Table of contents:
- Health & Safety for everyone
- Preventing the occurrence of major industrial accidents
- Preventing occupational accidents
- Preventing transport accidents
- Preventing occupational health risks
- Limiting risks for the health and safety of consumers
Health & Safety for everyone
It is around safety, value of the Company, in accordance with the strictest standards and with regard to health that the operational measures and indicators used to manage the Company’s activities are based.
The activities of TotalEnergies involve health and safety risks for its employees, contractors, and residents in the vicinity of its industrial sites. Furthermore, certain products marketed by TotalEnergies may present risks for the health and safety of consumers.
In this context, TotalEnergies has therefore identified its main health and safety risks:
- risk of major industrial accident;
- risk of workplace accident;
- risk of transport accident;
- risk of damage to health at the workplace;
- risk of damage t the health and safety of consumers.
The risks and challenges relating to people’s health and safety are identified as part of a dynamic process that draws in particular on lessons learned, which are included in the HSE reference framework known as One MAESTRO (Management and Expectations Standards Toward Robust Operations).
To address its challenges, TotalEnergies relies on the HSE division, which forms part of the new Strategy & Sustainability division, whose President is a member of the Executive Committee.
In line with the various businesses of the Company, the HSE division coordinates the promotion and implementation of TotalEnergies’ policies to enable the HSE divisions of the subsidiaries to prevent or mitigate risks. Indicators are monitored so that the Company’s actions in relation to health and safety can be continuously adapted.
TotalEnergies conducts its operations on the basis of its Safety Health Environment Quality Charter. It forms the common foundation for the Company’s management frameworks, and sets out the basic principles applicable to safety, security, health, the environment, quality and societal commitment. Company directives and rules define the minimum requirements expected. General specifications, guides and manuals are used to implement these directives and rules. TotalEnergies’ subsidiaries implement these requirements by means of their own management systems, which take account of specific local specificities and local regulatory requirements. The Company’s reference framework is available to all employees.
The HSE reference framework common to all business segments has been rolled out since 2018 in order to give greater overall consistency to the Company’s operations, while continuing to respect the specific characteristics of the various business segments. This reference framework, named One MAESTRO, applies to the subsidiaries and their operated sites as defined in the “Reporting Scopes and Method” section (scope of One MAESTRO). It is based on 10 fundamental principles:
1. leadership and management commitment,
2. compliance with laws, regulations and Company requirements,
3. risk management,
4. operational accountability,
5. contractors and suppliers,
6. expertise and training,
7. emergency preparedness,
8. learning from events,
9. monitoring, audit and inspection, and
10. performance improvement.
In order to evaluate the implementation of this framework, TotalEnergies’ subsidiaries operating sites are audited every three to five years. The periodicity of HSE audits is defined according to a risk-based approach, which takes into account, among other things, the results of previous HSE audits and the status of the corresponding action plans. In 2021, 41 HSE audits were conducted. These subsidiaries also undertake self-assessments at least every two years. The Company’s HSE audit protocol is based on the One MAESTRO framework and includes inter alia the requirements of ISO 14001:2015 and ISO 45001:2018. The audit protocol is applied fully during self-assessments and according to a risk-based approach during audits.
Furthermore, the One MAESTRO framework provides that subsidiaries of TotalEnergies holding an interest in assets or activities operated by third parties must promote the Company’s HSE requirements and best practices and endeavor to ensure that similar requirements are adopted by the operator. It also provides that the HSE risks relating to these assets or activities must be assessed at least every five years and that the TotalEnergies' employees in charge of managing non-operated assets must be trained in HSE management. Assessing the risks relating to these assets and activities provides the basis for promoting the Company’s HSE rules implemented by the asset manager, particularly during board meetings. This can also take place during technical assistance missions or through HSE audits or reviews, when these are provided for by a shareholders’ agreement. In 2021, the Company participated in 18 audits of non-operated assets.
Furthermore, before any final decision to invest in a construction project or acquire or sell a subsidiary, the proposals presented to the Company’s Risk Committee are assessed with regard to health and safety risks.
Preventing the occurrence of major industrial accidents
To prevent the occurrence of a major industrial accident such as an explosion, fire, leakage of hazardous products or mass leakage that might cause death, physical injury, large-scale pollution or pollution at an environmentally sensitive site, or important damage to property, TotalEnergies implements suitable risk management policies and measures which apply to the operated activities. The Major Risks division of the HSE division provides support in the application of this policy.
At year-end 2021, in addition to its drilling and pipeline transportation operations, TotalEnergies had 181 operated sites and zones exposed to such risks. These correspond to all activities relating to hydrocarbon production, whether offshore or onshore, as well as Seveso-classified industrial sites (upper and lower threshold) and their equivalents outside of the European Union (186 sites at the end of 2020 and 180 at the end of 2019).
The Company’s policy for the management of major industrial accident risks applies from the facilities design stage in order to minimize the potential impacts associated with its activities. The policy is described in the One MAESTRO reference framework. It provides for the analysis of the risks related to the Company’s industrial operations at each operated site subject to these risks, based on incident scenarios for which the probability of occurrence and the severity of the consequences are assessed. Based on these parameters, a prioritization matrix is used to determine whether further measures are needed. These mainly include preventive measures but can also include mitigation measures. They may be technical or organizational. These analyses are updated periodically, at least every five years, or when facilities are modified. Training on major accident risks is organized at head office and at subsidiary sites for operating staff.
With regard to the design and construction of facilities, technical standards include applicable regulatory requirements and refer to industry best practices. The construction of the Company’s facilities is entrusted to qualified contractors who undergo a demanding internal selection process and who are monitored. In the event of a modification to a facility, the Company’s rules define the management process to be adopted.
With regard to the management of operations and integrity of facilities operated by the Company, formal rules have been set out to prevent specific risks that have been identified either by means of risk analyses or from internal and industry feedback. For specific works, the preliminary risk analysis may lead to the establishment of a permit to work, the process of which, from preparation through to closure, is defined. The Company’s reference framework also provides a process to manage the integrity of facilities, which includes, for example, preventive maintenance, facility inspections, identification of safety critical equipment for special monitoring, management of anomalies and downgraded situations, and regular audits. These rules are part of the One MAESTRO reference framework. Operations teams receive regular training in the management of operations in the form of companionship or in-person trainings.
For example, in order to control the integrity of pipelines operated by the Company, they are subject to periodic surveys such as cathodic protection checks, ground or aerial surveillance or in line inspections. These actions are planned as part of the pipeline monitoring and maintenance programs. These controls and their frequency are reinforced in areas with high human or environmental risks identified by the risk analysis.
In terms of indicators, TotalEnergies monitors the number of Tier 1 and Tier 2 losses of containment as defined by the American Petroleum Institute (API) and the International Association of Oil & Gas Producers (IOGP). The Company set itself the target of having fewer than 70 Tier 1 and Tier 2 events in 2021. This target was not reached in 2021. The number of Tier 1 and Tier 2 events is lower than in 2020 without returning to the level of 2019. In addition to the 77 Tier 1 and Tier 2 operational events indicated in the table below, the Company recorded 4 Tier 1 or Tier 2 events due to sabotage or theft in 2021.
Losses of primary containment(a) | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 |
---|---|---|---|
Losses of primary containment (Tier 1) | 29 | 30 | 26 |
Losses of primary containment (Tier 2) | 48 | 54 | 47 |
Losses of primary containment (Tier 1 and Tier 2) | 77 | 84 | 73 |
(a)Tier 1 and Tier 2: indicator of the number of losses of primary containment with more or less significant consequences (fires, explosions, injuries, etc.), as defined by API 754 (for downstream) and IOGP 456 (for upstream). Excluding acts of sabotage and theft.
Tier 1 and 2 events had only moderate consequences such as lost time injuries, fires or pollution of limited extent or with no impact. The Company did not have any major industrial accidents in 2021.
In order to manage any major industrial accident efficiently, TotalEnergies has implemented a global crisis management system that is based primarily on an on-call system available 24/7, as well as a dedicated crisis management center at head office that makes it possible to manage two simultaneous crises. The framework provides that subsidiaries draw up plans and procedures for interventions in the event of leaks, fires or explosions and that subsidiaries have to test these at regular intervals.
In 2021, in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic, the Company consolidated its resilience capacity by testing its procedures and methodologies in different formats through crisis management exercises: face-to-face, remote or hybrid. This was made possible in particular through the development of digital crisis units for the headquarters, segments and subsidiaries and the deployment of associated training. The intervention teams at subsidiaries and at head office practice their crisis management activities regularly on the basis of scenarios identified by the risk analyses. These personnel may follow dedicated training depending on their specific functions. In order to maintain training capacity regardless of how the situation developed, training for internal crisis management individuals was delivered either face-to-face or remotely depending on countries’ accessibility. In 2021, 416 individuals were thus trained in crisis management in subsidiaries and at head office.
TotalEnergies also continued to roll out its Incident Management System (IMS) at subsidiaries operating hydrocarbon or gas exploration and production sites within the Exploration & Production and Integrated Gas, Renewables & Power segments. The IMS is a harmonized system for the management of emergency situations described by a good practices guide of the International Petroleum Industry Environmental Conservation Association (IPIECA) and increasingly being adopted by the major operators. In 2021, 240 employees were trained in the IMS and 7 Exploration-Production subsidiaries carried out a large-scale application exercise, bringing the total number of trained employees to 581 and the number of subsidiaries where the IMS is deployed to 14.
Preventing occupational accidents
The Company has a policy for the prevention of occupational accidents which applies to all employees of subsidiaries and of contractors working on a site operated by one of these subsidiaries. The safety results are monitored with the same attention for all. This policy is described in the One MAESTRO reference framework.
The indicators monitored by TotalEnergies include work-related accidents whether they occur at workplace, during transportation within the framework of long-term contracts, or during an industrial accident.
In addition to its aim of zero fatalities in the exercise of its activities, TotalEnergies has set itself the target of continuously reducing the TRIR indicator and, for 2022, of reducing it below 0.70 for all personnel of the Company and its contractors. The 2021 target was 0.75.
In 2021, out of the 285 occupational accidents reported, 273 related to accidents at the workplace. 76% of these occurred, in decreasing order of the number accidents, when handling loads or objects, walking, using portable tools or working with powered systems.
The Company’s efforts on safety over a period of more than 10 years have allowed it to reduce the TRIR by more than 70% between 2010 and 2021. This improvement is due to constant efforts in the field of safety and, in particular:
- the implementation of the HSE frameworks, which are regularly updated and audited;
- the prevention of specific risks such as handling loads (ergonomics), road transportation, walking;
- training and general awareness raising with safety issues for all levels of management (world safety day, special training for managers);
- HSE communication efforts targeting all Company personnel;
- the introduction of HSE objectives into the compensation policy for Company employees (refer to “A Company committed to its employees” section).
Despite the measures implemented and detailed below, there was regrettably one accidental fatality among the Company's personnel in 2021. It occurred during annual planned maintenance checks on an electrical transformer in Kazakhstan.
As part of the policy for preventing workplace accidents, TotalEnergies has defined rules and guidelines for HSE training, personal protective equipment and high-risk operations for Company employees and contractors working on sites operated by the Company. In order to continually move its practices forward, TotalEnergies also implements a process for analyzing accidents, irrespective of their nature, with the method used and the level of detail involved depending on the actual or potential level of severity of the event. By way of example, a near miss with a high severity potential is treated as a severe accident, and its analysis is considered essential factor of progress. Depending on its relevance to other Company entities, it will trigger a safety alert and, depending on the circumstances, the circulation of lessons learned and updating of the reference framework. The reporting of anomalies and near misses (approximately 600,000 in 2021 and stable compared to 2021) is strongly encouraged and is permanently monitored. The involvement of each employee in identifying anomalies and dangerous situations is an indicator of employees’ vigilance in accident prevention and reflects the safety culture within the Company.
The Company’s HSE division includes a division of specialists in high-risk operations (work at height, lifting, confined spaces, etc.) which consolidates in-house knowledge and relations with contractors, and issues the relevant One MAESTRO rules. The HSE division also includes a division aimed at providing support for subsidiaries in their own voluntary approach to strengthen their safety culture. This division also develops and disseminates tools to improve human performance by identifying the Organizational and Human Factors (OHF) of a work situation and defining appropriate measures. In 2020, a digital platform was put in place to host these tools, as well as examples of how to apply them, factsheets and information about the fundamental concepts of OHF. This platform includes the principles covered by two guides of the One MAESTRO standard, dealing respectively with OHF and Integrated Safety Culture approaches. The implementation of these principles is promoted within the Company through dedicated modules integrated into the training programs for different populations, or through specific training programs at the request of subsidiaries.
In addition to its One MAESTRO reference framework, the Company has put in place its Twelve Golden Rules for Safety at Work. Widely circulated within the Company, they bring together the fundamental rules which must be scrupulously observed by all personnel, whether employees or the staff of contractors, in all the countries and business segments in which the Company is active. The aim of the Golden Rules is to set out simple, easy-to-remember rules that cover a large number of occupational accidents. The Stop Card system in place also enables any employee of the Company or a contractor to intervene if, for example, any of the Golden Rules are not being followed. Starting in 2019, the Company has also rolled out the Our lives first: zero fatal accidents program, comprising the introduction of joint safety tours with contractors, the incorporation into the permit to work process of a ritual to be performed prior to undertaking work at the Company’s operated sites (Safety Green Light), and tools to step up on-site checks and assess compliance with safety rules for eight high-risk activities (working at height, lifting operations, work on process or powered systems, working in confined spaces, hot work, excavation work, manual cleaning using high-pressure jets and Industrial cleaning using mobile pump and vacuum truck).
The correct implementation of the One MAESTRO reference framework, and more generally, of all the Company’s occupational safety programs, is verified with site visits and audits. Contractors’ HSE commitment is also monitored by means of a contractors qualification and selection process. The reference framework states that for a contractor to be authorized to carry out high-risk work on a site operated by a Company subsidiary, its HSE management system needs to be certified by a recognized third-party body or be inspected for compliance. For contractors with a high number of hours worked, a Safety Contract Owner can be appointed from among the senior executives of Company segments or members of executive committees of Company subsidiaries to initiate high-level dialogue with the contractor’s management and increase the level of commitment and visibility on HSE issues.
Whatever the nature of the health, safety and the environment risks, preventive actions require all employees to adhere to the Company’s HSE policies. To this end, TotalEnergies provides training intended for the various groups (new arrivals, managers, senior executives and directors) in order to establish a broad-based, consistent body of knowledge that is shared by everyone:
- Safety Pass: these safety induction courses were started on January 1, 2018 for new arrivals. Various courses exist depending on the position and cover the Company’s main HSE risks, the risks linked to the site activities as well as those linked to the workplace. The theoretical content is supplemented by practical life-saving actions training sessions;
- HSE for Managers is aimed at current or future operational or functional managers within one of the Company’s entities. This training was delivered in virtual classroom mode as well as face-to-face in 8 sessions in 2021, in which about 200 managers took part;
- Safety Leadership for Executives is intended for the Company’s senior executives. Its objective is to give senior executives the tools allowing them to communicate and develop a safety culture within their organization. Three sessions were held in 2021 to train around 50 Company executives.
In order to ensure and reinforce knowledge of the reference framework, a knowledge evaluation tool containing over 3,000 multiple-choice questions was developed in 2018 for use by the HSE managers of subsidiaries, operated sites and their teams. This tool can also be used to determine a suitable training plan, if necessary. More than 100 evaluations were carried out in 2021.
In addition to training measures, the HSE division hosts regular events on HSE-related topics, with experts and specialists communicating a set of rules and good practices, internal and external, each month. The annual World Day for Safety is another key event. The theme for 2021 was “The Golden Rules everywhere, everyday”. In addition, TotalEnergies encourages and promotes its subsidiaries’ safety initiatives. Each year, a safety contest is organized and a prize is awarded to the best HSE initiative by a subsidiary.
Finally, safety, as a value of TotalEnergies, is taken into account in the employee compensation policy (refer to “A Company committed to its employees” section).
In terms of security, the Company’s policy aims to ensure that the Company’s people, property and information assets are protected from malicious intent or acts. To achieve this, TotalEnergies relies on its Security department, which develops the Company’s reference framework and oversees the security situation in the countries in which it operates in order to determine general security measures to be adopted (such as authorization to travel). It also provides support to subsidiaries, particularly in the event of a crisis. The Company’s security reference framework applies to all subsidiaries controlled by TotalEnergies. It provides that the security management system for subsidiaries must include the following stages: analysis of the threat, risk assessment, choice of a security posture, implementation of preventive or protective measures, control and reporting and then regular reviews. It must also comply with the requirements of local regulations. The framework requires each subsidiary to develop a security plan, operating procedures and an action plan. Within the framework of developing new activities, the Company’s Security department recommends the organization and resources to be deployed in connection with the business segments.
In each country in which TotalEnergies operates, the Country Chair is responsible for the security of operations in the country. The Country Chair ensures the deployment of measures and resources, with the support of a Country Security Officer and subsidiaries’ CEOs. Subsidiaries’ management systems and security plans are checked on a regular basis by the Company’s Security department or the Country Chair. Awareness raising and training programs and a centralized system for reporting security events are organized by the Company’s Security department.
Preventing transport accidents
In the field of road transportation, the Company has for many years adopted a policy intended to reduce the number of accidents by applying standards that are, in some cases, more stringent than certain local regulations. This policy, defined in the One MAESTRO reference framework, applies to all the Company’s personnel and Company entities' contractors.
For example, it includes a ban on telephoning while driving, even with a hands-free set, a ban on using motorized two-wheeled vehicles for business travel, mandatory training for drivers, and the definition of strict technical specifications for Company vehicles (in particular, light vehicles must pass NCAP 5* tests).
Additional requirements are defined depending on the level of road traffic risks in the country in question and the nature of the activity. Thus, in countries with high road traffic risks, vehicles are equipped with recorders of driving inputs and the conduct of drivers is monitored.
Since 2012, a large-scale inspection program of transportation contractors has also been rolled out by Marketing & Services, the segment with the most road transportation within the Company, with the delivery of products to service stations and consumers. This program has been extended to the product transportation activities of the Polymers division of the Refining & Chemicals segment, to the liquid sulfur transportation activities of the Integrated Gas, Renewables & Power segment, and is being progressively extended to the Exploration & Production segment. It calls on independent transportation experts who inspect the practices and processes adopted by transportation contractors with regard to the recruitment and training of drivers, vehicle inspections and maintenance, route management, and the HSE management system. After inspection, an action plan is adopted. If there is a serious shortcoming or repeated poor results, the transportation contractor may be excluded from the list of approved transportation contractors. Furthermore, there has been a training center since 2015 in Radès in Tunisia. It offers transportation training for employees of subsidiaries and road transportation contractors working for the Company that are interested.
To measure the results of its policy, TotalEnergies has, for many years, been monitoring the number of severe road accidents involving its employees and those of contractors. The 50% reduction in the number of severe accidents between 2016 and 2021 is a testament to the efforts that have been made. In 2021, the number of severe road accidents involving light vehicles decreased significantly relative to 2020, confirming the progress recorded.
Based on the use of new technologies to prevent road accidents, TotalEnergies has made it mandatory for all new heavy vehicles in the Marketing & Services segment to be equipped with certain driver assistance systems(1) wherever these technologies are offered by manufacturers. In Marketing & Services, the decision was also taken to deploy fatigue detection systems in countries with high road risk, after conclusive testing over several months. More than 3,200 transportation vehicles are expected to be equipped by the end of 2022, representing approximately 30% of the entire fleet under long-term contract.
In addition, the second part of the SafeDriver video campaign that began in 2019 is expected to continue into 2022, covering for example the topics of blind spots, fatigue and driving in difficult situations, distractions at the wheel and speed and safe distances.
Number of severe road accidents(a) | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 |
---|---|---|---|
Light vehicles and public transportation(b) | 1 | 0 | 9 |
Heavy goods vehicles (trucks)(b) | 20 | 27 | 24 |
(a)Overturned vehicle or other accident resulting in the injury of an occupant (declared accident).
(b)Vehicles under long-term contract (over 6 months) with TotalEnergies
In maritime and inland waterways transportation, the process and criteria for selecting ships and barges are defined by the teams in charge of vetting. These criteria take into account not only the ship or barge but also the crew, ensuring that the crew has all the qualifications and training required under the STCW (Standards of Training, Certification and Watchkeeping for Seafarers) convention. These same teams also verify the application of the safety management system defined for ships by the ISM (International Safety Management) Code of the IMO (International Maritime Organization) as well as industry recommendations such as OCIMF (Oil Companies International Marine Forum) and SIGTTO (Society of International Gas Tanker and Terminal Operators) which take into account the human factor to prevent accidents to people on board ships or barges. In addition, TotalEnergies’ chartering contracts require that the crew belong to a recognized trade union affiliated to the ITF (International Transport Workers’ Federation). The ITF represents the interests of transportation workers’ unions in bodies that make decisions about jobs, conditions of employment or safety in the transportation sector, such as the International Labor Organization (ILO) or the IMO.
With regard to air transportation, a carrier selection process exists to limit the risks relating to travel by Company and contractors’ employees, if their journey is organized by TotalEnergies. This process is based on data from recognized international organizations: ICAO (International Civil Aviation Organization), IOGP International Association of Oil and Gas Producers), and civil aviation authorities’ recommendations. Airlines that do not have a rating from an international body are assessed by an independent body commissioned by the Company.
(1)Such as AEB (advanced emergency braking), LDW (lane departure warning) and EBS (electronic braking system) for motor vehicles and RSS (roll stability support) for semi-trailers
Preventing occupational health risks
With regard to the prevention of occupational health risks, the One MAESTRO framework provides that subsidiaries of the Company identify and assess risks at the workplace in the short, medium and long term. To do this, the framework provides application guides for implementation. The analysis of these health risks relates to chemical, physical, biological, ergonomic and mental risks. This results in the roll-out of an action plan. An Industrial Health correspondent in subsidiaries is identified and tasked with implementing the policy for identifying and assessing work-related health risks.
The actions are integrated into the entities’ HSE action plans and can be audited as part of the One MAESTRO audits.
In general, potential exposure to chemical or hazardous products at a site operated by a Company entity or nearby is one of the most closely monitored risks in view of the potential consequences. New facility construction projects comply with international technical standards from the design stage in order to limit exposure. For production sites operated by a Company entity and subject to this risk, the One MAESTRO reference framework sets out the prevention process in several stages.
- First, hazardous products such as carcinogenic, mutagenic or toxic to reproduction (CMR) products are listed and their risks identified.
- Second, potential exposure to levels that may present a risk to the health of personnel, contractors or local residents at the site or nearby are identified and assessed, and prevention or mitigation measures are implemented in order to control the risk.
- Last, the approach is checked (atmospheric checks, specific medical monitoring, audits etc.) in order to verify its effectiveness and implement improvement measures if necessary. This is also set out formally in a risk assessment file, which is revised regularly by the subsidiary.
In terms of preventing mental health risks (MHR), TotalEnergies has set up a global program that aims to support all employees exposed to such risks, wherever they are in the world. This program, spearheaded by the Company’s People & Social Engagement division, the Company medical coordinator and a representative of each of TotalEnergies’ business segments, has four priorities:
- a minimum level of awareness and training through the distribution of a MHR prevention kit, which has been translated into 11 languages and validated by international experts. This forms the starting point for all training activities;
- a system for measuring individual levels of stress and assessing collective MHR factors in the working environment to facilitate the production of action plans;
- a system for listening to and supporting all employees, irrespective of their location. Supervised by international experts and available in more than 50 languages, it provides, as far as possible, care and support to employees in their native language and in accordance with their specific cultural environment;
- regular monitoring of the indicators for enhanced control with maximum proximity to employees. The implemented system guarantees anonymity, confidentiality and the security of personal data during the entire period of support.
The framework provides for that Company subsidiaries implement the Company’s MHR prevention program or an equivalent local program. At December 31, 2021, 141 MHR referents were actively contributing within their subsidiaries to the implementation of the four priority areas and 65 sites had set up a MHR prevention committee.
In terms of medical monitoring, the health referential framework provides that each Company subsidiary offers all employees a medical checkup at least every two years and sets out a formal medical monitoring procedure taking into account the requirements under local law (frequency, type of examination, etc.) and the level of exposure of its personnel to the various risks. Medical monitoring of employees is conducted at a health department, which may be internal (occupational health departments in France, clinics in five countries in Africa) or external. Furthermore, in view of its activities and exposure, TotalEnergies has an international medical department that designs, coordinates and supervises operational medical logistics abroad. It is the decision-making level in terms of medical safety of expatriate and national employees. For foreign subsidiaries, it coordinates the organization of health services, employee aptitude assessments, medical monitoring and support for employees and expatriates' families, and medical evacuations. It also conducts audits of medical facilities in countries where TotalEnergies is present and issues recommendations.
At the corporate level, TotalEnergies also has a Medical Advisory Committee that meets regularly to discuss key health issues relating to the Company’s activities. It decides whether there is a need for additional health protection strategies to be implemented. It consists of external scientific experts and the Company’s senior executives and stakeholders concerned by these issues. In 2021, a feedback session on the COVID-19 pandemic was conducted in order to learn from it and use it in any possible future crisis.
On a broader level, TotalEnergies also supports the promotion of individual and collective health programs in the countries where it operates, including vaccination campaigns and screening programs for certain diseases (COVID-19, AIDS, cancer, malaria, etc.) for employees, their families and local communities. It is also developing social protection schemes (refer to “A Company committed to its employees” section). Lifestyle risk awareness activities (anti-smoking and anti-alcohol campaigns, etc.) are also implemented on a regular basis.
TotalEnergies has put in place the following indicators to monitor the performance of its program:
Health indicators (WHRS scope) | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 |
---|---|---|---|
Percentage of employees with specific occupational risks benefiting from regular medical monitoring | 97 % | 97 % | 97 % |
Number of occupational illnesses recorded in the year (in accordance with local regulations) | 158 | 136 | 128 |
Musculoskeletal disorders (MSDs), the main cause of occupational illnesses in the Company, represented 55% of all recorded illnesses in 2021, compared to 53% in 2020 and 67% in 2019 for the Global Workforce Analysis scope. The Company provides subsidiaries with a guide to best practices for assessing the risk of MSDs, assists subsidiaries' HSE departments in implementing ergonomic risk management measures and offers employees training in the prevention of musculoskeletal disorders. In addition, the health check-up offered at least every two years allows for the prevention or early detection of musculoskeletal pathologies.
The next most common declared occupational diseases are diseases related to COVID-19(2) (12%), mental health risks (8%) and former exposure to asbestos (6%).
In 2020, TotalEnergies organized itself to cope with the COVID-19 pandemic. This health crisis affected all the Company’s entities. It continues to be distinguished from other crises by its duration and its scale.
A coordination unit was set up at the Company’s head office in January and a Company crisis management unit (CMU) was created in March. Since then, while ensuring the continuity of the activity, the CMU has been in charge of:
- advising the Company’s Executive Committee;
- ensuring coordination among all Company entities and sharing best practices;
- defining, in accordance with the rules of each country, conditions for effective protection of all employees’ health;
- continuing the procurement and distribution of consumable products, as well as the constitution of safety stocks of protective equipment;
- adapting the travel policy;
- running internal communications and preparing information for employee representatives;
- carrying out periodic reporting.
ensuring that the Company's subsidiaries deploy, depending on the local context and the legislation in force, an in-company vaccination program for the Company's employees and those of external companies permanently present on the sites operated by the Company. In total, this system has been deployed in 48 countries.
The Company's CMU is still active and regularly makes the necessary adjustments and adaptations in response to developments in the pandemic and changes in the various countries' regulations.
(2)Diseases related to COVID-19 were not recognized as occupational diseases in some countries, such as in France.
Limiting risks for the health and safety of consumers
Unless certain precautions are taken, some of the petroleum or chemical products marketed by TotalEnergies pose potential consumer health and safety risks. Respecting regulatory requirements is the main measure to limit risk throughout the life cycle of these products.
TotalEnergies has also defined the minimum requirements to be observed in order to market its petroleum or chemical products worldwide with the goal of reducing potential risks to consumer health and the environment. These include the identification and assessment of the risks inherent to these products and their use, as well as providing information to consumers. The material safety datasheets that accompany the petroleum and chemical products marketed by the Company (available in at least one of the languages used in the relevant country), as well as product labels, are two key sources of information.
The implementation of these requirements is monitored by teams of regulatory experts, toxicologists and ecotoxicologists within the Refining & Chemicals and Marketing & Services segments of the Company. The task of these teams is to ensure the preparation of safety documentation for the marketed petroleum and chemical products so that they correspond to the applications for which they are intended and to the applicable regulations. They therefore draw up the material safety datasheets and compliance certificates (contact with food, toys, pharmaceutical packaging, etc.) and ensure REACH(3) registration if necessary. They also monitor scientific and regulatory developments and verify the rapid implementation of new datasheets and updates within Company entities.
Governance of the process is rounded off within the Company’s business units or subsidiaries of the Refining & Chemicals and Marketing & Services segments with the designation of a product manager who ensures compliance during the market release of his or her entity’s petroleum and chemical products. The networks of product managers are coordinated by the Company’s specialist teams either directly or via an intermediate regional level in the case of the Marketing & Services segment.
The safety datasheets for oil and gas produced by subsidiaries of the Exploration & Production segment are produced by the Marketing & Services expertise center. The compliance of the go-to-market process of these products is ensured by the subsidiary.
For the Integrated Gas, Renewables & Power segment, the implementation of the Company's requirements for the marketing of chemical or petroleum products is carried out by each subsidiary concerned according to its own organization.
(3)European Parliament regulation Registration, Evaluation, Authorization and restriction of CHemicals (REACH).