The challenge of promoting a safe environment at Ultra’s installations is not restricted to the Company alone - preventive measures being extended similarly to outsourced employees and suppliers. As one of the five pillars of the Sustainability Model, the fostering of a safety culture is priority for all businesses.

Since 2015, the businesses have been revising their risk analysis studies and safety procedures, a goal set by the Company’s senior management in  the Ultra Safety Program and subsequently reflected in the improved results for indicators at the businesses. Throughout 2016, particular attention was paid to operating safety and processes with Ipiranga, Oxiteno, Ultragaz and Ultracargo establishing their individual methodological structure for evaluating the risks of these same processes.

Priority

All the businesses are revising their analyses of risks and practices in line with the goal set by Ultra’s senior management.

Ultracargo

21 thousand

hours of training in safety with an average of 60 hours per employee/year

Decline of 30%

in accidents with a reduction in severity and frequency

Ipiranga’s safety program is based on three pillars: people (employees and outsourced personnel), physical conditions (installations) and procedures (SIGA+). For people, the company has implemented actions relating to safe behavior, training and improved skills, the focus being mainly the development of leadership. In 2016, the Attitudes of Excellence in Safety were formalized - essential behavior to be observed by each employee in all their activities for mitigating risks and avoiding accidents.

Annual installation safety and environmental inspections are performed with the focus on physical conditions. In 2015, 81% of the operating units were inspected - rising to 100% in 2016 - the purpose being to detect infringements of safety rules and to propose solutions. During the latter year, 15 risk analysis reports were revised with the focus on the identification of key dangers and an evaluation of the risks at the operating units. The standard for the Emergency Service Plan was also restructured during the year in order to improve the management of operational emergencies. A system for promoting adherence of the operating units to the standards and national and international norms, SIGA+ (Ipiranga Management System Applied to Health, Safety, Environment and Social Responsibility) was reformulated in 2016 to align it still more closely to the reality of the operating activities of the company.

Oxiteno uses the Safety Process Based on Risk Management Model (SPBR) for identifying process risks and dangers, establishing mechanisms for preventing them or reducing the probability of their occurrence as well as creating the conditions for controlling eventual impacts. Once the risks are identified, they are incorporated in the guidelines and programs and are then monitored and evaluated by the operating units. Through Ultra Safety, in 2016 the company revisited its risk matrix, updating the previous analysis of 2013. This recent evaluation revealed that the risk potential had been significantly reduced over the preceding three years thanks to the implementation of a series of mitigating and preventive measures.

Greater efforts were also taken to standardize the management of safety measures at the units acquired more recently. For example, thanks to its proximity, the Montevideo unit was able to learn from the practices employed in the Triunfo plant, establishing them as a reference for its own installations.

Likewise, Ultragaz also proceeded with its process and safety program for identifying and revising risks to its installations and production system. In 2015, a pilot project was run at Capuava (São Paulo) and in 2016, the action was also applied at the Utingás de Santo André (São Paulo), Paulínia (São Paulo), Duque de Caxias (Rio de Janeiro) and Mataripe (Bahia) units. The purpose is to assess the dangers associated to possible accident scenarios in processes involving personal safety and risks to the environment, impact on the image and financial considerations. Complementary to the program, the Emergency Plan was reevaluated together with the level of team preparation and fixed emergency system conditions at the units. The outcome was an action plan to improve the technological and operating systems and the process.

In addition, approximately three thousand employees at 17 filling plants took part in the Escalated Safety Program, designed progressively to reduce workplace accidents. In 2016, monitoring revealed 26 work-related accidents requiring leave of absence from work - a 10% reduction in relation to 2015. Under the program, employees receive training on the safe handling of gas bottles – the main cause of personal accidents.

Management and monitoring Occupational Health, Safety and Environment (SSMA) is tracked using indicators and is one of the items audited annually by the corporate team at the 17 filling plants. In 2016, the annual audit also included the Satellite Storage Facilities in Sorocaba (São Paulo), Salvador (Bahia), São Jose do Rio Preto (São Paulo) and Palhoça (Santa Catarina).

Ultracargo expands structure

Between 2015 and 2016, Ultracargo upgraded its Occupational Health, Safety, Environment and Quality (SSMAQ) structure in order to boost the readiness of the team in light of the activities demanded. A Corporate Emergency and Process Safety Unit was included in the structure for improving safety aspects relating to operating processes, prevention and actions in case of emergencies. Additionally, the Corporate Occupational Health, Hygiene and Safety Coordinator was set up with the mission of promoting better employee quality of life and safety as well as to support the area in SSMA management. This new configuration is designed to improve the areas’ activities and is a reflection of the lessons learnt in managing the aftermath of the fire at the Santos port terminal in 2015.

In the second half of 2015, Ultracargo implemented its Corporate Process Safety Management System in which existing standards, programs and procedures were revisited for evaluating process safety risk management with the aim of accident prevention. The System is responsible for examining practices, procedures and actions to identify, analyze and manage risks related to operations. It is based on four pillars – commitment to process safety, an understanding of dangers and risks, risk management and learning from past incidents both within and outside the company.

New fire prevention systems were introduced, increasing the standard of excellence at the terminals. The project complies with Brazilian and North American technical standards of the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA). Santos Port Terminal 1 was the first to implement the new system and this will be extended to the other ports where Ultracargo has operations. Among the additional measures resulting from the implementation of this system is an enhanced capacity to anticipate responses to contingencies through monitoring and detection systems and greater agility in responding through rapid-attack automated systems with remote commands. Redundancy systems also ensure greater reliability and response capacity while the installed equipment permits action to be taken with immediate effect as events unfold.

Ultracargo has expanded its Safety Attitude Program to all the terminals where it has operations. Launched in Santos in 2015, the program has a behavioral focus and invests in raising awareness and education of employees in safety precautions. It also provides for Focus Groups to manage high potential risks. During 2016, five teams were designated to identify risk situations at the Santos terminal in both operational and administrative areas.  

The SSMA Performance Recognition Program is integral to strengthening the occupational health, safety and environment culture. Additionally, a pilot project is being implemented at the Aratu (Bahia) port terminal for evaluating the operating teams’ SSMA Management Performance. Every three months, the teams are evaluated on safety and environmental aspects. Those showing the best performance are rewarded in accordance with company policy.

With the support of consultants, risk analysis studies on safety processes were also undertaken in addition to assessing the teams’ response capacity to emergencies. This work was executed and monitored by four businesses: Ipiranga, Oxiteno, Ultragaz and Ultracargo.

Ultracargo invested 40 thousand hours in training, of which 21 thousand were for employee training in safety measures - an average of 60 hours per employee/year. In light of these actions, Ultracargo has been able to achieve a 30% reduction in accidents as well as their severity and frequency.

Accident rate with time off¹
(accident rate per million hours worked - employees and interns)

1. Rate is calculated based on the number of accidents /man-hours (calculated according to NBR 14280) with respect to payroll numbers as of December 31, 2016.

Accident rate without time off¹
(accident rate per million hours worked - employees and interns)

1. Rate is calculated based on the number of accidents/man-hours (calculated according to NBR 14280) with respect to payroll numbers as of December 31, 2016.
2. Increase in 2016 relates to inclusion of accidents requiring first aid.
3. Ultragaz is conducting work to refine the report on accidents not requiring leave of absence.

Number of fatalities