DUBAL's environmental policy was updated in 2005. The revised
policy has provided the framework for a comprehensive Environment,
Health and Safety ("EHS") Code of Ethics; as well as input into the
company's Leadership Training Programme.
DUBAL's Environment, Health and Safety Code of Ethics
In our quest to provide our customers with high quality products
and services, DUBAL is committed to promoting practices that
protect the environment and the health and safety of its workers
and the community, at all times. Accordingly, we undertake as a
corporation to promote:
- Safe work environments that minimise health hazards and
exposure to harmful risks;
- The use of appropriate technology that protects and preserves
the environment while generating world-class results; and
- The implementation of ethical business practices of the highest
standard.
Environmental Initiatives
United Nations for Environmental, Scientific and Cultural
Organization ("UNESCO")
DUBAL has been a member of UNESCO since 2004 and actively
supports UNESCO's 'Rashid the Recycler' environmental education
programme and regional office.
UNESCO was founded in November 1945 to build peace in the minds of
men. Today, it functions as a laboratory of ideas and a
standard-setter to forge universal agreements on emerging ethical
issues. UNESCO is working to create the conditions for genuine
dialogue based upon respect for shared values and the dignity of
each civilization and culture. The world urgently requires global
visions of sustainable development based upon observance of human
rights, mutual respect and the alleviation of poverty, all of which
lie at the heart of UNESCO's mission and activities.
Emirates Environmental Group
Since 1997, DUBAL has been an active member of the Emirates
Environmental Group ("EEG"), a non-profit organization that
supports sustainable advancement for Dubai and the UAE. The group
was founded by twelve members including Habiba Al Marashi, the
EEG's current chairperson. The EEG is dedicated to promoting civic
awareness and community action to protect the local environment of
the UAE. Since its establishment in September 1991, the EEG has
organized a variety of public education forums and community
projects aimed at increasing social awareness about environmental
issues that affect our daily lives. Additionally it has initiated
numerous community involvement projects from nationwide Can
Collection Campaigns to local Beach Clean-up Drives.
EEG has more than 1,200 corporate members including individuals,
schools, companies, governments and international institutions. It
is the first environmental NGO in the world to be accredited with
ISO 14001 certification for its environment management system.
Minimizing harmful emissions
From an environmental perspective, minimizing harmful emissions
and the adoption of world-class waste management practices are
central to all DUBAL's activities. We use the best available
technology for production as well as mitigation technology for
emission minimisation. Ongoing investments in emission control
equipment and environmental control projects have totalled US$ 327
million till 2009.
These investments have included, among others:
- The installation of six state-of-the-art combustion systems for
its power plant has reduced nitrous oxide emissions ("NOx") to be
in line with world standards.
- Combined cycle power systems that have enabled marginal
reductions in carbon dioxide emissions (through higher efficiencies
and therefore lower consumption of hydrocarbon energy).
- As of December 2005, roughly 30 per cent of DUBAL's entire
power generating needs, which exceeds 1,400 megawatts, has been
supplied through steam turbines - despite continued expansions and
simultaneously increased energy demands from the plant.
- Chemical recycling via high-efficiency Fume Treatment Plants
("FTPs") helps contain the plant's hydrogen fluoride emission
levels.
- In a benchmarking study of 150 companies, conducted in 2005,
DUBAL had the second-lowest level of fluoride emissions resulting
from the production of anodes. Our company placed first in the
particulate fluoride category, had the second-best performing
smelter and rated third for total fluoride emissions.
Several air quality monitoring stations have been placed around
our Jebel Ali premises to measure how the environment is affected,
both within the plant and in neighbouring areas. Devices have also
been installed to monitor gas emissions inside the smelter and in
its vicinity; and measure a number of parameters, including
emission levels of nitrous oxide, sulphur dioxide, hydrogen
fluoride and particulates. Recorded data is delivered on-line to
the Environmental Laboratory every two hours. A close watch is kept
on greenhouse gas emissions, with the help of the International
Aluminium Institute ("IAI"), to ensure that these are contained
within international standards.
In 2009, DUBAL met or outperformed virtually all measures
relating to the environment, specifically with regard to overall
perfluorocarbon ("PFC") emissions, which have dropped by 69 per
cent compared to 1990 levels. Our total fluoride emissions continue
to decrease, resulting in an overall decline of 38 per cent since
2000.
We actively implements a green belt concept to enhance our
smelter site's physical environment, with specific emphasis on the
residential area where approximately 1,600 employees are
accommodated.
Waste management
DUBAL's General Services Department initiated a scrap recycling
plan in February 2005, whereby assorted, recyclable, steel, copper,
collector bars, plastic, batteries and wood are sold. By December
2005, the project had generated more than
US$1.6 million in revenue.
A dedicated waste management campaign is in place. This focuses
on increased awareness regarding the environmental impact of waste
products while motivating workers to introduce innovative measures
that reduce waste measurably.
Occupational health and hygiene
In 2004, DUBAL new policies were introduced to improve the
monitoring and management of its employees' general health. All
employees working in operational areas are obliged to undergo a
series of medical tests every two years, allowing any abnormalities
or unusual circumstances to be detected as early as possible.
With regard to occupational health and hygiene, special emphasis
is placed on reducing exposure to the prevailing risks -
particularly noise-induced hearing loss, inhalation of hazardous
gases and dust particles, and exposure to high ambient
temperatures. For example, a pot demolishing facility was installed
in July 2004 that effectively reduces worker exposure to
potentially harmful dust and fumes. It complements the hot butt
cleaning facility, introduced in October 2003, and forms part of a
fully-automated, fully-enclosed operation that has substantially
reduced employee exposure to fluoride dust and fumes in
particular.
During 2006 and 2007, we also enhanced the respiratory
protection facilities in our plant, which has improved the work
environment considerably. In addition, DUBAL has actively pursued a
quest to reduce the number of lost working days due to heat rash
and heat stress cases within our workforce since the start of the
new millennium. The initiative has gained additional emphasis since
2006, evolving into a dedicated "Beat the Heat" campaign that
consistently delivers excellent results.
Zero lost working days as a result of heat rash were recorded in
2009 (for the third consecutive year); while zero lost working days
as a result of heat stress were recorded for the fourth consecutive
year (2006, 2007, 2008 and 2009).
Other initiatives implemented and managed by DUBAL's dedicated
Occupational Health and Hygiene Department include:
- Profiling job descriptions with regard to potentially harmful
physical and chemical hazards in the working environment and
monitoring worker exposure.
- Pre-employment medical examinations, including chest x-rays,
audiograms, optometric assessments and lung function tests.
- Regular follow-up medical examinations for early detection of
medical conditions, scheduled according to workplace exposure to
potentially harmful physical and chemical hazards.
As a result of our consistent focus on safety, our company
achieved certification to the OHSAS 18001 Occupational Health and
Safety Management System assessment standard in September 2003, and
has retained the qualification ever since. Moreover, we achieved
the new OHSAS 18001: 2007 standard in May 2009.
Safety
From a safety perspective, we consistently strive for zero
incidents and lost time injuries ("LTIs"). Given that the main
risks are heavy machinery and vehicles, extremely hot molten metal
and high amperage electrical circuits, the formal interventions
include:
- Safety training for all new recruits, with follow-up refresher
training at appropriate intervals.
- Restricted access to operational sites.
- Safety-driven operating rules within the facility, including
strict occupational hygiene standards.
- Road to Zero Lost Time Incidents, an intensive five-phase
programme launched in 2006 that aims to entrench a safety culture
among DUBAL employees, extending beyond the plant's borders to
their daily activities at home and elsewhere.
- Campaigns to reinforce awareness of DUBAL's safety
regulations.
- Reporting systems for risky behaviour and potential hazards,
which have led to substantially less lost time incidents as well as
a reduction in the severity of incidents. The most recent
behaviour-based safety programme, called "Tamahal", was launched in
2009 and has been rolled out to most areas in the plant.
The construction of a new 20,000 metric tonne coal tar liquid
pitch facility, completed in December 2004, enabled our operations
to convert from solid to liquid pitch - a much safer option with
fewer associated occupational safety risks. Although the move is a
costlier proposition, we believe that the safety and occupational
health of our employees far outweighs the financial
considerations.
We measure our progress via safety performance results and the
total recordable injury frequency rate ("TRIFR", comprising lost
time injuries, restricted work and medical treatments per million
man-hours) decreased from 5.65 in 2008 to 4.27 at the end of
2009.
Our operations achieved a record 399 days and 10.3 million hours
without lost time injury ("LTI") on 27 May 2009. In the same year,
DUBAL Projects achieved zero LTI for 29 months, equating to 14.8
million hours. Overall, our company has achieved a 96 per cent drop
in LTIs since 1997.