Asahi Glass | Occupational Health & Safety

Based on the policy, "No production should be operated without assurance of safety," the AGC Group is ensuring occupational health and safety at its production sites by applying its occupational health and safety management system (OHSMS) and securing the equipment's safety.

AGC Group Basic Occupational Health & Safety Policy (Revised on March 28, 2008)

The AGC Group will manage its occupational health and safety ("OH & S") under the policy of "No production should be operated without assurance of safety," and our leaders will ensure that our OH & S policy should be communicated, understood, and implemented throughout our Group and that all of our employees should be actively involved in the promotion of the health, safety and well-being in our work environment.
We will address any possible issues in occupational injuries and illnesses to achieve continuous improvement in our OH & S performance, based on the following guideline of "Five Axes of OH & S":

We will focus on risk assessments and prevention to make our OHSMS more effective.
We will further improve on-site occupational health and safety programs and activities that involve all employees and develop a sustainable OH & S culture.
Our leaders will ensure a safe work environment for our employees and foster well-being within our AGC community. We will ensure that OH & S is designed into our equipment and operations, and look for continuous improvement in our work environment.
We will implement OH & S activities in all production line activities and ensure compliance. We will provide necessary resources and support to materialize it.
We will encourage proactive employee participation in all OH & S activities inspired by open, honest and fair interactions and communications.

Global Safety Management

Given that people can make mistakes and machines can fail, the AGC Group is committed to identifying potential risk factors on a continual basis to reduce occupational accidents at its manufacturing sites. We are also combining our conventional safety activities*1 with the occupational health and safety management system (OHSMS) to increase the effectiveness of the activities. In addition, we encourage our sites that are self-certifying their OHSMS to obtain third-party certification for the system.
In fiscal 2010, we also launched activities to prevent occupational accidents focusing on human factors,*2 in addition to continuing measures for Machinery Safety. For example, the Asahi Glass Sagami and Chiba Plants launched a joint university project to research factors affecting safety behaviors, paying special attention to human errors. The AGC Electronics Company also started to interview individual workers to understand the psychological states of workers when occupational accidents occurred to identify the potential psychological causes of such accidents.

*1 Safety activities such as the 5Ss (seiri [neatness], seiton [orderliness], seiketsu [cleanliness], seiso [cleanness], and shitsuke [discipline]), hazard protection, near-miss management (hiyari-hatto), and safety patrols which are promoted traditionally
*2 Activities conducted to prevent occupational accidents focusing on unsafe behaviors

Number of AGC Group Sites Obtaining Third-Party Certification for Their OHSMS
(as of the end of December 2010)

Coverage	Number of certified sites
Asahi Glass	2(1)
Group companies in Japan	4(3)
Group companies in Asia, not including Japan	8(6)
Group companies in Europe	51(38)
Group companies in North America	0(0)
Total	65(48)

* Figures in parentheses are the numbers of certified sites as of fiscal 2009.

The AGC Group's Concept of Safety Management

*3 Activities to comprehensively identify risks associated with equipment and work processes, to evaluate the risk levels, and to implement safety measures, prioritizing serious risks

Topic
Fifth Global Occupational Health & Safety Symposium in South Korea (Global)

The AGC Group held its Global Occupational Health & Safety Symposium in Gumi City, South Korea on November 4 and 5, 2010. It was the largest the Group had held outside Japan, with the participation of a total of 83 employees from 23 Group companies in eight countries and regions in Europe, North America and Asia. The symposium was hosted jointly by three Group companies based in the city: Asahi Glass Fine Techno Korea, Hanwook Techno Glass, and Asahi PD Glass Korea.
The main theme of the symposium was machinery safety. Participants shared related information and know-how possessed by Group companies in Europe and North America which are advanced in this field. The symposium also raised awareness of the training for machinery safety and the Safety Basic Assessor qualification system which began to be introduced to Group companies in Asia in fiscal 2010. Participants' comments included, "Visiting the factories of the three Korean companies and having been briefed on their health and safety activities, I was amazed at the high health and safety levels of the companies," "The symposium provided me with a good opportunity to learn about machinery safety, etc." and "It might be as useful as the presentation of successful cases to introduce failures at the symposium."

Global Occupational Health & Safety Symposium held in South Korea

Communicating a Safety Message throughout the Group

Safety posters (in English, Japanese, and Thai from the left)

AGC Group created a safety awareness promotion poster at the suggestion of the Group CEO. Through this poster, we aim to share the management's principle that “No production should be operated without assurance of safety” across the Group to foster safe manufacturing activities, keeping in mind the message that the CEO wishes to communicate to employees through this principle: “We must give first priority to safety in our manufacturing activities throughout our business operations.” We created the poster in 17 languages (Japanese, simplified Chinese, traditional Chinese, Thai, Indonesian, Tagalog, Korean, English, Dutch, Spanish, Portuguese, Hungarian, French, Russian, Italian, German, and Czech) and began distributing approximately 7,000 copies to the plants of Group companies in November 2008. Some of these plants display the poster in several languages. In June 2010, AGC Group revised this safety awareness promotion poster.

Risk Assessment

The OHSAS 18001, one of the standards for OHSMS, requires worksites to make risk assessments targeting all employees, all work operations, and all equipments at the sites.
In addition to providing managers and supervisors with necessary training, the AGC Group (Japan) began conducting a Safety Promotion Activity in fiscal 2009, targeting employees who work on the front line of manufacturing. In this activity, employees in charge of manufacturing and engineering at each of the manufacturing sites are selected as Core Safety Facilitators and provided with intensive education on risk assessment and conventional safety activities. The educated employees will then serve as risk assessment instructors at each of the manufacturing sites for about six months, thereby raising the risk assessment level of the sites. On a medium-term basis, we will increase our entire safety management level and foster the development of safety leaders by assigning the participants in this activity to important jobs at our manufacturing sites.
In 2010, Group companies in Taiwan, South Korea and China also provided employees with education to improve their risk assessment levels.

Machinery Safety

To ensure safety at manufacturing sites, it is essential to enhance the Machinery Safety. To this end, the AGC Group is promoting safely designed equipments in compliance with international safety standards such as ISO 12100 while continuing to ensure the safety of existing equipments through risk assessment.
The AGC Group (Japan) encourages employees to be qualified as Safety Assessors*4 to design and introduce equipments based on the understanding of international safety standards. By the end of fiscal 2010, a total of 280 people working for the AGC Group (including employees of business partners) acquired the Safety Sub-Assessor qualifications. As for the Safety Basic Assessor qualification established in fiscal 2010 as a more basic qualification, we held four educational seminars targeting not only employees in charge of the environment, safety, and engineering but also employees in charge of manufacturing and other operations, and as a result a total of 138 obtained the qualification. In fiscal 2011, we will expand the qualification system to include Group companies in Asia.
As regards AGC Group (Japan), as for new equipment to be introduced risk assessments have been mandatorily carried out in the design and manufacturing phases since April 2010. This mandatory requirement will be implemented also on Group companies in Asia in and after 2013.

*4 Under this qualification system for skills on machinery safety, which was established by some organizations including the Society of Safety Technology and Application, Japan, there are four different levels of qualifications: Safety Lead Assessors, Safety Assessors, Safety Sub-Assessors, and Safety Basic Assessors.

Occupational Accidents

In fiscal 2010, five employees of the AGC Group (three in Asia including Japan) were involved in fatal occupational accidents. Taking this seriously, we will accelerate measures to (1) minimize the risks of injuries and other accidents and (2) raise individual employee's awareness of safety.
Since fiscal 2007, we have been collecting information about occupational accidents that took place across the AGC Group, including companies in Europe and North America in addition to Asia including Japan. Based on the results, we will foster groupwide safety management and reduce occupational accidents globally.

Occupational Accidents at the AGC Group

Occupational Accidents at the AGC Group (Japan/Asia, not including Japan)

Occupational Accidents at the AGC Group (Europe/North America)

* The judgment criteria for accidents requiring leave differ between Asia including Japan, Europe and North America, which disables the simple comparison of the numbers of occupational accidents between each region.

Number of Occupational Accidents in Fiscal 2010*5
(AGC Group in Asia including Japan)

	Asahi Glass	Group companies in Japan	Group companies in Asia, not including Japan	Total
Fatalities	0(0)	2(0)	1(0)	3(0)
Accidents requiring leave	4(4)	11(9)	9(12)	24(25)
Accidents not requiring leave	6(6)	7(9)	8(5)	21(20)
Minor injuries	27(30)	10(1)	Not counted	37(31)
Total	37(40)	30(19)	18(17)	85(76)

*5 The numbers of accidents causing minor injuries and more serious injuries were totaled for Asahi Glass (unconsolidated) and some Group companies in Japan, and the numbers of accidents not requiring leave and more serious accidents were totaled for other Group companies in and outside Japan.

* The figures in parentheses represent the numbers of occupational accidents in fiscal 2009.

Changes in the Frequency Rate for Accidents Requiring Leave*6 (Asahi Glass*7)

?x?ÆÐ?Q?x??¦?Ì??ÚiAGC?®É?q)

*6 Number of workers involved in accidents requiring leave per one million actual working hours
*7 Asahi Glass data include all employees working at the sites of Asahi Glass (including employees of business partners).

Voice
Participation in Safety Training Has Greatly Changed Our Attitude towards Safety

Setiawan
Training and Monozukuri Manager
PT Asahimas Flat Glass Tbk (Indonesia)

In the beginning, I had no idea about the effectiveness of Safety Sensory Training, safety risks or how training could change the way people think and behave. On the first day of my safety training, I was impressed the Safety Sensory Training. Then on the second day, the training became more interesting to me, because I experienced many other safety simulators and they were all very unique with their own characteristics and systems. At manufacturing sites, our safety depends on our attitude and behavior. This safety training has provided us with a great opportunity to change our safety behavior through the safety simulators. It has changed our attitude towards safety in all aspects of our lives—in our daily business operations, on the way to the office. In the future I hope that I can provide many employees with similar safety training as a trainer.

Achieving Zero Occupational Accidents through Strong Commitment by Management and Higher Safety Awareness of Employees (China)

Zhao Bin
Plant Manager
AGC Flat Glass (Dalian)

AGC Flat Glass (Dalian) manufactures and sells a range of float glass for construction and other fields. Based on management's strong commitment to zero occupational accidents, we are conducting safety management activities focusing on improving the safety awareness of employees. Each production manager closely checks not only the 5S, risk assessment, and safety education but also the plant's original check-list to prevent employees from behaving unsafely. Related advice is also offered to employees. Through these measures, all employees, including managers and factory workers have raised their safety awareness. To the company, one of these employees made as many as 39 proposals to prevent concerned risks and near-miss incidents. Both in fiscal 2009 and 2010 we achieved zero occupational accidents, and in fiscal 2010 we received Continuously Accident-free Award Class 1 in the AGC Group CEO Awards (for zero labor accidents in as many as 3.1 million hours).

Topic
Making Safety Efforts beyond the Boundaries of Countries and Companies (Japan, South Korea and Taiwan)

Employees in charge of the environment and safety receive training to prevent oxygen deficiency at the Asahi Glass Chiba Plant

On January 9, 2010, two employees of Asahi Glass Fine Techno Korea (AFK), which manufactures glass substrates for flat panel displays (FPDs), fainted due to oxygen deficiency caused by nitrogen gas. The two were saved by other employees, soon regained consciousness and were otherwise unaffected. For the AGC Electronics Company, to which AFK belongs, this was the first oxygen deficiency-related accident. On January 15, six days after the accident, the In-house Company sent employees in charge of the environment and safety in Japan, South Korea and Taiwan, including employees of AFK, to the Asahi Glass Chiba Plant for training. The training was provided with the support of the AGC Chemicals Company, which operates many chemical reaction towers and is thus earnestly implementing measures to prevent oxygen deficiency. Specifically at the plant, the employees were given safety sensory training using safety simulators and learned how to prevent oxygen deficiency through work manuals and check sheets. All those concerned re-recognized the importance of sharing know-how and expertise across the entire Group beyond the boundaries of countries and In-house Companies.

Factories with Excellent Safety Management Receive High Internal and External Evaluations (Thailand)

Plaque for the Best Safety Factory

Best Safety Factory commendation ceremony

All employees at AGC Flat Glass (Thailand) Public, manufactures and sells various types of float glass, are engaged in ongoing safety activities aimed at preventing occupational accidents. In particular, the company's factories are focusing on the reduction of equipment-related risks (unsafe elements). The company's factories in Chonburi and Rayong achieved zero accidents, including both accidents requiring leave and those not requiring leave in fiscal 2006 and were internally commended as factories that excelled in safety achievements within the AGC Group in fiscal 2007.
In addition, the Rayong factory was commended as the Best Safety Factory (in the eastern district in 2006 and again in 2009 and 2010 for two years in a row, and also nationwide in 2008) by the Thai government for its outstanding safety results for the previous two years, which included no violations of local occupational safety and health laws and no serious occupational injuries. The Chonburi factory also received the same commendation in the eastern district, in 2007.

Health Management Policy

Regarding it necessary to clearly define the Group's policy of health management for employees, the AGC Group has set its Health Management Policy.
Asahi Glass has been implementing measures to manage the health of employees attaching importance to building mental and physical fitness and the prevention of disease, based on this policy, which provides for health consciousness, corporate support for employees' health, and self-discipline by employees.

Health Management Policy

The AGC Group has established the following health management policy to be followed by its employees in conducting their business operations, to continuously create value for the world under the Group vision “Look Beyond”

Health consciousness
Employees represent one of the most important assets for the AGC Group, and health is one of the most important elements of the daily lives of employees.

Corporate support for employee health
The AGC Group will actively implement measures to maintain and promote the physical and mental health of its employees, thereby supporting them in driving the growth of the Group by fully displaying their individual abilities, and in striving to lead meaningful lives.

Self-discipline by employees
Employees themselves must be aware of the importance of their health, and they must maintain and promote their health through self-discipline, taking responsibility for their own health.

* We aim to initially implement this policy widely in Asahi Glass (unconsolidated), and to expand its targets in the future to include its domestic and overseas affiliates.

Major health management measures

Special health instructions against the metabolic syndrome
Provision of free-of-charge detailed health checks to employees with findings that require further testing in regular checkups, and of half the cost of medical checkups for the early detection of cancer
Drastic measures to prevent health damage due to excessive work
Encouragement of physical exercise through sport and recreational events

Mental Health Care

In recent years, the number of workers with mental health problems has been increasing, and this is becoming a social concern.
Accordingly, Asahi Glass has been enhancing its mental health care measures for employees in line with its Health Management Policy.

Major mental health care measures taken at Asahi Glass

Employees' support program
Under the program, employees and their family can consult external experts (counselors) about their mental problems in person or by phone at no charge. The consultation details are kept strictly confidential.
Training (e-learning) for managers
Training for managers, who play a vital role in the mental healthcare of employees, has been provided through e-learning so that managers can obtain and review necessary knowledge and information.
Mental checkups by employees themselves
For employees to understand their health situation and manage their mental health, mental checkup sheets are distributed, to help prevent and detect their mental problems at an early stage.
Support program for employees with mental problems to return to the workplace
This is a program to support employees who have taken longterm leave due to mental problems to return smoothly to their workplaces.

Click Here for Inquiries Regarding Corporate Social Responsibility