Workplace Safety and Health

Definition of Occupational Safety and Health

Every employee is the foundation of our blueprint for business expansion, and HIWIN has made great strides to manage their physical and mental health and safety. In addition to implementing regulations, we also foster safety awareness and implement diverse health care programs to establish a safe and healthy working environment, prevent occupational disasters and illnesses, and construct a perfectly safe and healthy circle of mutual care.

Occupational Safety and Health Management System

HIWIN considers employees to be its core competency and value and is dedicated to cultivating their knowledge, attitude, and literacy for safety and health. In 2019, the company was awarded an ISO 45001 certification, becoming the first precision machinery manufacturer in Taiwan to do so. HIWIN has continued to pass the ISO 45001 certification every year since. Among them, the Operational Headquarters, Jingke Plant II, Yunlin Plant II, Yunlin Plant III, and Dapumei Plant I all obtained CNS 45001 certifications in 2022.

Engagement, Consulting, and Communication in Occupational Safety and Health Topics

To create a comfortable and safe environment and facilitate labor management communications, HIWIN has set up Occupational Safety and Health Committees at each of its operational sites. Members consist of supervisors from all levels, safety and health personnel, and labor representatives, and the committee convenes regularly every quarter to make joint decisions on the planning and operations of safety and health systems. The committee also maintains a safety/ health consultation mailbox and periodic questionnaires as channels for employee communication. Annual organizational agreement meetings are held to raise awareness, consult, and communicate with vendors, and a total of 252 vendors attended in 2021.

Promotion of Safety Culture

In 2017, President Enid H.C. Tsai announced the official implementation of safety culture activities, encouraging all employees to participate in hazard detection, notification, and innovation improvements. At the same time, an incentive system was established in hopes of facilitating the internalization of safety and health awareness into "employee DNA".

In 2021, 1,092 hazards were identified through the Safety Culture - Regional Joint Prevention activity, of which 158 were dealt with in conjunction with TPS and TPM projects, and all of which have been resolved. The number of occupational accidents showed a decreasing trend from 2018 to 2020, but the number of occupational accidents increased by one case in 2021 compared to 2020. The causes of relevant incidents have been reviewed, and improvements have been made across all plants.

Reducing Occupational Accidents

To effectively eliminate occupational accidents and in addition to activities to promote a safety culture, HIWIN drafted 19 safety target management programs in 2021 and continues to promote these safety projects to improve operational safety. We also cultivate safe leadership in supervisors through the Newly Promoted Supervisors Safety and Health Training Road map.

In the event of an occupational accident, HIWIN conducts reviews in accordance with the spirit of the PDCA management system, carries out source control, and makes improvements across the board to prevent the same issue from occurring again.

With regards to employees injured on the job, HIWIN provides instant care, medical resources and assistance, and immediately responds to the needs of family members with solutions. Statistical analysis in 2021 revealed 15 incidents of false alarm reports and 43 occupational accidents. Accidents with higher incidences include being caught, trapped, pierced, cut, scraped, and struck by falling objects. Three cases, in particular, were found to be in violation of the Occupational Safety and Health Act, which incurred a total of NT$300,000 in fines by the competent authorities.

For continued improvement of employee safety, HIWIN has compiled the lessons learned from past occupational accidents and designed activities to enhance workplace safety, including:

1. Include pictures within manuals for operational safety standards to enhance readability.
2. Promote external case studies, such as the Taroko incident and external corporate disaster cases. Feedback is provided on problems observed with each manufacturing process, and improvement measures are proposed.
3. Compile a List of Past Disasters for machines to help employees understand machine hazards, as well as how to conduct safer operations after improvements have been made to operational processes.
4. Establish safety care mechanisms and two-way communication with employees on safety issues.
5. Establish a system of safety patrols to incorporate a safety culture into employee activities.

From 2022, HIWIN will evaluate and plan for a Smart Occupational Safety and Health Management System to improve efficiency and quality, as well as to enable employees to better understand the problems and hazards they may face in their operations. Outcomes may even be enhanced through virtual reality (VR) or augmented reality (AR).

Occupational Disasters Statistics

Year	Total Man-Hours	Minor Injuries (cases)	Incapacities (cases)	Deaths (cases)	Major Injury Rate	Recordable Injury Rate	Fatality Rate of Occupational Accidents
2017	8,735,056	55	18	0	2.06	8.4	0
2018	10,620,176	75	17	0	1.60	8.7	0
2019	10,096,256	41	13	0	1.29	5.3	0
2020	9,303,712	37	5	0	0.53	4.5	0
2021	9,457,192	34	8	1	0.85	4.5	0.1

Safety and Health Educational Training

HIWIN institutes an annual Safety and Health Educational Training Program to enhance employee knowledge of safety and health. A total of 3,606 employees participated in 10 types of internal education training courses in 2021. There were 13 types of certification courses, which were attended 1,294 times. Starting from 2022, HIWIN will analyze weak points in the promotion of safety culture in each manufacturing process and establish educational training schedules in hopes of assuring effective and successful promotion of safety culture.

In 2021, 106 training sessions were held for vendors to inform them of hazards before entering plants, and 477 people completed training.

In 2019, HIWIN set up earth detector box in each plant to educate employees on the inspection methods of equipment brought in by contractors. In addition to enhancing the safety management of on-site contractors, we also maintained the safety of construction contractors. As of the end of 2021, no contractor has experienced any occupational accidents attributable to inadequate protective equipment.

Emergency Response Drills

In addition to general safety and health education training, HIWIN also holds emergency drills every year for current events, occupational disaster scenarios, hazard identification, and issues assessed to pose a moderate risk or higher. Personnel is apprised of how to activate the response mechanism and notify relevant personnel in the event that they are injured or ill, and then instructed to evacuate to a safe area. After the drill is completed, the details and procedures are reviewed with colleagues. In 2021,917 people participated in emergency drills for occupational accidents, fire escapes, COVID-19 reporting, natural disasters, etc. Since 2019, HIWIN has also invited long term vendors to participate in emergency drills as it places equal value upon the safety and health of vendors and HIWIN employees alike.

Chemical leakage response drills

Safeguarding Employee Health

HIWIN is dedicated to the care and promotion of employee health, building a healthy workplace culture, and providing diverse care. We promote employee health through the four major areas: special protection, health care, health promotion, and employee assistance, encouraging employees to exercise voluntarily outside of work, which not only sustains health but also enhances work performance.

Introduction & testing of physical fitness

2021 Health Care

Type	Participation	Description
Soreness Prevention & Management	298 Participants	Health education with simple stretching exercises to relieve muscle fatigue with aid of props.
Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) Training	2,864 Participants	Instructions on the proper selection and use of PPE.
Respiratory Protection Equipment Fitting & Testing	243 Participants	Fit testing for personnel who wear respiratory protection equipment to confirm the effectiveness of protection and provide relevant health education.
Prevention & Management of Occupational Cerebrovascular & Cardiovascular Disease	315 Participants	Achieved goal of reducing the rate of metabolic syndrome among employees by 30% in 2021.
Occupational Medicine Clinic Services	1,296 Participants	Monthly consultations for employee health checkup results, discharges for work assignments or returning to work, health education, etc.
Protection & Management of Maternal Health	30 Participants	Lactation health guidance and one-on-one health counseling for pregnant and postpartum employees.
Hearing Protection Program	3,994 Participants	Relevant hearing protection and health education for personnel working in environments with noise reaching 80 decibels or higher. Advocating for the use of ear protectors.
Health Hazards Management	2,989 Participants	Health hazard management for personnel working in environments with health hazards (e.g., dust, noise, etc.).
Employee Health Checkup	1,782 Participants	Regular annual health checkups for employees; inspection of operations for special health hazards.
Work Assignments & Returning to Work	136 Participants	Scope includes Occupational accidents, musculoskeletal hazards, maternity protection, etc.

2021 Health & Wellness

Type	Participation	Description
Health Points Reward System	617 Participants	HIWIN instituted a points reward system to encourage employees to participate in company health activities, exercise, and conduct health checkups on their own. During this time, employees may present documents showing that they have exercised voluntarily each month, at which each employee is given a reward of NT$200. The top 3 employees with the most points were given other rewards.
Hiking Events	19 Participants	Annual mountain hiking events.
Out-of-Pocket Ultrasound Examinations	645 Participants	Ultrasound examinations show employees whether they have any physical lesions or abnormal changes in their health and serve as preliminary screening.
AED Administrator Training	26Participants	In response to the installation of AEDs at each plant, AED administrators are trained by Red Cross staff on the proper procedures for emergency care, and field drills were conducted.
Knowledge Day - Health & Fitness Activities	251Participants	Hired lecturers introduced the basics of the relationship between exercise and health (including physical fitness, body shape, weight, etc.) and conducted fitness tests.

Creating a Friendly Work Environment

HIWIN is dedicated to understanding the diverse needs of its employees and caring for them as if they were family to create a harmonious and quality work environment. In an effort to establish a friendly work environment and provide safe transport for employees, Global Chairman Eric Y.T. Chuo gave away several company cars in 2021 to reward outstanding employees, either completely for free or with the offer of paying the remaining balance.

Expressing Care with Common Health Magazine

Common Health Magazine is appropriate for all readers, and as such, HIWIN has had an annual subscription to Common Health Magazine since 2013 that it shares with senior employees and their families to express the company’s gratitude and care. Starting in 2015, HIWIN also gifts subscriptions to Common Health Magazine to major clients and their family members in hopes of creating a free, healthy, and happy society through this gift of knowledge.