To minimize environmental risks as much as possible,
it is important to recognize the risks inherent in day-to-day work
and raise employee awareness of them. The recent emissions incidents
at our steelworks made it clear that our risk management system was
inadequate. We have therefore strengthened this system through various
measures, including the establishment of a new Environmental Administration
Committee.
Results of the Fiscal 2005 Environmental Audit
Kobe Steel has customarily
performed internal audits at each operating location and submitted
to audits by external certification institutions on the basis of ISO14001.
In addition, risk management guidelines have been established for
all operating locations, which provide the basis for audits conducted
by the department responsible for the environment throughout Kobe
Steel. Confirmation audits are also conducted at Group companies to
ensure that all environmental laws and regulations are strictly followed.
With the exception of the emissions incidents discovered at Kakogawa
Works and Kobe Works, none of Kobe Steel's operating locations or
group companies violated any environmental laws or regulations in
fiscal 2005.
Administrative guidance was received a total of four times during
the year at Kakogawa Works regarding dust emissions and visible smoke.
Among Group companies, we also received four verbal guidance notifications
regarding water quality and one other warning and guidance notification
on a different matter.
Example of Administrative Guidance Received
in Fiscal 2005 (Group Companies)
Content:
An administrative agency tested
factory wastewater, discovered that the
lead content exceeded acceptable levels, and instructed the factory
in question to correct the problem.
Countermeasure:
It
was conjectured that rain had dissolved the lead in the peelingpaint
on the roof, which contaminated the water. The roof was repainted
to prevent further lead from dissolving.
Number of Warnings & Guidance Notifications Received
from Administrative Agencies (Kobe Steel Operating Locations)
Number of incidents
Air
Water
Other
Fiscal
2002
2
1
1
Fiscal
2003
2
1
1
Fiscal
2004
0
0
0
Fiscal
2005
4
0
0
Number of Warnings & Guidance Notifications Received
from Administrative Agencies (Kobe Steel Group Companies)
Number of incidents
Air
Water
Other
Fiscal
2002
1
2
0
Fiscal
2003
0
2
0
Fiscal
2004
1
5
1
Fiscal
2005
0
4
1
Future Environmental Audit System
In fiscal 2006,
outside experts will participate in our environmental audits
and we will work to improve our environmental management by
implementing both written and onsite audits. Until now, we have
conducted our onsite audits mainly through our environmental
control sections in our works and plants, but in the future
we will broaden our audits to include environmental control
of the operating divisions as a whole.
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