SKB’s health & safety, quality and environmental policy

Focus on a safe and healthy work environment.

At SKB, we always strive to ensure that everyone working at our sites works in a safe, healthy work environment where social interaction, working conditions and conditions in general create a satisfactory work environment. We believe that injuries, work-related illnesses and personal safety incidents can be avoided. At SKB, we always adopt a proactive approach to health and personal safety, and continuously improve our work environment by ensuring that:

• Everyone working at SKB’s workplaces is expected to pay attention to personal safety in and around the workplace. We always pay attention to possible hazards and risks related to health and personal safety, and act appropriately and proactively when such risks arise. In existing facilities, laboratories and offices, and when designing/planning and constructing new facilities, we take risks into account and do everything we can to eliminate and minimize them.
• We take the time to learn about health and personal safety aspects and take the necessary measures to prevent risks.
• We always work in a safe manner and follow all procedures and instructions. This means that we stop work immediately if a situation arises that is unsafe for ourselves or others. We work preventively by using personal protective equipment and designated tools.
• We help our colleagues to prevent unsafe and/or unhealthy situations.
• All managers within SKB understand that we must prioritize the safety of our employees and take the necessary measures for this.

Business profits are never prioritized at the expense of the health of employees, contractors, suppliers or local residents. In order to create this approach, the business undertakes systematic work on occupational health and safety, which includes all physical, organisational and social circumstances that are of importance for those working within SKB’s facilities. Safety work pervades all operations and all levels within SKB, and forms a natural part of day-to-day operations.

Prohibition of the use of drugs and alcohol

Alcohol and drugs may not be brought into or used within SKB’s facilities and offices. Abuse is any situation where the use of alcohol or drugs can be the cause of safety incidents or infringements with a harmful impact on SKB’s assets or financial results. This includes SKB’s reputation in the event of alcohol- or drug-related traffic accidents involving SKB’s employees. Abuse is never tolerated.

Use of medication

All employees using medication should consult the physician who prescribed the medication, and/or the company’s physician, if the prescribed medication might result in any deterioration

of performance at work. In cases where the medication might impair the ability to work, the employee must notify his/her line manager.

Quality – Continuous improvement and compliance

We value good quality in our work, which is governed by our management system. For us, quality means developing and continuously improving appropriate and effective processes which support operations in complying with current requirements and achieving defined operational goals.

It is essential to us that we manage requirements in a systematic way, via specially defined roles and processes. The management of requirements must result in the governance of roles, responsibilities, working methods and technical design required by the operations.

Environment – Care for the environment

SKB’s mandate is to take care of spent nuclear fuel and radioactive waste from the Swedish nuclear power plants so that human health and the environment are protected in the short and long term. The mandate is part of the national environmental goal for a safe radiation environment. Safety is the fundamental precondition for our operations and facilities. In addition, our actions must be characterized by reducing as far as possible any impact that is harmful to the environment.

When choosing between different solutions, we consider how they affect people, the environment and society. We use natural resources efficiently and limit the environmental impact to the greatest extent possible. We ensure that SKB contributes to development in society that is sustainable in the long term by:

• Performing our task of disposing of all radioactive waste from the Swedish nuclear power plants in a manner that is safe both for people and for the environment.
• Work to limit our environmental impact is an integral element of our operations and our management system, which is based on, among other things, the environmental standard ISO 14001. We therefore work actively to

– comply with and fulfil the requirements in laws and regulations in the area of the environment and sustainability,

– limit emissions of greenhouse gases, e.g. by prioritizing virtual meetings, only travelling when necessary and making environmentally conscious choices of modes of travel and transportation,

– limit the consumption of resources and energy in our operations and facilities, both present and future, and specify environmental and sustainability requirements in the procurement of goods and services; if possible, fossil-free energy sources must be used,

– promote sustainability, conservation and circularity through sorting at source, reuse and recycling, and avoid harmful substances in materials and products,

– limit our impact on air, soil and water environments from, for example, the lowering of groundwater levels and emissions at our facilities,

– manage and use our land and water areas with great consideration of natural values and biodiversity, and generally limit our environmental impact,

– continuously develop and improve our work to reduce the environmental consequences and any disruption in the surrounding area.

• We assess environmental performance and adopt a life cycle perspective when choosing our working methods, equipment, materials and chemicals, as well as when choosing suppliers, contractors and business partners.
• All employees are given the opportunity to acquire knowledge, understanding and the ability to follow safe working procedures and contribute to a good environment.