Our safety management system 

We have robust safety management systems in place, which help us to:

• identify and control our health and safety risks;
• reduce the potential for accidents;
• comply with health and safety legislation, and;
• improve performance.

Industry-leading safety performance 

National Gas aspires to lead the way in safety performance in our industry. One measure we take very seriously is the Lost Time Injury Frequency Rate (LTIFR), as it reflects our dedication to creating a workplace where everyone can go home safely and without harm.

We were proud to record an industry-leading LTIFR of 0.01 during the 2023/24 financial year.

Continuous improvement: proactive safety management 

Throughout the RIIO-2 price control period, we are focusing on more proactive safety management, including good-catch and near-miss reporting, action closure and investigation quality – to support earlier intervention and remediation.

Future focus: safety and health targets 

As National Gas moves into the RIIO-GT3 price control period, we will build on our ambition to be “Safe Every Day”. We will continue to embed a proactive safety culture, as we work towards the highest level of safety maturity. Our safety and health plans will continue to be aligned with our four key areas:

1. Keeping our assets and processes safe every day

This involves managing the integrity of our assets, operating systems and processes by applying good design principles, engineering and operating practices – helping to prevent major incidents such as fires, explosions and the release of hazardous substances.

In addition, it is critically important that we continue to operate in a way that protects members of the public and ensures that safe operating distances are maintained. As an example, National Gas actively engages with land owners through proactive communications, such as lettering and marker posts, and by promoting online tools such as LinesearchBeforeUDig. We also carry out regular aerial surveillance, so that we can intervene when necessary.

2. Improving safety every day

We manage workplace hazards resulting from our operations through continued compliance with all legislation, a clear understanding of our risk profile, and by applying robust setting-to-work controls and assessments. We will continue to expand on, and drive, improvement activities to help prevent accidents and harm to individuals from work-related activities.

3. Supporting health and wellbeing every day

We understand how our working practices and the work environment can impact health, both physical and mental. We support our colleagues with excellent health and wellbeing service provisions, alongside proactive wellbeing initiatives that go beyond legislative requirements. These activities help to reduce ill health while also giving people the opportunity to engage in activities that enhance their health and wellbeing. 

4. Demonstrating safe behaviours every day 

We promote engagement and support continuous improvement by ensuring that safety is at the forefront of all decisions. We reiterate that everyone is accountable for acting safely. Everyone is empowered to stop any job if it is not considered safe to continue. We encourage open and honest conversations so that successes can be celebrated and shared, but also to ensure that we share lessons learned if something doesn’t go so well.