Shin Etsu Chemical : Updated of Close-Call (Hiyari-Hatto) Incidents

Close-call(Hiyari-hatto ) Incidents Experienced during Daily Work

July 30, 2021 Shin-Etsu Chemical Co., Ltd.

• Views of Employees Collected Through Questionnaire
  The following are typical examples of close-call(hiyari-hatto) incidents and improvement action plans made by employees,

which were reported at four plants of Shin-Etsu Chemical by means of a questionnaire.

• Depending on the nature of the incidents, we will determine what further actions are necessary to assure essential safety.

Factors Leading	Reported Close-call Incidents	Improvement Action Plans *
to a Close-call
Human Factor	When walking to the shipping gate and passing by a truck scale,	We will analyze the situation to determine why people were walking
	I saw some people walking just in front of the scale while a truck	in front of the truck and whether they need to pass in front of it.
	was being weighed. I think this is dangerous, especially when a	In addition, we will implement a hazard prediction activity (HPA or
	tanker truck is being weighed.	kiken yochi) around a tanker truck, and if necessary, improve the facilities
		to prevent human-behavior-induced accidents. Moreover, we will
		conduct a training program to inform everyone in the plant why the
		existing rules are in place and to clarify what latent hazards arise if the
		rules are not followed.
	There is a risk that operators may loose their grip or footing when	We will encourage operators to implement a hazard prediction activity
	climbing up and down the ladder of a tanker or container, causing	(HPA) before a day's work begins so as to ensure that operators can
	them to slip and fall.	safely climb up and down the ladder.
	Some people wearing lab robes turn up their sleeves, especially in	We will provide special training so that operators will recognize the fact
	summer. There is a risk that they may get chemical agents on their	again that they work in a chemical plant where there is a risk of thermal
	arms or that their arms may come into contact with the dryer when	and/or chemical burns and to ensure that they properly wear working
	handling items inside it.	uniforms according to the safety rules.
	I mistook the "reverse" switch of the cart for the "forward" one and	We will encourage operators to carry out "physical pointing and calling
	was nearly hit by a cart.	out" to prevent a recurrence of such a mistake.
	Some people park their cars near the dining hall or lavatory,	We will ensure that all employees and external contractors turn off
	leaving their car with the engine running. This could be dangerous,	the engine when their vehicle is parked on the premises.
	as cases have been reported of such actions having caused a fire
	at other companies.
	We sometimes, but not always, use a cutter knife. I do not think	We will ensure that operators properly wear protective equipment
	this will cause a major accident, but I sometimes feel there is a	through a hazard prediction activity (HPA) with work instructions.
	danger of injury. Therefore, I will wear Kevlar gloves, just in case.

	Factors Leading	Reported Close-call Incidents	Improvement Action Plans *
	to a Close-call
	Human Factor	It is difficult to wear safety glasses on ordinary glasses at the same	We will provide protective goggles to operators who wear ordinary
		time. Therefore, I often forget to wear safety glasses.	glasses.
		When carrying materials, I piled up and carried an excessive	We will instruct operators not to rush in order to finish work quickly
		number of boxes to finish the work quickly. I nearly dropped	at a workplace safety meeting.
		the boxes and tripped over my own feet.
		When transferring products from storage to a pallet, I sometimes	To avoid operators having to guess whether a box is empty or not,
		find an empty box at the bottom of the pile. I lose my balance and	empty and full boxes will be sorted and clearly marked so that they will
		nearly fall down as a certain amount of force is applied in lifting	not be mixed.
		heavy products.
		I sometimes feel we should wear a safety belt when working	Work performed at a height is regulated by law. We will provide
		at a height.	training for operators to ensure that they properly use safety equipment
New
Human Action	The display showing the direction of the flow in the pipe was incorrect	We corrected the display to show the correct flow direction.
		both at the site and in the design drawing. There is a possibility that
		this could lead to misoperation or a mistake in construction work.
		When pasting a name on the measured data, on the operation	The command selection method was changed from screen operation to
		screen "Name Change" and "Delete" were displayed side-by-side,	keyboard input.
		and I almost deleted the data by mistaking the choice.
		In the morning, when going down the stairs to clock out at the end of	A phosphorescent display indicating the direction for ascending and for
		my working period from midnight until the early morning, I almost	descending the stairs was installed and also a handrail was installed on the
		collided there with a contractor because there are no indications on	wall side.
		the stairs guiding those ascending and descending them.
		After coming down the stairs from the instrumentation room on my	Workers' health management situations will be checked to see whether or
		way going to my worksite, I lost my balance due to feeling ill and not	not they have sufficient hydration and resting time when working during the
		being able to put my foot forward, perhaps due to a mild case of heat	summer.
		stroke.
		The inside of a protective barrier that is coated to prevent	We affixed non-slip tape on the slippery area in order to prevent the
		degradation is easy to slip on when it is wet due to rain or snow, and	danger of falling.
		there is a danger that one could fall.
		The drain pipe and the floor are the same color so that the pipe is not	We painted the drain pipe in a fluorescent orange color that is quite
		easy to notice when people are passing by, and I am concerned	different from the color of the floor so that it is easy to recognize the pipe.
		someone might trip.

Factors Leading	Reported Close-call Incidents	Improvement Action Plans *
to a Close-call
Human Action The heating vessel's power was turned off, and when I touched the	We arranged it so that until the heating vessel is cooled down, a "Caution:
	cover with my bare hands my hands almost got burned.	Hot!" notice will be dispayed.
	It is difficult to distinguish between the "No Passage" sign necessary	We repositioned the placement area of the "Operation Cautions" sign. At
	at the time of facility inspection, and the sign for "Operation	the same time, in order for the "No Passage" sign to be seen clearly and
	Cautions."	be easily distinguished from the other sign, we changed the placement of
		this sign to a hanging-down type.
	When a dolly passed over a mudguard mat, it crumpled up the mat,	We stablized the mudguard mat by applying a double-sided tape.
	and my foot got caught and I got scared.

In winter when snow had accumulated, because some of the service We stopped using service water to melt snow when it is not necessary. water used to melt the snow had frozen in an area where people

pass by when leaving work, I slipped and almost fell.

At the inspection work area, my foot fell into a u-shaped gutter where A cover for the gutter was installed. there was no cover, and I almost fell down.

There is a danger of tripping over an eyebath's drain piping that is on We painted the drain piping yellow so that it is easily recognizable. the ground.

A rotating machine continues to rotate even after the power is turned A lock function was added so that the cover can be opened only after the off, and there is a possibility one could get caught when the cover is rotation stops.

opened.

When I stepped on a stool that was placed to allow crossing over	The piping and stool were removed so as to make the area flat so that
piping, my foot slipped and I almost fell.	there is no difference in level.
Because the work to fill a conduit with antifreeze involves the use of	We will modify the workplace so that the work will not involve using a
a ladder, there is a danger that one could fall.	ladder.

Factors Leading	Reported Close-call Incidents	Improvement Action Plans *
to a Close-call
Human Action	On the staircase landing, there are many blind spots, and there is a	A mirror was installed to make sure there are no blind spots.
	high risk of colliding with people.
	When I put on the rubber gloves that were placed on top of the cover	We are investigating a place to temporarily put the gloves.
	of the reactor, they were hot and it gave me a scare.
	When patrolling the site, I could not see well the area where I was	A cover was installed over the drainage gutter.
	walking because of the steam coming out of the drainage conduit
	and I almost fell into the drainage gutter.
	The handrailing of the plant's staircase deck is constructed according	We will raise the height of the handrailing.
	to standard specifications; however, visually it appears to be low and
	it makes me feel a bit fearful.
	When cleaning some greasy grime, I almost missed a step that was	We installed anti-slip flooring in the area. We will also conduct a review to
	in front of the entrance to the room.	specify the cause of the greasy grime and also implement measures to
		prevent such unclean substances.
	Because of changes in my field of vision due to using bifocal	We will make sure that when workers are going up and down the stairs
	eyeglasses, when I was going up and down the stairs it was hard to	they must always use the handrail.
	accurately grasp a sense of distance and so I almost missed a step.
	When transfering products to a tank lorry, because there was a	We are considering to add a fluorescent color in order for the ground earth
	ground earth wire, which was supposed to be run along the ground,	wire to stand out and be easily identifiable.
	in an elevated position, it almost became entangled around my neck
	and chest.
	When engaging in a cleaning job, a part of my body brushed against	In order to prevent the emergency stop button from being accidentally
	the emergency call button on an instrument panel and I almost	pushed on, a cover was installed over the button.
	pushed it on.
	When unfastening a bolt of a pipe joint, retained liquid came rushing	Prior to carrying out non-routine work, we will make sure that the hazard
	out from the joints.	prediction activities (HPA) are followed and we will prepare piping drawings
		and directions before the starting of such work.

Factors Leading	Reported Close-call Incidents	Improvement Action Plans *
to a Close-call
Human Action	When inspecting the facility on a stormy day, while holding the paper	We implemented a skid-prevention measure by mounting an anti-skid tape
	data documents in my hand in order to keep them from being blown	along the passageway of the facility.
	away, I slipped on the wet floor and almost fell down.
	I am taking a training course on cardiac resuscitation, but I am	We created a procedure chart explaining how to apply cardiac
	concerned about whether or not I will be able to correctly perform the	resuscitation and posted it in a prominent place to help provide guidance
	resuscitation procedure if I should actually be faced with such a	about how to perform the procedure so employees will know what to do if
	situation.	faced with such a situation.
	While making an inspection round on the first floor of the worksite,	We insisted that the general contractor and the company working on-site
	a bolt came falling down from an area on the second floor where	make sure to more thoroughly supervise their work.
	dismantling work was going on, and it gave me a scare.
	While I was hauling a load with a forklift, a person suddened came	An instruction was issued that stated that when transporting a load,
	out from the side passageway, and it gave me a quite a fright.	one should move slowly, while carefully checking the surrounding areas,
		and we posted a "no-entry" sign by the forklift passageway.
	Because the nameplate of another tank is located near the tank's	A protective guard was installed.
	ladder, there is a high risk of bumping into that nameplate when
	going up and down the ladder.
	When I climbed onto a stepladder to check on how the raw	We placed a movable stepladder with a handrail.
	materials were being injected, I missed a step and almost
	fell down.
	While transporting chemicals, I stumbled because of the different	We installed a metal plate and eliminated the floor level differences
	levels of the floor at the entrance to a room.	at the entrance way to the room.
	The employee lost balance and was frightened.
	When I tried to use a cutter to cut up an empty plastic bottle	When cutting up empty plastic bottles for disposal, we will make use
	for disposal, the blade dangerously slipped.	of a steel saw.
	When I was taking apart the partition board for piping,	We will set up a movable scaffold specifically for this work.
	I almost fell off the scaffold.
	When cleaning one of the two waste-water pumps, another pump	We will carry out a hazard prediction activity (HPA) to ensure the proper
	started to operate and waste-water spilled out. (I had switched to	switchover. Especially in non-routine work, we will thoroughly implement
	manual operation only for the pump I was to clean.)	a hazard prediction activity (HPA) with work instructions to ensure safety.