The Hino Plant Tour
Published Apr 12, 2018 04:05 pm
Text and photos by Chris Van Hoven
Hino Motors Philippines (HMP) has been engaged in the assembly and distribution of trucks and buses in the Philippines for more than 40 years now, earning a reputation for providing safe, durable and reliable vehicles that meet the transport needs of small and medium enterprises to big corporations. When the opportunity came to take a tour of their manufacturing plant in Calamba, Laguna, we were able to observe how Hino produces their new Euro-4 compliant trucks and buses while keeping safety as a top priority.
The 5S principle
The 5S campaign is Hino’s safety program that emphasizes certain standards and a level of discipline among all employees. There’s seiri, or sort tools and items; seiton, or straighten and arrange items for easier access and use; seiso, or shine to ensure regular cleaning of work areas and equipment; seiketsu, or standardize work and processes; and shitsuke, or sustain to continue improving clean and safe practices every day.
The company-wide program hopes to make safety a way of life in Hino plants and among employees, and it was highly apparent that every employee working at the Hino plant were well versed with the system. We were able to observe workers routinely going through certain safety procedures no matter how mundane they would seem, such as looking (and pointing) at both directions before crossing a path, even though it would be much faster to cross without looking. Hino believes that increasing awareness on the importance of safety practices and encouraging the adoption of safety protocols benefits not only the employees, but the stakeholders as well.
Full safety gear
Before entering the plant, we were all made to wear a full set of safety gear which included goggles, gloves, arm sleeves, and a hard cap. Employees working at the plant also get specialized shoes and ear muffs for added protection. Each worker is responsible for the gear issued to them, and is required to wear complete gear while at the production lines. Anyone found not wearing the complete gear is asked to leave the production line and is sent to the new Professional Safety Health Environment department, which coordinates with Human Resources in studying cases and implementing corresponding sanctions. It’s a rigid program that’s directly patterned from Hino Motors, Ltd. In Japan, and is instrumental in ensuring that each worker is protected from accidents and mishaps as much as possible.
Strict regulations
Besides providing personal safety equipment, Hino implements strict safety regulations in the production lines. As an example, employees working higher than two meters from the ground must use a harness, while those who handle lifting can only lift up to 20kg. Machines, factory equipment and vehicles have their own protocols as well. Revolving lamps and sound alerts warn workers about moving machines. Wheeled trucks are secured by locks, with drivers conducting comprehensive safety checks before moving the vehicles to alert anyone working underneath or nearby.
Truck driver for a day
After the plant tour, we were given the chance to test drive some of Hino’s latest Euro-4 bus and truck models, which included cab and chassis trucks, tractor heads, wing vans, the Cerito and Grandeza buses, and the modern Hino jeepneys. As we progressed from the smallest container van to largest tractor head, we noticed that there was hardly any adjustment in moving up in size, besides the added length. The controls remained easily within reach, and the trucks were surprisingly easy to steer and control, while maintaining a consistently comfortable ride throughout the experience.
The new Euro 4-powered vehicles from Hino promise improved engine durability at greater cost efficiency and less carbon footprint. HMP Chairman, Vicente T. Mills, Jr., acknowledges this new milestone as a reflection of Hino’s continuous support for the Filipino community.
“Hino is grateful for this opportunity to offer an eco-friendly yet innovative transport solution that further expands the Hino range of quality of trucks and buses. We will continue to offer quality trucks and buses that meet the different needs of Filipinos, investing in new technologies that do not harm the environment,” he said.
Hino Motors Philippines (HMP) has been engaged in the assembly and distribution of trucks and buses in the Philippines for more than 40 years now, earning a reputation for providing safe, durable and reliable vehicles that meet the transport needs of small and medium enterprises to big corporations. When the opportunity came to take a tour of their manufacturing plant in Calamba, Laguna, we were able to observe how Hino produces their new Euro-4 compliant trucks and buses while keeping safety as a top priority.
The 5S principle
The 5S campaign is Hino’s safety program that emphasizes certain standards and a level of discipline among all employees. There’s seiri, or sort tools and items; seiton, or straighten and arrange items for easier access and use; seiso, or shine to ensure regular cleaning of work areas and equipment; seiketsu, or standardize work and processes; and shitsuke, or sustain to continue improving clean and safe practices every day.
The company-wide program hopes to make safety a way of life in Hino plants and among employees, and it was highly apparent that every employee working at the Hino plant were well versed with the system. We were able to observe workers routinely going through certain safety procedures no matter how mundane they would seem, such as looking (and pointing) at both directions before crossing a path, even though it would be much faster to cross without looking. Hino believes that increasing awareness on the importance of safety practices and encouraging the adoption of safety protocols benefits not only the employees, but the stakeholders as well.
Full safety gear
Before entering the plant, we were all made to wear a full set of safety gear which included goggles, gloves, arm sleeves, and a hard cap. Employees working at the plant also get specialized shoes and ear muffs for added protection. Each worker is responsible for the gear issued to them, and is required to wear complete gear while at the production lines. Anyone found not wearing the complete gear is asked to leave the production line and is sent to the new Professional Safety Health Environment department, which coordinates with Human Resources in studying cases and implementing corresponding sanctions. It’s a rigid program that’s directly patterned from Hino Motors, Ltd. In Japan, and is instrumental in ensuring that each worker is protected from accidents and mishaps as much as possible.
Strict regulations
Besides providing personal safety equipment, Hino implements strict safety regulations in the production lines. As an example, employees working higher than two meters from the ground must use a harness, while those who handle lifting can only lift up to 20kg. Machines, factory equipment and vehicles have their own protocols as well. Revolving lamps and sound alerts warn workers about moving machines. Wheeled trucks are secured by locks, with drivers conducting comprehensive safety checks before moving the vehicles to alert anyone working underneath or nearby.
Truck driver for a day
After the plant tour, we were given the chance to test drive some of Hino’s latest Euro-4 bus and truck models, which included cab and chassis trucks, tractor heads, wing vans, the Cerito and Grandeza buses, and the modern Hino jeepneys. As we progressed from the smallest container van to largest tractor head, we noticed that there was hardly any adjustment in moving up in size, besides the added length. The controls remained easily within reach, and the trucks were surprisingly easy to steer and control, while maintaining a consistently comfortable ride throughout the experience.
The new Euro 4-powered vehicles from Hino promise improved engine durability at greater cost efficiency and less carbon footprint. HMP Chairman, Vicente T. Mills, Jr., acknowledges this new milestone as a reflection of Hino’s continuous support for the Filipino community.
“Hino is grateful for this opportunity to offer an eco-friendly yet innovative transport solution that further expands the Hino range of quality of trucks and buses. We will continue to offer quality trucks and buses that meet the different needs of Filipinos, investing in new technologies that do not harm the environment,” he said.