Sicherheit und Gesundheit
Messer is an active member of the EIGA (European Industrial Gases Association), the IOMA (International Oxygen Manufacturers Association), the AIGA (Asian Industrial Gases Association) and the CGA (Compressed Gas Association). Our experts regularly exchange experience and knowledge because the protection of our employees, the safe manufacture, use and handling of our products, and the responsible conduct are important parts of our corporate values.
Internally, we recognize outstanding achievements in the area of SHEQ with the “Messer SHEQ Award”. In 2022, it was presented at our international SHEQ meeting for the period 2020 to 2021. The “Best Performer” award went to Messer Croatia Plin d.o.o., Messer France S.A.S. won the “Best Improver” award. Dr. Udo Kohl, SVP Corporate SHEQ, and Stefan Messer, at that time CEO Messer SE & Co. KGaA, personally presented the awards to Hrvoje Rogic, Head of SHEQ Messer Croatia, and Olivier Bagel, Director SHEQ Messer France, who accepted the awards on behalf of their teams.
The safety of the people who work with our industrial gases is of paramount importance to Messer. That is why we are also raising awareness of the safe handling of gas cylinders among our customers. New video clips provide basic information on the contents, transport, handling and connection of gas cylinders. To accompany the videos, "Pocket Guides" bundle safety-relevant information in a compact print format.
In addition to complying with legal regulations, Messer uses a proven transport safety concept. In Europe, we are committed to paying particular attention to the safety of our vehicle fleet as part of the European Road Safety Charter. The safety measures we have developed for logistics at national and international level include a constant exchange of experience between logistics and safety personnel, with the aim of further improving safety in this area.
While Messer's American companies use their own personnel to transport gases, external companies are primarily entrusted with this task for other regions. They are also responsible for carrying out the legally required training of the driving personnel. We supplement this with a driver training program developed by Messer Corporate Logistics. It is supported by an on-board computer system, which has been in use since 2019 and records safety-relevant driving data. In addition, based on driving data and integrated sensor technology, it prompts drivers to adapt their driving style during the journey. This makes our transports even safer and helps consume less fuel.
The on-board computer system helps to reduce the absolute number of accidents and further improve the accident frequency rate, as do appropriate supplier management, training and manuals for driving personnel with individually tailored content for the operation of bulk, cylinder or service vehicles, and technical aids.
In 2022, the number of preventable accidents during the transport of our cylinder gases worldwide was 56, compared with 74 in the previous year. This improvement is reflected in the accident frequency rate per million kilometers driven, which fell from 2.13 in 2021 to 1.59 in the reporting year. The number of preventable accidents involving the transport of liquefied gases was 161 in 2021, compared with 193 in 2022. This trend is confirmed by the frequency rate per million kilometers driven: from 0.8 in the previous year, it increased to 0.96 in 2022.
Top performance at the wheel and in logistics
With the "Messer Logistic Awards", we honored exemplary behavior in transportation and logistics in 2022 with reference to the year 2021. The "Best Driver 2021" came from Romania. The "Best Performer 2021" logistics award went to Messer in Croatia. The "Most Improved 2021" logistics award for the greatest improvement over the previous year went to the Messer team in Slovakia. Various driving parameters, which are recorded using an on-board telemetry system, serve as the basis for evaluating driving performance.
Messer advises its customers from the medical sector, supplies gases as medicinal products or medical devices, plans, assembles and maintains supply systems and offers medical accessories and consumables as part of a complete service package in more than 20 countries.
Our activities in the pharmaceutical sector meet the relevant requirements at national, European and international level. This applies in particular to the requirements of European Good Manufacturing Practice (EU-GMP) and the specifications of the European Pharmacopoeia. As a medical device, our gases comply with the Medical Devices Regulation (EU 2017/745), the previously applicable Medical Devices Directives and the corresponding national laws.
We ensure continuous product and delivery quality through internal audits, a unified pharmacovigilance system, and validated workflows and computer systems.