UPM reduces workplace accidents in 2012-2013 by 60% over two years and 2013 total of 200 lost-time accidents worldwide falls from more than 550 in 2011; company attributes this success to its program that calls on all employees to improve workplace safety

Debra Garcia

HELSINKI , April 22, 2014 (press release) – UPM's strong focus on improving workplace safety has produced great results. The Lost Time Accident Frequency (LTAF)* decreased in 2012 and 2013 by a total of 60%. The total number of lost time accidents in all UPM sites globally decreased from over 550 in 2011 to 200 in 2013.

Occupational safety has improved significantly in all UPM business areas. 12 production facilities have not had any lost time accidents in over a year.

The results are due to the company-wide "Step Change in Safety 2012–2014" initiative that called on all UPM employees to improve workplace safety. Key success factors are management commitment, active employee participation, shared goals and operating models and encouragement.

"We have made great progress in decreasing the number of work-related accidents. I'm especially glad to see that improvements have been made in all business areas and sites around the world. The goal for the final year of the workplace safety initiative is to further reduce the number of accidents and, above all, to ensure world-class safety performance in all our activities," says Jussi Pesonen, President and CEO of UPM.

In 2013, UPM concentrated on proactively identifying and addressing safety risks. "We have improved employees' awareness of the risks by organising safety training, sharing information on near-miss situations and encouraging everyone to report all hazardous situations and safety deficiencies," says Kaisa Lehtipuro, Director of Occupational Health and Safety at UPM.

"All businesses have performed very well. A good example of a very significant improvement is the Pellos 3 plywood mill in Mikkeli, Finland. In two years they succeeded in decreasing the number of work-related lost time accidents to less than one-tenth of the previous amount. That is an excellent result for a mechanical forest industry facility," Lehtipuro continues.

UPM's safety themes for 2014 are health and well-being, supplier safety and preventing the most common cause of accidents: falling down and hurting yourself because of slipping or tripping.

* Number of lost time accidents per one million hours of work.

UPM leads the reformation of bio and forest industries. We are building a sustainable future in six business areas: UPM Biorefining, UPM Energy, UPM Raflatac, UPM Paper Asia, UPM Paper Europe and North America and UPM Plywood. Our products are made of renewable raw materials and are recyclable. We serve a global base of customers. We employ approximately 21 000 people and our annual sales are approximately €10 billion. UPM's shares are listed on NASDAQ OMX Helsinki.

UPM – The Biofore Company – www.upm.com

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