We protect the natural environment by complying with all environmental laws, promoting conservation, and reducing waste and emissions. CenterPoint Energy is committed to excellent environmental stewardship.

You are expected to become familiar with the environmental laws, policies and procedures that apply to your work. Managers and supervisors are responsible for explaining these laws and policies, and making sure that they are followed.

All waste products and hazardous materials should be handled, stored, and disposed of properly. We are required by law to report releases into the environment of many regulated substances. Failure to comply can result in substantial penalties. CenterPoint Energy has trained personnel who are responsible for making these reports. Contact the Environmental Services Department if you think that any substance has been released which needs to be reported.

Workplace Health and Safety

Accident prevention is good business. We expect everyone to work safely and think safety. We work hard to provide our employees with a safe and secure workplace, where no one is subject to unnecessary risk. No activity is so important that it cannot be done safely.

Simply obeying safety rules is not enough. Each of us needs to be alert to possible safety risks as we go about our jobs. We are all responsible for reporting safety hazards, near misses, accidents, and incidents – no matter how minor. We investigate situations that create workplace hazards. We take immediate corrective action to eliminate unsafe practices and prevent injuries.

QUESTION: Do I really have to report a minor accident? No one lost any work time. 
ANSWER: Yes. You must report all accidents, no matter how minor. When you report even the minor accidents, we have the information we need to identify hazards and take corrective action before serious injuries can occur.

If you identify a condition that warrants investigation, be prepared to provide details to your supervisor about:

• The nature and location of the problem
• When the problem occurred (date and time)
• Name and quantity of materials involved
• The extent of injuries, and
• Any additional information you may have.

 

QUESTION: My supervisor asked me to skip some required quality and safety checks in order meet a deadline. What should I do?  
ANSWER: Do not skip these procedures. No matter who asks you to do something, if you know it is wrong, don’t do it. If you are uncomfortable discussing this with your supervisor, contact your manager or safety representative. 

QUESTION: One of my coworkers was handling environmental waste in a way that was directly opposite to how we were trained. What should I do?  
ANSWER: If you feel comfortable doing so, you should remind your co-worker about the waste handling procedures that must be followed. You should also inform your supervisor and seek his or her guidance.