Gearbulk ESGreport 2024 Paperturn - Flipbook - Page 42
GEARBULK
HEALTH AND SAFETY
PROGRESS AND
PERFORMANCE
Rio Tinto Designated Owner Operator Standard (DOOS)
Gearbulk’s strong performance in the recent Rio Tinto DOOS
audit highlights our unwavering commitment to safety, crew
welfare, and operational excellence. The audit con昀椀rmed that
our safety management upgrades, transparent culture, and
Gearbulk has a Zero Accident vision
and believes that all injuries are
preventable. Any injuries which do
occur are measured as per OCIMF
injury guidelines.
OUR COMMITMENT TO SAFETY
crew welfare practices not only meet but exceed the DOOS
standard in several areas. With no high-risk 昀椀ndings and
clear alignment with Rio Tinto’s expectations, this milestone
re昀氀ects the signi昀椀cant progress we’ve made in fostering a safe,
supportive working environment—both at sea and ashore.
Our proactive approach and continuous improvement e昀昀orts
position us well for future advancements.
Hazard identi昀椀cation, risk assessment, and incident
investigation
Gearbulk uses various methods and tools to identify and
assess work-related hazards and risks, such as Risk Assess-
Our organisation’s implementation of a Safety Management
ment Matrix (RAM), Hazard and Operability Study (HAZOP),
System (SMS) for seafarers contracted through manning agents
and Hazard Identi昀椀cation (HAZID). Gearbulk encourages
is a comprehensive e昀昀ort in compliance with international mari-
and enables its workers to report work-related hazards and
time regulations. Mandated under the International Maritime
hazardous situations and protects them from any reprisals
Organization’s (IMO) ISM Code, our SMS encompasses regu-
or retaliation.
lations from key conventions such as the STCW Code, SOLAS,
MLC Code, MARPOL, and associated FLAG requirements.
Gearbulk investigates work-related incidents using a standardised and systematic process, involving and consulting
Furthermore, we have incorporated industry best practices
with the relevant stakeholders, and learning and sharing the
collected from leading bodies to enhance our safety standards.
lessons from the incidents. Gearbulk continuously enhances
The SMS is audited and certi昀椀ed annually by both external and
its occupational health and safety management system by
internal entities to ensure adherence to legal requirements
using insights from hazard identi昀椀cation, risk assessment,
and recognised standards. All seafarers, without exception,
and incident investigations. This is achieved by establishing
are covered by this system. Shore employees responsible for
and monitoring KPIs and targets, implementing and review-
昀氀eet management are governed by the procedures while other
ing corrective and preventive actions, integrating safety
shore employees are governed by corporate policies and local
processes into business planning and decision-making, and
personnel handbooks.
actively engaging with workers, their representatives, customers, suppliers, and regulators. Through this structured
Our SMS has received external certi昀椀cation, further validating
approach, we ensure a safer work environment and drive
its e昀昀ectiveness. No workers have been excluded from this
ongoing improvements in health and safety standards.
disclosure, as our commitment to safety extends universally
across all personnel involved in our operations. The compilation
Occupational health services
of this data adheres to stringent standards and methodologies,
Gearbulk provides occupational health services to its em-
providing stakeholders with transparent insights into our safety
ployees that aim to identify and eliminate hazards and min-
management practices.
imize risks in the workplace. These services include regular
health assessments, medical examinations, health promo-
Gearbulk continues to stress the importance on reporting
tion programs, and emergency response. Gearbulk ensures
all near misses as the improved data accuracy provides
the quality of these services by following the standards and
Gearbulk with better analytics for continuous improve-
guidelines of the International Maritime Organization, the
ment of all safety aspects in the 昀氀eet. Management actively
International Labour Organization, and the World Health Or-
promotes these reports as they are considered a leading
ganization. Gearbulk also facilitates workers’ access to these
indicator on detecting areas for improvement and actions,
services by providing them with information, training, and
thus enabling Gearbulk to identify possible safety focus
support. All workers and permanent employees at Gearbulk
areas onboard, avoid injuries, property and environmental
are entitled to insurance coverage that ensures access to
damage and increase performance during internal and
healthcare services, in accordance with Gearbulk’s policies
external audits, including PSC (Port State Control) performance.
and procedures.
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PART 3 – SOCIAL
