Ensuring Product Safety

Basic Policy on Product Safety

Based on Toshiba Group Basic Policy on Product Safety, we are committed to eliminating product accidents. In order to ensure customer safety, we comply with the prevailing safety-related laws and regulations and proactively disclose full information to customers.

Swift Response to Product Safety Incidents

An employee who becomes aware of information concerning aToshiba product accident must alert the division(s) in charge ofdealing with safety issues concerning the product in question.
The CPL Committee*, chaired by the President of the in-housecompany, then acts upon the matter. In the event of an accidentattributable to a product that is likely to recur, we inform customersof the danger and request that they cease using such products,promptly report to the competent authorities, and establishcountermeasures as soon as possible. We are developing aninformation system to enable swift communication with qualityassurance divisions and top management regarding informationon product accidents obtained by repair and service staff as wellas on how such incidents are being handled by Toshiba.

* CPL Committee: CPL is an abbreviation combining CL (contractualliability) and PL (product liability). The CPL Committee, chaired by asenior executive, promptly determines measures to deal with productaccidents and quality issues.

Toshiba Group's Structure to Respond to Product Accidents

Response to Product Accidents

In April 2008, we announced details of inspection and recall via newspapers and our website for home laundries (drum type washer dryers) that had the possibilities of generating electric smoke or fire. In addition, for air conditioners, we once again notified of our inspection and recall via posters inside trains in the Tokyo area in August 2008 and Osaka in March 2009, for which previous announcements were made via newspaper and Toshiba website. For refrigerators, to prevent electric fires or smoke caused by long-term use and deterioration, we distributed flyers requesting customers to stop using products that had been used for more than 25 years since the purchase.

Education on Product Safety

In FY2008, we particularly worked on reinforcing our management system for ensuring compliance with the Electrical Appliances and Material Safety Law in Japan (hereinafter "the Law"), since the Law has an important bearing on the Group's products. The Chief Quality Executives and the person in charge of the Law initiated a revision of the internal regulations and created common audit items related to the Law for the entire Group. We also verified the business notification status and compatibilities of the technical standards based on the Law. Furthermore, education through e-learning was provided to all concerned employees in Japan and working overseas (approx. 110,000 in total)

Safety Considerations Concerning Electromagnetic Waves

Toshiba Group is involved in standardization work of the International Electrotechnical Commission through the activities at the Japan Electrical Manufacturers' Association (JEMA) for home appliances and the activities at the Association of Radio Industries and Businesses (ARIB). These activities allow Toshiba Group to keep abreast of the latest information. We are adhering to the standards specified by these organizations to ensure safety concerning electromagnetic waves.

Case Study: Initiatives Aimed at Raising the Awareness and Level of Product Safety (FY2009)  (Toshiba TEC Corp.)

We ensure thorough compliance with the product safety-related rules and regulations throughout the Group and also conduct periodic audits. The Chief Quality Executive plays a central role in holding product safety-related events aimed at raising the safety awareness of employees and proactively discloses information on initiatives for product safety based on third-party evaluations.

Group companies also develop their own programs for product safety. Toshiba TEC Corp. developed its product safety program with the aim of winning an award for its product safety measures from the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry and received the 2009 Economy, Trade and Industry Minister's Prize (best award) in the category of “major manufacturing companies and importers”