Workforce safety

We lead the industry with our low incident rates for work-related injuries and illnesses. Based on analysis of incidents and risks, we continuously work to improve the safety and health of our employees and contractors. Since 2000, we have reduced our workforce lost-time incident rate by an average of over 12 percent per year.

Tragically, however, we experienced five contractor fatalities in 2008. Our challenge is to learn from every incident so we can achieve our vision of Nobody Gets Hurt.

As part of our effort to achieve this vision, our employees and contractors receive rigorous training before commencing work in our facilities. They participate in safety teams, conduct safety observations, and suggest ongoing improvements in safety procedures. In 2008, more than 1600 of our contractor supervisors and managers participated in leadership workshops conducted by ExxonMobil Development Company, an increase of more than 20 percent since 2007.

In addition, during 2008, we continued to emphasize hazard recognition and reduced risk tolerance in our workforce by promoting the effective use of tools like Last Minute Risk Assessments. Ongoing training helps to address “risk tolerant behavior” and improve hazard recognition skills.

Addressing human factors to ensure Nobody Gets Hurt
ExxonMobil's operating organizations are working toward a goal of zero safety and health incidents. Unfortunately, incidents still occur and the majority of them are related to human performance. Human factors, such as fatigue, influence the performance of people and their behavior. By using specially-tailored tools and techniques, including ergonomics, the number of accidents and cases of illness at work can be reduced. Many ExxonMobil organizations have reduced injuries through behavior-based safety tools incorporated in their personnel safety management systems.

We have also learned that the most effective way to incorporate human factors considerations into equipment and systems set-up is at the initial facility design and development stage. By involving operating personnel and considering the principles of human factors early in a project's development, we are reducing costly rework and performing smoother startups with lower incident frequency.

Recognizing Outstanding SHE Performance. The Robert W. Campbell Award.  
“Integrating safety and health values into a business’ daily operations is not an easy task and we must all learn from Campbell Award winners how it can actually be accomplished. Embracing safety and health at the strategic level is one thing, even theoretically; but diligent and daily implementation is quite another. Campbell Award winners show us all how it can be done — and how it can be done well.” John Howard, Former Director, National Institute for Occupational Safety & Health USA

The Robert W. Campbell Award honors organizations that achieve high levels of excellence by integrating safety, health, and environmental (SHE) management into their overall business operating system. This award was jointly developed by Exxon Mobil Corporation and the National Safety Council in 2003.

Built upon scientific rigor and using an evidence-based case study approach, the Award serves as a catalyst toward understanding the intrinsic value of SHE in business excellence and sustainability. To promote leading edge integrated SHE management systems, exemplary submittals are shared with organizations and educational institutes worldwide through its network of Global Partner organizations.

The Award has received a wide variety of high quality submittals from manufacturing, healthcare, food service, information technology, mining, energy, and transportation industries around the globe. The selection of winners is accomplished through multiple steps of evaluation, on-site assessment, and examination by the Campbell Award Executive Committee, which is composed of over 50 volunteer experts representing management, labor, academic, and government perspectives.