Occupational injuries GRI 403-9

The consistent policy of Russian Railways in health and safety

seeks to ensure zero fatal occupational injuries caused by the Company's employees. The Company engages in comprehensive efforts to prevent accidents, occupational diseases, and fatalities.

Rates of occupational injuries caused by employees and employers (Federal Statistical Observation Form No. 7 (Injuries): Occupational Injury and Occupational Disease Data) Data based on Federal Statistical Observation Form No. 7 (Injuries): Occupational Injury and Occupational Disease Data (in line with the instructions on the completion of federal statistical observation forms). | persons
Evolution of workplace injury frequency rate

The reporting year saw the following levels of workplace injuries across the Company in 2021:

  • overall injury rate (total number of injuries) up by 6%
  • fatal injury rate (number of fatal injuries) up by 21%
  • severe injury rate down by 15%
  • workplace injury frequency rate (number of injuries per 1,000 workers) up by 8.7%
  • fatal workplace injury frequency rate (number of fatalities per 1,000 workers) up by 25%.

At the same time, occupational injury rates caused by employees of Russian Railways were down as follows:

  • total injuries (number of injuries in accidents confirmed to be caused by employees and managers of Russian Railways) down by 5%
  • fatal injuries (number of fatalities in accidents confirmed to be caused by employees and managers of Russian Railways) down by 18%
  • severe injury rate down by 10%
  • frequency rate of workplace injuries caused by Russian Railways (number of injuries per 1,000 workers) down by 3%
  • frequency rate of fatal workplace injuries caused by Russian Railways (number of fatalities per 1,000 workers) down by 19%.

The lost time rate, which is a measure of the number of lost working days per 1,000 workers (due to workplace injuries), continues to go down. Compared to 2020, the decline reached 14%.

The workplace injury frequency rate at Russian Railways is five times lower than the average in Russia. As at the year-end, 92% of units of Russian Railway’s branches most prone to injuries remain committed to health and safety for over five years in a row: no fatal injuries across all units, while 828 units (64%) recorded zero injuries.

The main types of fatal accidents in 2021 were as follows:

  • traffic accidents;
  • electrocution;
  • accident involving moving rolling stock;
  • falls from a height.

Primary causes of occupational injuries are:

  • poor procedures of, and control over, operations;
  • violations of operational procedures;
  • violations of labour and operating discipline..

Following each severe or fatal injury involving a Russian Railways employee, all Company branches receive updates about the injury and its causes. Each fatality is reviewed by branch managers, with development of preventive steps and identification of employees who caused the accident.

Injuries of contractors

Accidents involving contractors at Russian Railways sites are at all times reviewed by the Company. However, due to its size and structure, Russian Railways keeps no records of contractors’ injuries. The procedure of contractor authorisation is always aligned with the Company's internal regulations.


Prevention of occupational injuries

Health and safety management mode depending on occupational injury rate
In 2021, units of Russian Railways branches continued introducing contingency health and safety management modes depending on occupational injury rates as a tool to prevent occupational injuries.

In order to prevent future occurrences of the circumstances and root causes of workplace accidents, an additional set of measures was carried out whenever a contingency health and safety management mode was put in place.

Control over health and safety management system
In 2021, seven targeted inspections (at the Central Directorate for Heat and Water Supply and six operating domains at railways) and two internal audits (at Transenergo and Far Eastern Railway) were held.

The results of the targeted inspections and internal audits were reported to and reviewed by senior executives of the units under review, with summary reports submitted to heads of relevant branches, corrective measures put in place, and disciplinary action taken against employees who caused violations of health and safety requirements.

Public control over health and safety compliance
The Company has positions of a health and safety officer of the primary trade union organisation of Russian Railways. In 2021, there were a total of 15,300 health and safety officers at the Company.

Those of them who are strongly engaged in measures to ensure the safety of Russian Railways employees are recognised as the Best Health and Safety Officers in Railway Industry. In 2021, the award was given to 48 employees of structural units at Russian Railways branches.