Each year, the European Aluminium Association (EAA) looks at the main links in the aluminium value chain and collects the safety information from the related activities all around Europe. These are then gathered in a benchmarking report that the EAA calls Accident Benchmarking Data.
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| ELITE: The EAA named Hydro's La Roca plant as one of its "best performers" in employee safety. |
In its most recent report, which presents the data from last year, the EAA says that there was "clear improvement" in the safety statistics for the extrusion industry.
Hydro is Europe's leading safety performer in the extrusion business - and the company proved this again last year with its overall mark as well as its representation on the EAA's list of best performers.
The EAA recognized 12 extrusion companies that had zero recordable injuries last year. Two were from Alcan, five from Sapa, and the other five from Hydro.
The best performers from Hydro, named in the EAA report, were:
- Hydro Aluminium Extrusion Deutschland (Rackwitz, Uphusen)
- Hydro Aluminium Tønder
- Hydro Aluminium Chrzanów
- Hydro Aluminium Extrusion Spain - La Roca
- Hydro Aluminium Raeren
Benchmark in Europe
The injury rates that the EAA presents for the extrusion industry in Europe are based on 24.8 million hours worked.
The industry's lost-time injury rate was 2.9 last year, while its TRI rate was 5.5 per million hours worked.
Including acquisitions, Hydro's Extrusion Eurasia sector achieved a TRI rate of 2.7 in 2008.
Høyanger, too
The EAA listed eight other "best performer" plants in its annual report. Five are primary aluminium plants, two are rolling mills and one is an alumina site.
Only one of the eight is wholly owned by Hydro. This is the company's operation in Høyanger, Norway, which was honored on the EAA's list of primary metal plants.
Norway-based Vigeland Metallverk was also named on the list of top performers in aluminium production. Hydro owns 50 percent of Vigeland.
