Corporate social responsibility

Dear all,

Like all companies in Germany subject to the Major Accidents Ordinance, on this page we comply with our obligation to provide you with comprehensive information on correct conduct in the case of a major incident.

Protecting people and the environment and ensuring plant & occupational health and safety are really important to us. We use an extensive safety concept with high safety standards to achieve this. Together with external experts and the authorities, we work continuously to prevent hazards that might arise at our premises. Our safety concept is based on the latest technical monitoring and safety systems and relies upon extremely well trained, responsible employees.

Just like in normal life, however, it's impossible to completely exclude the possibility of accidents and disturbances. That's why law requires us to be prepared for a scenario where an incident might have effects beyond the boundaries of company premises, potentially disturbing our neighbours or – in extreme cases – placing them in danger. So that we're ready for this albeit unlikely scenario, we've compiled some information for you on correct conduct in the case of an incident.

 

Our production

Schweizer Electronic AG is an internationally leading manufacturer of innovative high-tech PCBs for automotive, industrial, solar, and aviation electronics.
The conductors on the PCBs are produced in galvanic and chemical baths. The baths used in the production of the PCBs must be supplied with chemicals. This requires storage in a warehouse for bulk goods and in a tank depot. The PCBs being produced must be rinsed. The waste water from the rinsing process is treated in our own treatment plant. The baths, chemicals in the warehouse, and water for the treatment process in the waste water treatment plant can contain hazardous substances in quantities that mean that our production location is classified as an operating area in the highest class as per the Major Accidents Ordinance. It is therefore subject to the basic and enhanced obligations of this ordinance. We have notified the relevant authorities and the Regional Council of Freiburg of this and have presented a concept for the prevention of incidents along with an alarm and emergency response plan and the safety report.

If you require more information about production at SCHWEIZER, click here.

The brochure (German language only) on correct conduct in the event of an incident can be found at this Link.

 

Hazardous substances and mixtures that are relevant as per the Major Accidents Ordinance and the hazards that can arise

Our company uses the following substances with a high hazard level in large quantities:

 

An extensive analysis that we carried out with an external expert found that the following hazards can be caused by or intensified by the specified substances:

• Fire and explosion
  Potential hazard for people and the environment: In particular, the accumulating hazardous gases that form through combustion processes like those that take place in fires or from reactions (including evaporation) of the chemicals used by SCHWEIZER
   
• Release of environmentally harmful liquids
  Potential hazard for the environment: Contamination of ground and water (sewerage system) due to the leakage of large quantities of liquids that are hazardous to the environment
   
• Formation of toxic gases due to chemical reactions or fire
  Potential hazard for people and the environment: Escape of gases that are hazardous to health and may be toxic, due to reactions

Please rest assured that such incidents can normally occur only following a chain of unfortunate events.

 

Our obligations as per the Major Accidents Ordinance

We are subject to the enhanced obligations of the Major Accidents Ordinance due to the quantities and hazard classes of the substances and mixtures we use. We have made the authorities aware of this and have submitted a safety report.

In addition, a safety concept in the form of an alarm and emergency response plan has been created and submitted to the authorities. A major incident officer has been appointed.

Our premises are inspected each year by the responsible authorities in accordance with the provisions of the Major Accidents Ordinance.

The last inspection took place on 14/10/2021.

The Major Accidents Ordinance obliges Schweizer Electronic to keep harmful effects to people and the environment in the case of an incident to a minimum or, in the best case scenario, to prevent such effects altogether.

 

Measures for preventing an incident

SCHWEIZER implements the following hazard prevention measures in order to avoid incidents:

• Our premises, buildings, plants, and equipment meet top construction and technical safety standards.
   
• All plants and hazard areas are regularly checked through internal and external inspections in accordance with a defined inspection plan.
   
• Our production areas and large parts of the office space are fitted with automatic sprinkler systems. The fire brigade is notified immediately if the systems are triggered.
   
• Extraction units and gas scrubbing systems are present on all plants where harmful gases can occur.
   
• The containment capacities for environmentally harmful liquids are suitable for extremely high volumes.

Naturally, we comply with all legal requirements and regularly train our employees in how to handle hazardous substances safely.

If, despite all of the measures implemented, substances that are hazardous to health should escape, the alarm and emergency response plan agreed with the Regional Council of Freiburg and the Regional Emergency Response Authority of Rottweil will be activated.

 

In the case of danger

As soon as an incident that poses a potential hazard for people or the environment has occurred and it has been determined that there is a possibility of effects outside the business premises, you will be informed by the police or fire brigade using loud-speakers.

You'll be able to obtain further information via:

• Announcements on the radio on the following channels:
  • SWR1 (93.5 MHz FM)
  • SWR2 (96.2 MHz FM)
  • SWR3 (98.4 MHz FM)
  • SWR4 (94.0 MHz FM)
• The federal warning app NINA
   
• Further police announcements

 

If this occurs:

• Exit the hazard zone upwind of the hazard and take shelter in a closed room if possible.
   
• Help children, the elderly, and people who are disabled or unable to help themselves.
   
• If appropriate, check on your neighbours.
   
• If necessary, provide shelter to passers-by.
   
• Close the doors and windows and turn off ventilation systems and air conditioning units.

 

In addition, please observe the following:

• If an incident occurs, follow the orders of the emergency services.
   
• Do not hamper the efforts of the emergency personnel.
   
• Do not unnecessarily block telephone lines or the mobile communications networks, since doing so may hamper life-saving measures. You will be informed of the current situation as soon as possible.
   
• Do not place yourself in danger by approaching the scene of the incident.

 

The brochure (German language only) on correct conduct in the event of an incident can be found at this Link.

For more information, please contact Schweizer Electronic AG:
Tel.: +49 (0) 7422/512-0;
e-mail: info@schweizer.ag.

You may also wish to contact the Regional Council of Freiburg:
RP Freiburg,
Dept. 5,
Bissierstraße 7,
79114 Freiburg,
e-mail: abteilung5@rpf.bwl.de.

For more information about our company and/or products, see our company brochure (German language only) and product brochure (German language only).

For more information about the supervision plan as per Para. 17 (1) of the Major Accidents Ordinance, see https://www.lubw.baden-wuerttemberg.de/betrieblicher-umweltschutz/uberwachungssystem.