Production, Production Engineering, Logistics and Purchasing
Safety and Health
"Safe Work is 'the gate' to all work. Let us pass through this gate."These are the words of a request made in 1957 to all employees by then Senior Managing Director Eiji Toyoda (now an Honorary Advisor).
These words were adopted as a principle of Toyota safety and health practice and have for many years formed the basis of our safety and health activities. The middle years of the 20th century were a period for adapting facilities and formulating safety standards. From the 1980s, keypoint campaigns focused on eliminating major accidents, and more recently, we have rolled out safety and health management and activities to promote a safety-oriented culture so as to prevent accidents more reliably and to create a safer and more secure workplace.
In safety and health management as well,'creating a healthy and positive workplace' has been a Toyota watchword since our founding days as we take steady action to promote employee health and improve the work environment.
We have in the past taken action to promote employee health using the results of health checks to encourage health recovery. However, taking into account of the effects of increasing globalization, which has led to more diverse work patterns among our employees, we have supplemented existing initiatives with activities to maintain and improve mental and physical health that put the emphasis on prevention, accompanied by improvements to the workplace environment.
Specific measures include enhancements to our health strategy to reflect the increasing number of Toyota employees based overseas, fitness-focused preventive action against lifestyle-related disease in the form of a range of initiatives to promote healthier diets and exercise, and action on mental health through information for employees on emotional health and enhanced provision of training sessions for managerial and supervisory staff. In this way, we are rolling out a health strategy which meets the needs of changing times.
Year
|
Month
|
Events
|
---|---|---|
1938
|
July
|
Safety and Health Committee established (Safety and Health Committee Regulations adopted)
|
November
|
Health clinic established at Koromo Plant (now Honsha Plant)
|
|
1942
|
October
|
Toyota Hospital opened
|
1948
|
August
|
Safety and Health Section established in Welfare Department
|
1949
|
October
|
All-Toyota Safety and Health Research Group established
|
1957
|
July
|
KYOHOKAI Safety and Health Research Group established
|
November
|
Safety and Health Hall completed
|
|
1961
|
March
|
TMC Safety and Health Cooperating Association established
|
1963
|
April
|
Safety and Health Administration Office becomes independent (now Safety and Health Promotion Division)
|
1964
|
January
|
Safety and Health Management Meeting (now Safety and Health Management Committee) established
|
1974
|
September
|
Safety and Health Management Unit established at each plant (followed in October by establishment of Safety Committee and Health Committee at each plant)
|
1977
|
May
|
Health check floor completed at Health Insurance Hall
|
July
|
Safety Test Center (now Global Safety and Health Education Center) completed
|
|
1981
|
April
|
Tahara Plant Health Clinic opened
|
1982
|
June
|
Ergonomics Experimentation Unit completed
|
1984
|
September
|
Tsutsumi Health Clinic opened
|
1987
|
September
|
Toyota Memorial Hospital opened
Health Center opened in Toyota Memorial Hospital |
1989
|
October
|
Honsha Health Clinic opened
|
1992
|
April
|
Motomachi Health Clinic opened
|
1993
|
April
|
Kamigo Health Clinic opened
|
April
|
Elderly health care facility 'Joystay' opened
|
|
1996
|
January
|
Safety and Health Administration Division name changed to Safety and Health Promotion Division
|
2000
|
March
|
Central wing of Safety and Health Education Center completed
|
2002
|
June
|
Sukoyaka Haato Health Hall (Health Clinic for employees of Vehicle Development Division) opened; Renamed the Toyota Global Safety and Health Education Center
|
2004
|
March
|
North wing of Safety and Health Education Center completed
|
2005
|
January
|
Stomach health check bus introduced
|
2006
|
January
|
Safety and Occupational Health Promotion Division name changed to Safety and Health Promotion Division
|
2007
|
March
|
Kinuura Health Clinic opened
|
2008
|
April
|
Year
|
Month
|
Events
|
---|---|---|
1938
|
July
|
Safety Week activities started
|
1949
|
June
|
Specific work training and screening system introduced
|
1950
|
October
|
Occupational Health Week activities started
|
1953
|
June
|
Dust measurement and noise reduction measures introduced
|
1955
|
July
|
Eiji Toyoda (then Senior Managing Director) receives award from Minister of Labour for distinguished service towards industrial safety
|
1957
|
October
|
Award received from Minister of Labour for workplace with outstanding occupational health level
|
1959
|
January
|
Safety promotion officer system established
|
1960
|
March
|
Safety promotion target system established
|
July
|
Safety calendars distributed and safety noticeboards and displayed company-wide
|
|
First issue of Safety and Health News published
|
||
1961
|
January
|
Occupational health management officer system established
|
February
|
Full-time safety guidance officers appointed
|
|
September
|
Activities implemented company-wide under the 4S campaign - seiri (sort), seiton (straighten), seiso (sweep), and seiketsu (sanitation)
|
|
1962
|
January
|
Safety Reminder Cards distributed
|
April
|
Internal award system for accident-free operation established
|
|
1964
|
January
|
System for designation of safety promotion workplaces established
|
Tagout order system and facility joint watch system established
|
||
1965
|
January
|
Regular environmental measurement at all plants introduced
|
1966
|
January
|
System established whereby staff who carry out an operation are also responsible for it
|
|
Introduction of safety standards for facilities implemented
|
|
1968
|
January
|
Safe operating procedures adopted and enforced (rolled out as part of corporate policy)
|
1969
|
July
|
Safety Pledge implemented
|
1970
|
January
|
Action implemented to prevent accidents caused by unexpected machinery startup (physical and procedural countermeasures implemented)
|
1972
|
June
|
Emergency measures training for frontline supervisors implemented as priority action
|
1974
|
September
|
Self-management by employees of production departments strengthened (activities implemented to prevent accidents caused by impulsive action)
|
1976
|
January
|
Improvements introduced in operative posture when handling heavy objects
|
June
|
KY (kiken yochi : danger anticipation) technique introduced
|
|
|
Advance assessment of hazardous substances started
|
|
1979
|
January
|
'Stick to the Rules' campaigns introduced as regular activity
|
1980
|
January
|
Training for emergency measures guidance officers started
|
June
|
Operational improvements based on specific human functions introduced
|
|
1981
|
April
|
Project to create suitable posts for elderly employees established
|
1982
|
November
|
Emergency measure operations become designated work area
|
1983
|
January
|
KY (kiken yochi : danger anticipation) activities implemented company-wide
|
September
|
Guidelines to identify work conditions that cause back and arm pain adopted
|
|
1985
|
January
|
|
February
|
Self-evaluation and kaizen (improvement) activities implemented
|
|
June
|
Toyota functional evaluation method for middle-aged and older employees implemented
|
|
1986
|
May
|
Process-specific safety research activities started
|
1987
|
January
|
System introduced for recognizing workplaces with outstanding safety record
|
1991
|
January
|
Simultaneous company-wide overall safety inspection carried out
|
|
Safety design Committee established
|
|
1992
|
January
|
Key accident prevention (STOP6*) activities started
|
1993
|
February
|
Training for newly appointed managers commenced
|
1997
|
October
|
Workplace diagnosis activities commenced
|
November
|
Monument to Safety erected
|
|
1999
|
February
|
Training begins for newly appointed general managers
|
December
|
MSDS-based chemical substance management started
|
|
2000
|
April
|
Company-wide Ergonomics Committee established
|
2004
|
December
|
Facility lockout system introduced
|
2005
|
March
|
Measures adopted to introduce segregated smoking areas company-wide
|
2006
|
January
|
Rollout of occupational safety and health management system (OSHMS) commenced
|
April
|
Japan's Industrial Safety and Health Law revised (compulsory risk assessment introduced)
|
|
July
|
Activities to prevent accidental contact between humans and vehicles rolled out
|
|
2008
|
January
|
Activities to promote a safety-oriented culture begin (improved awareness and behavior among senior management and frontline staff)
|
June
|
Companywide Safety and Health Committee instituted (chaired by company president)
|
|
July
|
'Safety Workshop' Training for newly appointed corporate officers initiated
|
|
August
|
||
2009
|
June
|
Safety training begins for Chief Leaders (CL), covering all staff of CL grade
|
September
|
Reporting of safety conditions begins at management meetings (for all corporate officers)
|
- *
- STOP6 is an initiative begun from 1992 focusing on advance prevention of serious accidents and covers the six items of the Safety TOYOTA 0 (Zero Accident) Project.
-
- The six key items are:
- 1. Accidents caused by being caught or entangled in moving machinery
- 2. Accidents caused by contact with heavy objects (100 kg or above)
- 3. Accidents caused by contact with vehicles
- 4. Accidents caused by falls (including falls from a height of 2 m or above)
- 5. Accidents caused by electric shock
- 6. Accidents caused by contact with objects at high temperature
Year
|
Month
|
Events
|
---|---|---|
1945
|
August
|
Home visits to tuberculosis patients by company nurses started
|
1955
|
April
|
Health check regulations adopted
|
1968
|
February
|
Comprehensive medical checkups for employees started (using Aichi Prefecture healthcare center)
|
1974
|
January
|
Trial to expand health checks for lifestyle-related diseases implemented (existing stomach checkup and liver function test supplemented with electrocardiogram and total cholesterol tests)
|
1977
|
May
|
Comprehensive medical checkups for employees started (Health Insurance Hall)
|
1978
|
April
|
Lifestyle advice seminars with medical specialists started
|
1984
|
April
|
Stretch exercise introduced as part of workplace physical exercise
|
1986
|
November
|
Training sessions for mental health care leaders started
|
1987
|
April
|
Health education differentiated by employee grade started
|
1989
|
September
|
Headache consulting system introduced
|
1991
|
April
|
Health consultation telephone hotline established
|
1992
|
January
|
Health management system (Human) introduced and health check items expanded
|
1993
|
March
|
AIDS prevention countermeasures started
|
October
|
Advice meetings introduced for patients requiring follow-up
|
|
1994
|
January
|
Items for noise-related health checks revised following amendment of legislation
|
1995
|
April
|
Health check system introduced
|
1996
|
May
|
Display of calorie count started in cafeteria
|
October
|
Office stretch exercise introduced
|
|
Health checks for staff making overseas business trips introduced
|
||
1998
|
April
|
System of full-time workplace occupational physicians expanded
|
1999
|
December
|
Content of health-related work restrictions revised
|
2000
|
January
|
Health management system updated for year 2000 and health check system revised
|
2001
|
April
|
'SEmotional health' page set up on company intranet
|
2002
|
January
|
Active listening courses introduced for managerial and supervisory staff
|
September
|
Health checks reinforced for employees with long working hours
|
|
October
|
Health checks for employees away from work introduced to enhance health monitoring
Health monitoring after promotion or transfer started following introduction of regular organizational changes |
|
2003
|
March
|
Preventive measures implemented following emergence of SARS in China
|
October
|
Vaccination against seasonal influenza started for staff on overseas business trips or postings
|
|
2004
|
January
|
Meal check system introduced in cafeteria to highlight calorie intake
|
April
|
Behavioral change program introduced as start of advice for lifestyle improvement
|
|
2005
|
April
|
|
'Quit smoking' courses introduced
|
||
Beck Depression Inventory (BDI) questionnaire introduced as part of health checks
|
||
Distribution, during health checks, of 'Emotional Guidebook' begun
|
||
2006
|
February
|
New system for diabetes mellitus (hospitalization experience) introduced
|
March
|
Precautionary countermeasures implemented against emergence of new influenza strain (H5N1)
|
|
2007
|
May
|
Health handbook distributed to all employees
|
2008
|
April
|
New health management system (Newmans) introduced
|
July
|
Health guidance to prevent metabolic syndrome started (now known as Health Step-up Seminar)
|
- *
- BIP2 activities
Behavior Change Innovation (BIP) Program introduced in 2005 under a five-year corporate project., with the twin aims of controlling body mass index (BMI) and encouraging participants to quit smoking
BIP=Behavior change Innovation Program