Customer health and safety
We minimise the risk of potential negative effects from our products on the health and safety of our customers through careful, responsible actions along our entire value chain. Customer protection has our top priority, above all with regard to energy supplies and network operations.
Emergency services 24/7
An emergency call centre is on duty around the clock, seven days a week, to handle disruptions and breakdowns. In addition to the fastest possible damage repair and restoration of supplies with our products, our employees take the necessary steps immediately upon arrival at the damage location to protect any involved persons. The emergency staff receive regular training, while duty personnel take part in annual training courses and all employees attend annual security training.
Information and preventive measures
We inform the population regularly – for example, on our website – of the necessary steps to take for the early detection of damage to pipelines or equipment and the safety rules to be followed when gas is smelled.
Regular controls as well as replacement and maintenance investments are designed not only to ensure continuous energy supplies, but also to prevent technical defects from creating potential hazards. This also applies to the numerous measures we have implemented to protect our employees. One example is the regular evaluation of opportunities to substitute less risky alternatives for dangerous working materials.
Safe handling of electricity
The requirements for safe electricity supplies lie in compliance with high safety standards for customers’ network connections, including the careful installation of the prescribed safety equipment. EVN’s facilities, especially where the equipment involves electrical voltage, represent hazardous areas and – as an important protective measure – are always secured to protect against access by unauthorised persons. Warning and prohibition signs are also attached and clearly visible. We monitor these preventive measures regularly to quickly identify and correct any deficiencies in the protection concept. Potential hazards are increased when customers or external persons work near our pipelines or equipment and also when our employees are involved in maintenance work. Special protective concepts and safety standards have been prepared to deal with these situations.
Safe handling of natural gas
Gas pipeline inspections have high priority and are carried out by our specialists in accordance with legal requirements and at pre-defined intervals. In addition to the inspection of the pipelines with highly sensitive equipment, the pressure in the natural gas network is monitored constantly. The pipeline routes are also screened for possible changes, e.g. from tree roots. Natural gas tracking teams are regularly in the field to control the local pipelines with special measurement equipment and probes to ensure the early localisation of any leaky spots. In addition to all these measures for the regular inspection of the pipelines, the Natural Gas Safety Act requires the examination of all natural gas equipment (natural gas safety check) at least every twelve years.
Quality management
In addition to the specific protective measures for electricity and natural gas network operations, EVN’s quality management plays a central role by defining the highest standards for all relevant product-related activities and processes. Ongoing quality assurance is an integral part of our overall responsibility and ensures that our products and services meet all applicable requirements for the health, safety and satisfaction of our customers. These requirements are deeply anchored in EVN’s value hierarchy. Examples of our quality management initiatives include the (further) development of the product portfolio, innovation, research and development activities as well as all processes for the certification, manufacture, production, distribution, marketing, sales promotion, use, maintenance, disposal and recycling of our products.