Successfully controlling risks in semiconductor manufacturing requires a comprehensive and repeatable approach to evaluating chemicals/materials, facility and system design, effective integration of real-time monitoring, pre-start-up review, and complementary administrative (e.g., procedural) controls. This kind of "systems approach" has proven to be the key in developing a thorough understanding of process manufacturing hazards and associated environmental impacts. With thorough assessment and exchange of information between multiple disciplines, comprehensive risk reduction and control can be implemented early, as part of process development, and shared formally as part of the process transfer. The overall intent is to avoid negative business impacts due to product bans (e.g., "lead-free"), business interruptions (e.g., facility or asset loss), or a catastrophic event affecting employees and surrounding communities that can have negative impacts for many years.

Semiconductor manufacturing requires the use of many restricted and highly regulated materials. These regulations require due diligence to evaluate risk and implement appropriate control measures to eliminate or significantly reduce immediate and long-term risks to employees, the public, and to the environment. These regulations apply to almost all aspects of Intel's manufacturing: wafer manufacturing, which is classified as a "high-hazard" occupancy and one of the most highly regulated types of facilities; equipment, which is covered by a host of consensus safety standards as well as regulations (electrical codes, plumbing codes, etc.); chemicals/materials, which are covered by an extensive and broad list of regulations throughout the world addressing such things as workplace exposures, environmental discharge limits, fire protection, and product content, to name a few.

Intel's Environmental Health and Safety (EHS) organization is responsible for the identification, assessment, and control of hazards to employees, surrounding communities, and the environment. In the mid 1990s EHS recognized that a comprehensive approach was needed to minimize risk to Intel's business and ensure it was well positioned to meet the following goals:

• Have the safest workplace possible for our employees.
• Do no harm to surrounding communities.
• Reduce our environmental footprint to enable fast factory ramps and flexibility.
• Address EHS concerns early in the development of new manufacturing processes and products.
• Meet customer needs for environmentally responsible and low energy products.

We discuss the approach that is taken to effectively identify and reduce risks associated with Intel's operations worldwide.

Early Warning System

Predicting the future is impossible, but identifying emerging issues and trends early allows for better planning and resolution of EHS issues, before they cause employee, community, or business risk. EHS has established a business process that identifies emerging issues through an internal scan (sonar) of our technology roadmaps and an external scan (radar) of the regulatory and external stakeholder landscape. Identified issues are sorted, prioritized, and incorporated in the annual business planning process.

Internal scans of process technology roadmaps, product roadmaps, and other business plans are conducted by several internal groups. Process technology is covered by the Chemicals and Natural Resources SCS and the Assembly Chemicals and Natural Resources Steering Committee. Product trends and roadmaps are handled by the Product Ecology Steering Committee.

External scans and planning are done through a strategic partnership between EHS, Public Affairs (PA), Government Affairs (GA), Corporate Product Regulations and Standards (CPRS), and Legal. Teams composed of representatives from these organizations are assembled for each region: the Americas, Asia, and Europe, Middle East, and Africa (EMEA). The regional teams develop external engagement plans customized to their geography. A global senior management committee oversees the regional teams and the plans developed by these teams. There is close co-ordination with the internal teams.

From benchmarking with other leading companies, this process appears unique in producing consistent globally co-coordinated results with minimum resources. Also note that this process is also valuable in identifying areas of possible business opportunity or advantage.