Employees’ Occupational Health and Safety

Medium-Term Targets and Progress

To achieve our Vision for 2030, we are managing progress for each KPI and have made achievement criteria and action plans for up to 2030.

1. Prevent occupational accidents

  • Serious accidents: zero (in Japan and overseas, including contractors)
  • All accidents: reduce year on year, with aim of eventually reaching zero
FY2022 Results FY2023 Plan Final Year of 2021 3-Year Business Plan
(FY2024)		 Final Year of 2027 3-Year Business Plan
(FY2030)
  • Serious accidents: 3
  • All accidents
    Numbers in parentheses are FY2022 results
    Japan employees all accidents: 24 (20)
    Japan contractors all accidents: 5 (8)
    Overseas employees all accidents: 1 (2)

Serious accidents occurred. Many recurring accidents occurred, missing the target for all accidents. Multiple accidents occurred from May to July, but things calmed down after a state of emergency was declared in July, and there were no accidents from November to December. We promoted essential safety measures for equipment, separation of pedestrians and vehicles, and installation of AI cameras on forklifts, work observation by supervisors to avoid leaving unsafe behavior unnoticed, and a full-scale start of VR training.
  • Conduct a comprehensive review of safety measures for automated equipment and promote countermeasures for any risks found
  • Continue heavy equipment safety measures such as the use of AI cameras and separation of pedestrians and vehicles
  • Monitor the implementation status of on-site work observation through inspections and patrols, provide guidance, identify risks, and make improvements
  • Develop VR hands-on education using new original content
 Achievement Criteria Serious accidents: zero (in Japan and overseas, including contractors)

2024 targets
Japan employees all accidents: 7/year or less
Japan contractors all accidents: 2/year or less
Overseas employees all accidents: 1/year or less
 Targets through all 3-Year Business Plan periods
Serious accidents: zero (in Japan and overseas, including contractors)
All accidents: reduce year on year, with aim of eventually reaching zero
Action Plan
  1. Enhance equipment safety
    1) Initiate DX in mines and battery plants
    2) Education on risk assessment manuals
  2. Develop the management system
    1) Identify the actual circumstances of line management
    • Utilize work observation
    • Check and review measures against reoccurring accidents
  3. Develop human resources
    1) Formulate education programs for managers and supervisors, etc.
    2) Improve education for all employees Hazard simulation training using VR
  1. Enhance equipment safety
    1) Promote (2024 3-Year Business Plan) and realize DX
    2) Make facilities safer through risk assessment manuals (2024 3-Year Business Plan) and expand
  2. Develop the management system
    1) Strengthen (2024 3-Year Business Plan) and operate line management
  3. Develop human resources
    1) Revise (2024 3-Year Business Plan) and establish manager and supervisor education
    2) Review (2024 3-Year Business Plan) and implement new education for all employees

2. Prevent occurrence of occupational diseases

  • Number of workplaces that present higher health risks: reduce year on year
  • Occurrence of occupational diseases: zero
FY2022 Results FY2023 Plan Final Year of 2021 3-Year Business Plan
(FY2024)		 Final Year of 2027 3-Year Business Plan
(FY2030)
  • Achieved year-on-year reduction in number of workplaces that present higher health risks
    2022: 2 workplaces (2021: 5 workplaces)
  • Occurrence of occupational diseases: zero

Reinforced daily inspections, as work environments deteriorate due to equipment damage, etc.
Promoted visualization of work environments using time-lapse cameras, dust meters, etc.
After taking measures based on the thermal environment management standards, the number of heat stroke cases in underground operations was reduced to zero 		Continue to improve equipment to ensure good work environments and strengthen management to prevent deterioration of work environments
  • Promote introduction of new technologies, such as automatic underground HLD to reduce individual exposure and various tools for visualization of work environments
  • Strengthen equipment maintenance (inspection and repair)
  • Share good practices for equipment and management improvement
 Achievement Criteria
  • Achieve year-on-year reduction in number of workplaces that present higher health risks
  • Occurrence of occupational diseases: zero
 Targets through all 3-Year Business Plan periods
  • Number of workplaces that present higher health risks: reduce year on year
  • Address new risks (2024 3-Year Business Plan)
  • Realize comfortable workplace environment (2027 3-Year Business Plan)
  • Occurrence of occupational diseases: zero
Action Plan
  • Make improvements to equipment led by top management
  • Upgrade management techniques through line management and manage and maintain effects of improvement
  • Reduce individual exposure time Analyze and utilize individual sampling and continuous monitoring data. Utilize biosensors for heatstroke prevention, etc.
  • Ensure implementation of the three areas of management in occupational health and safety (working environment management, work management, and health management)
  • Continue and review the actions on the left
  • Respond to new regulations and risks of handled substances (2024 3-Year Business Plan)
  • Include improvement of workloads and strengthening of health management through DX (2027 3-Year Business Plan)

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