Through the use of the latest technology and the involvement of corporate management, Chesapeake demonstrates its dedication to the safety of all employees and the residents of communities impacted by our operations.
Incident Reporting System
Chesapeake maintains an internal incident reporting and tracking system, used for all locations throughout the country. Field employees use this system to report incidents of any type, including vehicle accidents, spills and releases, fires and other emergencies, and personnel injuries. We’re then able to accurately track the occurrence of incidents and their impact on the environment, our employees and members of the public. The incident reporting system also allows us to respond quickly and follow up to ensure that all incidents have been dealt with properly.
Employee Safety Training
Providing safe work environments for our employees is a priority for us. We utilize classroom, hands-on and online training to educate our employees. In 2009, we trained a total of 39,019 employees in safety and environmental training programs, through 767 instructor-led courses and 19 online training sessions. In addition to regular operations training, employees in the field facilities also attended an average of 24 hours of specialized safety and environmental training.
Online Environmental, Health and Safety Training
Chesapeake utilizes an online environmental health and safety training system that provides instruction in company policies and procedures for topics pertinent to the management of our field assets. The range of topics covered includes: OSHA-required training areas, such as Confined Spaces and Respiratory Protection; environmental issues, such as Spill Prevention Control and Countermeasure; and Employee Right to Know and emergency management issues. Each course is designed specifically for our employees and allows the company to provide consistent training and policies throughout all operations. This training also provides a framework by which our employees can function as good neighbors in the communities in which we work. All training is recorded and reviewed to ensure that all employees who receive training understand and retain it.
Emergency Response Plans
Staying Prepared
We maintain detailed emergency response procedures modeled after the National Incident Command System. As a precautionary measure, corporate management assigns procedures, roles and responsibilities for emergency situations to field personnel and conducts regular safety training meetings to educate personnel regarding these systems to ensure an appropriate response. In addition, we conduct Table Top Exercises to ensure that all personnel understand their roles when responding to emergencies.
Operating Safely
We also meet with and train local fire departments and emergency planning councils so that these organizations understand their roles when responding to serious situations. All critical phone numbers and contact information are available to employees through the Internet and in hard copy so that if an emergency arises, initial contact can be made immediately and completed within a 15-minute period. We take our commitment to our employees, communities and the environment very seriously and have carefully planned to respond to emergency situations if the need arises.
EHS Management System
Chesapeake’s internal inspection and audit process regularly records the condition of the equipment and the surrounding environment at all of our producing locations. This data is used to track and determine the need for various air permits, to help us understand where and how to manage our pressurized vessels and to determine and verify the condition of our storage facilities with regard to our Spill Prevention Control and Countermeasure requirements. This process ensures that we have accurate, up-to-date information on all of our facilities and can easily determine and manage appropriate environmental programs which may apply to our facilities.
Contractor Management
Contractors are an integral and essential part of our business. Safety and environmental performance is a critical element during contractor selection.