Safety and health

Philosophy of safety environment management

Kia Motors recognized safe and healthy working environments as the core value of the company based on the philosophy of “Establishing a corporate culture that respects human beings.” For this, the company is fully dedicated to the health and safety of the employees and consider preservation of the environment as the company’s priority.

Key Values and Missions

1. Prevention management and establishment of a rapid response system
: To have ‘zero’ major accidents and disasters, we are dedicated to complying with the 6 safety rules, safety inspections, and management, while preemptively responding to the changing safety regulation both inside and outside

2. Improvement of the safety and environment awareness culture
: Based on our compliance with the safety environment procedures, we endeavor to spread the safety environment awareness and improve the working environment in order to provide more comfortable working environments to our employees and keep them as healthy employees of Kia.

3. Social Responsibility Management and Co-Existence Cooperation
: Not only Kia Motors, but as a social corporation, we have a sense of shared responsibility and help our supplies’ and local communities’ progress.

Safety and Health Management System

Our Soha and Gwangju factories have KOSHA 18001 certification, while the Hwasung factory is certified for OHSAS 18001 and KOSHA 18001. With these certifications, we prevent disasters with our autonomous safety and health activities.
Investment in safety and health

We are endeavoring to make our work places safer through efficient safety and health investment management each year in order to prevent disasters on our employees.

Labor-employer cooperation/co-existence

Through the Industrial Safety and Health Committee, the issues related to industrial safety and health are reviewed jointly by the employer and the workers to make decisions. The employer and the workers are working together to ensure safety (prevention of industrial disasters) and health of the employees.
Safety inspection and meeting bodies

Through regular safety inspections in each factory, we discover potential risks and improve them through safety meetings, where the information on the improvements are shared.

6 core safety rules

In 2016, the company introduced 6 core safety rules, “3Dos and 3 Don’ts.” The 3 Dos (wearing safety belts during aerial works, complying with the speed limit within the company complex, and measuring the gas levels before start to work) and 3 Don’ts (not getting under a heavy object, not accessing operating equipment without authorization, and not contacting/killing the power off when handling electricity) are the promises that we all should keep.
Fire prevention

In order to mitigate the risks of fire, we conduct audits with independent auditors for continuous management and improvement. With our early detection system through the 24/7 fire monitoring system, we established an emergency response system to put out the fire at an earlier stage and minimize injuries and casualties due to leakage of hazardous materials, gases, or a fire.

Management of chemicals

We post MSDS at places where chemicals are handled. The MSDS information can be accessed through the I-SHE system as well. And, with regular postings of process management guides and safety/health trainings, we endeavor to ensure that the workers are working in comfortable environments.
Work environment management

We assess the work environments two times a year to identify the processes where the leakage level of harmful substances and improve them. We also run programs to prevent damages in hearing and respiratory organs due to noise and other harmful elements.

Musculo-skeletal prevention

With regard to the works with higher burden on the musculo-skeletal systems, we conduct harmful elements surveys regularly every three years. And, we conduct such a survey when we introduce a new work process/equipment or there is a patient with musculo-skeletal diseases. The processes burdening the musculo-skeletal system is improved through short-term and mid/long-term plans.
Health/general checkup and follow-up

All employees are to receive health checkups every year. In addition to the legal check items, we provide checkups for adult diseases. And, with the selective diagnosis system, we provide additional, in-depth checkups in our efforts to manage the health of the employees.

Mental health management

We are operating ‘Mind Walk,’ which is a psychological consultation center, since 2012. In addition to the work-related stress, we cooperate with Korean Counselling Psychological Association in order to provide consultations on the crisis in marriages, problems with children, abuse problems, and other mental health issues of the employees and their families.
Industrial health center

Professional medical staffs are stationed on a full-time basis, charged with the responsibility for the health of the employees. Physical therapies and advisory doctor’s care are provided in order to prevent musculo-skeletal disease. Also, there is an oriental medicine clinic to provide oriental therapies. In addition, rehabilitation treatments are provided for the workers who returned to work after an industrial accident.