We aim to achieve excellence in employee health through visible leadership, a robust framework of policies and standards, and clear systems of management and assurance that align to a Zero Harm approach.
Our annual operational and improvement activities for health are conducted in line with the management expectations set out in our Annual Sustainability Policy. Our ISO45001 Occupational Health and Safety Management System, and Workplace Health Standard, support us to prevent harmful workplace exposures and related illnesses, and improve the wellness of employees. We set annual targets to achieve zero occupational health diseases (level 3-5) and a score of ≥ 85% in our external occupational health audit.
Wellness
The aim of the wellness programme is to build and maintain a physically and emotionally healthy workforce by having the appropriate support systems in place.
Our governance framework for wellness is anchored by the Debmarine Namibia Wellness Policy, which is supported by various other policies and procedures, including a Substance-use Policy, Smoke-free Workplace Policy, HIV and AIDS Management Policy, an annual medical surveillance initiative, and ongoing Employee Assistance Programme (EAP). The working conditions on our vessels require physically fit and mentally alert employees, and we comply with international maritime safety rules for the physical health of employees at sea.
We conduct annual screenings for chronic medical conditions such as hypertension, diabetes, cholesterol, body mass index (BMI), TB, and HIV (where consent has been given). HIV and TB are key priorities due to the high burden of these diseases in Namibia. All employees with chronic conditions are supported with the medical monitoring and management of their conditions. We strive to proactively identify and support employees who are experiencing mental health challenges and personal issues, including substance abuse. In line with our substance-use policy, we conduct random alcohol and drug testing of employees and compulsory testing for employees in high-risk occupations.
COVID-19
Since 2020, responding to Covid-19 has been the predominant focus of the wellness programme. We have improved our preventative and curative initiatives to include Covid-19 infection and adapted our mental health initiatives to provide enhanced support for managing anxiety, bereavement, and depression. The pressures of the Covid-19 pandemic and our internal response measures have amplified workload and stress across the company, including for the wellness team. Mental health has become more important and employee self-care has become increasingly difficult, with increased risk of fatigue and burnout, and a potentially negative impact on families and workplace safety.
