TAICHUNG, , April 12, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- After the successful introduction of ISO 14001, OHSAS 18001, and TOSHMS (CNS 15506) certification, Hiwin is now upgrading all of its sites as part of continued improvements to work safety and to incorporate environmental hygiene culture into its corporate decision-making process. On April 9, 2019, the Managing Director of TUV Rheinland Max Lyou presented Mr. Julian Wu, Senior Vice President of Hiwin Technologies, with the ISO 45001 certificate, making Hiwin the first company in Taiwan's precision machinery industry to pass the ISO 45001 certification process.
Hiwin is the leading supplier of critical precision machinery components in Taiwan, as well as the second-largest brand in the world for linear motion control. The company specializes in the manufacture, processing, and sale of precision transmission components, roller ball screws, linear rails, and industrial robots. The new ISO 45001:2018 Occupational Health and Safety Management System standard requires businesses to become certified by the end of March 11, 2021. Certifying all seven Hiwin plants to the new standard represented a major challenge to the company, which chose to begin preparations early. Rigorous audits conducted by TUV Rheinland helped accelerate the implementation of updated management plans, and the certificate was issued after all regulatory requirements were met. At the presentation event, TUV Rheinland's Max Lyou said: "Hiwin has worked actively to build a friendly, safe, and healthy workplace. Its employee understanding of occupational health and safety has been reinforced as well. It takes the lead to pass ISO 45001 certification and it demonstrates the importance attached by Hiwin to friendliness and safety in the work environment."
The manufacturing industry has some of the highest rates of occupational injury and death. The work environment may be very risky for many workers. Many industrial accidents are preventable, however. The involvement of industry leaders in making a healthy and safe environment a top priority is essential to reducing occupational injuries and the risk of occupational diseases among workers. The new ISO 45001:2018 management standard incorporates global trends into labor health and safety. It can be adopted by all small, medium, and large enterprises. When businesses improve their workplace environment it also improves their internal/external organizational efficiency.
Stakeholder requirements were therefore incorporated by Hiwin during the ISO 45001 audit process, including: strengthening of employee education and training on professional safety and health, shareholder and customer expectations on compliance with the law, government agencies' expectations on the reduction of occupational disasters, and contractor expectations on safe worksites. The parameters of a suitable internal occupational safety and health policy were defined in the hope of setting up a mechanism for continuous improvement and protection.
TUV Rheinland assisted Hiwin with assessing job risks during the audit process. Potential risks in routine and non-routine activities were identified by looking at the design of the mechanical equipment so that emergency response methods could be drawn up. The rise of smart manufacturing means an increasing number of businesses are now introducing robotics into their manufacturing process, or are looking for more reliable sensors. Human-machine interaction represents both opportunity and risks, so businesses must pay more attention to refining related safety rules. At the presentation event, Hiwin Technologies' Julian Wu said: "ISO 45001 is but the first step for Hiwin. We will continue to optimize our management mechanism in the future to effectively improve our safety culture. This will ensure the safety and health of our employees at work. It is also in keeping with the Hiwin business philosophy of providing a better way of life and a better working environment for mankind."
