Safety throughout the value chain

We enhance the safety of our products and services through rigorous attention to our design, manufacturing, installation, and maintenance processes. Our policies, processes, and tools enable all our business activities to be organized and conducted in a structured and globally harmonized way.

Safety is embedded in the product development process. Potential safety hazards affecting the products’ full life cycle are systematically identified and eliminated before products are introduced to the market. Existing products are continuously developed to further improve their safety and functionality.

KONE has defined clear quality requirements which are continuously measured and followed. In addition, our quality professionals regularly audit key suppliers to monitor the safety and quality of delivered components and products. KONE’s Supplier Code of Conduct defines the requirements for all our suppliers, including subcontractors, to protect the health and safety of their employees.

KONE enhances the quality and safety of all components used in production by carefully controlling raw materials and production processes. All of KONE’s major production sites are certified to ISO 9001, 14001 and 45001/OHSAS 18001 standards. We make sure that all our production sites are safe places to work, for example, by using the 5S* methodology and by conducting regular safety training.

KONE promotes safety awareness amongst its employees through health and safety training as well as safety-related internal communication. Everyone at KONE has the ability to report incidents and near misses. Building managers promote and maintain safe and healthy working environments in KONE premises.

KONE’s processes and certified installation methods are designed to enhance the safety of installers and third parties whilst enabling product quality and reliability. We constantly improve the safety, quality, and efficiency of its installation processes, for example, by using the kaizen continuous improvement methodology. We use continuous training, installation safety and method passport, site audits, and risk-assessed methods to control site safety.

KONE supports customers and building owners in promoting the safe use of elevators, escalators, and automatic building doors. We actively communicate about safety with our customers and equipment users. We organize activities in different parts of the world and provide training along with educational materials to our customers and the general public to help equipment users stay safe. Our safety mascots, Max and Bob, help teach children about the safe use of equipment through events, leaflets, and an animated video and games.

KONE develops modernization solutions for upgrading or replacing existing equipment with new solutions that meet or exceed the latest safety standards, improving equipment reliability and user safety. Products are installed by professional technicians following strict processes.

KONE maintains the safety of elevators, escalators, and automatic doors using preventive maintenance methods. Our maintenance technicians have a vital role in making sure our customers can keep people moving safely also in critical environments, such as hospitals.

We train our maintenance technicians regularly to ensure they have the required competence to perform their work safely, and train them in safe driving. We provide them with mobile tools to have access to up-to-date information. Our supervisors continually coach and audit technicians to assure that processes are followed and needed competences exist.

^{* 5S methodology: sort, stabilize, shine, standardize, and sustain}