2022 is the last year of the government’s 13th Occupational Safety & Health Program, implemented from fiscal 2018. According to the report on industrial accidents recently disclosed by the Labour Ministry, cases of work-related deaths or injuries requiring four or more days of sick leave both increased in fiscal 2021 from the previous year. This article looks into details of the report and recent trend of industrial accidents.
1. Fatalities by industrial accidents
Cases of work-related deaths in 2021 totaled 867, increasing by 65 from the previous year. Excluding deaths from the coronavirus infection, the number was 778, down by 6 from a year ago. The 13th Occupational Safety and Health Program is aimed at reducing work-related deaths by more than 15% by 2022 from the level in 2017, but the goal was not achieved in 2021.
By accident type, “falling to a lower level” was responsible for the most 217 deaths, followed by “entanglement or entrapment” which led to 135 deaths.
2. Work-related accidents leading to deaths or injuries
The number of work-related accidents that required at least four days of sick leave or led to the workers’ death (“casualties”) was 149,918 in 2021, increasing by 18,762 from a year earlier. Excluding coronavirus-related deaths, the number was 130,586, rising by 5,471 from a year ago. Although the 13th Occupational Safety and Health Program sets a goal of reducing casualties by at least 5% by 2022 from 2017 levels, the number surged in all major business sectors, including land transportation industry, retailers, social welfare facilities and restaurants, indicating that considerable effort is required to achieve the goal.
By accident type in all industries, “falling down” is the chief cause, responsible for 33,672 cases, followed by “falling to a lower level,” which accounts for 21,286 casualties, and “reaction or unreasonable action” with 20,777 cases.
During the National Safety Week (Jul 1 – Jul 7) and its preparation period (Jun 1 – Jun 30), the Labour Ministry and prefectural labor bureaus issue calls for enhanced corporate efforts to prevent industrial accidents. Companies are advised to confirm their labor safety and hygiene management structure and review and improve their work safety manuals.
Reference
2021 occupational accident status, Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare
https://www.mhlw.go.jp/stf/newpage_25944.html
2022 National Safety Week implemented in July
https://www.mhlw.go.jp/stf/newpage_25200.html
The contents are valid as of the creation of this article.
