Corporate Responsibility Report 2013

Safety Performance

Safety is more than a priority. It’s a value.

Zero injuries by 2015 is our target, and top-of-mind safety for everyone is our goal.

“Zero Means Everything” came to life at Capital Power in 2013. The unique internal safety brand and social marketing strategy is designed to change the way Capital Power employees talk and think about safety. The strategy focuses on both workplace and lifestyle safety, with the underlying message that zero can mean a lot of things, but it ultimately means getting everyone home from work, safely, every day.

Our approach to safety includes:

  • Establishing clear goals and monitoring performance
  • Working and living a zero-injury culture
  • Promoting healthy and balanced lifestyles
  • Proactively identifying and managing health, safety, and environment-related risks within operations, maintenance, and construction activities
  • Complying with all applicable laws and regulatory requirements
  • Continuous review and improvement of the policy
  • Aligning our contractors with company policy

2013 Safety Performance

We surpassed our company-wide safety target in 2013 and almost met our stretch target with a Total Recordable Injury Frequency (TRIF) of 0.96 against a target of 1.04. This is a significant accomplishment and is a positive step in the right direction to achieving a “zero lost-time injuries” goal by 2015.

We are striving for a “zero injury” workplace for everyone. In total, 14 individuals, six contractors, and eight employees were injured seriously enough that they required medical attention in 2013. This is a 60% improvement compared to 2012.

Two of the 14 incidents resulted in lost time, for a total of 131 lost days. The number of lost-time injuries continues to decline year-over-year. In addition to fewer lost-time incidents, the severity of injuries was less than the previous year, which resulted in fewer days lost to injuries.

Total Recordable Injury/Illness Frequency (TRIF)*

2011 2012 2013

*TRIF includes contractors and employee.

TRIF = (total recordable injuries / total exposure hours) x 200,000, where recordable injuries include medical treatment, lost time injury, fatality, and other recordable incidents (restricted work and loss of consciousness).

The industry standard of calculating a normalized injury/illness rate is used to compare our safety performance year-over-year. Total Recordable Injury Frequency (TRIF) normalizes rates based on the number of hours worked and allows an "apples-to-apples" comparison to other companies and industry sources, such as the Canadian Electricity Association. The formula uses 200,000 work hours as a normalizing factor, representing a hypothetical workforce of l00 full-time employees who work 40 hours per week for 50 weeks (assuming two weeks for vacation and holidays).
Capital Power 1.44 1.46 0.96

Lost Time Injury Frequency (LTIF)*

  2011 2012 2013

*Numbers includes contractors and employees.

The injury rate is commonly referred to as the “frequency rate” and the lost work-day rate as the “severity rate”. The severity rate measures the more serious injuries involving lost work days.

The frequency rate is limited because it gives equal weighting to both major and minor injuries.
Capital Power 0.54 0.22 0.21

Lost Time Injury Severity (LTIS)*

  2011 2012 2013

*Numbers includes contractors and employees.

The injury rate is commonly referred to as the “frequency rate” and the lost work-day rate as the “severity rate”. The severity rate measures the more serious injuries involving lost work days.

The frequency rate is limited because it gives equal weighting to both major and minor injuries.
Capital Power 14.7 8.7 8.96

Construction Safety Performance

More than 845,000 construction hours (equivalent to 869 full-time employees) were recorded in 2013.

All contractors must comply with our safety policies and procedures by managing their health, safety, and environment risks in a manner consistent with our policy. We monitor safety performance as part of contractor selection and approval to perform or continue work.

Contractors constructing Capital Power’s Port Dover & Nanticoke wind project reported zero restricted work incidents, two medical treatments, and zero lost-time injuries in 2013.

This safety improvement can be partially attributed to changes we have made to our policies and procedures for working with contractors, including implementing a Contractor Prequalification Standard in 2013 whereby all contractors are prequalified and preference given to those graded A, B, or C.

Prequalification is conducted by a third party system, ISNetworld. ISNetworld collects, reviews, and verifies data that contractors provide to ensure they meet Capital Power requirements as well as jurisdictional legislative requirements.

Celebrating safety – The President’s Safety Award

In 2012, we implemented the President’s Safety Awards (for 2011 achievements) to recognize and celebrate those plants, projects, and support services that achieve exceptional safety performance each year and to recognize consecutive years of achievement. (First year achievements is bronze, second year silver, and gold for three or more years of exceptional performance.) Award criteria are based on the number of hours worked in the period and are intended to recognize the size and risk diversity across the Capital Power fleet. Six awards were celebrated for 2013 achievement.

President’s Safety Award 2013 Recipients

  • Clover Bar – Silver
  • Island Generation – Bronze
  • Quality Wind – Bronze
  • Genesee – Bronze
  • Corporate and Commercial Offices – Gold

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