Kaizen and 5S-Katsudou in Maruzen Petrochemical Co., Ltd

The 2011 off the Pacific coast of Tohoku Earthquake and the 2016 Kumamoto Earthquake hurt and grieved a lot of people. We and companies in Japan have to look ahead earthquakes and　natural disasters which occur from climate changes, in the near future.

Maruzen Petrochemical Co., Ltd. (MPC), which established in 1959, had been damaged slightly from the 1987 East off Chiba earthquake and 2011. In the 4^th CCPS Global Summit on process Safety, we show　Kaizen and 5S-Katsudou in Yokkaichi Factory, Mie Prefecture in Tokai area.

Yokkaichi Factory produces 82kT/Y Ethylene Oxide (EO) and ethylene glycols (MEG, DEG and TEG) through the catalytic oxidation process of ethylene. EO is known as raw material for detergent, synthetic resin and glycols. It is characteristic of EO to react by itself without oxidant under room temperature and have toxicity.

According to historical geography, Tonankai-Nankai earthquake has occurred every 100-150 years in the pacific, the southeast side of Japan. In 1944 and 1946, the latest Tonankai earthquake (M7.9) and Nankai earthquake (M8.0) occurred. For Tonankai-Nankai earthquake to comes, Yokkaichi Factory which facing the gulf of Ise has 3.0m (9.8feet)-High tsunami. Refer from Mie Prefecture deliverance, MPC Yokkaichi committee on earthquake tsunami is studying risk of earthquake-resistant construction, provision for tsunami and assessing influences on environment in our Kaizen program.

On the other hand, correspondence and responsibility of the leaders and employee are key issues against unusual situation. We have training programs of fire-fighting with fire department and group discussion programs against process troubles in periodically. They are valuable and put us basic actions in case of emergency. But, that is to say just routines, unfortunately. We should study deeply our records of slight troubles and prevent same troubles in the future. In addition, we want to acquire correct and suitable behavior and disciplines in outside of assumed situations.

The Ethylene Oxide Section, which belongs to Yokkaichi Factory, is working on enforcing of “Shitsuke” in CA1 program. CA1 program comes from “Chemiway Anzen number 1”, which is the safety program on every department as TPM. Shitsuke is an item of the 5S-Katsudou and closes to correct and suitable behavior and disciplines. In our Shitsuke program, a leader doesn’t educate employees and supply any answers. An employee answers his own questions about Shitsuke and presents them to coworker.

Keywords: Kaizen 5 S