We are FCC Nº22

The Andalusian cement sector, made up of the Andalusian Cement Manufacturers’ Association (AFCA), which includes the companies FYM-HeidelbergCement Group, LafargeHolcim España, Votorantim Cimentos España, Cemex España and Cementos Portland Valderrivas; and the two most representative tra- de unions, CC. OO. del Hábitat An- dalucía and FICA-UGT Andalucía, has always been fully committed, not only to the creation of value and quality employment, but also to the environmental and human health aspects, both of its workers and of the people who live around its fac- tories. In the context of the 6th agreement for the energy recovery and sustai- nability of the Andalusian cement industry, signed by the sector’s employers and trade unions on 18 September 2019, in the presence of the president of the Andalusian Re- gional Government, it was agreed to draw up a report analysing the impact on the health of the cement sector in Andalusia. This report, prepared by the independent con- sultancy firm INERCO, was publicly presented at an event chaired by Ro- cío Blanco, Andalusian Regional Mi - nister for Employment, Training and Self-Employment, and attended by representatives of AFCA, CC.OO. del Hábitat Andalucía, UGT-FICA Andalucía and FLACEMA. The report, which has been drawn up according to the criteria establi- In the centre, Rocío Blanco, Regional Minister of Employment, Training and Self-Employment of the Andalusian Regional Government, with representatives of the cement sector of the autonomous community. shed in the guide published by the Ministry of Health and Families of the Andalusian Regional Govern- ment for the evaluation of the impact on health of projects subject to en- vironmental prevention and control instruments in Andalusia, has focu- sed on the analysis of very diverse factors, such as noise, traffic and mobility, air quality, etc. Consolidating preventive mana- gement The most important conclusion of the study is that there is a compa- tibility between individual and co- llective health and wellbeing and the activity of cement plants in An- dalusia. The representative of the Junta de Andalucía praised the cli- mate of understanding between the companies and trade union repre- sentatives of the cement sector in Andalusia and congratulated them on the main conclusion reached by the report. The business and trade union representatives agreed that the compatibility between cement activity, people’s health and respect for the environment is a guarantee Cement activity is perfectly compatible with the health and well-being of workers and neighbours for the maintenance of the industry and the employment generated. The Regional Minister of Employ- ment, Training and Self-Employ- ment, Rocío Blanco, assured that trade unions and employers in the cement sector in Andalusia are gi- ving “an example of how social dia- logue, consensus and social res- ponsibility contribute to progress and improvement”, especially in a si- tuation like the current one, in which energy costs or the transport strike are putting Andalusian factories in a difficult situation. Rocío Blanco took advantage of her speech at the pre- sentation ceremony to explain that the 3rd Action Plan of the Andalu- sian Strategy for Health and Safety at Work has already been launched, after having reached an agreement within the Andalusian Council for the Prevention of Occupational Ris- ks. This plan, she added, will be va- lid for two years and includes up to 91 actions with a total budget of 17.7 million euros aimed at improving health and safety conditions in com- panies and consolidating preventive management. W E L L N E S S 52 W E L L N E S S