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Disaster Prevention Activities

Disaster Prevention Activities

Since the 1995 Hanshin Awaji Earthquake, Kobe Steel has engaged in recovery and reconstruction work while strengthening company-wide measures dealing with earthquakes and other natural disasters. We have drawn up management guidelines on disaster prevention for the whole company, with a focus on preventing accidents and minimizing damage and injury in the event of a disaster. Despite these efforts, we have not found it possible to completely eliminate fires from occurring. We will continue our disaster-prevention activities on a Group-wide basis in the years to come. * Information in this section reflects public relations materials on disaster prevention published by the Working Group on Corporate Evaluation and Operational Continuity of the Central Disaster Prevention Council. Company-Wide Disaster Prevention Management Policy The Kobe Steel Group draws up a Company-Wide Disaster Prevention Management Policy every year that deals with earthquakes and other natural disasters. We are constantly working to increase our disaster prevention readiness by following policy guidelines are that accommodate the specific circumstances of each individual workplace. FY2007 Company-Wide Disaster Prevention Management Policy Basic Policy Respect for human life Continuity of corporate activities Cooperation with the local community The Kobe Steel Group strives to be adequately prepared for typhoons, earthquakes and other natural disasters, and to eliminate fires, explosions, and leaks. Organization Chart for Company-Wide Disaster Prevention Management Group Disaster Prevention Meeting The Kobe Steel Group holds an annual Group Disaster Prevention Meeting that is attended by representatives from Kobe Steel's works, plants and offices and Group companies. The purpose of the meeting is for companies in the Group to use this opportunity to share information on disaster prevention. In 2007, the Group Disaster Prevention Meeting was held on November 5 and was attended by 135 representatives from 69 Group companies. Reports were made on specific activities related to disaster prevention at locations of operation and Group companies, and information was given concerning the possible introduction of emergency earthquake bulletins from the Japan Meteorological Agency in the event of a major earthquake. In addition, a special lecture was given by Professor Shinichi Sugahara of the Center for Fire Science and Technology at the Tokyo University of Science. Kobe Steel 2007 Group Disaster Prevention Meeting Disaster Management in Times of Emergency In the event of a large-scale earthquake or other natural disaster or accident, a Disaster Management Headquarters will be set up to conduct relief and restoration activities. In addition, the Kobe Steel Group Intranet will be used to share emergency information and news about employee safety disseminated from the Group companies affected. Organization Chart for Disaster Management Headquarters * The General Manager of the Disaster Management Headquarters is the President of Kobe Steel. The President appoints the Deputy General Manager of the Disaster Management Headquarters. Disaster Prevention Measures at Plants, Works and Offices Despite our best efforts to prevent accidents, we were unable to prevent fires from breaking out in FY2007. We have already investigated the causes and are taking appropriate countermeasures. We will continue our efforts to prevent recurrences and the outbreak of similar accidents in the future. Accidents and Incidents at Manufacturing Locations in FY2007 Operating Location Number of incidents Kakogawa Works 2 Kobe Works 3 Fujisawa Plant 0 Ibaraki Plant 0 Saijo Plant 0 Moka Plant 0 Chofu Works 0 Daian Plant 0 Harima Plant 0 Takasago Works 2 Kobelco Research Institute, Inc. 0 Main Incidents in FY2007 Date and location Incident May 2007 Kobe Works Molten pig iron leaked from the bottom of the hot metal pretreatment furnace used to adjust the chemical composition of pig iron. The bricks of the tuyere, which blows in gas, melted down to the steel shell at the furnace bottom. September 2007 Takasago Works Static electricity and friction started a fire on the conveyor belt that transports raw materials to the titanium melting furnace. The resulting sparks set fire to dust near the conveyor, thus allowing the fire to spread to the conveyor unit itself. September 2007 Kakogawa Works Coke gas leaked from piping and ignited. December 2007 Kobe Works When workers tried to close a blast furnace taphole, the mudgun (which closes the taphole) malfunctioned, resulting in a gas leak from the blast furnace taphole that damaged nearby combustion-gas piping. Gas leaked from the piping and ignited. * To prevent a recurrence, the following steps have been taken: sharing information among facilities; conducting comprehensive inspections of the facilities involved; and implementing disaster-prevention training. Measures to Ensure the Safety of In-House Power Plants at Company Steelworks We are continuing measures that were initiated in FY2006 to prevent the recurrence of accidents and ensure conformity with technical standards cited in the Electricity Utilities Industry Law. The following measures were taken in FY2007. (1) Confirming the implementation status of measures through spot inspections We have conducted in-house spot inspections of Kakogawa Works and Kobe Works to confirm that new facilities are being properly maintained and that proper regulations and standards are in place. (2) Measures Related to Equipment and Technology A total of 24 measures were planned for Kakogawa Works and Kobe Works, of which 17 have been completed as of the end of FY2007. Progress is being made as planned for the remaining measures, which include the renovation of boilers 1 through 6 at Kakogawa Works. We submit periodic progress reports to the Chubu Kinki Safety and Inspection Department of the Nuclear and Industrial Safety Agency of the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry concerning our implementation status. Disaster Prevention Training at the IHD Building On November 21, 2007, disaster prevention training was implemented at the I.H.D. (International Health Development) Centre Building in HAT Kobe, using water from a heat storage tank in the district heating and cooling system operated by Kobe Heating and Cooling Supply Co., Ltd. The fire alarm went off at 10 o'clock that morning, mobilizing fire trucks that sprayed water from the heat storage tank onto the building walls. The "evacuees" were impressed by the strong stream of water that came from the heat storage tank, which is usually not prominent in the public consciousness. Stored under the I.H.D. Centre Building, the water is used to heat and cool many of the buildings in the HAT Kobe district. With a storage capacity of 1,500 m3, the tank holds enough water to meet the daily needs of 4,000 people for two weeks. It is also designated as a reservoir that can be used by the Kobe City Fire Department to extinguish fires. The disaster-prevention exercises provided a good opportunity to deepen public understanding of the fact that water in the heat storage tank can be used both for daily life and for firefighting in times of emergency. Firefighting training

Kobelco 1/17 Walk

On January 26, 2008, the Kobelco 1/17 Walk was held, commemorating the Great Hanshin-Awaji Earthquake of January 17, 1995. The purpose of this event was to ensure that employees know how to stay safe and how to get to and from work in the event of an earthquake. Organized for employees who work in the Kobe Head Office and surrounding area and their families, it postulated an earthquake that would prevent people from using their usual public transportation and force them to walk to and from work. Those living in the area where public transport was hypothetically disrupted were asked to walk from their homes; those living outside the area were asked to walk from designated train stations. More than 200 people signed up for the walk, some of them walking as far as 13 kilometers (four hours) under a clear winter sky to reach the goal of Nagisa Park at HAT Kobe. They were pleased to find steaming bowls of udon noodles and rice balls waiting for them at the end of their trek. Many participants had positive comments, expressing surprise at how quickly they could walk to work, or saying that it should remain an annual event so that people can keep memories of the Great Hanshin-Awaji Earthquake from fading.

At the goal of the Kobelco 1/17 Walk