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Working Conditions

Health & Safety

GRI Index

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At Gildan, occupational health and safety is a top priority. In 2008, Gildan implemented an internal health and safety performance scorecard in order to keep track of work-related injuries and severity. Covering all of our Gildan-owned facilities, the scorecard contains data relating to first aid, injuries, lost-time accidents, musculo-skeletal disorders, lost work hours, work days, injury rate, and severity rate.

The injury rate is an indicator showing how many accidents occurred for every 200,000 hours worked.

The severity rate indicates the gravity of the accidents which occurred during the same amount of hours worked. This rate is based on the number of lost days which is an indicator of the severity of any accident.

In 2011, on a global scale, injury and severity rates decreased by 24% and 5% respectively from 2010. In 2010-2011, we did not have any work-related fatalities.



Data based on Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) calculations.
(Total Amount of Accidents/Total Work Hours) X 200,000
Factor 200,000 is derived from 50 working weeks at 40 hours per 100 employees.


Data based on Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) calculations.
(Total Lost Days/Total Work Hours) X 200,000
Factor 200,000 is derived from 50 working weeks at 40 hours per 100 employees.

 

 

  • Health and Safety Committees

    At all Gildan-owned facilities and at many of our administrative offices, we have established formal Health and Safety Committees composed of managers, supervisors and production workers, who meet once a month to discuss preventive measures to be implemented. Committees also review health and safety accidents which occurred during that period and suggest improvements to our health and safety programs. These suggested improvements are implemented by Health and Safety Managers who are also responsible for developing related procedures at our sewing and textile operations.

  • Health and Safety Training

    Each year, Gildan provides a number of health and safety training sessions to employees at all levels at all of its facilities. These sessions include:

    • general safety rules
    • inspection check sheets
    • emergency response and first aid
    • evacuation and rescue procedures
    • forklift security
    • industrial security training
    • fire control and prevention
    • ear protection and back safety
    • extinguisher use
    • hazardous waste management
    • work permit/lock-out/tag-out
    • personal protective equipment
    • electrical hazards
    • spill response
    • working at heights
    • chemical identification and use
    • accident reporting and investigation

  • Health and Safety Compliance Performance

    All Gildan-owned facilities are subject to specific health and safety audits that are performed on a regular basis by an in-house safety coordinator and internal corporate social responsibility monitors, as well as external social compliance auditors.

    Health and Safety Audits Conducted at All Gildan-owned Sewing Facilities:

    • Once per work shift
      Production work station safety
    • Once a month
      Cafeteria sanitary conditions
      Facility safety
      Maintenance and condition of equipment
      Labelling and maintenance of chemicals
      Housekeeping (includes textile facilities)

    At our textile facilities, we currently only perform the housekeeping audit, which includes safety items. But starting in 2012, some of the audits mentioned above will be consolidated into the housekeeping audit. This will allow us to more easily compare facilities’ performance.

  • Continuously improving our occupational health and safety management system

    Recognizing an opportunity to improve occupational health and safety, we joined forces with Business for Social Responsibility (BSR) and the Fundación Hondureña de Responsabilidad Social Empresarial (FUNDAHRSE), to analyze and strengthen our occupational health and safety (OHS) management by becoming part of BSR’s DR-CAFTA Responsible Competitiveness Project.

    BSR and FUNDAHRSE began the project by conducting internal and external stakeholder interviews which provided input for a health and safety materiality analysis for our San Miguel sewing facility in Honduras. The results showed that this facility’s stakeholders were mostly interested in ergonomics. BSR and FUNDAHRSE then conducted an OHS management systems best practices benchmark and gap analysis to determine areas for continuous improvement. The final stage of the project consisted of the creation of a peer-to-peer training program to empower workers to actively contribute to factory OHS trainings, both by helping decide the content and by reinforcing with their peers the concepts presented in trainings. The complete study can be found here.

    From this work emerged a series of initiatives designed to create corporate management systems that encourage preventive measures for occupational illnesses and on-the-job accidents, along with the continuous improvement of health and safety issues. The project’s immediate results included:

    • Creation of a global Health and Safety Committee, including representatives from every region in order to share preventive and corrective actions following accidents
    • Incorporation of health and safety indicators into manager and supervisor evaluations at all levels
    • Improvement of manager and supervisor response times with respect to implementing health and safety suggestions and taking corrective action to ensure compliance
    • Inclusion of the project’s recommendations in the regional manager’s annual implementation goals
    • Incorporation of employee concerns identified during interviews conducted by BSR and FUNDAHRSE into the Occupational Health and Safety Training Program
    • More dynamic worker involvement in the occupational health and safety programs

     

    Expected longer-term results include higher compliance with our health and safety policies, a decrease in health and safety risks as a result of preventive measures, and fewer employee absenteeism and turnover.

    During 2011, as an outcome of the project, more than 4,000 San Miguel employees were retrained in ergonomics, using the same methodology as that developed with BSR. In 2011, both the number of accidents at San Miguel and the employee turnover rate were positively impacted by the initiatives mentioned above.

  • Local initiatives

    At Gildan, we are proud of the fact that numerous programs are being developed for implementation at our locations with an objective towards improving our employees’ knowledge regarding general health issues, thus contributing to their overall well-being. These initiatives are designed to address the specific needs of our employees according to their geographic location.

    Staying informed about Health and Safety

    Our employees receive health and safety information through various means of communication depending on their location: bulletins, flyers, emails, meetings and notification from health care partners.

    Cafeteria Certifications

    In keeping with its commitment to provide its employees with clean and hygienic cafeteria services, Gildan is implementing a food safety program (Programa Alimentos Seguros or PAS) at all its cafeterias in Honduras. The program provides Gildan with useful tools in order to continuously improve the quality of its cafeterias and its employees’ satisfaction, while reducing absenteeism due to food-transmitted outbreaks or diseases. Through this program, Gildan has benefitted from consulting services provided by AgroBioTek Internacional, the organization responsible for the development of the program. This was complemented by training sessions on food handling, with the objectives of informing cafeteria personnel on their respective roles with regard to food safety, as well as coaching them on the auditing process to quickly detect non-conformities and how to implement corrective actions to address these in accordance with international norms.

    Our San Miguel and Choltex facilities completed the implementation in June of 2011 and received their gold certification confirming that they are compliant with international norms in terms of hygienic food handling. The gold certification is the highest level that can be reached within the program.

    Health Care Programs

    In most of the countries in which we operate, public and private healthcare programs are lacking. To make up for the deficiencies in the social security systems (which includes access to medical care), Gildan physicians at each facility have analyzed public health tendencies of common illnesses (including influenza, HIV and other sexually transmitted diseases, dengue, and conjunctivitis) in the countries in which we operate. Based on the findings, Gildan has implemented preventive programs for employees, such as presentations, bulletin board postings, brochures, and loud speaker announcements.

    For instance, at our facilities in Central America and the Caribbean Basin, we implemented a preventive program for respiratory illness, which is the main cause of illness in these regions due to their tropical climate. In Nicaragua, a preventive program was implemented on leptospirosis as an increase in reported cases has been noted in the country.

    Health Fairs in Central America and the Caribbean Basin

    We have been organizing Health fairs at our Honduran facilities since 2007 and in Nicaragua since 2009. During these events, many organizations join Gildan’s medical staff to provide our employees with information on various medical conditions, nutrition and other health care-related topics. They also receive important information on medical treatment for concerns such as diabetes, dental, ophthalmological and gynecological care, among others.

    In 2010-2011, Gildan provided numerous medical services, such as general medicine, pediatrics, ophthalmology, gynecology, vaccines, vitamins, laboratory exams, orthopedics, dentist, HIV tests, to more than 12,500 employees in Honduras.

    In 2011, more than 1,500 employees participated in health fairs in Nicaragua.

    In the Dominican Republic, health fairs are part of the Family Days organized each year at our Dortex facility. In 2011, more than 5,500 employees and members of their families attended the health fairs, during which conferences were offered to employees on subjects linked to health.

    Women’s Health

    In Honduras, our health care teams educate female employees to recognize signs of cervical cancer, and provide free testing to those who wish to be tested. Between the first campaign in 2007 and the end of 2011, 750 female employees, which represents 10% of our current Honduran female workforce, have undergone the cytology. This test was made available through a partnership between Gildan and the Honduran government, which donated the equipment required for this test. In the future, Gildan will be highlighting this campaign in order to ensure that female employees understand the importance of the issue and participate in future testing.

    Gildan’s Pink Tour: Breast Cancer Awareness Campaign

    In October 2010, Gildan launched a breast cancer awareness campaign at all of its facilities. The campaign, which is referred to as Gildan’s Pink Tour, has now become an annual event at the Company’s facilities in Honduras. During the campaign, facilities were decorated with pink ribbons and balloons. Physicians gave presentations about breast cancer detection and prevention, and answered employee questions on the topic. In 2010, more than 10,000 employees participated in Gildan’s Pink Tour.

    In 2011, in addition to the activities mentioned above, Gildan partnered with the National Breast Cancer Prevention Committee, San Pedro Sula’s Social Programs office, and many other organizations to participate in a breast cancer awareness walk where the Company was represented by more than 80 participating employees. 

    Pregnancy Workshops and Breastfeeding Clinic

    In 2011, one of our nurses from our Villanueva facility in Honduras was trained to develop a workshop required by the Social Security Institute (IHSS) for all pregnant employees in order to comply with the Honduran Health Secretary’s standards and procedures. This workshop is also mandatory in order for women to receive their maternity leave. The objective is to provide pregnant women with information to help them become physically and mentally prepared to give birth and to the changes that motherhood will introduce into their lives. The workshop covers the following topics:

    • Breathing techniques
    • General physical preparation exercises
    • Importance and advantages of breastfeeding
    • Guidance on delivery phases, waiting time at home, when to go to the hospital, and high-risk situations

    Among the multiple benefits of this workshop, one key advantage is that it gives employees the convenience of receiving the training at the Company’s facilities over one day, compared to the four-day workshop given externally by the IHSS.

    A total of 166 women participated in the workshop since its inception.

    In October 2010, at our Villanueva facility in Honduras, we also inaugurated a breastfeeding clinic to support our female employees who are returning to work after having given birth and are still breastfeeding. During the International Breastfeeding week, in August 2011, our sewing facility in Villanueva was recognized for its program.

    Other facilities in Honduras and in Nicaragua also offer breastfeeding areas allowing mothers to extract and store milk.

    HIV / AIDS Awareness Campaign

    In 2010 and 2011, our Honduras facilities participated in an annual HIV / AIDS awareness and prevention campaign during which Samaritan’s Purse, an international organization providing spiritual and physical aid, was invited to speak about HIV / AIDS prevention. More than 9,000 employees participated in the campaign. The organization also offered on-site HIV testing for employees who wished to be tested.

    Gildan was one of only four companies, and the only manufacturer, to receive the Building a Better World Award, which recognizes organizations promoting policies, initiatives and information campaigns about HIV / AIDS as part of their corporate citizenship platform. The Award is given by the Honduran National Business Council (COHEP) and CHF International, a non-profit organization aiming to be a catalyst for long-lasting positive change in low and moderate income communities, helping them improve their social, economic and environmental conditions.

    Safety Bowl

    At our distribution facility in Eden, North Carolina, the idea of implementing the Safety Bowl program was first raised during one of the worker-management committee meetings. Based on a football game’s rules, the participating employees are divided into teams and achieve points and yardage for various safety categories such as safety inspections, no recorded accidents, no first aid accidents, and identification of team safety ideas. Similarly, teams can also be penalized for certain safety items. At the end of the year, the team with the most points gets a day off, as well as a trophy and plaque which are displayed in the employees’ break room.

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