Occupational Health and Safety

	Safety Performance

In fiscal 2008, two accidents resulted in lost workdays (accident frequency rate of lost-workday injuries^*: 0.16), with another five such accidents occurring at contractors (accident frequency rate of lost-workday injuries: 0.50). Analysis of accidents occurring among employees of Sumitomo Chemical from fiscal 2002 onward—including details of the work being performed, whether they took place during regular or irregular operations, and the level of risk prediction—revealed that almost no accidents had taken place during work. Instead, most of the accidents had occurred during pre- or post-work activities or in attempts to solve problems with processes and equipment. Focusing our attention on these factors, we are now planning a project to identify hazardous activities, evaluate the risks, and implement measures to reduce these risks in addition to conducting conventional risk and hazard identification activities.

* Frequency rate of lost workday injuries = (Number of victims suffering lost-workday injuries) / (Actual working hours) x 1,000,000

	Creation and Operation of OSHMS (Occupational Safety and Health Management System)

The OSHMS is a voluntary mechanism for continuously managing the health and safety of workers through repetition of the PDCA (plan, do, check, act) cycle. This aims to raise the overall level of health and safety by reducing the latent risk of work-related accidents while at the same time enhancing the health of employees and creating a comfortable working environment.
Sumitomo Chemical first obtained OSHMS certification from the Japan Industrial Safety and Health Association (JISHA) for its Chiba Works in May 2005, and by fiscal 2006, had obtained certification for all five of its Works as well as its Tsukuba and Agricultural Chemicals Research Laboratories.

	Measures to Address the Asbestos Problem

(1) Surveying Buildings Constructed Using Materials Containing Asbestos

Sumitomo Chemical surveyed all its buildings to determine whether they had been constructed with materials containing asbestos. Subsequently, asbestos was removed, enclosed or surrounded, in accordance with the Japanese Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare�fs Regulations for the Prevention of Asbestos-related Disease. All such work was completed by December 2005.

(2) Manufacturing Equipment that Uses Materials Containing Asbestos

Some of our manufacturing equipment makes use of sealing and heat insulating materials that contain asbestos, and we are gradually replacing these materials with asbestos-free alternatives. There is no danger of exposure to asbestos during the normal operation of this manufacturing equipment.
If, however, there is a risk of dust being produced when handling these sealing and heat insulating materials, we take measures to prevent exposure, requiring persons handling the materials to wear protective clothing, for example. (Sealing materials do not produce dust when handled normally, but will, for example, when they are cut. Under such circumstances, anti-exposure measures, such as wearing protective clothing, become necessary.)

(3) Maintaining the Health of Former Employees of Sumitomo Chemical

If former employees who have handled materials containing asbestos while working at Sumitomo Chemical so request, we will arrange for them to have a physical examination and will discuss their concerns with them, regardless of the degree to which they handled the materials in question. So far we have organized physical examinations for 1,431 persons, 18 of whom have been deemed eligible for workers' compensation insurance benefits under the Workers' Accident Compensation Insurance Act. 77 persons were issued a Health Check Note. Three persons have been deemed eligible for special bereaved family compensation under the Act on Asbestos Health Damage Relief (as of the end of March 2009).