2021 Owens Corning Sustainability Report | Expanding Our Social Handprint | Living Safely | 253 Virtual assessments came about as a result of COVID-19 restrictions, but we expect they will become a more regular part of our processes, as this streamlined experience has proven highly beneficial for both our assessment teams and the sites. Detailed Risk Assessment Owens Corning completes a detailed risk assessment of high-risk conditions within a facility, as well as prior to starting each task. We have developed a risk assessment calculator tool that generates a risk score based on the complex relationships between severity and the hierarchy of controls. In addition to traditional risk assessment calculations, which multiply frequency by severity, we are exploring a new scoring system that removes frequency from our calculations. In doing so, we can avoid situations in which a minor but common hazard might be scored higher than one that is more serious but less common. This is in keeping with our commitment to SIF prevention. After identifying a risk, assessors take the following steps: ■ The potential severity of the risk is rated: • SIF. • Significant. • Minor. ■ Each control type is rated according to the assessors’ confidence in their effectiveness. Control types include: • Passive engineering. • Warning. • Administrative. • Personal protective equipment (PPE). ■ Each selection is weighted and scored: • A score for the controls. • A score for severity. • A total risk score. ■ Based on the scores, the risk is categorized: • Low. • Acceptable. • Unacceptable. • Dangerous. If the risk is categorized as unacceptable or dangerous, a mitigation plan is required. When incidents do occur, an investigation into the root causes is conducted. Developing and Sharing Action Plans Each site develops action plans to eliminate or reduce its top risks. ■ Internal teams conduct site assessments that contribute to the enterprise risk management assessments that are completed for the audit committee and the board of directors. ■ Business unit managers regularly discuss work-related risks. ■ These discussions are then shared among our EHS teams, the executive management team, and the board of directors on a quarterly basis, resulting in additional action plans for the entire organization. ■ Quarterly formal business-unit reviews of our safety model are then used to develop a continuous improvement program. ■ Our regional leaders conduct periodic plant inspections as well as provide support and growth opportunities to each of their plants. In some cases, regional leaders collaborate across divisions to help eliminate hazards. ■ The EHS assessment team thoroughly reviews EHS processes at sites, typically on a four- to five-year cycle. We review the list of sites regularly and schedule assessments based on the time elapsed since their last assessment (or sites that have not yet been assessed), site risk, and special requests from the businesses. When required by our customers, we also obtain third-party safety certifications, such as OHSAS 18001/ISO 45001, which cover approximately 25% of our sites. Our global safety and environmental organization verifies and documents the status of management systems during scheduled audits. After assessments are completed, we obtain a published report. All items identified for improvement in the report are incorporated into the facility improvement plan. Critical items are called out and directed to the vice presidents of sustainability and operations for review, and to senior EHS leaders for further action. Virtual Health and Safety Assessments We continue to conduct health and safety assessments virtually, which has led to greater efficiency as assessors spend less time on-site. The process begins as the site answers a series of questions related to safety initiatives and protocols. Assessors then review these self-assessments prior to an on-site visit, and they check up on a sampling of responses to confirm the information matches the assessment. This has led to significant improvements in efficiency, as on-site visits that once took up to a week can be done in a fraction of the time.