Safety, health and wellbeing

Repower is committed to the safety, health and wellbeing of its employees. Measures to prevent accidents, promote health and protect against work-related risks ensure that the negative impact of the company’s activities on employees is minimised.

Impacts

The work involved in constructing, maintaining and operating plants entails mechanical and electrical hazards that pose a potential risk to health and safety. More than half of the employees of Repower Switzerland and a small number of the employees of Repower Italia, including the employees of Erreci S.r.l., which installs solar plants, are exposed to these risks. A large proportion of the employees at Repower Italy and almost half of those at Repower Switzerland perform office work. The greatest risks are musculoskeletal complaints and stress-related illnesses. Measures to improve health and safety in the workplace can minimise such negative effects.

Risks

Maintaining high standards and implementing measures for safety and health in the workplace requires investment in training, protective equipment and safety measures, which entails additional costs. Accidents and work-related illnesses can also lead to production stoppages, rising insurance costs and legal consequences, increasing financial risks and potentially causing reputational damage.

The risks relating to labour law and safety, as well as the risk of a lack of resources due to sudden absence, are part of the Repower Group’s risk and control assessment (see Introduction). The work-related risks at Repower Switzerland are also determined in a comprehensive risk analysis process.

Guidelines and due diligence

Repower Switzerland has an occupational health and safety policy in accordance with ISO 45001 and an operational safety policy in accordance with the Swiss Federal Coordination Commission for Occupational Safety (FCOS), which is defined as part of the integrated management system. The committee responsible for the integrated management system meets several times a year and evaluates the current status of occupational health and safety, environmental protection and quality. Measures to reduce risks are developed together with internal and external experts and explained to the employees concerned. Internal audits ensure that the precautions taken are adhered to. The head of Environment, Safety & Certification is charged with keeping the safety policy up to date and implementing it.

SET S.p.A., the operator of Teverola combined-cycle gas turbine power plant, is also certified to ISO 45001. Repower Italia has guidelines for the management of health and safety matters, including the management of emergencies. For risk assessment, Repower Italy mainly refers to the document on hazard assessment (Documento di Valutazione dei Rischi DVR) and the document on the assessment of interference risks (Documento unico di valutazione dei Rischi interferenziali DUVRI). The specific risks of construction sites are regulated in safety plans (Piani di Sicurezza e Coordinamento PSC) and safety operating plans (Piani Operativi di Sicurezza POS). The supervisory authority conducts two audits a year. Discrepancies are dealt with by the departments responsible and reported to the supervisory board at the next audit. Responsibility for health and safety issues at all the Italian companies lies with the respective health, safety and environment manager. In Milan this role is assumed by the compliance officer. The issue of health and safety in the workplace is monitored by the supervisory board in accordance with Legislative Decree 231/2001.

sport@repower

Under the banner of sport@repower, Repower Switzerland offers its employees the opportunity to take part in various selected sports events or courses throughout the year. The aim is to encourage employees to exercise, strengthen team spirit and try out new activities. In 2024, around 90 employees took advantage of 16 different offerings. These included windsurfing, cross-country skiing, tennis and yoga courses, participation in the nationwide “bike to work” campaign, mountain runs and the Engadine ski marathon.

Measures

All Repower Group employees undergo introductory training on health and safety at work when they start employment. All employees have access to medical services and training in accordance with the terms and conditions of employment. In addition, all employees in Power Generation & Grid take part in mandatory annual safety days tailored to their work.

At Repower Switzerland the Environment, Safety & Certification department carries out general risk assessments, for example in plants. Project-specific hazard assessments are conducted by the respective project managers with support from the Environment, Safety & Certification department. The hazards identified are communicated to the employees affected. Employees can get involved at any time.

Repower Italia carries out various risk assessments, for example on workplace hazards, malfunction risks, fire hazards in the workplace and work-related stress.

The Repower Group also provides support to protect and promote the health of its employees, for example by providing UV protection, hearing protection and hearing tests and laying on fresh fruit, drinking water and standing desks. Repower Switzerland is also active in the Canton Graubünden workplace health committee.

Stakeholder engagement

Health and safety at work is fundamentally important for all stakeholders. Accordingly, the relevant measures are regularly monitored and adjusted as needed. Employees are also directly involved and informed in training sessions.

Specific risk assessments are carried out for projects in collaboration with business partners. The Repower Group formally documents all hazards in a general safety policy. At the beginning of work, Repower Switzerland provides instruction, including a training certificate, for all those involved.

Measuring effectiveness

The Repower Group makes sure that measures are effective with regular internal controls and external audits.

Work-related injuries: In 2024, there were no deaths due to work-related injuries or work-related injuries with serious consequences, but there were 26 accidents. With 1,224,023 hours worked, this corresponds to a rate of 4.3. Compared with the previous year, 2023, in which Repower recorded 21 accidents, there was a slight increase in the accident rate from 3.8 to 4.3. The most common injuries were foreign bodies in the eye and cuts to the hand. Despite the increase in the accident rate, the number of days lost was significantly lower than in previous years.