We know it takes the support and leadership at the highest levels of the company and an engaged workforce to achieve outstanding safety performance.
Engagement
Our management teams communicate consistent and meaningful safety messages and ensure open lines of communication. So that employees will speak up about potential hazards, we make every effort to ensure that they feel comfortable expressing concerns.
During the last half of 2010, we stepped up efforts to engage our workforce about working safely due to an increase in injuries. This included increased internal communications and awareness activities, performance updates and leadership involvement. While TI’s priority was to grow faster during the year, we needed to reaffirm our commitment to a safe workplace.
Training
Our company's key risk areas include working with hazardous chemicals, electrical and manufacturing hazards, and improper workstation design. TI trains employees to constantly assess and reassess the hazards in their environment and to minimize the associated risks by using appropriate tools and techniques. We employ a number of measures to reduce risks.
Most notably, our behavior and observation programs encourage employees to check for hazards before work begins, recognize and reinforce positive and safe behavior, and bring hazards to the attention of others. In the manufacturing environment, we also teach employees how to properly wear personal protective equipment, safely use equipment, and manage chemicals.
We base our training programs on regulatory requirements and internal environmental, safety and health (ESH) standards. We provide additional training at sites where local or national regulations may be more stringent than TI baseline standards. All manufacturing new hires receive formal tours and orientations, which include an introduction to TI’s expectations and commitment to ESH.
TI tracks employee compliance with both required and optional training courses through electronic training systems. These systems help us confirm that our employees schedule and complete training within the required timeframes.
Reporting
TI requires sites to report injuries within 24 hours. Following an investigation, site ESH leaders report corrective action plans back to TI headquarters so that the company can globally distribute any appropriate alerts and lessons learned. In addition, if we receive notice of equipment malfunctions or product safety issues, we quickly share this information.
