Safety measures in Yamaguchi Operations

Security control system

Yamaguchi Operations is reinforcing its own security system by creating a "security control system" in accordance with the High Pressure Gas Safety Act and establishing the Yamaguchi Operations' Safety Control Policy.

Plant Safety Charter

Yamaguchi Operations will establish a "Plant Safety Charter," giving consideration to the characteristics of Yamaguchi Operations. This will be posted within our location to clarify six basic steps that contribute to strengthening independent security.

1. Prevent abnormal reactions
   • Polymerization of liquids containing styrene monomer
   • Alkylation reaction
   • DNP degradation

1. Prevent leaks from high-pressure to low-pressure sections
   • Airtightness tests and periodic leakage inspections
   • Discover and respond to problems in their early stages

1. Prevent disasters caused by furnace equipment and operate such equipment in a stable manner

1. Maintaining performance of advanced control systems
   • Skill improvement of persons using software and hardware
   • Improvement of software and hardware reliability

1. Conduct risk management according to change control and specific dangers
   • Technical and environmental safety evaluations
   • Utilization of accident information
   • Risk assessments (irregular times, times of irregular operation)

1. Implement measures for aging equipment
   • Residual life predictions and equipment support
   • Support for dealing with outer surface corrosion

Safety Control Activities

Near Miss Activity

The Yamaguchi Operations are carrying out “Near Miss” exercises to increase sensitivity to the presence of danger. These Near Miss exercises are designed to heighten awareness so as to prevent accidents, fires and like before they happen. This involves first being acutely alert to danger, and then quickly facing it. By engaging in this series of exercises it is hoped that potential disasters will be nipped in the bud, and latent dangers will be averted. Yamaguchi Operations carries them out together with its regular trading partners, making the exercises an important tool in safety promotion.

The Near Miss System was introduced in April 2017, and since that time has been confirmed to have rapidly caught on company-wide, and is seen as having helped raise safety to the highest level to date. Near Miss exercises also involve assessments based on the frequency of accident occurrences and their reach. Risks that are considered to be especially high are discussed by the Safety and Hygiene Committee meetings, which forms part of the Labor-Management Council, and determinations that it makes to deal with the risk are put into action.

Characteristics

• Risk awareness requires not only experience, but a watchfulness by which focus is extended to even the smallest things so as to increase sensitivity to one’s surroundings.
• Near Miss awareness should be wide-ranging, extending to everything from tasks, to processes, equipment, quality, surroundings, traffic, office work, and more.
• Near Miss awareness is an exercise for all members of the Operations.
• ​Near Miss awareness activities are made easy for Operations staff to engage in, and this is achieved with initiatives such as giving commendations for annual number of Near Miss reports, Near Miss reports that led to improvements, and so on.
   

Definition of Near Miss

Experienced Near Miss

Near Miss that is directly experienced by individuals

Assumable Near Miss

The work or act itself is not dangerous, but you feel that it might lead to a potential accident or trouble if something goes wrong. You feel that an accident or some trouble might occur when you observe certain facilities or the behaviors of others. You feel that a problem might develop since important issues, such as lessons from the past and prevention knowledge, have not been handed down properly.

In-house comprehensive disaster-prevention activities

Yamaguchi Operations has established the self-disaster prevention department according to the Act on the Prevention of Disaster in Petroleum Industrial Complexes and Other Petroleum Facilities, and has also formed a joint disaster prevention department with neighboring business establishments for mutual aid and assistance. In addition, comprehensive disaster drills are conducted periodically toward establish a disaster prevention system by the self-disaster prevention department and learn disaster prevention activities.