Exxon Environment, Health and Safety Policies, 1999

Safety Policy
Health Policy
Product Safety Policy
Environmental Policy

Safety Policy

It is Exxon's policy to conduct its business in a manner that protects the safety of employees, others involved in its operations, customers, and the public. The corporation will strive to prevent all accidents, injuries, and occupational illnesses through the active participation of every employee. The corporation is committed to continuous efforts to identify and eliminate or manage safety risks associated with its activities.

Accordingly, Exxon's policy is to:

* design and maintain facilities, establish management systems, provide training, and conduct operations in a manner that safeguards people and property;
* respond quickly, effectively, and with care to emergencies or accidents resulting from its operations, cooperating with industry organizations and authorized government agencies;
* comply with all applicable laws and regulations and apply responsible standards where laws and regulations do not exist;
* work with government agencies and others to develop responsible laws, regulations, and standards based on sound science and consideration of risk;
* conduct and support research to extend knowledge about the safety effects of its operations, promptly applying significant findings and, as appropriate, sharing them with employees, contractors, government agencies, and others who might be affected;
* stress to all employees, contractors, and others working in its behalf their responsibility and accountability for safe performance on the job and encourage safe behavior off the job;
* undertake appropriate reviews and evaluations of its operations to measure progress and to ensure compliance with this safety policy.


Health Policy

Exxon's policy is to:

* identify and evaluate health risks related to its operations that potentially affect its employees and contractors or the public;
* implement programs and appropriate protective measures to control such risks, including appropriate monitoring of its potentially affected employees;
* communicate in a reasonable manner knowledge about health risks, gained from its health programs and related studies, to potentially affected individuals or organizations and the scientific community;
* determine at the time of employment and thereafter, as appropriate, the medical fitness of employees to do their work without undue risk to themselves or others;
* provide or arrange for medical services necessary for the treatment of employee occupational illness or injuries and for the handling of medical emergencies;
* comply with all applicable laws and regulations and apply responsible standards where laws and regulations do not exist;
* work with government agencies and others to develop responsible laws, regulations, and standards based on sound science and consideration of risk;
* conduct and support research to extend knowledge about the health effects of its operations;
* undertake appropriate reviews and evaluations of its operations to measure progress and to ensure compliance with this health policy.

In furtherance of this policy, Exxon believes it is good practice to provide positive preventive health programs designed to enhance employees' well-being, fitness for work, productivity, and personal safety. These programs, which may include periodic health evaluations, immunizations, and health risk factor reduction, are typically tailored to local and/or national circumstances as appropriate and should be conducted according to the following principles:

* they should supplement, but not interfere with, the responsibility of employees for their own health care or their relationships with their personal physicians;
* participation in such programs should be voluntary except where examinations are required by law or company policy for employee safety or the safety of others;
* information about employees that is obtained through the implementation of these programs should be considered confidential and should not be revealed to nonmedical personnel except at the request of the employee concerned, when required by law, when dictated by overriding public health considerations, or when necessary to implement the guidelines of the Alcohol and Drug Use Policy.


Product Safety Policy

Exxon's policy is to:

* identify and manage risks associated with its products and not manufacture or sell products when it is not possible through proper design, procedures, and practices to provide an appropriate level of safety for people and the environment;
* specify precautions required in handling, transporting, using, and disposing of its products and take reasonable steps to communicate them to customers and others who might be affected;
* comply with all applicable laws and regulations and apply responsible standards where laws and regulations do not exist;
* work with government agencies and others, as appropriate, to develop responsible laws, regulations, and standards based on sound science and consideration of risk;
* include identification and control of potentially adverse health, safety, and environmental effects as priority considerations in the planning and development of products;
* conduct and support research to extend knowledge about the health, safety, and environmental effects of its products, promptly applying significant findings and, as appropriate, sharing them with its employees, contractors, customers, the scientific community, government agencies, and the public;
* undertake appropriate reviews and evaluations of its operations to measure progress and to ensure compliance with this product safety policy.


Environmental Policy

It is Exxon's policy to conduct its business in a manner that is compatible with the balanced environmental and economic needs of the communities in which it operates. Further, it is the corporation's policy to comply with all applicable environmental laws and regulations and apply responsible standards where laws or regulations do not exist. The corporation is committed to continuous efforts to improve environmental performance throughout its activities. It will encourage concern and respect for the environment, emphasize every employee's responsibility in environmental performance, and ensure appropriate operating practices and training. The corporation will communicate with the public on environmental matters and share its experience with others to facilitate improvements in industry performance.

Accordingly, Exxon's policy is to:

* work with government and industry groups to foster timely development of effective environmental laws and regulations based on sound science and considering risks, costs, and benefits, including effects on energy and product supply;
* manage its business with the goal of preventing incidents and controlling emissions and wastes to below harmful levels and design, operate, and maintain facilities to this end;
* respond quickly and effectively to incidents resulting from its operations, cooperating with industry organizations and authorized government agencies;
* conduct and support research to improve understanding of the impact of its business on the environment, to improve methods of environmental protection, and to enhance its capability to make operations and products compatible with the environment;
* undertake appropriate reviews and evaluations of its operations to measure progress and to ensure compliance with this environmental policy.