Occupational Health
Preventing Exposure to Harmful Substances
We are committed to reducing occupational health risks and improving working conditions by, for example, utilizing the Occupational Safety and Health Management System scheme, the harmful chemical substance risk assessment (new risk assessment system) established in fiscal 2015, through onsite inspections conducted by occupational physicians and health supervisors as well as by means of internal audits. Regarding autonomous chemical substance management, we will steadily promote measures to prevent exposure mainly through hazardous risk assessment and facility improvements, while systematically preparing for the establishment of a new chemical substance management system, including the appointment of a chemical substance manager and a person responsible for managing the wearing of protective equipment from fiscal 2024.
Risk Assessment
The reformed Industrial Safety and Health Act now requires reinforcement of risk assessments of chemical hazards and implementation of countermeasures. Our conventional risk assessment system was updated to create a new system, and since fiscal 2016, we have been conducting a risk assessment of working with harmful substances (inhalant chemicals) using the new system. The total number of completed qualitative risk assessment cases by fiscal 2022 marked 13,653, and we have finished all qualitative risk assessments. Of these, 3,435 cases were identified to be of high risk and we have completed quantitative assessments on 3,099 cases. Work procedures that have been judged to be of high risk as a result of the quantitative assessment, have been subject to methodical reforms to reduce the risks involved. In addition, we also built specific risk assessments for health problems newly caused by the absorption of chemical substances through the skin in fiscal 2018 in response to a rise in social concern about absorption of hazardous chemicals through the skin. In fiscal 2019, we started these assessments and have completed the assessments of all 4,091 cases in fiscal 2021. Based on the assessment results, we are reviewing facility response and working procedures as well as selecting protectors with more appropriate shielding and durability to reduce risks.
In fiscal 2023, a qualitative assessment will be conducted on the new work. In addition, we plan to address 336 of the 3,099 cases with high risk levels for which quantitative assessments have not yet been conducted.
Example of improving the working environment (1) Transfer of organic solvent
| Before |
There was a risk of exposure to organic solvents when feeding organic solvents into the drum inlet.
| After |
The method of transferring liquid directly from drums to the drum facility using a transfer hose has been changed, eliminating the work of feeding liquid into the drum inlet.
Example of improving the working environment (2) Organic solvent extraction work
| Before |
There was a risk of exposure when extracting solvent into pails and disposing of liquid waste.
Time of draining
| After |
A lid with a window for visual confirmation was installed on the pail so that extraction work can be performed in a nearly airtight condition. In addition, a nozzle with a cock is attached to the pail, which enables liquid waste to be discharged into a waste drum while maintaining distance from the source.
Time of draining
Waste liquid
Onsite Inspections Conducted by Occupational physicians Aimed at Reducing Occupational Health Risks at Overseas Subsidiaries and Affiliates
In an effort to reduce occupational health risks at overseas affiliates, onsite inspections are undertaken on a systematic basis and steps taken to provide instructions regarding areas of occupational health improvement at the time head office occupational physicians make their rounds at overseas bases. Although overseas tours were suspended in fiscal 2020 and 2021 due to the COVID-19 pandemic, occupational physicians resumed overseas tours in the second half of fiscal 2022.