Occupational Safety and Health
Safety and health management
Guided by the principle that “safety takes precedence over everything,” Furuya Metal is committed to strengthening its safety and health management system through continuous employee education and regular occupational risk assessments.
The Company promotes comprehensive safety and health initiatives with the goal of achieving a workplace free from accidents and injuries, ensuring the well-being of all employees.
Safety and health education
Distribution of the safety handbook to employees
All employees at our production sites receive a booklet titled “Safety and Health Guidelines.”
The handbook covers essential safety and health principles, workplace rules, and examples of past incidents that employees should be aware of to support our goal of zero-accident, zero-injury operations.
As part of our accident-prevention efforts, we have also established the “Ten Safety Principles.” These principles are recited together during morning assemblies to reinforce safety awareness and cultivate a strong safety culture among all employees.
Ten Safety Principles
- 1. Safety comes first.
- Begin every task with a commitment to achieving zero accidents and injuries.
- 2. Accidents cause great losses.
- They impact both individuals and the entire company.
- 3. Never spare effort in preventing accidents.
- 4. Conduct a hazard prediction (KY) before starting any task.
- 5. Complacency is the trap of experience.
- Maintain a beginner’s mindset at all times.
- 6. Always follow established rules.
- Rules exist to protect your safety.
- 7. Never compromise with “just this once.”
- Even small concessions can lead to accidents.
- 8. Do not excuse mistakes as coincidence.
- Next time, they could cause serious harm.
- 9. Use active communication — report, inform, consult (Hō-Ren-Sō).
- Ensure that “I didn’t know” is never an excuse.
- 10. A safe workplace is everyone’s responsibility.
- Work together to build a bright, accident-free environment.
Subcommittee activities
To enable specialized study and discussion on topics reviewed by the Environment, Safety and Health Committee, Furuya Metal has established several subcommittees, each focusing on a specific area.
These include the Safety and Health Subcommittee, Traffic Safety Subcommittee, Disaster Prevention Subcommittee, Environmental Subcommittee, Health Management Subcommittee, High-Clean Subcommittee, and Improvement Proposal Subcommittee.
Every member of the Environment, Safety and Health Committee also belongs to one of these subcommittees. Along with the subcommittee chairpersons, members meet at least once a month to plan and organize internal and external training sessions, conduct safety patrols aligned with their subcommittee’s focus, and strengthen the company’s overall safety management system.
Environment, safety and health committee structure
Labor, safety and health initiatives
5S activities (High-Clean Activities)
Furuya Metal has consistently implemented 5S activities— Sort, Set in Order, Shine, Standardize, and Sustain—to enhance workplace environments and increase productivity.
Since around 2005, these initiatives have been promoted under the name “High-Clean Activities”, encouraging all employees to take initiative, strengthen their skills, and contribute to organizational revitalization.
Currently, under the High-Clean Subcommittee (Reserve), the program emphasizes leadership by managers and 5S leaders, further fostering continuous improvement across all workplaces.
Implementation of safety patrols
In addition to regular on-site patrols conducted within each plant, cross-organizational joint patrols are held once every quarter as a company-wide initiative involving all subcommittees.
When areas for improvement are identified during these patrols, prompt corrective actions are taken to ensure workplace safety and hygiene.
- Safety Patrols: The Chief Safety Manager and other supervisory personnel conduct on-site inspections to identify and eliminate potential hazards related to the environment, safety, and health.
- Self-Patrols: Workers from different process areas inspect each other’s workplaces to identify potential risks and share findings horizontally across departments. This approach helps maintain a consistent safety standard throughout the company.
Education through e-learning
We provide e-learning programs for new graduates, mid-career employees, and those who have not yet completed required training, with the goal of deepening understanding of the purpose, definitions, and benefits of 5S activities.
Each course includes specific achievement criteria to ensure that employees working in our plants can effectively understand and apply 5S principles in their daily work.
Safety mindset initiative
At the Tsuchiura Plant, we conduct a unique accident-prevention program known as the Safety Mindset Initiative.
The program cultivates the habit of performing pre-work hazard predictions (KY) and strengthens overall safety awareness on the shop floor. Once a week, employees engage in open discussions on different safety themes, sharing ideas and experiences to reinforce a proactive safety culture across the workplace.
Participation in the SAFE consortium
The Tsuchiura Plant has joined the Safer Action for Employees (SAFE) Consortium, an initiative established by Japan’s Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare to promote workplace safety and well-being.
Through this membership, we actively participate in safety-related initiatives and continuously strive to enhance the health, safety, and happiness of our employees.
Implementation of external training programs
Each subcommittee plans and organizes external training programs designed to enhance employees’ knowledge and awareness in the areas of safety, health, and well-being. These programs combine hands-on experiences with educational lectures to strengthen both understanding and practical skills.
Examples of programs conducted in 2024
Hands-on safety training
Employees participated in experiential safety education programs, including simulations of explosion hazards, rotating machinery hazards, and electrical hazards. These sessions help participants develop a deeper awareness of potential workplace dangers and reinforce the importance of working safely.
Improving health literacy
Health literacy seminars were held to help employees better understand and manage their personal health, covering topics such as oral health, sleep improvement, and nutritional balance through supplements.
- Oral health
Lectures addressed the relationship between declining oral function and lifestyle diseases, coexistence of cancer treatment and work, effective oral care tools, and correct brushing techniques. - Understanding sleep disorders
Participants learned about the causes of sleep disorders, management strategies for insomnia, and prevention/treatment of related conditions such as gastroesophageal reflux disease and sleep apnea. - Understanding supplements
Sessions provided foundational knowledge of nutrition absorption and the three major nutrients, along with guidance on appropriate supplement use and the risks of overconsumption.