INTEGRATED
REPORT
2019

Safety of employees and contractors

Capitals:

Care for the health and personal safety of employees and other Stakeholders is a natural and integral part of our organisational culture and business. In practice, this means that the Group does everything it can to prevent accidents, industrial failures, fires and other unwanted incidents.

GRI:
  • 103-1
  • 103-2
  • 103-3

OHS Strategy

The personal and process safety objectives and tasks are defined in the OHS Strategy and cover the following key areas:

 

Management and leadership – building a workplace safety culture within the Group in line with its values; a combination of individual and group values, attitudes, perceptions, competences and behaviours.

Personal safety – building a safe and healthy working environment for the Group’s employees, including a contractor supervision system; taking preventive measures designed to ensure fire safety at the Group, and setting standards and relevant organisational projects.

Process safety – activities involving definition of methods and measures to protect people and the environment against the consequences of failures and industrial accidents, determination of existing needs before technological, process or organisational changes, organisational and technical measures undertaken at every stage of a process to guarantee safe process management, safety of the process personnel, and thus process reliability.

OHS Strategy structure

The updated ORLEN Group Strategy for 2019–2022 sets out the following objectives in personal and process safety:

  • Zero tolerance policy towards accident hazards
  • No accidents at work
  • Further improvement of process safety

1 TRR – Total Recordable Rate, an internationally recognised metric of a company’s rate of workplace accidents calculated as follows as the number of workplace accidents with sick leave in a period of time x 1,000,000 / number of man-hours worked in the period .

Occupational safety at the ORLEN Group is governed by national regulations applicable to a given area, European Union regulations, harmonised national standards and principles resulting from best practices for safe operations. At the ORLEN Group companies level, this area is regulated by uniform internal standards, internal regulations/directives and operating instructions.

The key OHS elements include: Occupational Health and Safety Management System based on PN-N-18001, ORLEN Group’s OHS Strategy until 2021, Comprehensive Prevention System, and ORLEN Group Safety Standards, Technical Standards and Guidelines. For more information, see ‘Non-Financial Statement of the ORLEN Group and PKN ORLEN S.A. for 2019’.

Ensuring highest safety standards

All our OHS efforts are aimed at ensuring the highest safety standards at the ORLEN Group. In 2019, the implementation of a uniform safety framework was continued at the ORLEN Group as part of the ‘Safety Plus’ project, comprising 15 standards representing the highest safety benchmarks in the fuel and energy industry. The project will be completed in 2021.

15 safety standards of the ‘Safety Plus’ project

S1 Authorisations for hazardous work
S2 Isolating energy sources
S3 Work in enclosed spaces
S4 Work at heights
S5 Safe earthwork
S6 Post-accident procedures
S7 Ensuring safe operation of machinery and tools in work environment
S8 Training to improve rescue skills
S9 Measurement of hazardous substances
P1 Leakage prevention
P2 In-depth analysis of industrial accidents
P3 Emergency plans: their formulation / structuring
M1 Leadership and role of management staff in developing a safety system
M2 Subcontractor management
M3 Vehicle management

Works were carried out to improve the process safety management of the Process Safety Management System based on the OSHA 1910.119 standard. The system allows for effective implementation of activities in the area of ​​operational excellence by improving the technical safety of process, storage and auxiliary installations, thus preventing the occurrence of any undesirable events that could potentially affect the safety of employees and / or conducted production processes. The Process Safety Management System (SZBP) as part of the general management and organization system of PKN ORLEN was introduced to ensure the highest safety standards in the workplace and to meet the national requirements of art. 252 of the Environmental Protection Act of April 27, 2001 in the field of systemic process safety management and further increasing the effectiveness and efficiency of measures to prevent major industrial accidents.

As part of maintenance and improvement of the Process Safety Management System, the following actions are required in accordance with the Deming cycle:

  1. verification of status quo;
  2. checking the existing regulations / internal policies for completeness and implementing new regulations / policies;
  3. confirming that each system component has been fully implemented;
  4. satisfying the system requirements based on regulations / policies and making the necessary improvements.

The verification covers the Company’s compliance with the requirements for 14 components of the Process Safety Management System under existing regulations by which a given component has been implemented. Individual elements of the Process Safety Management System have been described in the ‘Report on Non-Financial Information of the ORLEN Group and PKN ORLEN S.A. for 2019’.

Process safety is becoming a specific field related to resilience engineering, which defines safety as the ability to maintain plant success under normal and emergency conditions. Another noteworthy aspect is organisational systems capable of an immediate response to maintain business continuity.

Key projects in the area of occupational health and safety

Further development of the work safety culture

As regards promotion of work safety culture at the ORLEN Group companies, our key task was to raise the awareness of safe work procedures and to inspire proactive attitudes in our employees and contractors. The Employee Support System put in place at PKN ORLEN is one of the programmes aimed at strengthening personal security culture. It is based on the Behavior-Based Safety (BBS) approach used at production companies, which has been adapted to the Company’s needs. The method consists in reinforcing the employees’ safe behaviours during work and promoting best OHS practices.

Moreover, 2019 saw the third edition of Technical Safety lectures, delivered as part of full-time and extramural curricula of the Chemical Technology studies. It was a continuation of the project carried out in 2017–2018 by the Occupational Health and Safety Office and Technology Office of PKN ORLEN, and by the Warsaw University of Technology, Branch in Płock. The initiative was to deliver a series of expert lectures, conducted in accordance with PKN ORLEN’s concept for educating its future engineering staff in areas relevant to the oil processing and energy industries, under the adopted strategy of engagement with universities.

Mandatory safety training programmes for employees and contractors

The ORLEN Group organises mandatory training programmes on safety for its employees and contractors to familiarise them with the safety standards applicable at the Group companies. The programme focuses on raising the employees’ and contractors’ awareness of the importance of correct assessment of the situation, knowledge of potential risks and risk mitigation methods, adherence to OHS rules and procedures, proper use of protective systems and equipment, and the need to report potentially dangerous incidents. The programme includes tools for checking the employees’ and contractors’ knowledge.

The ORLEN Group has in place incentive, information and education schemes dedicated to contractors’ personnel. Within this framework, in 2019 PKN ORLEN set up a Training Centre, as a concept of training employees of external contractors involved in any work at the Company’s production facilities, as well as its own new hires staffing the production area. It involves detailed checking of the staff’s theoretical and practical knowledge within three thematic blocks: OHS, technologies, and local hazards at production facilities. Knowledge of and skills in mechanical engineering are checked through practical tasks. Special equipment is used to verify whether employees are prepared to perform their job.

Control and audit system

Internal audits of the companies are held regularly at the ORLEN Group. In 2019, four consultancy visits (audits) and six re-audits were carried out. They included an important component called ‘Safety Walks’, consisting in safety reviews at the visited facilities. Results of the assessments and observations made during such visits serve as the basis for formulating and implementing correction and refinement plans and workplace health and safety improvement plans. Audits carried out at the Group companies include internal audits, audits by certification bodies, and audits by risk management consultancies. In accordance with an approved methodology, regular safety audits are conducted at the contractors performing work for the ORLEN Group.

Incentive programmes and information campaigns focusing on knowledge of occupational safety and promoting healthy lifestyles and work-life balance.

The ORLEN Group engages in activities aimed at promoting safe working behaviours among its employees and contractors, such as the ‘Safe Maintenance’ or ‘Safe Contractor’ competitions, or the ‘OHS Incentives’ programme. In addition, the Group companies conduct various information campaigns devoted to occupational safety, healthy lifestyle and work-life balance. One of such initiatives is the Occupational Health and Safety Days held across the entire ORLEN Group. In 2019, OHS Villages were organised, with VR simulators (of urban driving, motorcycle riding, etc.) and stands of OHS vendors showcasing innovative solutions in personal safety. A competition zone was provided with many competitions and OHS games where everyone could check their knowledge and win prizes. Medical zones were set up, offering health check-ups for employees, first-aid exercises, as well as advice from physiotherapists. In the food zone, dieticians discussed the properties of products used. Employees were given dietary tips and nutritional information to encourage them to choose better food options and try their hand at cooking.

The ORLEN Group runs a ‘Good OHS Practice’ competition, dedicated to the Group companies. The aim is to spread good practices in safety that promote a pragmatic and modern approach to that area, including any technical, qualitative, efficiency enhancing, communication, organisational and infrastructural solutions, thus helping to improve and streamline the components of OHS management as well as to boost employee motivation. Participation in the competition is an opportunity to share knowledge and experience in shaping a safety culture between the ORLEN Group companies.

There is also another competition dedicated to the Group companies, called ‘Millions of accident-free man-hours of ORLEN Group employees and contractors’. The aim of the competition is to promote accident-free work. In 2019, the 7th edition of the ‘Good OHS Practice’ and the 5th edition of the ‘Millions of accident-free man-hours of ORLEN Group employees and contractors’.

Identification and implementation of innovations and best practices

Best practices are identified on an ongoing basis through experience sharing across the ORLEN Group companies and drawing on the lessons learned by other oil and gas companies with global footprint. Among the implemented projects are the LOTO System and the Employee Support System.

The Employee Support System is a behavioural programme aimed at encouraging safe and eliminating unsafe behaviours. Its implementation is one of the multi-directional measures to improve the Company’s safety culture.

The Lockout – Tagout (LOTO) system is a scheduled activity which consists in cutting off power supply to industrial equipment and machinery whenever maintenance or repair work is performed. Lockout prevents employees from switching on the machine until it is disabled. Tagout refers to a tag which informs and warns that a given machine is locked out while maintenance work is being performed, and may not be switched on until the tag is taken off. The system has been implemented to eliminate accidental and uncontrolled switching on of machines or hazardous energy releases during operation, development, repair and maintenance works, and thus prevent accidents and incidents resulting from inadvertent start-up or re-energising of machines, devices or installations.

Event analysis and risk assessment system

Any accidents or emergencies that occur at the ORLEN Group are analysed and assessed in terms of the likelihood of their recurrence. Communication of near misses and emergencies is based on Safety Alerts. In the case of emergencies, ‘Lesson Learned’ actions are organised based on checklists designed to identify preventive measures in different ORLEN Group locations. Special tools have been implemented for analysing the potential risk of accidents at work and emergencies, and the findings of such analyses serve as the basis for taking preventive measures.

Process hazards are reviewed at the ORLEN Group using a range of methods, including HAZOP, which is used to establish the probability of hazards in industrial facilities. HAZOP consists in a systematic review of design assumptions and processes for potential deviations from predetermined parameters.

Safety Meeting

A continually improved element which requires wider development across the ORLEN Group are interdisciplinary Safety Meetings of representatives of the personal, process and fire safety functions, the Technology Office, and other areas of the organisation. They are held to analyse emergency incidents that occurred at the ORLEN Group by identifying their causes and collecting information about their consequences. On the basis of collected information and available source materials, such as Reports from Emergency/Technical and Reliability Teams (investigation reports), various measures are formulated, which are then addressed to relevant areas of the ORLEN Group companies. The aim of this exercise is to capture lessons learnt and minimise the risk of similar incidents in the future. All information analysed during the meetings is entered into an internal database available on the Occupational Health and Safety Office website.

Company Fire Brigade

The core responsibility of the Company Fire Brigade is to carry out rescue and fire-fighting activities on the premises of PKN ORLEN, as well as in the entire territory of Poland as part of the National Rescue and Firefighting System and the Assistance System for the Transport of Hazardous Materials (SPOT), and to supervise the readiness of the Company’s facilities for rescue and fire-fighting activities. Furthermore, the Company Fire Brigade provide chemical and technical rescue, seal leaks, man safety stations under plant emergency conditions, provide protection during hot works on the premises of the Production Plant in Płock, and perform fire prevention functions. Firefighters specialise in firefighting in the refining and petrochemical industry, chemical rescue activities, as well as water rescue, technical rescue, medical care at first responder level and rope rescue activities. For several years, they have been actively cooperating with fire brigades operating across the ORLEN Group by taking operational and preventive measures for safety improvement. Firefighters are equipped with more than 20 specialist firefighting and rescue vehicles, high volume pumps and water cannons, a rescue boat and specialist protective equipment for staff. In 2019, measures were undertaken to improve and develop fire safety at the ORLEN Group. Members of the PKN ORLEN Fire Brigade participated in dedicated courses and training, covering prevention, rope rescue, water rescue operations and rescue diving, as well as operation of unmanned aircraft (drones).

Emergency drills involving employees and rescue and firefighting services

Regular emergency drills are conducted at the ORLEN Group companies, building employees’ knowledge of how to behave in an emergency. The drills are also an opportunity to improve cooperation with national rescue services a view to minimising the potential consequences of an industrial accident.

Development of the Fire Safety function at the ORLEN Group.

In 2019, work to implement segment-based fire safety management at the ORLEN Group was commenced. Reference visits were made to the ORLEN Group Fire Brigades. During these visits, the organisation and technical equipment of each brigade were reviewed. Meetings of fire prevention specialists performing tasks at the ORLEN Group companies were held, at which they developed common rules for carrying out preventive inspections and agreed on uniform follow-up document forms.

Production assets integrity monitoring and plant maintenance programme

Timely inspection and supervision activities are key to maintaining the integrity of fixed assets. They are carried out during planned maintenance and process shutdowns organised according to long-term schedules. A dedicated programme is also employed for automatic control and security systems, providing, among other things, the timeframes for tests and functionality checks. In parallel, the Risk Based Inspection (RBI) programme is being implemented for the Płock facilities in partnership with and under the supervision of the Polish Office of Technical Inspection. The programme offers the added value of continuous improvement of availability and safety of process units with the integrity of production assets maintained. In addition, an Autonomous Plant Maintenance programme is in place, making it possible to achieve a higher level of reliability and safety of production units.

Third Party Contractor Safety Management

A model for a third party contractor management system has been developed and implemented with a view to meeting the following main objectives: ZERO ACCIDENTS, ZERO FIRES, ZERO TOLERANCE FOR UNACCEPTABLE RISK.

The following specific objectives were achieved in 2019:

  • ensuring that the professionally prepared assignments for contractors
  • establishing clear rules
  • raising awareness of the Company’s employees, third party contractors and their employees
  • ensuring that work is carried out safely and correctly
  • confirming completion of training for some specific locations
  • communicating of and fast response to threats.

Safety management during the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic

PKN ORLEN has implemented certain preventive measures to minimise the risk of spread of the SARS-CoV-2 virus. They are multidirectional efforts of organisational, informative and educational nature, including:

  • implementation of a procedure in case employees show symptoms of illness;
  • development and dissemination of graphic educational materials on safe behaviour, including the need to cover the mouth and nose and avoid mass gatherings;
  • ensuring personal safety of employees and contractors, including through regular disinfection of rooms and equipment, mandatory temperature screening of employees and visitors, disinfecting hand wash liquids and protective masks provided to employees along with instructions on their proper and safe use, changes to the method of delivering periodic OHS training, antiviral barriers at workstations requiring contact with other employees or visitors, and the ‘Recommendations for Contractors on the prevention of SARS-CoV-2 coronavirus infection’;
  • free and anonymous emotional support consultations provided by the Occupational Psychology Centre, a hotline and email designed for employees to obtain advice on the safety rules applied during the pandemic.

Similar measures have been implemented by other ORLEN Group companies.

Cooperation with public administration bodies and other fuel and energy companies to improve personal and process safety

In 2019, various forms of cooperation were undertaken to improve the PKN ORLEN safety management system. Expert workshops were held under the slogan ‘Let’s like each other’ with the following public administration bodies: the Warsaw Province Inspectorate for Environmental Protection in Warsaw, Provincial Inspectorate for Environmental Protection (Branch in Płock), Municipal Crisis Management Centre in Płock, County Crisis Management Centre in Płock, Municipal Headquarters of State Fire Service in Płock, Municipal Police Headquarters in Płock, City Guard Service in Płock, the Provincial Ambulance Service and Medical Transport Station in Płock and the Head of the Stara Biała village, on ensuring safety at the PKN ORLEN Production Plant in Płock and mutual cooperation, including communication in the event of an emergency.

Moreover, PKN ORLEN signed an agreement with PERN on effective cooperation and active integration of both companies’ initiatives in preventing safety emergencies (accidents, breakdowns, disasters, fires).

The effects of safety measures undertaken at the ORLEN Group were appreciated by independent expert bodies. PKN ORLEN and ORLEN Upstream were among the winners of the ‘Employer – Provider of Safe Work’ competition run by the National Labour Inspectorate. Safe Work Leader Cards were awarded by the Safe Work Leaders Forum to PKN ORLEN, ORLEN Laboratorium and ORLEN Upstream. PKN ORLEN was again awarded the ‘Gold Card of Safe Work Leader’.

ORLEN Upstream also won the first prize in the ‘Employer – Provider of Safe Work’ competition of the Chief Labour Inspector.

GRI:
  • 403-2

Key information and indicators regarding safety at the ORLEN Group

Accidents at work involving ORLEN Group employees and contractors

GENDER 2019 2018
Women Men Women Men
Total number of accidents at work involving ORLEN Group employees1) 7 41 4 38
Total number of accidents at work involving ORLEN Group contractors2) 16 17 18 32
Total number of accidents at work involving ORLEN Group employees and contractors 23 58 22 70

 

REGIONS3) 2019 2018
Poland Czech Republic Lithuania Germany Canada Poland Czech Republic Lithuania Germany Canada
Total number of accidents at work involving ORLEN Group employees1) 33 13 0 2 0 27 13 2 0 0
Total number of accidents at work involving ORLEN Group contractors2) 28 4 0 1 0 29 17 3 0 1
Total number of accidents at work involving ORLEN Group employees and contractors 61 17 0 3 0 56 30 5 0 1
1) Number of accidents at work involving ORLEN Group employees which were acknowledged by the employer and were the direct cause of the injured employee’s taking sick leave.
2) Number of acknowledged accidents at work involving employees of the ORLEN Group’s contractors who performed work for a Group company on premises owned or leased by a Group company, which accidents were the direct cause of the injured employee’s taking sick leave. The definition of ‘contractor’ covers also employees of the PKN ORLEN service stations.
3) Regions – markets in which the ORLEN Group has assets.

 

GENDER 2019 2018
Women Men Women Men
Number of fatal accidents at work involving employees of the ORLEN Group 0 0 0 0
Number of minor accidents at work involving employees of the ORLEN Group 7 41 4 37
Total number of accidents at work involving ORLEN Group employees 7 41 4 38

 

REGIONS3) 2019 2018
Poland Czech Republic Lithuania Germany Canada Poland Czech Republic Lithuania Germany Canada
Number of fatal accidents at work involving employees of the ORLEN Group 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
Number of minor accidents at work involving employees of the ORLEN Group 33 13 0 2 0 27 12 2 0 0
Total number of accidents at work involving ORLEN Group employees 33 13 0 2 0 27 13 2 0 0

In 2019, all accidents at work involving ORLEN Group employees were minor accidents.

GENDER 2019 2018
Women Men Women Men
Number of fatal accidents at work involving ORLEN Group contractors 0 0 0 6
Number of minor accidents at work involving ORLEN Group contractors 16 17 18 18
Total number of accidents at work involving ORLEN Group contractors 16 17 18 32

 

REGIONS3) 2019 2018
Poland Czech Republic Lithuania Germany Canada Poland Czech Republic Lithuania Germany Canada
Number of fatal accidents at work involving ORLEN Group contractors 0 0 0 0 0 0 6 0 0 0
Number of minor accidents at work involving ORLEN Group contractors 28 4 0 1 0 29 6 0 0 1
Total number of accidents at work involving ORLEN Group contractors 28 4 0 1 0 29 17 3 0 1

 

In 2019, all accidents at work involving ORLEN Group contractors were minor accidents.

Combined Total Recordable Rate (TRR) for employees and contractors4)

In accordance with the adopted principle that ‘Contractor safety is as important as the safety of the ORLEN Group’s own employees’, since 2015 the Group has used the Combined Total Recordable Rate covering also its contractors.

2019 2018
Combined Total Recordable Rate (TRR) for employees and contractors4) 0.90 1.03
4) Calculated as the total number of accidents at work involving employees and contractors of ORLEN Group companies and resulting in the injured person taking sick leave in a given period x 1,000,000 / number of man-hours worked by the employees and contractors in this period.

In 2019, the Combined Total Recordable Rate (for employees and contractors) fell year on year, which is attributable to a significant decrease in the number of accidents at work involving the ORLEN Group contractors in 2019 relative to 2018.

TRR for ORLEN Group employees5)

2019
Total Women Men
1.29 0.70 1.51

 

2018
Total Women Men
1.17 0.41 1.44
5) Total number of accidents at work involving employees of ORLEN Group companies and resulting in the injured person taking sick leave in a given period x 1,000,000 / number of man-hours worked by the employees in this period.

 

REGIONS3) Total Poland Czech
Republic
Lithuania Germany Canada
2019 1.29 1.35 1.47 0 6.48 0
2018 1.17 1.08 1.71 0.68 0 0

 

The TRR for the ORLEN Group employees has remained relatively unchanged for the last few years, reflecting the process of stabilisation of the Group’s accident rate, which has continued since 2014 following a series of strong decreases in TRR values for the ORLEN Group employees.

Severity rates and number of days lost due to post-accident absenteeism at the ORLEN Group in 2019

Severity rates for accidents at work involving ORLEN Group employees6)
Total Women Men
56.27 21.43 62.22

 

Severity rates for accidents at work involving ORLEN Group employees6)
Total Poland Czech
Republic
Lithuania Germany Canada
56.27 51.42 73.38 0 25.00 0
6) Quotient of the number of days lost due to post-accident absenteeism of ORLEN Group employees and the number of accidents at work involving ORLEN Group employees, acknowledged by the employer and resulting in the employee's taking sick leave.

 

Number of days lost due to post-accident absenteeism at the ORLEN Group7)
Total Women Men
2701 150 2551

 

Number of days lost due to post-accident absenteeism at the ORLEN Group7)
Total Poland Czech
Republic
Lithuania Germany Canada
2701 1697 954 0 50 0
7) Number of days on which ORLEN Group companies’ employees were on sick leaves in a given period as a result of an accident at work acknowledged by the employer.

 

Ensuring work safety and health protection for employees of external contractors performing work on the ORLEN Group premises is one of the Group’s priorities. In order to continuously enhance their safety we have taken a consistent, long-term approach to raising their awareness of the importance of proper risk assessment, potential hazards, risk mitigation methods, OHS rules and procedures, proper use of protective systems and equipment, and the need to report potentially dangerous situations.
Besides analysing work accidents suffered by contractors, the ORLEN Group also studies data on sick leaves resulting from the accidents occurring in connection with work carried out by contractors on the premises of Group companies.

However, the Group is not legally authorised to publish such data.

Number of occupational disease cases in each employee Group8)

2019 2018
Office and administrative staff 0 0
Higher-rank and mid-level technical staff 0 0
Operators of process units and equipment 2 1
Repair and maintenance employees 2 1
Transport and storage employees 1 1
Total
*ORLEN Lietuva
** ORLEN Lietuva (2) i UNIPETROL RPA (1)
5* 3**
8) Number of acknowledged occupational disease cases is the number of decisions issued by the State Sanitary Inspector to confirm recognition of an occupational disease of a current or former employee of an ORLEN Group company.
GRI:
  • 403-3

Workers with high incidence or high risk of occupational diseases

The ORLEN Group constantly monitors and identifies factors that may cause occupational diseases among its employees. Work environment surveys are performed on a regular basis and their results are analysed to assess the risk of potential impact on the health of the Group’s employees. With respect to all factors identified for jobs with a high risk of occupational disease, systemic preventive measures have been implemented in the form of technical and organisational solutions offering personal and collective protection. The use of such solutions eliminates the risk of employees developing occupational diseases as a result of harmful factors in their work environment.

In consequence, the number of occupational disease cases involving the ORLEN Group employees in 2018–2019 was stable and remained very low.

Process safety

In 2019, work was carried out to maintain the Process Safety Management System based on OSHA 1910.119. It provides a more effective framework for achieving operational excellence, as it guarantees technical safety of the process, storage and auxiliary units, and thus prevents undesirable events that could affect the safety of staff or processes.

Process safety is becoming a specific field related to resilience engineering, which defines safety as the ability to maintain plant success under normal and emergency conditions. Another noteworthy aspect is organisational systems capable of an immediate response to maintain business continuity.

graf-en graf-en

Twenty nine establishments at the ORLEN Group are classified as upper-tier, and a number almost half of that are lower-tier establishments, as per the classification framework under the Seveso III Directive applicable across Europe and implemented into national law by all EU member states in 2015. In Poland, the relevant regulations are laid down in the Environmental Protection Law. The establishments of both types have in place modern and constantly improved process safety management systems as an organised method for managing safety, encompassing all the vital safety components referred to above.

ORLEN Group facilities with a high and increased risk of a major accident (upper-tier and lower-tier establishments)

POLAND Number of a  upper-tier establishments Number of a lower-tier establishments
PKN ORLEN 7 upper-tier establishment 10 lower-tier establishments
ORLEN PALIWA 6 upper-tier establishment 1 lower-tier establishments
BOP 1 upper-tier establishment
ANWIL 1 upper-tier establishment
ORLEN Południe 2 upper-tier establishments
ORLEN Aviation 1 lower-tier establishments
IKS SOLINO 1 upper-tier establishment
CZECH REPUBLIC Number of a high upper-tier establishments Number of a high upper-tier establishments
UNIPETROL RPA 3 upper-tier establishment
UNIPETROL DOPRAVA 5 upper-tier establishment
PARAMO 1 upper-tier establishment
SPOLANA 1 upper-tier establishment
LITHUANIA Number of a high upper-tier establishments Number of a high upper-tier establishments
ORLEN Lietuva 2 upper-tier establishments

To describe the current status of process safety at the ORLEN Group production companies, the Group uses various process safety indicators, including leading and lagging ones, in accordance with the API754 standards. Those indicators are monitored and measured using the Company’s internal application to help achieve the overarching objective of process safety management, which means preventing and minimising the risk of major accidents. These indicators also serve as the basis for benchmarking against the best companies in the industry and thus contribute to achieving process excellence.

GRI:
  • OG-13

Number of process safety events, by business activity

In 2019, there were two fires that required intervention by external fire-fighting units. In 2019, the number of fires reported at the ORLEN Group fell compared with 2018.

Number of fires at the ORLEN Group

Number of fires at the ORLEN Group9): 2019 2018
Total 34 41
Of which: relating to technological processes 29 37
Of which: requiring intervention by external firefighting units 2 0
9) Number of process-related fires at the ORLEN Group companies, affecting only premises owned or leased by the companies, with the exception of service station areas.

TIER 1, TIER 2 and TIER 3 events

TIER 1 events

These are events with a significant impact related to a sudden and unexpected substance release due to ineffective protection layers. Such events include a sudden and unexpected release of hazardous substances or non-toxic and non-flammable substances (steam, condensate, hot water, nitrogen, compressed air, CO2) during ongoing industrial processes, having one or more of the following consequences:

  • Injury to an employee of the ORLEN Group or of a contractor or subcontractor, resulting in a sick leave or death
  • Hospital admission and/or death of any other person
  • Officially announced evacuation of local residents or recommendation for them not to leave their homes
  • Fire or explosion resulting in losses in the form of direct costs of at least USD 100 thousand (USD 100,000 x ~3 PLN/USD = ~PLN 300,000)
  • Release of excessive pressure into the atmosphere with the use of pressure relief devices in an amount equal to or higher than the threshold amount in any one hour period
  • Release of a substance in an amount equal to or higher than the threshold amount in any one-hour period

TIER 2 events

These are events of lesser consequence related to a sudden and unexpected substance release due to ineffective protection layers. Such events include a sudden and unexpected release of hazardous substances or non-toxic and non-flammable substances (steam, condensate, hot water, nitrogen, compressed air, CO2) during ongoing industrial processes, having one or more consequences not classified as TIER1, including:

  • Injury to an employee of the ORLEN Group or of a contractor or subcontractor
  • Fire or explosion resulting in losses in the form of direct costs of at least USD 2,500 (USD 2,500 x ~3 PLN/USD = ~PLN 7,500)
  • Release of excessive pressure into the atmosphere in an amount equal to or higher than the threshold TIER2 amount in any one-hour period
  • Release of a substance in an amount equal to or higher than the threshold TIER2 amount in any one-hour period

Number of TIER1, TIER2 and TIER3 events

Number of TIER 1 events at the ORLEN Group

Number of TIER 2 events at the ORLEN Group

In 2019, the ORLEN Group continued reporting the T3 (TIER 31) process safety indicator referring to near-miss events.

1 It has been assumed that TIER3 events are events shutdowns of installations or process nodes triggered by active or passive protections (automatic or mechanical). TIER3 ratio is calculated as follows:

  • TIER3 production events – number of events shutdowns of installations or process nodes triggered by active or passive protections (automatic or mechanical);
  • TIER3 logistics events – ratio of the number of events shutdowns of product loading to rail tank cars and road tankers triggered by active or passive protections (automatic or mechanical) to the total number of loading operations performed at a given time.

Number of TIER 3 production events at the ORLEN Group

 

Number of events at the ORLEN Group 2019
Poland Czech
Republic
Lithuania
TIER1 0 7 1
TIER2 2 2 0
TIER3 – Production 59 1 10
Number of events at the ORLEN Group 2018
Poland Czech
Republic
Lithuania
TIER1 2 4 0
TIER2 3 2 1
TIER3 – Production 80 0 14

T1 PSER2 and T2 PSER3

T1 PSER ORLEN Group

T2 PSER ORLEN Group

TIER1 and TIER2 events reported for 2019 involved only emissions into the environment caused by fires and leaks. There were no events causing serious damage to the natural environment. Liquid leaks were collected and properly disposed of.

GRI:
  • 306-3

Total number and weight of significant spills

Total number and weight of significant spills in 2019 is as follows:

  • Number of spills in 2019 – 10
  • Weight of spills in 2019 – ca. 140 Mg

Information on each spill reported by ORLEN Group companies is presented in the table below.

Location Weight
[Mg]
Type of substance Comment
UNIPETROL RPA, s.r.o.
Kralupy production plant, FDU
80 Oil spill (crude oil) On the unit’s site; no impact on soil or water surface
UNIPETROL RPA, s.r.o.
Litvínov production plant, isomerisation unit
approx. 4 Spill of chemicals (6% NaOH solution) On the unit’s site; no impact on soil or water surface
SPOLANA, s.r.o.
Neratowice production plant, PVC
11.5 Spill of chemicals (30% HCl solution) On the unit’s site; no impact on soil or water surface
UNIPETROL RPA, s.r.o.
Litvínov production plant, visbreaking unit
2.1 Oil spill (wash oil) On the unit’s site; no impact on soil or water surface
SPOLANA, s.r.o.
Neratowice production plant, PVC
0.4 Spill of chemicals (mixture of dichloroethane and vinyl chloride) On the unit’s site; no impact on soil or water surface
UNIPETROL RPA, s.r.o.
Litvínov production plant, railway track 238
16 Spill of chemicals (BTX fraction) On the unit’s site; no impact on soil or water surface
ORLEN Lietuva
Mažeikiai production plant
approx. 26 Other spill (road bitumen) On the unit’s site; no impact on soil or water surface
ANWIL S.A.
Włocławek production plant, hydrogen chloride recovery unit
approx. 0.0025 Spill of chemicals (gaseous HCl) Into the air
SPOLANA, s.r.o.
Neratowice production plant, caprolactam
approx. 0.1 Spill of chemicals (ammonia) On the unit’s site; no impact on soil or water surface
ANWIL S.A. Włocławek production plant approx. 0.021 Spill of chemicals (gaseous HCl) Into the air

 

Most of those spills involved contamination of equipment and the unit sites, without any impact on soil or water surface. In addition, most of those incidents required covering the costs of rescue operations by Company Fire Brigades as well as repair or replacement of damaged equipment. Two cases of release of gaseous substances into the air were reported. No employees or contractors of the ORLEN Group suffered any injuries as a result of those incidents.

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