Health and Safety

Ciment Quebec considers its personnel as its most important asset, the soul of the group.

Health, safety and physical integrity are therefore an integral part of the priorities considered essential to the positive and sustainable development of our group and thus are as important as the priorities related to productivity, efficiency, quality and environment.

Ciment Quebec considers that occupational illnesses and injuries are preventable.

Conscious that the health and safety at work question is a dynamic element of its daily activities and therefore constantly evolving, Ciment Quebec undertakes to:

• continuously search and apply the best practices;
• make available to its personnel the best adapted protection equipments;
• pursue the gradual improvement and securitization of the workplaces;
• procure to its personnel the adequate and necessary information and training; so to meet the following objectives:

1. 1. Reaching ZERO accident incidents at the workplaces;
   2. Continuously reduce the Frequency and Gravity rates.

Despite the will and efforts of the management, the success of this Corporate Policy regarding to the Health and Safety at Work is however built on the governing principle stating that the personnel is the key element regarding Health and Safety at Work and, consequently, that each individual must conduct himself in such a way to avoid causing any accident, both to him and to its colleagues.

Goal of Zero Preventable Accidents

Reaching the best possible performance in occupational health and safety is a firm commitment for the shareholders, administrators and senior management of Ciment Quebec Inc. (CQI). It must also be a daily priority in all aspects for all employees in the Group. For this purpose, many measures have beenimplemented to reach our goal of zero preventable accidents.

In addition to CQI’s policy on OHS, its ready-mixed concrete divisions, Unibeton, Beton Mercier, Beton Miroc and Beton 640 are committed to respecting the guidelines and recommendations of the Association Béton Québec (ABQ) under the commitment policy for ready-mixed concrete producers regarding occupational health and safety.

The Group’s OHS Commitments:

• To communicate and explain our policy and objectives, checking for understanding and ensuring implementation;
• To involve all employees.;
• To provide sufficient and appropriate means to continuously improve safety while respecting regulatory requirements;
• To train employees at all levels, check that they have the skills to carry out their duties and responsibilities and that training is appropriate;
• To recognize best practices, good initiatives and outstanding performance;
• To adapt when required the Group’s various occupational health and safety prevention programs; and,
• To provide information on the results obtained, actual or potential accidental events, lessons that can be drawn and corrective action to be taken.

The Main Principles of the Group’s Policy

• All accidents can be prevented.
• Accountability and involvement of each worker is essential.
• Management is the key to preventing accidents.
• Working safely is a job requirement.
• Hazards in the workplace can always be prevented.
• All employees must be trained to work safely.
• Preventing accidents and respecting health are beneficial to everyone in the company.
• Temporary assignment is the preferred solution for safety issues at work.

2011: PCA Safety Record Awards

With compilation of data from more than 90% of cement plants in Canada and the United States, CQI recorded 4 542 469 hours without an accident with loss of time.