Taking care of the health and safety of employees
The Fund’s structure includes organisations from all major industries of the Republic of Kazakhstan, which are traditionally regarded worldwide as the most hazardous types of production, where, due to the specific nature of their activities, there is an increased risk of accidents and incidents.
We consider the life and health of our employees to be our top priority.
In 2024, the Fund approved the corporate Strategy for the Development of the Occupational Safety Management System for 2024–2028. According to the Strategy, by 2028, the LTIF lost time injury rate across the Group is planned to be reduced to 0.12, a 14% reduction compared to the 2023 figure. At the same time, our strategic goal is to achieve zero injuries (Vision Zero).
- reduction of occupational injuries among employees of the Fund Group and contractors based on the zero tolerance principle;
- increasing the level of safe labour culture;
- striving for zero number of occupational diseases among the employees of the Fund Group;
- striving for zero fires, accidents, and incidents;
- striving for zero road accidents;
- implementation of the best industry global practices;
- ensuring transparency of occupational safety processes.
To achieve the set goals, we are implementing tasks in the following four key areas:
1. People and improving safety culture:
- reducing the level of risks to the life and health of employees and damage to property;
- development of leadership in occupational safety issues of managers and employees of the Fund’s Group organisations;
- improvement of labour conditions for employees and the safety level of equipment;
- improving employees’ qualifications and monitoring the level of employees’ knowledge in the field of safety.
2. Ensuring safety in the operation of process equipment:
- improvement of internal regulatory documents in the field of safety;
- improvement of the efficiency of the occupational safety management system;
- introduction of proactive tools for injury prevention;
- improvement of the occupational safety monitoring and control system;
- ensuring interaction with contractors in the field of occupational safety, operating at the production facilities of the Fund Group.
3. Emergency Prevention:
- preventive measures to prevent accidents:
- control over the preparation and operability of Emergency Response Plans;
- provision of material reserves for emergency response preparedness;
- increasing preparedness to respond to emergency response.
4. Outreach:
- development of personal responsibility and involvement of employees in occupational safety matters;
- exchange of experience between portfolio companies and with international large production companies;
- development of an expert environment and a platform of best practices in the field of occupational safety;
- development of co-operation with international companies on occupational safety matters.
Our occupational safety activities are governed by the Occupational Safety Policy and the Corporate Standard on Occupational Safety Management. These documents apply to all portfolio companies, their subsidiaries, affiliates and service providers and are incorporated into the Fund’s business relations with its partners, ensuring uniform principles and approaches to occupational health and safety.
The plan of occupational safety measures is formed and implemented annually.
Since 2019, the Fund’s Management Board has had a Health, Safety and Environment Committee comprising responsible representatives of the CEO-1 level from 11 major portfolio companies. Its main task is to ensure coordination and control over the implementation of measures of portfolio companies aimed at improving the efficiency of the corporate management system in the field of occupational safety. In addition, the Committee discusses issues of concern and exchanges experience, as well as proposes important initiatives in the field of occupational safety.
To minimise the risks of incidents and accidents with severe and fatal outcomes, the Fund’s portfolio companies have long-term plans for technical refurbishment of obsolete and worn-out equipment and facilities. Our Occupational Health and Safety Management System complies with ISO 45001-2018 ‘Occupational Health and Safety Management System’ standards, which applies to the employees of the Fund Group. Subsidiaries and affiliated organisations and their parent Companies have a certificate of compliance.
SEVEN GOLDEN RULES
We adhere to the Seven Golden Rules developed by the International Social Security Association (ISSA), an important step in creating a safety culture where risk prevention is not just a requirement but an integral part of the work environment.
PREVENTION OF OCCUPATIONAL INJURIES
The portfolio companies implement proactive tools to prevent injuries, which contribute to risk reduction. These include documenting hazardous conditions, dangerous actions and potentially dangerous incidents (Near Miss), as well as conducting behavioural safety audits.
For early diagnosis and accident prevention, the portfolio companies apply the practice of on-site cross-audits of industrial facilities with the participation of experts in various occupational safety areas.
Following our commitment to respect and protect human rights, we recognise and grant the right to each employee to refuse or stop work in the event of a potentially dangerous situation that reasonably poses a threat to the life and health of employees. This is enshrined in the Samruk-Kazyna JSC Occupational health and Safety with which the employees of the Fund’s Group get familiar.
To ensure the safety of employees when working on equipment at the portfolio company level, plans have been developed for the refurbishment of obsolete and worn-out equipment and facilities with increased risks of incidents and severe and fatal accidents.
We continued the practice of cross audits. The audit perimeter included 17 industrial enterprises; we identified more than 1,000 non-compliances. The largest number of violations is in the areas of labour protection – 33%, fire safety – 24% and industrial safety – 18%.
We work to prevent road accidents and reduce injuries among employees, among other things, we conduct training activities in accordance with in-depth programmes that exceed the mandatory requirements established by the legislation of the Republic of Kazakhstan. More than 4,400 employees have completed the defensive driving course.
The UK Institute of Occupational Safety and Health (IOSH) has developed and accredited the Occupational Safety Leader modular programme at the end of 2024.
Statistics on occupational injury rates are monitored on a daily basis in the portfolio companies. Internal investigations of accidents are conducted to identify root causes and develop corrective actions, as well as behavioural safety audits.
In addition, we invest in measures to prevent accidents, improve sanitary and living conditions for employees, improve employee health and wellness, provide employees with personal protective equipment, provide training on occupational health and safety issues and develop a safety culture. In 2024, KZT 119 billion was allocated for these purposes (KZT 109 billion in 2023).
Investments to ensure occupational safety, KZT billion
| 2021 | 2022 | 2023 | 2024 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Total | 100 | 125 | 109 | 119 |
| Occupational health and safety | 23 | 25 | 32 | 28 |
| Fire safety | 10 | 15 | 14 | 12 |
| Occupational safety | 61 | 81 | 53 | 69 |
| Training | 2 | 2 | 2 | 3 |
| Other | 4 | 3 | 8 | 7 |
There is a continued decrease in injury rates. Thus, compared to 2021, the lost time injury frequency rate (LTIFR) decreased by 41% (from 0.22 in 2021 to 0.13 in 2024). The number of people injured in industrial accidents in 2024 is 94 (120 in 2023). LTIF ratio31 in 2024 was 0.13 (0.14 in 2023). Occupational injury statistics in graphs and tables in this Report cover employees of portfolio companies engaged in production activities.
Despite our efforts, 12 people died in 2024 because of labour-related accidents (accidents occurred in Kazakhstan Temir Zholy – 8, Samruk-Energy – 3, KazMunayGas – 1).
In 2024, the majority of fatal accidents are related to collision with diesel locomotives, exposure to moving objects. Serious injuries were caused by incidents involving falls from heights, exposure to moving objects and road accidents.
Each case is analysed, and information bulletins are sent out with a brief description of the circumstances, causes and corrective measures taken to prevent their recurrence in other companies. 12 meetings were organised between the teams of subsidiaries and affiliates and employees who were injured at work to prevent similar cases of injury.
HEALTH AND WELL-BEING OF EMPLOYEES
Annual medical examinations are conducted for all employees of the enterprises, based on the results of which recommendations are issued on the prevention of socially significant diseases, as well as on further monitoring, treatment and rehabilitation. Pre-shift and post-shift health checks are also carried out. Some portfolio companies, e.g. KEGOC, carry out additional health monitoring of employees engaged in heavy work, work with harmful and/or hazardous labour conditions, pretrip and post-trip medical examination of drivers.
Every year, production enterprises implement action plans to improve the health of employees and working conditions, which are coordinated with the territorial division of the department of the state regulator responsible for the sanitary and epidemiological well-being of the population. Employees of medical services raise the employees’ awareness at enterprises in the form of lectures and talks on the prevention of diseases of the blood-circulating system, tobacco smoking, alcoholism and irrational diet. Employees are provided with health resort treatment and material assistance for holidays for health improvement purposes.
We are introducing programmes to improve the health of employees. For example, since 2023, the 360° Health Protection Programme has been implemented at NAC Kazatomprom JSC, which includes: mandatory annual preventive examinations of employees with an extended screening programme; equipment to automate medical examinations; first aid training for personnel at hazardous production facilities; and regular review of topical issues on health protection and industrial medicine.
We create comfortable conditions for recreation and sports activities for our employees, confidently supporting their desire for a healthy lifestyle and creative self-expression. We believe that the development of sports and cultural initiatives helps strengthen team spirit, increase motivation and improve the general climate in the team.
Sports festivals and marathons were traditionally held in the Reporting period as part of corporate programmes.
In November 2024, the Samruk-Kazyna Group of companies hosted the annual Sport Festival, which united 834 employees of the Fund and portfolio companies. The participants competed in 11 sports disciplines, playing 210 sets of medals. The event became an important initiative of the Fund to strengthen team spirit, promote a healthy lifestyle and develop corporate culture. The Sport Festival became not only a symbol of sports unity, but also a platform for uniting labour collectives and promoting the Fund’s values.