Our HSE management system is an integrated part of our total management system and is described in our governing documents.
Our management system relating to overall management and control, and many of the main operational entities, have been certified in accordance with the ISO 9001 and ISO 14001 standards. An overview of certified units can be found at www.statoilhydro.com/sertifisering
A key element in our HSE management system is recording, reporting and assessing HSE data. HSE performance indicators have been established to provide information on historical trends. The intention is to document quantitative developments over time and use the information in decision-making for systematic and purposeful improvement efforts.
HSE data are compiled by the business areas and reported to the corporate executive committee, which evaluates trends and decides whether improvement measures are required. The chief executive submits the HSE results and associated assessments to the board of directors. These results are posted on our intranet and internet sites. Quarterly HSE statistics are compiled and made accessible on our website through the performance report.
Our three group-wide performance indicators for safety are the total recordable injury frequency (TRIF), the lost-time injury frequency (LTIF) and the serious incident frequency (SIF). These are reported quarterly at corporate level for StatoilHydro employees and contractors. Statistics on our employees' sickness absence are reported annually.
The group-wide environmental indicators are reported annually at corporate level, with the exception of oil spills, which are also reported quarterly. The environmental indicators - oil spills, emissions of CO2 and NOX, energy consumption and the recovery rate for non-hazardous waste - are reported for StatoilHydro-operated activities. This includes the Gassled facilities at Kårstø and Kollsnes, for which Gassco is operator, while StatoilHydro is responsible for the technical operation (technical service provider).
Historical data include figures relating to acquired operations from the acquisition date. Correspondingly, figures relating to divested operations are included up to the divestment date.
Results
We suffered two fatal accidents in 2008. On a team-building gathering, during a canoeing trip, one person drowned. The second fatality occurred when a boat was casting off from the production platform South Pars No 9 in the Persian Gulf. A mooring line broke and struck a crew member on board the vessel Interservice.
StatoilHydro had three other serious incidents during 2008: air intrusion in a cracker at the Mongstad refinery with a risk of explosion, a large gas leak at the Oseberg C offshore platform and an oil leak in the Statfjord A offshore platform shaft. All three incidents had the potential to develop into a major accident.
The HSE accounting shows the development of the HSE performance indicators over the past five years. Use of resources, emissions and waste volumes for selected StatoilHydro-operated land-based plants, and for StatoilHydro-operated activities on the Norwegian continental shelf are shown in separate environmental overviews. See also the information on health, safety and the environment in the review of StatoilHydro's operations and the directors' report.
During 2008, our operations account for more than 143 million working hours (including contractors). These hours form the basis for the frequency indicators in the HSE accounting. Contractors handle a large proportion of the assignments for which StatoilHydro is responsible as operator or principal enterprise
StatoilHydro's safety results with respect to serious incidents have been at a stable level the last years. The overall SIF indicator increased from 2007 (2.1) to 2008 (2.2) and is now at the same level as in 2006 (2.2).
There has been an increase in the number of total recordable injuries per million working hours (TRIF) in 2008 (5.4) compared with 2007 (5.0). Contractor TRIF at year end 2008 was 6.6, and StatoilHydro employee TRIF was 3.4. The LTIF (injuries leading to absence from work) was 2.1 in 2008, an increase from 2007 (2.0).
In addition to our HSE accounting at group level, the business units prepare more specific HSE statistics and analyses for use in their own improvement efforts. We have for instance implemented an indicator used to follow up status on observations and actions from monitoring of our facilities technical safety condition.
In 2008, StatoilHydro was fined NOK 2 million for an accident that occurred on 26 April 2005 on Oseberg B, where a drilling worker was seriously injured. StatoilHydro also accepted some minor fines for breach of regulations at service stations.
