December 02, 2008

IISI calls for prioritizing safety and health issues

The Executive Committee and Board of the International Iron and Steel Institute reaffirmed the industry’s commitment to safety and health at a Board meeting in St Petersburg.

IISI has launched a new industry wide position paper on safety and health and produced a guidance book on the IISI safety and health principles.

Mr Ian Christmas said Secretary General of IISI while speaking at the board meeting of IISI said that "The steel industry has today reaffirmed its commitment to the goal of an injury free, illness free and healthy workplace. The industry track record continues to improve, none the less safety has to remain a question of constant vigilance. To help achieve this IISI members are working in small networks to identify industry best practices in some critical safety and health topic areas. The practices are then made available to the membership, allowing them to benchmark and develop their internal procedures. The steel industry is united in pursuing all best practices that help lead the way to accident free workplaces."

He added that nothing is more important than the safety and health of the people that work in the steel industry.
1. All injuries and work related illnesses can and must be prevented.
2. Management is responsible and accountable for safety and health performance.
3. Employee engagement and training is essential.
4. Working safely is a condition of employment.
5. Excellence in safety and health supports excellent business results.
6. Safety and health must be integrated into all business management processes.