The World Steel Association (worldsteel) has announced plans for a Steel Safety Day that will focus on the safety and health of the people who work in the steel industry. The event is timed to coincide with World Safety Day, International Labour Organisation event which is held each year on April 28.

The association says that in support of Steel Safety Day, its members will carry out an industry-wide safety audit.

“worldsteel has carried out an analysis on safety and health practices in the steel industry over the last five years and has identified the main causes of serious safety incidents,” according to a statement by the association. “The Steel Safety Day is set up to reinforce awareness of the five most common causes of safety incidents and to create a safer working environment across the entire steel industry worldwide.”

Edwin Basson, Director General of worldsteel said: “worldsteel is requesting all its members as well as all related organisations within the steel industry to carry out a special audit on the five main causes of safety incidents in all plants around the world. This should engage both employees and service providers involving as many as four million people in total.”

“We hope to see that every steel plant in the world has carried out the recommended audit, has identified and developed a plan or already eliminated the risks associated with the main five causes of incidents and put all mitigating measures permanently into place. At the end of this industry-wide collective effort, we can say that we have made our workplace even safer than it is today.”

Andrew Page, Chairman of worldsteel Safety and Health Committee said: “Nothing is more important than the safety and health of the people working in the steel industry and management is responsible and accountable for safety and health performance in their organisation. The steel industry has seen a steady and notable reduction in the rate of injuries since 2006 and the average lost time injury frequency rate has gone down by 50% in the last five years. But our goal remains to create an injury-free, illness-free and healthy workplace with zero incidents.”

For more information on Safety and Health in the steel industry, click here.

The World Steel Association (worldsteel) represents approximately 170 steel producers (85% of global steel production), along with national and regional steel industry associations, and steel research institutes.