EUROPEAN WEEK FOR SAFETY AND HEALTH AT WORK STOP THAT NOISE! NOMINATION FOR GOOD PRACTICE AWARDS: CARPATCEMENT HOLDING S.A. – BICAZ BRANCH

TOPICS:  Application for nomination  Carpatcement Holding S.A. – Bicaz Branch  Brief History  Integrated Management System Certificates Quality – Environment – Occupational Health & Safety  Changing the method of exploiting the rocks from the deposit  Investments achieved in the quarry  Purchase of non-electrical initiation systems  Monitoring the health condition of the employees  Individual Protection Outfit

CARPATCEMENT HOLDING SA - BICAZ BRANCH Main activity:Cement Manufacturing Workplace: Operating Stages – Raw Materials Quarries Risk factor: Noise The reduction of noise exposure for the workers in the quarries of raw materials necessary for cement manufacturing was done by:  High-performance management, with the involvement of the workers: Certifying and keeping the Integrated Management System for Quality-Environment-Occupational Health and Safety according to ISO 9001/2000, ISO 14001/1996 and OHSAS 18001/2004: Identification of dangers, risk assessment and control, Communication, awareness and training, Management Program for Occupational Health and Safety; Changing the exploitation method by replacing the massive explosions in blast chambers with explosions in drilling machine holes: decreasing the number of secondary explosions by 50%, decreasing the workers’ exposure time to the noise of the drilling - blasting noise by 75%; Achieving investments by purchasing high-performance technical equipment: drilling machines and perforators; Compliance with the technical development, by using the non-electrical initiation systems (NONEL type) at blasting works: decreasing the noise level of explosions. Monitoring the health condition of the workers occupationally exposed to noise, by performing preventive audiometer check-ups: no occupational disease due to noise exposure was found. Providing individual protection outfit of highest quality: “Professional ear-plug headsets: SNR 26 dB”.

CARPATCEMENT HOLDING S.A. – Bicaz Branch Brief History (1)  1975: in Taşca there starts the construction of a modern cement plant, as an extension to Bicaz Cement Plant commissioned in  Output: 1.9 mil. tons of cement equivalent/year, obtained by dry method.  1979: the Cement Plant in Taşca starts production by commissioning a manufacturing line of 3000 t clinker/day.  1980: a second manufacturing line, with an output of 3000 t clinker/day, is commissioned.  The Binders and Asbestoscement Complex Bicaz (which was the name of the company back then) becomes the largest cement producer in the country at that date.

 14 May 1998: Moldocim S.A. Bicaz becomes member of HeidelbergCement Group, through the purchase of the majority stock.  An extensive investment program is started aiming at:  productivity increase  product quality enhancement  modernization of the entire manufacturing flow  improvement of the environment quality CARPATCEMENT HOLDING S.A. – Bicaz Branch Brief History (2)

 Since 2003, the company has certified the Integrated Management System for Quality – Environment – Occupational Health and Safety according to ISO 9001:2000; ISO 14001:1996 and OHSAS 18001:1999 (2004 ASRO). INTEGRATED MANAGEMENT SYSTEM CERTIFICATES

CHANGING THE METHOD OF EXPLOITING THE ROCKS FROM THE DEPOSIT  The EXPLOITATION of the rocks from the deposit is done by:  Primary blast with blast chambers:  2005 – the last year to use this method.  Primary blast with drilling machine holes:  2000 – the year this method started to be used.  ADVANTAGES of primary blasts in drilling machine holes:  Elimination of underground work dangers;  Decreasing vibrations and noise by:  reducing the explosive load / blasting,  reducing by 50% the number of secondary blasts for breaking the oversized rocks.  Improvement of the safety conditions upon the handling of explosive materials;  Decreasing, by 75%, the workers’ exposure time to the noise of drilling – blasting operations.

INVESTMENTS ACHIEVED IN THE QUARRY HBM 60 (HAUSHERR) DRILLING MACHINE Workplace Measurement of noise level Acoustic level measured db(A) Acoustic level continuous equivalent / week calculated db(A) Acoustic level continuous equivalent admitted db(A) in the cage65 87 outside848087

PURCHASE OF NON-ELECTRICAL INITIATION SYSTEMS  While performing the blasting works, in order to obtain efficient results and for lower and lower risk factors, the selection of priming means holds a decissive importance. DETONATING FUSE NONEL INITIATION SYSTEM Total reduction of the disturbing effect of the overpressure in the air wave shock front

MONITORING THE HEALTH CONDITION OF THE EMPLOYEES The Labour Medicine Medical Center provides the following:  Identification and assessement of the occupational disease risks;  Medical examination upon hiring:  Reference audiograms,  Ear health examination.  Recurrent medical examination:  Annual audiogram + ear health examination,  Annual psychological examination.  Sanitary education:  to wear the protection outfit,  to comply with the auditive break ( min. in intervals of 1 hour, in places free from noise).

INDIVIDUAL PROTECTION OUTFIT - IPO  IPO corresponds to the type and duration of the noise and complies with the individul protection outfit used;  Upon selection of the auditive individual protection outfit for purchasing purposes, the workers have been consulted regarding their comfort during utilization;  Training the workers for their awareness of the reasons for which wearing the IPO is mandatory includes also the instructions for the utilization, storage and maintenance thereof. Reusable, tied, internal ear-plugs Professional ear-plug headset Average attenuation obtained (SNR) 25 db26 db Level of noise at the workplace 80 db Value of noise at the person’s ear 55 db54 db