Komatsu’s Ibaraki plant in Hitachinake, Japan, mainly produces large quarry and mining machinery, such as rigid dump trucks, articulated dump trucks and wheel loaders.

On August 26, 2010, ISSA Mining’s Secretary-general Helmut Ehnes has been welcomed by Plant Manager Hiroyuki Ogawa, Assistant Manager Akira Masuda, Manager of the Safety Control Section Chiharu Hirasawa, Naoko Furumai of Public Relations, Chief Manager of Planning and Administration Shigenobu Uehara, and Hiroyuki Igusa, Manager of the Dump Truck Development Group.

Mr Akira Masuda showed Helmut Ehnes around and explained the modern production facility. Next to technical discussions on safe and ergonomic equipment, Komatsu also gave insight into the impressive safety record of the Ibaraki plant and the Safety Above All Else-policy. Examples for safety and health activities at the plant are a safety training center on the premises, a monthly safety day, regular safety walk rounds together with the management, and an advanced safety education system, leading to the set up of realistic training scenarios after incidents.

Komatsu explained that the plant, established in 2007 and employing 700 workers, recorded no work accident resulting in loss time since the start of production 3.5 years ago, accumulating to more than 2.6 million work hours free of loss time accidents.