CSR/Environment

Environmental and
Social Report 2009

Environmental and
Social Report 2007

Environmental and
Social Report 2005

Safety Measures during the Supply Process

Facility and Equipment Maintenance

1. Legally Mandated Inspections

We use pipelines either suspended in racks or buried underground to supply oxygen and nitrogen gas to our customers who consume large quantities of it. Gases supplied by these pipelines are used for safety as well as industrial purposes, making even momentary interruptions unacceptable. For example, we either inspect ourselves or use a specialty pipeline inspection company to perform daily inspections on the 60 km pipeline in the Keiyo Petrochemical Complex. We also perform regular air tightness tests and electrolytic protection inspections as mandated by the High Pressure Gas Safety Law.

2. Backup Supplies of Liquid Gas

Our gas production plants use liquid gas evaporators that constantly monitor the gas supply and come on line to provide additional volume in the event of sudden pressure drops. The volume of liquid gas maintained in the backup storage tanks is calculated according to the quantity and time necessary for standby equipment to come on line.

Ensuring Stable, Safe Operations

1. Specialty Gas Disaster Prevention

We have implemented the following safety system for specialty gases in case leaks or other emergencies occur during either transport or customer use.

Emergency notification system
Disaster prevention work stations (52）
Strategic placement of emergency supplies
Education and training (170 employees have currently received training or re-training)

2. Carrying Yellow Cards

Our transport personnel all carry Yellow Cards containing environmental and safety as well as emergency contact information about the high-pressure gases under transport (some mixed gases are treated as unmixed gases). This facilitates rapid, effective action in case leaks or other emergencies occur as the result of traffic accidents or other unforeseen circumstances.

Promoting a Safety Culture

1. Sharing Accident Information

We are working to improve accident-related communications and knowledge sharing by making accident reports to related departments and storing this information in a centralized database.
A total of 29 outside transport companies provide us with reports in the event of a 1) traffic accident, 2) other accident (damage to persons, property, or other incidents on public property), or 3) equipment malfunction. To facilitate knowledge sharing and prevent recurrence, we then inform other transport companies about the incident and any appropriate countermeasures.

2. Transport Personnel Education

Personnel who transport high-pressure gas must possess the transport surveillance qualification as required by the High Pressure Gas Safety Law and have completed the transport training program run by respective prefectural high-pressure gas safety groups. Further, Taiyo Nippon Sanso runs its own training program for personnel involved in the transport of specialty gases to educate them about the properties of these gases and appropriate emergency measures. By allowing only personnel who have received the graduation certificate from this program to transport dangerous gases, we at once reduce the chances of accidents and minimize damage when they do occur.

Safety Measures during Use >>