Emerald
RIO project
has taken adequate action to reduce activities
We started the third phase of the RIO project in 2014. This project
that may potentially lead to soil contamination to a
involves creating a connection to the municipal pressure sewer
negligible risk.
system, which gives us the option to discharge part of our waste
Demolition of the old F-6005 soot bunker which
water into the municipal sewer system in order to prevent us from
was shut down in 2012. Demolition started with
overloading our own water purification plant. The project was
the removal of asbestos, followed by the actual
completed in the second quarter of 2015.
demolition process. •
A standard Health and Safety Plan (H&S Plan) was
Performance improvement in the area of waste water purification
drawn up to ensure that all projects ran smoothly in
(ANZI / BAZI)
terms of health and safety. This plan describes all
In collaboration with an external consultancy firm, we are
requirements with respect to health and safety (and
implementing a number of sub-projects in order to improve and
the environment) as these apply to Emerald property.
expand the capacity of our water purification plant. Examples of these
The contractor can add to the H&S Plan by describing
sub-projects include:
the work to be carried out, the accompanying risks and the preventive measures to be taken. •
•
DAF unit
To conclude, various risk inventories and evaluations
The Dissolved Air Flotation (DAF) unit is intended for removing
(RI&Es) were conducted. The 2014 RI&Es were aimed
sludge that is discharged from the anaerobic wastewater
at the emergency response team, noise, exposure to
treatment (ANZI) to the aerobic wastewater treatment (BAZI). For
hazardous chemicals during daily work and at work in
further optimisation of the water purification process, a temporary
the workplace and warehouses.
IBC (Intermediate Bulk Container) at the DAF unit will be replaced with a permanent buffer container.
•
•
Anti-foaming unit
Job Safety Analysis (JSA)
An antifoaming dosing unit will be connected at teh ANZI for
It has been our practice to carry out Job Safety Analyses (JSA) for
further optimisation of the anaerobic wastewater treatment
many years. The JSA is designed to assess the risks associated with
(ANZI). The biogas that is produced will therefore contain less
the job that is to be performed and the preventive measures that
foam.
have been implemented. A multidisciplinary team assesses whether
Sludge scraper
the work can be carried out in a responsible manner and whether
The aerobic wastewater treatment (BAZI) clarifier will be fitted
additional preventive measures are required. Preventive measures are
with a new sludge scraper. The sludge scraper removes the
implemented if the level of risk is found to be unacceptable.
sludge floating in the water, to prevent the sludge from making its way to the surface water.
2015 LMP The objective of the Location Management Plan (LMP) is to provide
Cooling water
the competent authority with an understanding of the actual soil
In 2014 we initiated a study designed to optimise the way in which
quality on location. This is achieved by carrying out a bi-annual
we condition our cooling water. We use cooling water as a direct
monitoring programme. The LMP sets out how to deal with historical
cooling medium for a number of process coolers and pump that
soil contamination. The actual soil management implementation is
water out of the Botlek via a ‘once through’ system. The water is
portrayed in an action plan to be drafted annually.
conditioned in order to prevent the growth of algae and mussels
The current LMP for 2010-2015 expires this year, and a new LMP will
in the cooling water system. The conditioning of our cooling water
be drafted and submitted to the competent authority.
was scrutinised in consultation with the Department of Waterways and Public Works (Rijkswaterstaat). We started a project to adjust
Thermal oil boilers
the conditioning process, in order to comply with the best available
The air pre-heaters of both thermal oil boilers on site will be replaced.
technology.
An APH is used to preheat the combustion air for the burner, by utilising the heat from flue gases. Use of an APH allows for further
Preparation for the 2015 Safety Day
cooling of the boiler’s flue gases and cuts down on heat loss through
Emerald arranges a Safety Day every two years. This Safety Day
flue gases, in turn improving boiler efficiency.
serves as a day on which Emerald discusses safety with all staff and permanent contractors, in a relaxed setting. New programmes were
New signs
introduced on the Safety Day during recent years, such as the LMRA
Based on noise tests, we have assessed where hearing protection
(Last Minute Risk Analysis), JSA (Job Safety Analysis), SMA (Safety
is mandatory in the plant. We have drafted a signage plan, because
Management Audit – a method for conducting safety inspection
a considerable number of signs are posted in the plant. A sign is
rounds) and debriefing (a method for work evaluation).
posted at each entrance and exit to and from a subarea in the plant, indicating which additional rules (for example hearing protection)
A Safety Day will once again be organised for all employees in 2015.
apply. This sign also indicates the danger zone and the hazardous
This event will address the subject of safety in an interactive manner.
chemicals present in that area.
Exposure survey
Modifications to the safety film
Each year we perform personal exposure measurements, allowing us
The safety instructions for Emerald Kalama Chemical will be updated
to monitor whether employees are exposed to (an excessively high
in 2015. These instructions are mandatory for all visitors, and new
dose of) hazardous chemicals while performing their work.
employees and contractors performing work on location.
Training courses
Implementation of the RI&E
Apart from the many standard training courses related to health,
A risk inventory and evaluation (RI&E) is conducted annually for
safety and the environment, we also arrange extra theme-based
a section of the organisation. We reassess the risks associated
training courses on an annual basis for employees in the production
with the work to be carried out, at least once every five years for
department, for technical employees and for permanent contractors.
all organisational sections, to determine whether the risks are
Themes like ‘how to deal with leaks while paying extra attention to
acceptable. An interim RI&E is conducted in the event of major
soil contamination’, ‘learning from incidents’, ‘ADR training (transport
changes.
of hazardous chemicals)’ and ‘granting of work permits’ are on the
In 2015 we will be completing the RI&E for exposure to hazardous
agenda for 2015.
chemicals and the RI&E for workplace and warehouses. We will a start a RI&E for the work in the laboratory and we will evaluate the occupational health and safety- and absenteeism policy. Emerald Kalama Chemical | 2014 Occupational Health and Safety & Environmental Report 05
Eric Hekelaar, Senior Projects and Technology Manager:
“Making the best use possible of new technologies”
Air The plant features two types of emissions to the atmosphere: diffuse emission and emission via point sources (chimneys). Diffuse emission is a type of leakage that is measured by a specialised company according to a fixed programme. A special measurement and management programme for further reducing
“The growth that our company has achieved has presented us
diffuse emissions has been developed in collaboration with this
with the ideal opportunity to invest in new technologies and, by
company. Repair work is scheduled when a leak is established.
doing this, use raw materials and energy more efficiently in the
Further reductions were achieved in 2014.
future. One example is the replacement of the air preheating system used in our thermal oil boiler. This was more than 20 years Diffuse emissions (in tonnes/year)
old and contaminated. The new preheaters have enabled us to fire the boiler much more efficiently. The new air compressors, in which we are due to invest this year, will also put us in a position to achieve lower energy consumption per ton of air too. These examples show how positive it can be when the time comes to replace an installation or system. The same applies for
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the control system used in the factory. The new system will give
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us an insight into our energy consumption in the future. Our
Carbon dioxide and nitrous oxides are the most important
response to this information will allow us to further optimise the
emissions when it comes to point sources. The steam import
production process.
project has significantly reduced the emissions of carbon dioxide
Reducing the impact we have on the environment Here at Emerald Kalama Chemical, we will always strive to inno-
and nitrous oxides since 2013. It enabled a steam boiler to be taken out of operation leading to a significant reduction in the volume of natural gas that is burned to produce steam.
vate, as part of which it will be important to look closely at the subject of energy efficiency. We are subject to ever stricter Carbon dioxide (in tonnes/tonnes of product per year)
environmental requirements, besides which energy is a significant cost item in our industry: one that we would like to cut back on as much as possible. In 2014, we launched a number of different projects in this respect, the majority of which will conclude in 2015 and 2016. One of these projects is a research project that is focusing on the identification of possibilities to increase capacity
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for the treatment of benzoic acid. This project, in which tens of
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millions of euro have been invested, will enable us to reduce our
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Nitrous oxides (in kg/tonne of product per year)
environmental impact per ton of product. We have regular meetings with colleagues at our office in the United States and closely follow technical developments in the market. Although we do not set trends in the development of new technologies, the fact that we are a relatively small company means that we are able to quickly take up and implement innovations.”
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Maarten Post, Process Operator:
Water Various projects were implemented during recent years in order to further optimise water purification and reduce the load on our purification plant. Implementation of the RIO project referred to above is a good example. Several other improvement projects are planned in 2015 in order to achieve further optimisation of our water purification process.
“New graphics will help us work safely and more easily” “The graphics in the new control system to be used in our factory will be very different to the existing graphics. Myself and four
The increase in chemical oxygen demand can be explained by
other operators are closely involved in this aspect of the new
the higher load on the water purification system. The projects that
system: we have been asked to draw the so-called HMI graphics.
have already been implemented have increased the purification
HMI stands for Human Machine Interface and involves com-
plant’s waste water processing capacity and reduced the amount
munication between people and machines. The graphics are the
of waste water that has to be processed externally.
symbols that help operators to interpret data. By drawing these graphics ourselves, we have the opportunity to design the system to reflect our exact needs. This is the ideal situation for us. Who has a better knowledge of the production process than us? The new graphics will feature, amongst other things, different colour
COD (in grammes/tonne of product per year)
combinations to those currently used. An example? In the old system, closed pipe valves were indicated in red. In the future, we will only use the colour red to indicate that something is wrong. This will make it easier to identify problems and respond to them faster. The new graphics will be less distracting under normal
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circumstances. This will really be a huge improvement because operators spend eight hours a day behind their displays.
Possible to make adjustments faster Drawing the new graphics is a major undertaking. There are some 50 different graphics and the final version of each one of Undissolved particles (in grammes/tonnes of product per year)
them is the result of a great deal of joint consultation. Once the new control system has been implemented, we will work with
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the project team to make sure that all of the operators receive
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in-depth instruction. Although it will take time for all of us to
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get used to the new system, it will most certainly be worthwhile.
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Once migration has been achieved, we will have a system that 2005
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will be enjoyable and safe to use. We will also be able to respond and make adjustments much faster and, by doing this, work more efficiently too. This really will be a win-win situation for all concerned!
Emerald Kalama Chemical | 2014 Occupational Health and Safety & Environmental Report 07
Tes Wells, DCS Migration Project Engineer:
“Save costs and reduce waste”
Soil Incidents Five leak incidents occurred during recent years, resulting in
“DCS stands for Distributed Control System and is the type
limited soil contamination.
of control system that we use to control instruments in our factory. Our current control system is 20 years old now. The
After the leaks were discovered, they were stopped as soon as
time has definitely come to replace this system as it is obsolete,
possible and action was taken to remediate the contaminated
the hardware we need is no longer available anymore and
soil immediately. An incident investigation was carried out per
there is little scope for us to extend it. Added to these reasons,
incident and measures were taken to prevent such incidents in
technology has improved hugely in recent years and the new
the future. The contaminations were reported to the competent
system will enable us to improve our control of the production
authority in accordance with the prescribed procedure.
process in the future. This will save costs and reduce the level of waste generated.
Live migration
Soil remediation of Area 10A The historical soil contamination of Area 10A is being remediated in situ using PuriSoil technology. The remediation work started
To help us decide which new control system to choose, we
at the end of 2011 and will continue for approximately five years.
created a number of multidisciplinary teams, including operator
We take groundwater samples at regular intervals to assess the
representatives. It is important for the operators to be happy with
remediation progress and to make adjustments where needed.
the choice made since they are the ones who will be using the
The remediation process is going according to plan and is
system.
expected to be completed within five years.
We are still at the preparation stage at the current time. Our activities include planning ultimate migration to the new system. The ideal option would be to migrate from one system to the other during a factory shut-down. Unfortunately (for the
Energy
project) we do not have frequent of long planned shutdowns so we have opted for so-called live migrations. This is feasible, but
As a participant in the Long-term Energy Efficiency Covenant
not easy and will require some extra preparation. We will migrate
(Meerjarenafspraak Energie Efficiency, MEE), Emerald Kalama
to the new system area by area. There are a total of 32 areas
Chemical BV is obliged to contribute to the national CO2
and the expectation is that the process will take from March to
objectives. The 2013 - 2016 Energy Efficiency Plan describes
December 2016 to complete. Undoubtedly, we have a challenging
various initiatives within the process and within the value
and exciting year ahead of us! However, once the new DCS is up
chain. One of Emerald Kalama Chemical BV’s objectives for
and running, we will be completely up-to-date again and able to
2013 - 2016 is to improve energy efficiency by nearly 17%.
achieve a large number of process improvements and energy and
The implementation of projects, such as the optimisation of
environmental savings.”
a distillation tower and the steam import project have already resulted in an energy efficiency improvement of 12% in the period 2006 - 2012.
Sustainability objectives Emerald gives maximum priority to health, safety, the environment and quality. Sustainable use of energy corresponds with this policy. In 2012, Emerald Kalama Chemical set objectives for energy efficiency and CO2 emissions. In 2020, the amount of energy consumed per tonne of product must have reduced by
10% and the direct CO2 emissions per tonne of product by 30%. These reduction targets relative to the reference year of 2010
are shared objectives for the Rotterdam production site and the production site in Kalama (Washington, USA).
Matthijs de Vroome, Production Engineer:
“Committed to achieving energy savings of 15%”
As a participant in the Long-term Energy Efficiency Covenant (Meerjarenafspraak Energie Efficiency, MEE), Emerald Kalama
“Energy efficiency is an important point for attention here at
Chemical is also obliged to contribute to the national CO2
Emerald Kalama Chemical. We are trying to reduce energy
objectives. The 2013 - 2016 Energy Efficiency Plan describes
consumption and use energy as efficiently as possible in various
various initiatives in the area of energy efficiency within the
ways. For example, a group of students put together a steam
process and the value chain. Various projects, such as the
balance sheet for the factory in 2014. This balance sheet has given
optimisation of a distillation tower and naturally the steam import
us an insight into the situation and is helping us to make better
project have already resulted in an energy efficiency improvement
choices.
and a reduction in CO2 emissions. However, the energy
The improvement of energy efficiency is a long-term project.
consumption in Rotterdam has increased somewhat during the
In the first instance, we are focusing primarily on what is so
previous year, because the second toluene oxidation plant has
charmingly termed ‘the low-hanging fruit’: in other words,
become operational and more steam was purchased.
improvements that can be implemented quite easily and quickly. These improvements include insulation, the identification and resolution of steam leaks and the smart combination of energy
Emerald Kalma Chemical Total Energy
Total Energy
(MMBTU/MT Production)
flows. 15 14 13 12
Kalama
New techniques, new insights
Rotterdam
We are constantly looking for ways to use energy more efficiently.
Total EKC
We hope that this will enable us to reduce energy consumption
Total EKC Goal
11 10 9
of which I am a member, is working closely with technologists 2010
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and external consultants to make the above reality. We keep a
2014
careful eye on developments in this field in the world around us,
Year
brainstorm and, of course, regularly take a look in the factory itself too. It is true to say that although we have already done much
Emerald Kalma Chemical CO2 Emissions
in this respect, there are always new technologies and insights that could be applied here too. This is a typical case of a project
CO2 Emissions
(MT/MT Production)
0.9
that will never come to an end. It is also important to us that all of
0.8 0.7
Kalama
0.6
Rotterdam
0.5 0.4 0.3
our employees share their thoughts and ideas with us: being on
Total EKC
the work floor every day, they are often best placed to identify re-
Total EKC Goal
maining points for improvement. In turn, we, as a project team, are pleased to show what the various measures have enabled us
0.2 0.1 0
in our factory by some 15%. The Energy Efficiency project team,
to achieve. This encourages all concerned to continue to work 2010
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towards the achievement of energy efficiency.”
Year
Emerald Kalama Chemical | 2014 Occupational Health and Safety & Environmental Report 09
Veronique Veen, Senior Project Manager:
“Continually looking for ways to achieve efficiency improvements”
Waste We have been implementing an active waste flow policy on location for many years. In addition, DCMR approved the waste prevention plan that was drawn up to further reduce the amount of waste generated at the site. All of these efforts have resulted in
“Our granulator has an heater that is used to heat the air.
a reduction of the standard amount of landfill waste and material
According to European directives, this combustion system will
for incineration. In 2014, the volume of hazardous waste was
be permitted to emit a maximum of 70 mg of nitrogen oxides per
lower compared to 2013. This can be attributed to the improved
cubic metre of flue gas with effect from 1 January 2017. The cur-
performance of the water purification plant, resulting in less
rent system will not be able to comply with this requirement, so
waste water having had to be processed externally.
we are going to purchase a new burner and a new heat exchanger. The difficulty we have is that we will only be replacing these particular parts, so they will need to be compatible with the existing system. Another problem is time pressure: we don’t want
Irregularities and incidents
the unit to be out of action for any more than a week, so we will need to make sure that thorough preparations are put in place.
Accidents
Fortunately, the support we are receiving from our supplier is
Two serious accidents (OSHA) occurred during the previous year.
very good.
An employee stumbled over uneven terrain in the road and broke
Less waste and a more useful product A second project in which I am involved relates to the production
her wrist. The other accident involved an employee of a contractor who got his finger caught while moving containers, requiring several stitches from the doctor.
of Bald. Otherwise known as Benzaldehyde, Bald is used as a raw material for aromatic substances and flavourings, amongst other
The number of accidents requiring First Aid treatment decreased
things. Internal demand for this raw material is set to increase
(from 14 to 11) compared to 2013. Employees reported minor burns
in the time ahead. To make it possible to meet this demand, we
on a number of occasions as a result of brief contact with a hot
have started to consider different ways to increase production.
surface or a hot liquid.
We have decided to opt for a relatively small intervention: laying
Striking though was that several contractor employees who were
an extra pipe will put us in a position to optimise the production
involved in the construction and breakdown of scaffolding required
process. This will result in a more useful product and less waste.
treatment for foreign objects in the eye. Proper flushing of the eye
This extra pipe alone will mean that we are able to produce an
took care of the situation. A different type of safety goggles that pro-
extra 11 tons of Bald per day in the future.
vides a tighter fit has been prescribed for this group of employees.
These two projects are great examples of efficiency improve-
In addition, a few incidents were also reported where the person in
ments. Although the changes to be made to the heating system
question missed a step at the edge of the curb, resulting in slight
form part of what is, in the first instance, an environment pro-
bruising.
ject, we definitely want to use the new heater to achieve greater efficiency too. You can rest assured that we will always continue to look for news ways to boost efficiency.”
The graph below shows the accident trend.
First Aid and OSHA accidents
18 16 14 12 10 8 6 4 2 0
EHBO
OSHA
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Health
2014
In 2014, the number of HSE registrations - the number of near-misses
Sickness absenteeism
recorded in the incident registration system (Classbase) - increased.
Sickness absenteeism amounted to an average of 3%
This is a positive sign and shows that employees are more aware
in 2014, implying a slight increase of 0.3% compared to
of the risks and also anticipate these risks adequately and on time.
2013. On the other hand, the reporting frequency actually
Almost 700 safety management audits were performed.
declined somewhat: 0.98% in 2014 compared to 1.10% in 2013. The occupational physician was available on call in
Incidents
the doctor’s office and referred a number of employees to
In 2014, three incidents had to be reported to the competent authority.
specialists for treatment.
This number did not change compared to the previous year. The graph below shows the environmental incident trend.
Smoking We support employees who want to stop smoking, and a few employees actually managed to stop smoking per-
Reports to the competent authority
manently with help from the occupational physician. We encourage this in full!
12 10 8
Dietician
6
Increased absenteeism as a result of cardiovascular dis-
4 2 0
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gramme. Several employees paid a visit to our dietician. The dietician measures the Body Mass Index (BMI) of the
Emerald Kalama Chemical always conducts a thorough analysis of
employees and provides dietary advice.
the causes of the aforementioned accidents and incidents. The following are the most important lessons learned based on analysis of
Lifestyle
the accidents and incidents:
Thursday is employee vitality day in our company cafe-
Accidents:
are offered. Employees may also be eligible for a monthly
1. Use of the proper protective equipment 2. Environmental factors
teria. Fruit is provided free of charge and no fried foods
financial allowance to spend on a gym membership, for example.
3. Training courses Incidents: 1. Design 2. Materials and equipment We draw up an action plan based on the findings in order to implement measures designed to prevent these accidents and incidents.
Emerald Kalama Chemical | 2014 Occupational Health and Safety & Environmental Report 11
Emerald Kalama Chemical Montrealweg 15 Havennummer 4322 3197 KH Rotterdam-Botlek The Netherlands Postbus 1021 3180 AA Rozenburg The Netherlands Colophon This public report contains a summary of our official environmental report. Edition Emerald Performance Materials Design SD Communicatie, Rotterdam Photography Rolf van Koppen Interviews Anita Schregardus Copyright Š 2015 All rights reserved. Interested parties can request the official report at John Mol, his emailadress is john.mol@emeraldmaterials.com telephonenumber +31 (0)181 249 386.