Objectives in 2010

• Ongoing maintenance and improvement of the SHERQ management system.
• Compliance with the Basil Read safety and environmental legal audit results of a minimum 100%.
• Compliance with the Basil Read SHERQ management system group audit results of a minimum 90%.
• Resident engineer assessments – minimum 90% per site.
• Client assessment – average 90% per site.
• Entrench behaviour based safety on a minimum of 15 sites.
• A safety DIFR of less than 0,3%.
• Improvement of subcontractor compliance with Basil Read’s health, safety and environmental requirements.

The implementation of the annual SHERQ plan for the group is closely monitored through a monthly feedback system to the CEO and directors. Any identified shortcomings are immediately addressed and incorporated as goals for continual improvement.

Environment

Highlights

• One of the first construction groups to become a member of the Green Building Council of South Africa.
• Group environmental officer awarded Green Star Accredited Professional status.
• First group internal environmental audits introduced, with subsequent audits showing steady progress.

We keenly understand the direct and indirect impact of construction activities on our environment. In the prior year, an experienced conservationist was appointed to spearhead the group’s environmental initiatives, including documenting significant risks and developing plans to address these.

Excellent progress was made in environmental management during the review period.

In the first half Basil Read completed the first of a rigorous two-part audit by external evaluators for its ISO 14001:2007 certification, the latest version of this international standard. This was the culmination of an 18-month project to update processes within the group and the external evaluators commended the group for its progress towards certification. They identified only seven minor issues in the first phase; six of these were rapidly addressed and the seventh by year end.

The final phase was completed in November. At the closing meeting, lead auditor Professor JC Engelbrecht commended Basil Read for having one of the best SHERQ management systems.

The first group internal environmental audits were conducted during the year. Results are indeed encouraging from two perspectives: firstly, issues identified as requiring attention were predominantly minor and easily addressed. Secondly, sites recorded steady improvements in subsequent audits, reflecting widespread commitment at all levels to meeting and exceeding environmental responsibilities. These audits are integrated with safety, health and risk issues to provide holistic assessments.

In recent years, environmental considerations have become far more important in planning projects. While Basil Read’s clients are responsible for completing the mandatory environmental impact assessments and developing an appropriate environmental management plan, we supplement the client’s plan with our own stringent framework to ensure the best possible environmental practices on each site.

Basil Read has also proactively developed an environmental checklist, based on ISO and OHSAS standards, for all tenders. We have our own environmental management plans for specific Basil Read developments such as St Micheil’s.

To reinforce our commitment to reducing our environmental footprint, solar panels were installed at head office to supplement our daily electricity use. This is apparently one of the largest commercial installations in the southern hemisphere and is contributing 50kWh towards our daily consumption of 250kWh (20%) while reducing monthly costs.

During the year, Basil Read received no fines for non-compliance in any of its operations. No major spills were recorded at any of our sites.

Objectives in 2010

• Continue monitoring water, electricity, waste oil, waste paper and e-waste (such as printing cartridges and redundant equipment) with the objective of developing group-wide targets in the near future. This is a complex process for a company in a high-growth phase as disparate systems need to be integrated and employees trained to a common standard.
• Determine the group’s carbon footprint to establish a benchmark and to determine tangible and measurable interventions to reduce this footprint.