Health and Safety Programs
Basic Approach
The Hitachi High-Tech Group is committed to maintaining and improving health and safety management standards, such as the enhancement of health management and prevention of work-related accidents for all employees (including employees of other organizations who perform work under the management of business sites, contractors, and others) involved in all business activities at all business sites and in all business organizations that make up those business sites based on the Hitachi Group's health and safety policy, Health and Safety Always Comes First, with the formula S (Safety) >> Q (Quality) > D (Delivery) > C (Cost). With regard to measures against large-scale disasters, we regularly identify risks in the same manner as workplace safety patrols and business site safety inspections and take advance measures to minimize damage.
The Hitachi Group Health and Safety Policy (excerpt)
- Principle
"Health and Safety Comes First." - Policies
In accordance with our mission, "Contribute to society through the development of superior, original technology and products," and as a global corporate group whose business is based on close partnerships with society, the Hitachi Group will endeavor to ensure safe and healthy workplaces under the principle of "Health and Safety Always Comes First" in all of our business activities.
Organization
At Hitachi High-Tech, the status and results of activities relating to health and safety including those at Group companies are periodically reported to the Board of Directors, and information on management conditions is shared.
The officer responsible for health and safety management makes proposals on matters to be undertaken throughout the Group and matters that require an immediate response, and Group-wide health and safety measures are undertaken throughout the Group with the approval of management.
Safety Initiatives
At Hitachi High-Tech, we hold a Group Health and Safety Conference each half-year for the people responsible for the promotion of health and safety in the workplace, led by the officer responsible for health and safety (CHRO*/CRO* , Vice President and Executive Officer Takeshi Iizuka), so that we can improve health and safety activities and the level of health and safety throughout the Group. The officer responsible for health and safety acts as the chair of the conference. If it is determined that there have been any major accidents or that there are notable issues with safety management, the workplace in question will be designated as a priority safety management workplace, and we will ensure that reforms are implemented swiftly, in accordance with the standards related to the priority safety management designation system. To investigate and deliberate on matters relating to disaster prevention and health management at each workplace, and conduct improvements, the Hitachi High-Tech health and safety committee actively engages in risk assessments and the implementation of intrinsic safety* in production equipment at our manufacturing sites through a voluntary and structured occupational health and safety management system.
* CHRO: Chief Human Resources Officer
* CRO: Chief Risk management Officer
* Intrinsic safety: The elimination or reduction of any elements and factors that can pose a hazard to safety.
Health and Safety Committee
The Health and Safety Committee at each site consists of employees with experience in health and safety such as safety and health managers, representatives of trade unions, and industrial physicians. It discusses minimization of safety risks based on deliberations on establishment and revision of health and safety regulations and standards as well as on employees’ opinions.
In addition, we carry out safety-inspection patrols and have safety diagnosis and safety presentations conducted by external experts at our manufacturing sites in an effort to further strengthen our safety management initiatives through employee participation.
Performance Data
Occurrence of Occupational Accidents：Targets and Achivements
Hitachi High-Tech along with Group companies undertakes various safety measures with a target of zero occupational accidents. In FY2021, there were 10 accidents (eight not accompanied by lost worktime and two accompanied by lost worktime). This was an increase from the previous year, where there were 8 accidents not accompanied by lost worktime. In addition to taking measures intended to prevent accidents, we implement a cross-department approval that includes comply with and requiring compliance with set rules, creating mechanisms and conducting education that allows each individual including subcontractors to act with an awareness of safety. A safety awareness survey that includes Group Companies was launched in FY2019, and based on an analysis of the results, we will continue to reinforce measures and implement thorough safety management to raise safety awareness and completely eliminate occupational accidents.
Occurrences of Occupational Accidents
(Occurrences)
| Year | 2017 | 2018 | 2019 | 2020 | 2021 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Number of fatalities | Hitachi High-Tech Group | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Whole Hitachi Group | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | |
| Lost-time incident | Hitachi High-Tech Group | 0 | 0 | 2 | 3 | 2 |
| Whole Hitachi Group | 92 | 67 | 74 | 48 | 44 | |
| Accidents not accompanied by time off work | Hitachi High-Tech Group | 17 | 12 | 11 | 5 | 8 |
| Whole Hitachi Group | 263 | 246 | 283 | 163 | 129 | |
| Total | Hitachi High-Tech Group | 17 | 12 | 13 | 8 | 10 |
| Whole Hitachi Group | 355 | 313 | 358 | 211 | 173 | |
Lost-time Incident Rate
* Accident rate calculated as number of occupational deaths and injuries/gross hours worked × 1,000,000
Initiatives
Revitalizing Group-wide Health and Safety Activities
To improve the standard of health and safety activities throughout the Group, we have established the High-Tech Group Health and Safety Coordinators' Committee. This committee helps to revitalize Group-wide health and safety activities through presentations introducing examples of health and safety initiatives at each Group company and exchanges of views on these, as well as organizing special lectures by guest lecturers from outside the company, to increase members' knowledge of issues common throughout the Group.
Disaster Risk Reduction Activities
As with our safety activities, we proactively undertake Group-wide disaster risk reduction activities. During regular evacuation drills, we confirm the safety of employees who come to work and those who work at home, and we also conduct regular drills to confirm the locations of fire hydrants and fire extinguishers and how to use them. In addition, we are working to raise awareness of disaster preparedness and establish systems that will enable employees to act autonomously in the event of a disaster.
We have also set up in-house fire brigades at each manufacturing base. These conduct regular firefighting drills to ensure that they are prepared for any unforeseen situations.
Occupational Health Activities
Mental health workshop
We are implementing health promotion measures and enhancing health education among our employees. Initiatives in this area include efforts to reduce overtime hours, encourage employees to take advantage of special health check-ups and other medical examinations, and improve awareness of health management through education focused on this subject. In addition, we believe that enhancing mental health care for employees is an important task for the Group. We are regularly conducting mental health education for "line care" (routine support provided by line managers) and training on how to cope with stress (understanding your own stress and dealing with it appropriately) with a view toward strengthening self-care. We are also developing initiatives throughout the Group, including the expansion of counseling services in partnership with external EAP bodies and the offering of referrals to specialist physicians.
Hitachi High-Tech Certified as 2022 Health & Productivity Management Outstanding Organization (large enterprise category)
In FY2022, Hitachi High-Tech was certified as a Health & Productivity Management Outstanding Organization in the large enterprise category under a program administered by the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry and Nippon Kenko Kaigi. This is the fifth consecutive year that the company has received this certification, and this year, eight other Group companies in Japan received certification for a total of nine companies throughout the Group.
This year’s certification was largely the result of internal communications by top management to promote health management, measures to improve the ratio of employees who receive specified health guidance, and promotion of a good work-life balance by encouraging employees to take annual leave during certain periods and to effectively use flextime systems.
In addition, we actively used telework systems including working from home, will introduce free addressing, review dress codes, encourage employees to take paid leave, and implement other workstyle reforms to enhance employees’ work-life balance so that we can create environments where employees can work comfortably and achieve well-balanced methods of work.
In order to thoroughly implement the formula S (Safety) >> Q (Quality) > D (Delivery) > C (Cost) and address occupational health and safety with the highest priority on workplace safety and maintaining and enhancing the health of each employee, we will work to prevent accidents by focusing our efforts on inspections and countermeasures for high-risk work in safety management. For health management, stress check systems in order to reduce the percentage of employees experiencing high levels of stress by 10% compared to the previous year and also work to prevent disease and improve lifestyle habits by increasing the implementation rate of specific health guidance (the target implementation rate is at least 40%).
* Health-based management: Strategic practices that consider the health management of employees and other from a business management perspective.
* Health-based management is a registered trademark of Nonprofit Organization Kenkokeiei.
Implementation Status of Health and Safety Training and Education
FY2021
| Disaster risk reduction | Disaster response drills Safety confirmation response training using the safety confirmation system |
|---|---|
| Develop and health and safety culture (leadership, roles, responsibility) | Specialized safety training for managers (856 persons) Specialized safety training for safety managers (18 persons) |
| Mental health training sessions | Health management lecture (590 persons) Line care training (280 persons) Self-care training (467 persons) |
Evaluation of Health & Safety Risks
With regard to work methods, and handling of machinery and chemicals during assembly, production, etc., mainly at manufacturing sites, until now the company and all other Hitachi High-Tech Group companies have implemented periodic (annual) risk assessment, aimed at reducing employee health and safety risks. We also conducted prior identification of risks and dangers and assessments (estimations) of risks relating to new installation and improvement of equipment, and changes in chemical substance handling (including work safety and reduction of environmental impact) in accordance with various laws, regulations and guidelines. We established work procedure manuals for safe work and linked them to risk reduction measures including work training.
To further improve health and safety activities and the standard of management throughout the Group, experts in electronics, mechanics, chemistry, heavy equipment handling, and other areas patrol each site and evaluate the risk of accident occurrence. In addition, they will seek to improve health and safety management throughout the Group by developing and sharing good practices and examples of necessary improvements at each workplace across the Group. In FY2022, we will conduct safety patrols and disaster risk assessments at overseas bases with the aim of raising health and safety standards on a global basis.