On August 17, Beijing Benz Automotive Co., Ltd. (BBAC) successfully passed the inspection acceptance by the State Administration of Work Safety and won the title of “Model Enterprise for the Standardization of Safe Production in National Industry and Trade Sector” onsite. BBAC hereby becomes one of the first-batch 1,000 Class-I enterprises for the standardization of safe production in the fields of industry and trade and also the only one winning this title in the machinery manufacturing industry (including the car manufacturing industry).

[BBAC Won the Title of “Model Enterprise for the Standardization of Safe Production in National Industry and Trade Sector”]

One in thousand: BBAC tops the safe production in auto-making industry

In 2014, the State Administration of Work Safety initiated the program of building “national demonstration enterprise for work safety standardization in industry and trade sector”. Based on the selection of Grade I work safety standardization in industry and trade sector, a batch of demonstration enterprises leading in work safety at the international level were selected, to further stimulate enterprise’s morale and initiative to independently carry out standardization work, build the industry benchmark and improve work safety standardization. In the same year, the State Administration of Work Safety decided to recommend 15 candidate enterprises for “Model Enterprise for the Standardization of Safe Production in National Industry and Trade Sector” from 1,000 qualified Grade I enterprises for safe production standardization.

[State Administration of Work Safety organized experts to conduct onsite evaluation and inspection acceptance]

[Ms. Zhuo Weina, Deputy Director of Supervision Department IV, State Administration of Work Safety commented BBAC’s safe production work]

As the only qualified enterprise in mechanical industry, BBAC welcomed the inspection tour of State Administration of Work Safety on August 16, 2014. In accordance with the Implementation Plan for Establishing Work Safety Standardization Demonstration Enterprises in Industry and Trade Sector, the State Administration of Work Safety organized related experts to inspect the qualification of BBAC as a safe work standardization demonstration enterprise. They considered that BBAC has built a solid safe work foundation and achieved outstanding progress in intrinsic safety at a higher level, plant-wide employee participation and self management. The production site was neat and orderly and the safety production standardization system ran effectively with continuous improvement. The independent safety management system with enterprise characteristics has been created. The safety production performance was remarkable, and the safe work management led in the industry, basically reaching the advanced international level. They awarded the title of “Model Enterprise for the Standardization of Safe Production in National Industry and Trade Sector” onsite.

Make innovation: Build safety guarantee by building systems

Safety is the lifeline for any enterprise. Over ten years, BBAC has been dedicated to becoming a leading enterprise in safety management while developing into a benchmark enterprise in the Chinese high-end automotive manufacturing. As of the first half of 2016, BBAC has hit a record high in both production and sales volume, achieved eight-zero safe work for 11 consecutive years and ushered in the leapfrog development in both business development and safety production.

Such achievements is a result of BBAC’s efforts in safety management. Based on the advanced concept of lean management, Beijing has established a set of model innovation and effective safety management system, providing strong guarantee for enterprise safe work in such aspect as institutional building, management division mode, main accountability implementation, introduction of incentive mechanism, and safety management information development.

In the aspect of institutional building, the safe work committee consists of both Chinese and foreign VPs and department general mangers, with President & CEO and SVP acting as the chairman, ensuring the consistency of major safety decisions and effective implementation of all kinds of safe work.

In management model, BBAC has gradually implemented safe work accountability based on innovation. By capitalizing on the innovative management model of “territoriality management and linear responsibility”, BBAC has realized the leapfrog transformation from traditional extensive safe work management to lean management. Also, in combination of positive and negative safety incentive mechanisms, BBAC has included both Chinese and foreign employees into the scope of safety incentive measures. The results of safety assessment are linked to quarterly performance assessment system, ensuing the synchronous implementation of management and accountability and achieved vertical management in safety incentive measures. In addition, BBAC has further responded to brand-new management division model in combination of “classification management and large territorial management” through optimizing personnel structure, continuously strengthening the construction of safety engineer team, and enhancing professional management capacity. The management specialization is combined with regional area division management. The omni-directional coverage of networked management has been realized through a “four-division management control” (i.e. classification, grading, regional division and speciality division).

Optimize regulations: Strengthen the safety management system through multiple measures

Based on a sound safe management model, BBAC gradually improves its safety system construction and created a systematic top-level design for safety management. In March 2012, BBAC passed the audit of Grade I enterprises for safe work standardization. In December 2012, BBAC passed the audit of ISO14001 environmental management system. In August 2014, BBAC passed the audit of OHSAS18001 Occupational Health and Safety Management Systems and the building of management system realizes the systematization of safety management.

Over the past 10 years, BBAC has drafted such systems as safety management manual, construction safety management manual, safety production standardization manual and environmental management manual, covering such aspects as production safety, environmental protection, occupational health, traffic safety, public security and fire control management to build a complete institutional system. The application of safety management measures ensures the implementation of various safety management requirements, such as regular safety stand-up meeting, green zero chart, four-clear safety card and post safety operation rules.

In the meantime, by taking prediction and early warning technology measures, BBAC has established the safe management information system platform, introduced process-oriented control measures and precautionary concepts, effectively controls risks and improved safety management efficiency through weekly safety management reports and statistical analysis of hidden dangers.

Think ahead: Effectively combine safety and culture building together

Work safety depends on management but not ends at management. Science and technology, as the first productive force, is also a core element for achieving work safety.

Risk control that can be achieved through technical means should not be transferred to management -- Based on this advanced essential safety management concept, BBAC has increased comparative analysis of international benchmarking standards for industry safety in the process of introducing new products and new technologies and comprehensively improves safe work management work in such aspects as production safety, occupational health and environmental protection.

In the meantime, BBAC has aligned with international technological benchmarking standards and has further achieved the essential safety in such areas as safety standards (e.g. process-ergonomics, occupational health protection and hybrid high-voltage equipment) and safety technology (e.g. laser welding technology). In addition, BBAC has analyzed the causes of exposed problems through accident control and investigation and statistical analysis, and adopted corrective measures to effectively eliminate and control the occurrence of unsafe state and unsafe behavior.

To deepen safety management work, BBAC has vigorously carried out employee safety education and training and builds a safety culture. It has strengthened compliance requirements and enhances the capacity of safety managers at all levels through nine types of safety eduction, such as three-level safety education for new employees, training and retraining of special operators, education for cadres at middle and upper level. Through implementing 6S optimization for onsite operation environment, improvement of plant-wide management, safety work month (quarter), BBAC has combined promotional education, training and corporate safety culture, comprehensively raises staff safety awareness and created an excellent safety culture atmosphere.

From the mechanism to system, from technology to culture, BBAC has summed up a set of increasingly improving safety management modes, constantly innovated ideas to keep pace with the times and achieved excellence in safety management, upon 11 years of development. In the beginning year of the 13th-Five Year Plan, taking the title of “Model Enterprise for the Standardization of Safe Production in National Industry and Trade Sector” as a higher starting point, BBAC will continuously integrate the systematic ideas and methods “based on risk, systematization, standardization and continuous improvement” into various tasks of corporate safety management. Starting from the multiple layers (e.g. comprehensively reducing safety risks, enhancing the environmental protection benefits, strengthening the construction of system and mechanism, and enhancing the capacity of system management), BBAC will continuously promote the normalized and systematic management, forge ahead towards excellence from safety management benchmarking, upgrade the safety management alongside industrial chain, take a lead in the collaborated safety management in the industry, and create new value for the high-end manufacturing industry in China.