Yokohama Rubber Group Safety Policy
- All employees across the entire group make safety a primary concern, and improve safety activities through their participation, actions, and cooperation with others from all office organizations and job positions.
- (1) Each member of a workplace conforms to workplace rules and works with safety in mind.
- (2) All managers and supervisors take responsibility to ensure the safety of their employees, without missing any unsafe conditions or actions. Managers and supervisors clearly express their attitudes towards safety and devote themselves to the “3 Realities Principle” (personally observe the 3 realities: the real place, the real thing, the real situation) and to grasping a complete picture of their respective workplaces.
- We proactively adapt to laws and government guidelines related to safety and health.
- We familiarize all group employees with the importance of safety and health, and provide the necessary education and training.
- We utilize the PDCA cycle and make continuous effort to reduce risks for the elimination of potential hazards related to work and facilities through the Occupational Safety and Health Management System (OSHMS).
- We strengthen 2S activities (seiri and seiton, or sorting and straightening) based on the idea that “2S is the basis of health and safety.”
- We promote a comfortable working environment where employees can work free from anxiety, and provide active support to promote employees’ health.
- As a company that plays a role in the automobile industry, we contribute to efforts to prevent traffic accidents.
Based on the recognition that “safety and health are the foundation for everything else,” we aim to prevent workplace injuries, promote a comfortable workplace, and encourage healthy lifestyles, under the strong leadership of managers and supervisors and the cooperation of all group employees. As a step towards reaching our goal to “establish a zero-risk safety culture” by FY 2017, each office has already acquired OSHMS certifications and implements the PDCA cycle of safety activities. However, there is still room for improvement in the areas of systems, human resources, and facilities. Our challenges going forward are to enhance people’s awareness and improve the safety of our facilities.
Unfortunately, in FY 2013 8 accidents resulting in lost-time injuries occured. One of them was a serious accident resulting in the loss of the hand (at the wrist) by the extruder. Furthermore, in two additional accidents, we mishandled initial measures and ultimately exacerbated the damage caused.
Therefore, in the area of systems, we are working to establish appropriate and feasible rules. Specifically, we are developing Standard Operation Procedures(SOP) through open work observation. A good SOP will ensure safety at work as well as product quality, and will also improve productivity. In the area of human resource development, we are focusing on training each and every employee to avoid injuries and comply with rules as a “Safety Worker.” We use a “calendar of past accidents” to maintain vigilance about safety (by maintaining memories of past accidents), and we review the calendar each year. At the same time, we also raise risk awareness by reconfirming the efficiency of both our safety measures and our involvement of peer groups in our safety measures. In the area of facilities, we promote the improvement of our facilities through risk assessment.
Kenji Suehiro
Safety & Health Management Department
CSR Division
Certified as a model company for building a “culture of safety”
Hangzhou Yokohama Tire Co., Ltd.
In September, we were recognized by the Zhejiang Production Safety Committee, and were certified as a “Zhejiang model company for building a ‘culture of safety.’” This certification recognizes the outstanding companies that promoted proactive safety measures and achieved a satisfactory level of performance. Only 3 companies in Hangzhou City, and a total of 26 companies across Zhejiang Province, received the certification.
Our emission reduction activities to install sewage treatment facilities and deodorization facilities at mixed/vulcanized zoon, and environmental conservation activities including the YOKOHAMA Forever Forest project, received accolades from the local government. In October, we were certified as the first environmental education base in the Hangzhou developmental zone.
Green Day Activities
YOKOHAMA TYRE VIETNAM INC.
Based on the idea that the maintenance of a comfortable working environment is essential in creating a safe working environment, in November 2011 we began suspending factory operations on the first day of every month in order to use that time to clean the factory buildings, work spaces, and equipment. In our morning meetings, we recognize employees who have followed the rules and have worked hard, made contributions to personnel training or process improvement, proactively engaged in demonstration activities, and/or proactively reported near misses.
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Awards for outstanding employees
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Children also participate in cleaning activities around the factory
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Education on proper separation of garbage and recycling