Safety and efficiency: the Mitsubishi Electric case study in interview with HSE Francesco Marella

Francesco Marella, Head of Environment, Safety & Health at Mitsubishi Electric Hydronics & IT Cooling Systems S.p.A./Mitsubishi Electric’s Large Air Conditioning Machinery Division, tells us about the case study of the Belluno plant, where Kiwitron devices were installed for accident risk mitigation.

A very long name for Francis’s company, reflecting the nature of this entity, headquartered in Tokyo, with now more than 210 different legal entities with 150,000 employees-which are then identified in the company name.

 

But, who is Francesco Marella?

 

A chemical engineer, he began working in the field of environmental safety in the company at a very young age. After 9 years in Riello SPA, he joined Climaveneta in 2008 as Environment Safety Health Manager.

And from there, after the acquisition by Mitsubishi Electric, he expanded his field of expertise to the 13 production sites in Italy and abroad.

He is Co-Founder of the BeSafe Community, composed of experts, authors and business managers who dialogue on the topics of organization, safety and sustainability.

In short, a true devotee of safety.

 

We asked Francis, first of all, why it is important to have security in the company.

 

“In the training courses that an HSE Manager does, there is a lot of focus on laws, fire safety, PPE, chemical risk. But almost never do they talk about the serious consequences of the risk of accidents, for example between a forklift and a person, both at the level of physical harm to workers and legal harm to the company and its managers. It is perceived as an “unavoidable” event, because it is something that can happen outside of work.

 

Why-“when can a company be called performing, therefore also safe?” wonders Francis.

 

“When we do not compromise and decide to reduce all risks. Even the ‘unavoidable’ ones. Then a company is truly safe and becomes a place of well-being.

And when a worker would like to send their most valuable asset — their son, their daughter — to work there without fear of them coming home injured, then it means we have achieved the goal and communicated it well.”

It is a clear picture that Francis paints for us on the close link between safety and productivity. But not only that. In fact, there is a third theme that ties to these in a double thread: sustainability.

An increasingly important theme every day and the main topic of the business plans now of most large companies.

 

Francis, how do you see the impact of sustainability on markets in the near future?

 

“Very important. Right now, ours is a very favorable market, as we are moving toward more and more demand for energy efficiency, especially because of the climate crisis and increasingly stringent regulations.

Just look at the fact that now newly built houses are already being born with energy class A3 or A4.

Let’s cite a case study: the boiler-heat pump combination is no longer necessary; with the heat pump alone, one can manage both space heating and cooling. Electricity can be produced with photovoltaics, thus in a green way.

Sustainability will be an increasingly important lever for businesses: a combination of economic, social and environmental issues, a synergy of business practices that start from a shared mindset.”

 

But how do you implement sustainability – really – in your company?

 

“A virtuous company is an organizationally efficient company. Positive rules and relationships among employees create a place where everyone can participate in the company’s goals, where employees become “collaborators,” meaning that each person according to his or her role and experience collaborates in achieving the company’s goals.

In this atmosphere of well-being and collaboration, everyone is definitely motivated (and even retained). Which results in a virtuous circle: high quality, high productivity, very low waste and, consequently, very low accidents.

 

Safety, efficiency and sustainability: the beacons that drive Kiwitron’s mission. How did you get to know us and how have you implemented our solutions in your plants?

 

“An HSE manager is always looking for new technological solutions. Because no matter how much training you do and implement good practices such as traffic lights, striping, barriers, misfortune is always around the corner.

Trying to bring the risk to a minimum is a constant quest. So, we approached VECAR, our logistics truck and forklifts supplier, who pointed us to your solution.

Kiwitron has an innovative product, especially in our industry. But an HSE manager must give result guarantees to his or her management, in addition to the cutting-edge solution.

For this, you need a partner who is trusted and close to the customer. And, at the technological level and because of the nature of your company — flexible and responsive — Kiwitron has proven to be the most reliable one.

After an initial adjustment and calibration period (normal adaptation phase for any new customer, which you should not be afraid of,” he adds), now the system is implemented on the vehicles we use in logistics and it works well.

 

Speaking of reliability and responsiveness: how important is it to you that Kiwitron is a manufacturer of all parts of the solution you use (so hardware, software, and neural networks) and that you manufacture everything in the Sasso Marconi plant?

 

“Very important, because today we are talking about emerging technologies. A real cultural change.

The fact that Kiwitron is ready and responsive to go and talk to the customer to make calibrations, adjustments and especially updates, precisely because we are talking about technologies that are constantly evolving, is the determining factor that builds customer loyalty and makes the company a partner.”

 

We end the interview with a big thank you to Francesco and a warm invitation to visit Kiwitron together with our colleagues, HSE Managers and Plant Managers, who were often mentioned during the chat and whom we want to bring back here as well to remind how much the synergy between safety, represented by the figure of the HSE Manager, and efficiency, represented by the figure of the Plant Manager, is fundamental in creating a safe and performing working environment.

And how much the Kiwitron team is ready at every opportunity to respond “present” to the new challenges of bringing safety to the world of work.