In support of our commitment towards establishing and maintaining safe workplaces, Corning's Worldwide Safety Management Services implemented a risk-based approach to the scheduling of corporate safety audits. Starting in 2004, safety audits were scheduled for each facility on a 2, 3 or 4 year cycle. Prior to that time facilities were on a 2 year cycle.
A model developed by our organization was used for determining the safety audit schedule frequency. All facilities were classified using three primary criteria: business classification, exposed population and hazard factors. Business classification is an overall measure of inherent business complexity. Population is the total number of exposed people at the site and hazard factors are existing work processes and physical, chemical and biological hazards. Using these three criteria, an overall risk rating category was calculated for each facility, with higher risk facilities being assigned to a 2 year audit cycle, intermediate risk facilities assigned to a 3 year cycle and lower risk facilities assigned to a 4 year cycle.
The result of the new scheduling system is that Safety Management Services has increased its ability to proportionally focus its safety support resources on those facilities in the higher risk categories while still providing needed services to lower risk facilities. Regardless of the safety audit frequency, we continue to provide training, evaluation, consultation and other services in support of the facility's safety and health management system and plan. This approach provides higher value to our overall objective of reducing accidental loss.
Prior to final adoption of this approach we solicited feedback from numerous facility representatives relative to their specific model ranking. Their responses indicated agreement with the model process results. Some offered important additional information concerning the near-future status of their operations that was included in the model application.
It should be noted that the ranking information is reviewed periodically to determine if changes in facility operations have occurred that significantly impact the scheduling frequency. A list showing how facilities were ranked and the impact on future scheduling was provided to each facility for their review.
This model was developed by Worldwide Safety Management Services to provide a system for long-term risk-based scheduling of safety and health audits. In determining audit schedule frequency the model considers facility complexity and population and loss risk due to process and work operation hazard potential. The model provides increased opportunity for more efficient and focused use of resources, enhanced customer service and enables better planning and budget control via establishment of audit frequency based on potential facility loss risk.