Health Protection

Roche is committed to providing workplaces with optimal conditions of health and safety (Corporate Principles). To implement this principle, the company has set up a system consisting of a Corporate Occupational Health function and local ones at each site. The basis of all their activities is a health risk assessment which consists of an evaluation of hazards or dangers present at each workplace and their exact characterisation, and, on the other hand the exposure to these hazards. With this information, the health protection specialist can quantify risks, define and prioritise action. The fields covered by the Occupational Health function at Roche include occupational medicine, industrial hygiene, occupational toxicology, biosafety, ergonomics, radiation protection, mental health, health promotion, travel medicine, first aid and emergency medicine as well as rehabilitation.

The Corporate Function establishes standards that must be respected even if they exceed local regulations. Compliance with these standards is verified by regular audits. The Corporate Function is also available as a resource for advice and training. Based on data collected annually and on information from the audits and other sources, it launches initiatives to enhance awareness and activities in specific fields such as ergonomics, noise, protection from chemical hazards or biological safety.

The Corporate standards are custom-made and very prescriptive for matters that are specific to Roche (such as exposure standards for substances manufactured exclusively by Roche) and reflect best practices in other areas such as ergonomics or protection from physical hazards.

Every site has a local Occupational Health function. It acts as an advisor to local management and supervises the implementation of the local regulations and Corporate standards and recommendations. It is a key driver for those occupational health activities that are strongly influenced by local law and culture, such as mental health and health promotion (stress management, smoking cessation, weight control, physical exercise), and in many of these areas, cooperates closely with the Human Resources function.