INDICATOR: 403-4

Health and Safety issues, agreed in collective agreements with employees’ unions, refer to the Internal Labour Regulations, which is accessible on the corporate intranet.

An agreement is signed among the Group’s companies and the relevant employee unions concerning safety personnel in the case of a strike.

• Internal Protection and Prevention Service (ESYPP) operates under PD95/1999; aiming at employees’ occupational health monitoring and taking protective measures to avoid accidents.
• Occupational Health and Safety Committee in each facility, consisting of elected employee representatives, in accordance with Law 3850/2010, representing all employees. Any employee (100%) may participate in the elections for EYAE at the facility where he/she is working. The committees participate in periodic meetings with the facility management making suggestions for Health and Safety improvements in their workplace. Minutes of the meetings are published, including the progress of implementation of the agreed ones. The dates of the meetings are included in the annual report of the ESYPP to the Ministry of Labor, Social Security and Social Solidarity.

Relevant reports on Health and Safety at work are:

• HELPE’s Internal Regulation (Articles 8, 24, 40, 45)
• EKO’s Internal Regulation (Articles 9, 12, 23, 28) and
• Group’s Code of Conduct (chapter 7.1).

Outsourced Protection & Prevention Services (ΕXYPP): Where appropriate (e.g. during periods of general maintenance), an additional properly qualified external partner is mobilised in order to monitor occupational H & S activities. Relevant indicators are monitored and the relevant labour legislation is applied.

Health  and Safety issues are covered 100% by local agreements or regulations or official procedures, the Health and Safety employees’ commission, with the participation of a Safety Technician and Occupational Physician, at periodic H & S meetings with colleagues at other Group’s facilities, also as part of ESYPP activities.

There are also formal agreements in place covering issues such as the:

• Provision and use of personal protection equipment
• Participation of employee representatives in inspections
• Education and information on Health & Safety
• Submission of complaints
• Right to refuse performing dangerous work

There are two safety committees in HP Cyprus, their constitution and their role is governed by legislation. Every three years the members are elected by the staff. Members of the two security committees (one for Nicosia and one for Larnaca) represent workers on all health and safety issues.

In OKTA, local agreements cover issues such as: Personal protective equipment; Participation of employee representatives in health and safety inspections, audits, and accident investigations; Training and education; Right to refuse unsafe work; Periodic inspections.

In DIAXON, there are training programs for safety and hygiene for the employees, because this sector is extremely important to the principles of the Group (Code of Conduct, Related Health and Safety Policy, DIAXON Internal Regulations (Article 8, 24, 40)) and, on the other hand, the relevant law (Law 3850 Gazette A (No: 84) 2/6/2010, Article 48).