• Approach to Occupational Health and Safety
• Safety Management Initiatives
• Fire and Disaster Prevention
• Facility Safety Maintenance

In the FY2021, we had a serious occupational accident¹ in which an employee lost a foot. The accident occurred when a forklift slipped on an oily floor in an overseas warehouse and the driver's leg got caught between the forklift and a wall. Immediately after the accident, the staff examined conditions in the warehouse, performed a why-why analysis, identified risks. All other Epson sites were then instructed to inspect the way they care for and use their forklifts. Based on the lessons learned, we established rules for reporting potentially hazardous conditions, provided forklift safety training, and posted warnings to indicate hazards in work areas. These practices were shared across the Epson Group in an accident report to help prevent future accidents of this nature.

The frequency rate and severity² of occupational accidents in the Epson Group were lower than the national average.

¹ An accident that results in death, residual disability, or the equivalent
² The frequency rate and severity of occupational accidents are indicators that are calculated in accordance with a formula provided by the Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare, Japan

Number of Occupational Accidents, by Type, in FY2021

* Definition of accident: In Japan, an accident resulting in one or more hospital visits.

We analyzed occupational accidents in FY2021 and will act to prevent accidents, including repeat accidents, in FY2022 by focusing on the actions below.

• Reaction to motion and over-exertion: Raise awareness of heavy objects (e.g., post weights), analyze worker motion and lines of movement, assess risks, and take action to mitigate identified risks.
• Cuts and scrapes: Draw attention to hazards to which workers could be exposed so that they are taken seriously, analyze their causes, and develop countermeasures. Do so not only for equipment and machinery but also for general tools and fixtures.
• Falls: Continue activities to prevent falls using hazard prediction (KY), raise awareness of falls, and promote efforts to eradicate occupational accidents.

To protect employees from occupational health and safety risks, Epson will systematically acquire certification under the ISO 45001 international standard for occupational health and safety management systems, mainly at manufacturing sites, over a three-year period. As of June 2022, four of our 15 overseas manufacturing sites have acquired ISO 45001 certification, for an acquisition rate of 27%.

Epson seeks to improve its occupational health and safety activities around the world by holding regular meetings at our production sites in Japan and overseas to share information and discuss issues at the executive management and operational levels.

Epson analyzes all occupational injuries and accidents in the Epson Group, identifies causes, and makes plans for preventing similar incidents. Occupational injuries and accidents are reported in the form of Safety News bulletins that describe accident causes, countermeasures, and actions that all sites are to take to prevent similar accidents in the future. These reports are placed on the intranet and discussed with employees.

Epson considers health and safety education vital for protecting employees. The education curriculum is tailored to the position, roles, and responsibilities of employees. Education for non-management employees focuses on practical techniques such as risk assessment and hazard prediction. Education for managers and supervisors focuses on leadership. All Group companies use the same education curriculum.

In the FY2021, we offered an online safety course in Japan that was taken by 98.28% of managers and supervisors (2,387 people) and by 99.05% of non-management employees (15,629 people). We also planned and implemented basic education (including in safety standards) for managers and supervisors overseas. The course was taken by 100% of managers and supervisors in Greater China (717 people) and by 100% in the Southeast Asia territory (1,258 people).

Epson is committed to fire safety and disaster management. Our independent fire brigades help to protect lives and property. We hold fire and disaster drills and practice extinguishing small fires to help minimize damage in the event of a wide-scale disaster. The actions both increase our preparedness and heighten employee awareness.

Epson has held a fire brigade competition annually in September that gives brigade members around the world a chance to demonstrate how quickly they are able to take the proper action in an emergency and to demonstrate their skills in extinguishing a small fire.

About 700 people in 43 teams, including 15 from overseas, took part in the 2019 Competition. The 43 teams consisted of 23 in the small pump division, 12 in the indoor fire hydrant division, and eight in the bugle band division. The high level of fire safety awareness was evident from the seriousness with which the teams competed in bad weather, showing that the spirit to protect lives and property under which the brigades were first formed is alive and well. The entire Epson Group will continue to improve our fire and disaster prevention and management programs.

Competitions have been canceled for the past three years due to COVID-19, but the fire brigades continue to routinely practice basic fire-fighting skills to extinguish fires early.

Epson maintains safe facilities in line with the Epson Group Basic Occupational Health and Safety Policy to prevent accidents caused by faulty buildings, equipment, and facilities.

Facility safety maintenance covers all domestic and foreign Epson Group buildings and building equipment, including but not limited to electrical equipment, air conditioning and sanitary equipment, drainage equipment, disaster management equipment, communication equipment, and equipment for supplying gas and chemicals to production machinery. Maintaining the soundness of buildings and building equipment, preventing damage from fires and earthquakes, and ensuring the safety of employees and others will help Epson to ensure business continuity and deliver products and services on time. Epson thus has in place a variety of facility safety measures.

For example, before a new building or new building equipment is constructed, installed, refurbished, or removed, a safety assessment is conducted to identify potential problems and improve designs. In addition to managing safety during construction, we also conduct post-construction safety assessments where we check whether buildings and building equipment were constructed or installed as designed. If there is a problem, we have it fixed, and if it is not fixed, the building or equipment cannot be used until the problem is resolved.

In addition to ensuring compliance with applicable laws, regulations, and codes when conducting safety assessments, we are also working to build safer buildings and building equipment by establishing our own standards and preventing the recurrence of past accidents and problems.

In many cases, we hire outside contractors to do the actual construction work. When we hire a contractor, we carefully manage safety by communicating the construction rules, controlling access to the site, ensuring that confidentiality is maintained, and providing instructions for working safely. We also try to raise safety awareness among contractors by holding safety conferences.

To encourage employees to acquire the licenses and qualifications needed for facility management and to maintain and raise the level of facility management, Epson provides employees with ongoing professional education. To help ensure electrical safety, Epson created its own program for training and qualifying electrical equipment technicians. Only qualified technicians are allowed to perform electrical work and maintenance on machinery used at Epson sites worldwide.

We at Epson will continue to try to eliminate occupational accidents through activities like these.