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Health—Programs & Actions
Industrial Hygiene Assessments
Our comprehensive health risk assessment program addresses both qualitative and quantitative components. For the qualitative assessment, our locations must identify and describe all of their workplace health risks. The quantitative component measures and quantifies the risks identified and is continually updated. This provides a dynamic measure of the continuous state of known and unknown (i.e., yet to be classified) risks within Alcoa.
Our goal is to have 100% of our locations completing the qualitative assessment and to achieve at least 95% on quantitative assessment across the company. In 2006, we reached 100% and 90%, respectively. In 2007, our progress in these respective areas was 100% and 86%. This was reflective of the first-time inclusion of data from several acquisitions made in Russia and China beginning in 2005; the ongoing identification of new risks; and the reassessment of existing risks because of shift-length adjustments or the lowering of occupational exposure limits. In 2008, we attained 100% and 89% in these areas, respectively.
Achieving and sustaining target-level performance on the quantitative component represents a significant challenge. We do require newly acquired locations to complete these assessments quickly—typically within one year—so that appropriate risk reduction plans can be developed and initiated.
Performance data
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Chemical and Noise Reduction Initiatives
Any location within Alcoa that identifies a chemical or noise risk uses engineering solutions, work practice controls, or other safeguards and countermeasures—personal protective equipment, medical surveillance, etc.—to control that risk.
In addition, we have set corporate goals that incrementally move us toward the root-cause elimination of chemical and noise risks. In other words, our long-term focus is not to rely only on layers of protection, such as personal protective equipment, to manage the risk, but to eliminate the inherent risk if feasible.
With respect to chemical exposures, our approach from 1999 through 2005 was to track the reduction in the number of all chemical risks that exceeded Alcoa standards from fixed reference points (base years). Over three successive goal cycles during these seven years, we experienced a cumulative global reduction of 77% in the number of chemical risks against a cumulative target of 60%.
For noise, we have used the same risk-reduction approach. Between 1999 and 2005, we achieved a 43% cumulative global reduction in magnitude for the top 10 noise exposures compared to our target of 40%. In 2006, we expanded the focus to include all noise risks.
During 2006, we also added another dimension to the way in which we assess the impact of chemical and noise reductions. In addition to tracking reduction in number and magnitude of exposures, we also began tracking the number of employees who, through various control strategies, no longer work in areas with noise or chemical exposures that exceed our defined occupational exposure limits (OELs).
Our target was to have a 20% reduction in the number of employees in such similar exposure groups at the end of 2008 from a 2006 baseline. At the end of the year, we had 8,268 (22%) fewer employees working in areas with exposures above the OEL for noise, and 9,096 (35%) fewer employees working in areas with exposures above the OELs for chemicals.
While these data indicate satisfying progress during the referenced goal cycles, several key challenges exist. Through the voluntary establishment of certain Alcoa-specific OELs for critical chemicals—which are typically more stringent than prevailing governmental limits—as well as the promulgation of new governmental limits in some countries and regions, new groups of employees sometimes are identified as working in areas with exposures exceeding the newly defined OELs. This potentially prolongs our long-range effort to eliminate all employees from overexposure areas.
As newly established OELs become increasingly lower, additional strategies are often necessary to control to manage exposure risks appropriately. This may require significant adjustments in work practice controls, personal protective equipment, and/or capital outlay. The implementation of these additional control strategies requires engagement of all relevant business unit stakeholders as well as the unions.
Our hearing conservation efforts have been strengthened through our active involvement in testing and piloting new hearing protection and personal dosimetry technologies. An increasing number of locations are either implementing or evaluating these newer approaches.
Our overall reported annualized incident rate of new work-related hearing shifts continues to decline. This rate was 0.58% for 2006, 0.48% for 2007, and 0.34% for 2008. The year-end 2008 rate represents a 55% reduction from the year-end 2003 annualized rate of 0.76%.
Beginning in 2009, we will expand the focus on hearing-loss prevention to include tracking the number and rate of all confirmed, age-corrected 10 decibel hearing shifts among employees tested as part of our hearing conservation program, irrespective of work-relatedness. Locations have been challenged to achieve a goal of 1% by year-end 2011.
Additionally, we are instituting a new global metric for the identification and tracking of early hearing loss (i.e., non-age-corrected 10 decibel hearing shift). The goal is to identify employees with early, reversible hearing change and to intervene to prevent future permanent hearing loss.
The economic crisis that began in 2008 presents additional challenges for 2009 and beyond. We are forced to conserve capital and may need to postpone planned expenditures for high-cost engineering solutions to control unacceptable exposures unless required by law or, if necessary, to reduce health risk to an acceptable level unachievable through other means.
In the interim, we will use 2009 to further identify noise and chemical tasks that underlie exposures that have been determined to exceed our OELs. Locations are being challenged to use the upcoming year to assess and inventory these critical tasks and then target a group of these tasks—both noise and chemicals—for control by year-end 2011.
Performance data
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Occupational Medicine
The availability of occupational medicine services to all Alcoa locations, regardless of size, remains a cornerstone of our strategy for achieving our ideal state.
At its core, occupational medicine is about preventing work-related illnesses and injuries. Its scope spans work-related injury and illness medical care to employees, screening and surveillance examinations for employees who are at increased risk of adverse health issues related to workplace exposures, and health promotion and protection.
Our goal is to ensure that every location has access to capable, well-credentialed health care providers to assist in effective implementation of our health standards and meet our established target of 100% completion of all required annual medical evaluations.
With the increasing globalization of our operations, significant challenges exist in gaining a complete understanding about the medical delivery systems—both for occupational medicine services as well as the healthcare system at large—in the countries and regions in which we operate. This understanding is necessary for the proper and successful implementation of our required occupational medicine programs and integration with the local healthcare infrastructure. To achieve our objectives, novel partnerships are sometimes necessary, and continuous training and assistance is offered.
In 2008, 99% of our locations had an established occupational medicine program, and 92% of the required medical evaluations were completed. There is some variability in this completion rate year-over-year due to the first-time inclusion of performance data from new acquisitions, demonstrating the inherent difficulty in transitioning from the former practice model at these locations to Alcoa’s high standards and expectations. We continue to work diligently with these new acquisitions to reach full integration and compliance with our standards.
Performance data
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Ergonomics
Ergonomics seeks to reduce strains, sprains, and long-term muscle and tendon problems—conditions that affect quality of life—by designing work requirements to meet the abilities of the person.
We have a very aggressive training program, and our locations use an ergonomic assessment tool to identify, quantify, and prioritize their ergonomic risks. They then deploy a root-cause elimination strategy to control these risks. This includes the implementation of engineering controls, which reduce the risk of ergonomic injuries.
The strategy also involves the redesign of work according to Alcoa Business System principles, and some of this redesign leads to simple, low-cost solutions that also eliminate significant costs and improve productivity. Other solutions involve sophisticated technology, such as advanced motion capture systems to analyze employee movement in relation to specific tasks. Best practices and other information are shared globally.
During an initial control target period spanning from 2004 to 2006, our locations achieved 52% control of all significant ergonomic risks. Control efforts are ongoing, along with continuous reinforcement of ergonomically correct safe work practices, early recognition and intervention for musculoskeletal symptoms, and periodic employee re-training
In addition, the proportion of recordable injuries and lost workday cases worldwide that are flagged by the location as being ergonomic-related has been steadily decreasing. Between 2002 and 2008, the proportion of all recordable injuries that were ergonomic-related went from 32% to 21%, a 34% decrease. The proportion of lost workday cases due to ergonomic issues went from 36% to 17%, a 53% decrease.
Beginning with 2007, we established a new goal for ergonomic risk control. Each location or business unit identified a set of ergonomic risks they wanted to control, with the expectation that 100% of these targeted risks would be controlled by year-end 2008. This approach provided the businesses with flexibility to focus their ergonomic efforts where they were most needed. It also broadened the previous focus on significant ergonomic risk control to include many other important initiatives that would contribute to the reduction of ergonomic-related injury. By year-end 2008, we had achieved 74% control across all reporting locations.
Future goals related to ergonomics will necessarily require flexibility for the business units to address their unique risks while simultaneously driving toward an overall company reduction in ergonomic-related injury and illness. Setting a unified corporate target represents a significant challenge given the diversity of identified risks, the various stages of evolution of location-level ergonomic efforts, capital considerations, and more.
Owing to the success of the 2007-2008 ergonomic risk control objective, a similar challenge has been restated for the period 2009-2011. Once again, locations will be expected to reassess and inventory their ergonomic risks and then target a select group of these risks for control by year-end 2011.
Performance data
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Heat Stress Management
Employees who perform demanding work, work in hot environments, or wear protective clothing may be at risk for heat-related illnesses.
For years, we have maintained a comprehensive heat stress standard and management system to prevent such illnesses. In 2007, this standard, along with its companion documents, underwent complete review and updating to further enhance its effectiveness. In part, this was in response to a near doubling (from 10 to 18 between 2004 and 2007) in recordable heat illness cases identified in the Global Primary Products business, our most at-risk business with respect to heat illness. Between 2004 and 2008, we experienced two lost workday cases related to heat illness—one each in 2007 and 2008.
The standard outlines the required heat stress management programs for affected locations. Specific issues addressed include the following:
- Exposure assessment;
- Basic practices (training, fluid replacement, first aid, incident investigation, medical evaluation, and treatment process);
- Additional practices (written heat stress program, medical surveillance, engineering and administrative controls, personal protective equipment, and program effectiveness audits);
- Potroom practices; and
- Extreme heat stress practices
Creating a Culture of Health
One of our core objectives is to prevent illness and injury, as well as enhance and sustain the overall health and well-being of all Alcoa employees, by understanding risks both on and off the job.
Through a relationship with Yale University’s Occupational and Environmental Medicine Program, we sponsor research to identify correctable causes of injury and chronic disease and create a culture of health. In recent years, these research activities have focused on the following broad areas, which increasingly extend beyond a single organizational boundary of interest:
- Factors associated with injury;
- Factors associated with chronic disease;
- Factors associated with absenteeism;
- Benefits design;
- Flags for early hearing loss; and
- Factors associated with disability.
To facilitate effective translation of research findings into policies that foster a culture of health throughout the enterprise and align with business goals, an internal Alcoa Health Research team was formulated to work closely with our external Occupational and Environmental Health Advisory Council. This team also provides counsel for effective communication and knowledge transfer.
In addition to the research component of our health initiatives, we have had efforts underway since 2001 to address recognized health risks. An initial round of targets went into effect at that time and focused on establishing employee assistance program (EAP) services and location-specific health promotion activities. There continues to be sustained deployment of these initiatives globally. Through 2008, 98% of established global locations had EAP services, and 97% had health promotion activities against targets of 100% for each.
Building on our foundation in EAP and health promotion, all locations are required to make available annual influenza vaccines to employees who desire to receive one. Through the end of 2008, 92% of global reporting locations had instituted this initiative. Our locations are also required to identify resources for smoking cessation assistance and adopt no-smoking strategies, including a declaration that their location would be smoke-free no later than the end of 2006. Through the end of 2008, 93% of established global locations had a plan in place to achieve these objectives.
We will continue our assessments of local and regional health issues so that appropriate future interventions can be tailored accordingly. These initiatives rely on the most efficient combination of community and company resources. Local workforce, community expectations, and cultural relevance dictate the specific type and nature of the initiatives at any given Alcoa location.
Specific programming is further guided by internal efforts to understand the root causes of adverse health that may be amenable to intervention.
Performance data
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Management of Chronic Illness
Alcoa maintains a worldwide health standard that enables and supports employees living with chronic diseases, including life-threatening and transmittable diseases like HIV/AIDS, to continue to pursue active careers. The employees must be physically capable of working, able to perform their assigned duties in an acceptable manner, and not presenting a direct threat to the health and safety of themselves or others at work.
Reasonable accommodations to the physical needs of such personnel are made on a case-by-case basis and, at a minimum, will meet all applicable legal requirements. The standard also addresses issues of reasonable accommodation, coworker education and counseling, and confidentiality.
Our commitment also extends into the community. Between 1990 and 2008, Alcoa Foundation invested approximately US$340,000 for HIV/AIDS programs around the world.
Health and Safety Management System
Over the years, a comprehensive framework for continuous improvement efforts has evolved into what is today known as the Alcoa Health and Safety Management System. This system is used to proactively manage health and safety at all Alcoa locations.
Each location has various task, department, ad hoc, and other committees to develop and implement health and safety programs based on the location’s strategic health and safety plan. These leadership groups include a cross-section of personnel from the facility.
Our health and safety management systems include recording and notification of occupational accidents and diseases. Our internal standards meet, and in many cases exceed, country legislative requirements. Our practices are consistent with the International Labour Organization (ILO) Code of Practice on Recording and Notification of Occupational Accidents and Diseases.
The Alcoa Health and Safety Management System is a component of the Alcoa EHS Management System, which conforms with ISO 14001 and OHASA 18001 requirements.
All Alcoa locations self assess and undergo internal Alcoa audits based on a standardized ISO 14001/OHSAS 18001 compatible protocol.
Case Studies
 Safety League Reduces Injuries, Increases Community Engagement
Award-Winning System Helps Monitor Employee Health
Integrating Alcoa's EHS Standards, Culture into New China Facilities
Alcoa Employee Finds Cutting Edge Ergonomic Solution
Alcoa Solution Solves Long-Standing Ergonomic Issue
Asbestos Removal Technique Increases Protection, Reduces Costs
Bringing EHS, Sustainability Awareness to the Community
Employee Wellness Program Focuses on Happy, Healthy Hearts
Keeping Schoolchildren Safe and Healthy in Guinea
Primary Focus on Safety Nets Significant Improvements
Protecting Employees through Better Chemical Management Practices
Serving as an EHS Benchmark
Structured Approach to Attaining EHS Goals
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