Occupational Safety and Health
We strive for reducing workplace risks to protect the health and safety of staff and contractors. Our goals are to achieve zero occupational injury and incident.
Reinforcing Environmental Safety and Health Management
Occupational Health and Safety Policy and Target
To establish a safe and healthy workplace with comfort while consistently lowering the rate of workplace accidents and disasters, FENC established Occupational Health and Safety Policy as the highest guiding principle governing the management of safety and health of the Company. With “risk control” and “continuous improvement” as the management principle, operational safety is our utmost concern. The Company takes an active stand toward improving the work environment, manufacturing equipment and operational approaches to ensure the safety and health of the workers (including employees and contractors) and stakeholders.
⇥Occupational Health and Safety Policy
Executive Support and Involvement in Occupational Safety and Health
During the quarterly FENC Board meetings, the president from each Business presents the Occupational Safety and Health Management Report compiled by the Labor Safety and Health Department from the headquarters. In 2021, 4 reports were presented. The Board serves the supervisory role and conducts review and questioning over the report. Improvements needed will be acted upon at production units based on Board resolutions to ensure proper occupational safety and health management.
Continuous Operation of Occupational Safety and Health Management. As of the end of 2021, 17 of FENC’s production and business sites have been certified with occupational safety and health systems such as ISO 45001, ensuring the safety and health of 89% of the entire staff, 81% of the entire production sites. Production sites in Taiwan are 100% certified with CNS 45001. Occupational safety and health management, worker participation, consultation and dialogue, prevention and mitigation as well as occupational safety and health impact directly related to business operation at all FENC sites shall be in accordance with the rules and regulations set forth within Occupational Safety and Health Management System and third-party verified annually. The certification is currently valid.
Risk Identification, Assessment and Control
Occupational Safety and Health Policy and principles governing FENC production sites are as follows:
- The incorporation of new production lines, production processes or equipment is governed by Change Management Process. An application for change shall be filed and the process includes self-assessment on risk and control, change review/supervisor approval, pre-launch evaluation and closing.
- Risk identification shall be conducted to determine the risk level of operations associated with raw materials, products, activities and services which may potentially harm the operator, including employees and contractors, or cause damages to equipment.
- Improvement goals shall be established based on risk levels and distribution of resources. Hardware improvement takes the priority, followed by control measures such as administrative management with special plans or operational guidelines. Implementation of the control measures are strictly monitored to minimize risks. Operation of control mechanisms is based on Regulations Governing Risk Identification, Assessment and Control set forth at each plant.
- All production sites arrange risk control training for employees. In 2021, 74 sessions were held with 1,674 employees completing 4,703 training hours.
Building Workplace Safety and Health with Labor-Management Participation
FENC establishes Occupational Safety and Health Committee at production sites, serving as the highest authority at each organization on the review and discussion of safety and health management. Setting up labor representatives with more than 30% seats. The Committee convenes quarterly to determine the formulation, coordination and supervision of safety and health related issues at each plant to ensure full implementation.
Occupational safety and health management is one of the priority concerns when it comes to labor relations at FENC. The following subjects are included in the labor relations meetings, Occupational Safety and Health Committee meetings, and collective bargaining agreements with employees:
- Provide personal protective equipment.
- Implement labor relations management and establish the occupational safety and health committee with labor and employer representations.
- Involve labor representatives in the health and safety inspection, review and investigation.
- Provide job-related training for workers.
- Establish grievances mechanism for workers.
- Guarantee workers the right to refuse unsafe work.
- Schedule regular health checkups for workers.
- Comply with regulations from International Labor Organizations.
- Clearly define the procedure or system that workers shall follow when encountering safety or health related problems.
- Clearly establish safety and health goals and ways to achieve such goals.
The Occupational Safety and Health Committee at Operational Sites
Operational Sites | Number of Committee Members | Percentage of Worker Representatives |
Headquarters | 11 | 36% |
Hsinpu Chemical Fiber Plant | 24 | 38% |
Kuanyin Chemical Fiber Plant | 29 | 55% |
OGM | 16 | 44% |
Kuanyin Dyeing and Finishing Plant | 36 | 44% |
Hukou Mill | 12 | 33% |
Plant 1 of OPTC | 14 | 36% |
Plant 2 of OPTC | 17 | 35% |
FEFC | 12 | 33% |
OPSC | 24 | 88% |
FEIS | 32 | 72% |
WHFE | 14 | 43% |
OTIZ | 36 | 53% |
FEIW | 23 | 70% |
FEDZ | 61 | 98% |
FEAZ | 25 | 52% |
FEAV | 10 | 30% |
FENV | 14 | 36% |
FEPV | 36 | 33% |
FIGP | 46 | 52% |
APG Polytech | 8 | 50% |
Note: 1. There is no provision in the Vietnamese regulation concerning the number of labor seats in the occupational safety and health committee. 2. There is no provision in the U.S. regulation regarding the establishment of occupational safety and health committee. |
Reinforce Safety and Health Awareness Through Training
FENC provides regular training to make sure that every employee is familiar with occupational safety and health regulations as well as the management mechanism. In 2021, the total training hours provided by the Company reached 82,514.
Training for Safety and Health Personnel in 2021
Categories | Number of Classes | Number of Trainees | Training Hours | ||||||
Year | 2019 | 2020 | 2021 | 2019 | 2020 | 2021 | 2019 | 2020 | 2021 |
On-the-job Training on Safety and Health | 706 | 699 | 843 | 15,773 | 17,488 | 19,749 | 86,173 | 131,095 | 46,440 |
Training Hours | 231 | 179 | 239 | 10,008 | 7,011 | 12,230 | 12,348 | 14,153 | 11,746 |
Hazardous Chemical Training | 158 | 152 | 74 | 3,838 | 4,293 | 2,103 | 25,769 | 17,199 | 5,743 |
Protection Personnel Training | 15 | 15 | 24 | 230 | 184 | 201 | 416 | 416 | 363 |
Emergency Response and Personal | 264 | 268 | 250 | 10,230 | 12,148 | 5,668 | 45,316 | 45,316 | 12,750 |
Internal Safety and Health Auditor Training | 23 | 26 | 41 | 619 | 377 | 214 | 3,193 | 3,193 | 769 |
Internal Safety and Health Auditor Training | 36 | 29 | 74 | 465 | 2,216 | 1,671 | 4,226 | 4,226 | 4,703 |
Total | 1,433 | 1,368 | 1,545 | 41,163 | 43,717 | 41,836 | 215,598 | 215,598 | 82,514 |
Note: 1. The number of trainees for 2020 is based on attendance count. 2. The number of training hours dropped significantly in 2021 due to the COVID-19 pandemic. In Vietnam, the number of large-scale sessions for On the Job Safety and Health Training was reduced. In other regions, the length of Emergency Response and Personal Protective Equipment Training was reduced to decrease the duration of large gatherings. |
Chemical Safety Management
All production sites of FENC have established chemical management regulations of chemicals based on Globally Harmonized System of Classification and Labelling of Chemicals (GHS).
Chemical management at all production sites places are according to the items as following:
- Chemical management at all production sites places an emphasis on source management. When procuring hazardous chemicals, the manufacturer, importer or supplier must provide the hazardous label and Safety Data Sheets (SDS). The same information is required when changes are made to existing data.
- When the chemicals arrive at the plant, on-site staff or the end-user must conduct examination based on the label, SDS and applicable regulations prior to acceptance.
- Post identification for hazardous chemical and prepare safety data sheet (SDS).
- The Company utilizes Chemical Control Branding (CCB) to evaluate the likelihood of exposure (usage and the degree of spread) and takes corresponding or control measures to mitigate risks. When changes occur to the types of chemicals as well as operational or production procedure, exposure assessment must be conducted
again within 3 months before or after the changes occur.
SHEF Task Force
As a contingency plan during the COVID-19 pandemic, Safety, Health, Environmental and Firefighting Task Force (SHEF Task Force) in Mainland China used the site visit opportunities to conduct safety trainings for plant employees. A total of 18 sessions were conducted with 816 employees completing 2,921 hours. After the training concluded, SHEF Task Force continues with occupational safety and health implementation, providing assistance on risk assessment to production sites. The following is a list of priorities for SHEF Task Force in 2021:
- Coordinate and promote jurisdictional management at FEIW and FEDZ, and share key elements on building a safety culture.
- Implement the reporting of safety, health and environment (SHE) incidents for proper management and control.
- Share legal and regulatory updates on SHE as well as occupational accidents and injuries.
- Provide assistance on risk assessment and identification of potential risks for forklift operation and improve work conditions.
- Encourage interaction among production sites to share resources and create synergistic effects.
- In 2021, SHEF Task Force continues to publish the quarterly SHEF Magazine. All production sites contribute to its professional content, making the magazine a good reference material among employees and underscoring its credibility and expertise. Content includes exemplary management experience, details on occupational safety and health programs, special issues on carbon peak and carbon neutrality, smart factory, reflections from work as well as external materials worth referencing.
Strengthening Emergency Response with Safety Drills
To strengthen employees’ ability to react immediately during emergencies and activate emergency responses to reduce the loss of lives, property and production capacity, all FENC sites must conduct risk identification and assessment with considerations given to the geographic location, type of hazardous chemical, area prone to natural disasters and infectious disease defined by law such as COVID-19. Once the assessment is completed, staff shall consider controllable factors within the plant and propose emergency response procedures targeting various emergency scenarios. The order of each training and drill is determined based on the type and frequency of the disaster.
To be more effective, the disaster scenarios for each year are different to ensure staff’s agility and alertness on the overall emergency response as well as increase staff’s familiarity with operating personal protective equipment.
During an emergency, all production sites shall follow the protocol established for emergency response and notification procedure. Staff shall identify the disaster, notify applicable units and personnel, and engage in damage control to keep the situation from worsening. Ongoing assessment shall be made to the on-site conditions to minimize harm to the staff, property and environment with adequate treatment to prevent secondary disasters. The investigative unit shall conduct thorough reviews over the cause and propose improvement strategies. A report shall be presented and the unit responsible for the emergency shall undergo educational training to
prevent future occurrence.
With advanced planning, preparation and training, staff will be able to respond immediately when signs of danger occur to limit the scale of the disaster. The measures will facilitate successful and efficient mobilization of internal and external resources as well as manpower to keep the losses and damages to a minimum.
Smart Occupational Safety and Health
1.SHEFs Smart Platform
SHEFs Smart Platform is developed collaboratively with Shanghai Far Eastern IT Corp., an affiliate of Far Eastern Group. The platform replaces paperwork with computer and mobile processing and collects production data for tabulation and analysis. SHEFs Smart Platform covers all aspects of SHEF management within plant operation. Currently, the framework has been completed. The next step will be the subsystems, including training; accidents; emergency response; patrol and inspection; staff/vehicle position; contractor management; goal management; file system management; risk management; change management; facility and equipment management. Applications that have been developed for the platform include Manufacturing Execution System (MES+), Permit to Work System (PTWs), patrol and inspection as well as identification of potential danger. The platform will also be expanded to include training.
2. One-App Safety Management at OTIZ
OTIZ developed an inspection app that consolidates safety inspection, self-inspection and work permit systems. The app can sufficiently prevent occupational safety risks and major occupational disasters. The app replaced several paperwork systems, including the plant inspection record and potential danger notification for environmental safety that managers on duty for the day/night shifts had to fill out. When potential danger is detected, the app notifies the supervisor of applicable division immediately and said supervisor, whether in the office or not, is able to notify the person in charge promptly to prevent harm. The app is capable of facilitating a more rapid, timely and efficient work flow.
3. AI Occupational Safety Management at Hsinpu Chemical Fiber Plant
Using the AI surveillance system, when unsafe behaviors are detected, such as not wearing protective helmets during crane operation, the alarm will be sounded to alert the operator and the manager simultaneously. The approach helps conserve manpower significantly and improve the efficiency of occupational safety inspections.
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2021 Achievements in Occupational Safety and Health
1. Kuansin E Family at Kuanyin Chemical Fiber Plant
Kuanyin Chemical Fiber Plant established Kuansin E Family in 2017 and has been assisting the government with occupational health and safety operations. Implementations in 2021 include:
- On October 8, 2021, Safety and Health Technology Center and Office of Labor Inspection of Taoyuan City appointed Kuanyin Chemical Fiber Plant to participate in Core Member Training on Safety and Health in Taichung and lecture at the event to share implementation experience.
- On December 15, 2021, Safety and Health Technology Center and Office of Labor Inspection of Taoyuan City invited Kuanyin Chemical Fiber Plant to participate in 2021 Post-Pandemic Sustainable Occupational Safety and Health Seminar. The plant is also invited to present during the session on Corporate Work Environment Improvement with the topic, Confined Space Operational Management.
- The plant provides assistance to members of Kuansin E Family to diagnose occupational health and safety issues and make improvements. As of the end of November 2021, the program has provided 61 recommendations and 59 of which (96.7%) have been completed. Comparing to 2020, the total number of issues that need to be addressed reduced by 18, and the improvement rate increased by 1.8%. The plant’s involvement in Kuansin E Family has assisted members with improving occupational health and safety. These valuable experiences will also help the plant address deficiencies with more initiative and efficiency.
2. FENC Selected as Key Official of TOSHMS Association Northern Branch by Safety and Health Administration
For 6 years in a row, FENC has been serving as the key official of the northern branch of TOSHMS Northern District under Occupational Safety and Health Administration, Ministry of Labor. In 2021, FENC helped the Administration produce Compilation of Case Studies on Occupational Safety and Health Management. On November 23rd, FENC attended Tri-branch Joint Conference, during which FENC gave a presentation on the compilation of case studies on behalf of TOSHMS Northern District, promoting occupational health and safety as part of its corporate social responsibility.
3. Zero Lost Hours Due to Occupational Hazards
FEFC inaugurated in April 1997, and has maintained a record of zero lost days due to disabilities caused by occupational injuries in the following 24 years. As of November 2021, FEFC has accumulated 9.5 million safe work hours. This record is verified with the certification issued by Taiwan Occupational Safety and Health Association. FEFC also participated in the Zero Accident campaign held by Industrial Safety and Health Association of the R.O.C. In addition to FEFC’s achievement, OPSC also passed the 9-million-hour mark as of the end of 2021.
4. Safety Assurance Certificate for FEAV
Bình Dương Provincial People’s Committee and Police Department in Vietnam recognize corporations with exemplary performance on corporate governance, security, and fire safety. FEAV has implemented policies that promote plant safety and received the Safety Assurance Certificate presented by the two provincial entities.

Occupational Injuries
At FENC, the end game for occupational safety and health is “zero occupational disasters”. The Company values the safety and health of each and every employee, and protects them by raising their awareness and understanding through conducting risk assessment and identification; preparing promotional campaigns and public notice; holding pre-work and toolbox meetings; designating safety and health month with programs and activities. In the unfortunate event of occupational disasters, immediate actions are taken to address the emergency. The following procedures are applicable to all production sites. All improvements must be completed within 2 months. Facility improvements that require construction contracts shall be completed within 3 to 6 months.

Statistics on Occupational Injury in 2021

Statistics on Occupational Injury
Business unit | Petrochemical | Polyester | |||||
Item and Gender | Year | 2019 | 2020 | 2021 | 2019 | 2020 | 2021 |
Number of Occupational Injury Cases | Male | 6 | 4 | 0 | 22 | 35 | 44 |
Female | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 7 | 8 | |
Total | 6 | 4 | 0 | 24 | 42 | 52 | |
Injury Rate | Male | 0.26 | 0.16 | 0.00 | 0.40 | 0.62 | 0.76 |
Female | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.04 | 0.12 | 0.14 | |
Total | 0.26 | 0.16 | 0.00 | 0.44 | 0.74 | 0.90 | |
Absentee Rate % (AR%) | Male | 0.08% | 0.08% | 0.08% | 0.22% | 0.11% | 0.09% |
Female | 0.01% | 0.01% | 0.01% | 0.12% | 0.03% | 0.06% | |
Total | 0.09% | 0.08% | 0.09% | 0.34% | 0.14% | 0.15% | |
Lost Day Rate (LDR) | Male | 0.61 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 6.97 | 16.17 | 5.81 |
Female | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.62 | 2.03 | 0.69 | |
Total | 0.61 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 7.60 | 18.20 | 6.51 | |
Number of Work-related Deaths | Male | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
Female | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
Total | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | |
Rate of Workrelated Deaths | Male | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.02 | 0.00 |
Female | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.00 | |
Total | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.02 | 0.00 |
Business unit | Textile | Total | |||||
Item and Gender | Year | 2019 | 2020 | 2021 | 2019 | 2020 | 2021 |
Number of Occupational Injury Cases | Male | 87 | 37 | 29 | 115 | 76 | 73 |
Female | 45 | 35 | 20 | 47 | 42 | 28 | |
Total | 132 | 72 | 49 | 162 | 118 | 101 | |
Injury Rate | Male | 0.46 | 0.22 | 0.21 | 0.43 | 0.31 | 0.32 |
Female | 0.24 | 0.21 | 0.14 | 0.17 | 0.17 | 0.12 | |
Total | 0.69 | 0.43 | 0.35 | 0.60 | 0.47 | 0.45 | |
Absentee Rate % (AR%) | Male | 0.13% | 0.23% | 0.39% | 0.14% | 0.18% | 0.28% |
Female | 0.20% | 0.43% | 0.29% | 0.17% | 0.30% | 0.20% | |
Total | 0.33% | 0.65% | 0.68% | 0.31% | 0.48% | 0.48% | |
Lost Day Rate (LDR) | Male | 7.43 | 4.26 | 3.02 | 6.75 | 6.55 | 3.38 |
Female | 5.27 | 4.56 | 1.80 | 3.87 | 3.53 | 1.30 | |
Total | 12.70 | 8.82 | 4.81 | 10.62 | 10.09 | 4.68 | |
Number of Work-related Deaths | Male | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
Female | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
Total | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | |
Rate of Workrelated Deaths | Male | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.004 | 0.00 |
Female | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.00 | |
Total | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.004 | 0.00 |
Notes: 1. There were no severe occupational injuries (inability or difficulty to restore to pre-injury health condition within 6 months) between 2019 and 2021, which corresponds to 0% process safety incident severity rate (PSISR) in Sustainability Accounting Standards Board (SASB) standards for the chemical industry. 2. There were no occupational illnesses between 2019 and 2021. 3. Injury rate (IR) = total number of occupational injuries × 200,000, which corresponds to process safety total incident rate (PSTIR) in the SASB standards for the chemical industry. 4. AR(%) = Days of Absence ÷ Total Work Days × 100%. 5. LDR = Lost Days ÷ Total Work Hours × 200,000. Lost days do not include the day of injury and the day of work resumption. 6. Rate of Work-related Deaths = Number of Work-related Deaths ÷ Total Work Hours × 200,000. 7. IR, LDR and Rate of Work-related Deaths indicate the percentage of every 100 workers with 40 work hours a week, 50 weeks a year. 8. Occupational injuries include premature deaths, permanent total and partial disabilities, temporary total disabilities and minor injuries that result in no more than one lost day. Traffic accidents that occur during employees’ commute to and from work are excluded. The classification corresponds to Process Safety Incidents Count (PSIC) in the SASB standards for the chemical industry. |
There were no severe occupational injuries (inability or difficulty to recover to pre-injury health condition Contractor’s Occupational Injury at Production Sites or recover within 6 months) recorded at FENC production sites. Among the occupational injuries, the number of cuts/abrasions/punctures rank the highest with 40 cases (40%). Major causes of the occupational injuries include the lack of safety awareness and unfamiliarity with or negligence of the risk factors. To prevent future occupational disasters, FENC has established the following measures:
- Search for safer equipment and install fool-proof devices.
- Increase warning labels on machineries as reminders for operators.
- Implement dynamic inspection on safety and health, and promote pre-work danger forecast.
- Establish the electronic occupational safety and health system or AI control system.
- Enhance employee safety and health education to reduce occupational disasters.
The 2021 statistics on occupational injury from FENC production sites are compared against the 2020 statistics from Occupational Safety and Health Administration, Ministry of Labor of Taiwan, as shown in the following table. The categories compared include disabling injury frequency rate (FR) and disabling injury severity rate (SR) by industry type. No occupational injuries were reported from FENC production sites under Petrochemical Business in 2021. The Polyester and Textile Businesses show higher FRs than the industry average. However, the injuries reported are minor, hence the SRs are lower.
Comparison Between FENC and Nationwide Statistics on Occupational Injuries
Petrochemical Industry FR | Petrochemical Industry SR | Polyester Industry FR | Polyester Industry SR | Textile Industry FR | Textile Industry SR | |
Statistics from Occupational | 0.77 | 13 | 1.09 | 222 | 1.49 | 320 |
Statistics from FENC | 0 | 0 | 4.51 | 34 | 1.73 | 24 |
Note: 1. Disability injury frequency rate (FR) = total number of disabling injuries ×1,000,000 ÷ total manhours worked. 2. Disability injury severity rate (SR) = number of injured days off work × 1,000,000 ÷ total manhours worked. 3. FENC data is compared against the 2020 statistics for the petrochemical, chemical material manufacturing and textile industries from Occupational Safety and Health Administration, Ministry of Labor. |
Contractor’s Occupational Injury at Production Sites
Business unit | Petrochemical | Polyester | |||||
Item and Gender | Year | 2019 | 2020 | 2021 | 2019 | 2020 | 2021 |
Number of Occupational Injury Cases | Male | 0 | 0 | 2 | 1 | 3 | 3 |
Female | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
Total | 0 | 0 | 2 | 1 | 3 | 3 | |
Number of Work-related Deaths | Male | 0 | 0 | 2 | 1 | 3 | 0 |
Female | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
Total | 0 | 0 | 2 | 1 | 3 | 0 | |
Injury Rate | Male | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.08 | 0.17 | 0.17 | 0.32 |
Female | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.00 | |
Total | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.08 | 0.17 | 0.17 | 0.32 | |
Rate of Workrelated Deaths | Male | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.17 | 0.17 | 0.00 |
Female | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.00 | |
Total | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.17 | 0.17 | 0.00 |
Business unit | Textile | Total | |||||
Item and Gender | Year | 2019 | 2020 | 2021 | 2019 | 2020 | 2021 |
Number of Occupational Injury Cases | Male | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 3 | 5 |
Female | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
Total | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 3 | 5 | |
Number of Work-related Deaths | Male | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 3 | 0 |
Female | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
Total | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 3 | 0 | |
Injury Rate | Male | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.07 | 0.07 | 0.14 |
Female | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.00 | |
Total | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.07 | 0.07 | 0.14 | |
Rate of Workrelated Deaths | Male | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.07 | 0.07 | 0.00 |
Female | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.00 | |
Total | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.07 | 0.07 | 0.00 |
Note: 1. There were no severe occupational injuries (inability or difficulty to restore to pre-injury health condition within 6 months) between 2019 and 2021, which corresponds to 0% process safety incident severity rate (PSISR) in Sustainability Accounting Standards Board (SASB) standards for the chemical industry. 2. There were no occupational illnesses between 2019 and 2021. 3. Occupational injuries include premature deaths, permanent total and partial disabilities, temporary total disabilities and minor injuries that result in no more than one lost day. Traffic accidents that occur during employees’ commute to and from work are excluded. The classification corresponds to Process Safety Incidents Count (PSIC) in the SASB standards for the chemical industry. 4. Injury rate (IR) = total number of occupational injuries × 200,000, which is equivalent to process safety total incident rate (PSTIR) in the SASB standards for the chemical industry. 5. Rate of Work-related Deaths = Number of Work-related Deaths ÷ Total Work Hours × 200,000. 6. IR, LDR and Rate of Work-related Deaths indicate the percentage of every 100 workers with 40 work hours a week, 50 weeks a year. |
On December 4, 2021, the sewage pond at OPTC Plant 2 collapsed and 4 contractors were hospitalized as a result.
The vacuum pump for the sewage pond at the oxidation plant was shut down for isolation during annual maintenance. However, the pond still contained combustible liquid, which evaporated into combustible gas. The gas was not pumped out and remained trapped inside the pond. On December 4, 2021, fire operation was conducted to replace the pipelines connected to the top of the pond. However, the pipelines were not isolated from the combustible gas. When the fire operation (TIG welding) started, the combustible gas was ignited, causing a gas explosion that collapsed the cover of the pond and resulted in minor injuries among 4 contractors. One of them was hospitalized for 5 days for observation due to the forehead injury. The others were discharged from the hospital on the same day.
OPTC Plant 2 has made the following improvements and prevention measures regarding this incident:
- Review the elevation of approval level for fire operation.
- Ensure the pipelines are isolated with the blind flange prior to receiving the work permit.
- Establish maintenance and repair guidelines for plant equipment and facilities.
- Re-conduct risk identification all sewage tanks within the plant and post warning signs.
- Conduct risk assessment for parking and modify the operational manual.
- Install new guardrails around the sewage tank where the accident occurred to keep staff from entering through the opening by accident, and post warning signs that state authorized personnel only.
- Prepare a case study based on this incident for training and education to enhance staff’s safety awareness.
All improvements were completed on March 31, 2022.
FENC is committed to the management of safety and health. We grieve the loss of lives due to workplace disasters. Therefore, we establish SOPs for all operations and require staff compliance. This is a priority for safety and health management in 2022 to prevent such tragedy from ever happening again.
Employee Health Management and Promotion
Employees are FENC’s most treasured assets. The Company never hesitates to devote resources that nurture employees’ mental and physical health. It is the Company’s wish to foster a workplace that offers safety, comfort and friendliness for all employees.
1. Regular Health Check
To promote healthy workplace, FENC headquarters, Hsinpu Chemical Fiber Plant and Kuanyin Chemical Fiber Plant established their own health management systems. Staff may log on at any time to review past health check reports and monitor their own health. They may also register online for health promotion campaigns. The system provides health-related knowledge to help employees improve health management.
In addition to establishing health promotion plans in accordance with the regulations, the health management system conducts analysis based on employees’ health reports. When anomalies are detected, a comprehensive monitoring mechanism is designed according to the type and severity of conditions. The mechanism includes classification, tracking and medical consultation in order to provide employees with effective, systematic and continuous health management. During the process, occupational physicians and nurses provide holistic health risk assessment and control, offering complete care to safeguard employees’ health.
2. Health Management for Special Hazardous Operation
To control occupational diseases, FENC production sites established the following control measures targeting hazardous operations:

3. Infectious Disease Prevention and Control
Among the infectious diseases defined in Communicable Disease Control Act, COVID-19 was the most threatening for FENC In 2021. Control measures set forth at each plant are as follows:
- FENC sites conduct regular pandemic prevention task force meetings to form strategies in line with government-issued anti-pandemic policies. Adjustments are made as the situation unfolds.
- Staff must check body temperature and sanitize hands with alcohol prior to entering the plant.
- Face masks shall be worn at all times upon entering the plant with the exception of during dining.
- Staff are encouraged to receive COVID-19 vaccines.
- Working and dining are alternated at separate time and locations.
- The employee health care system is established and staff are required to report health conditions daily.
- Inventory checks over pandemic goods are conducted regularly.
- FENC sites engage in health promotion activities to care for employee health.
