Research Trends and Results

Role of Regional Construction Contractors in The Great
East Japan Earthquake
OHASHI Sachiko, Senior researcher
TAKEYA Shuichi, Head (Dr.Eng.)
Research Center for Land and Construction Management
Construction Economics Division(Keywords) Great East Japan Earthquake, Regional construction contractors, Disaster response management
１．Forward
Right after the outbreak of Great East Japan Earthquake,regional construction contractors started support activities
for recovery of the infrastructure functions, which lead tolarge-scale rescue/relief efforts to disaster stricken areas.
With this in mind, National Institute for Land andInfrastructure Management, Tohoku Regional Bureau
and Tohoku Construction Association Federation, withthe cooperation of Tohoku Univ. conducted a survey onactivities by the regional construction contractors, andrecorded and documented its role, to serve as an
information for future disaster management.
２．Contents of this survey
The survey was conducted in the form of questionnaires
to 1,730 member companies in Tohoku Construction
Association Federation on the activities between Mar.11
to 18. The questionnaire was distributed from Sep.to Oct.
2011, and 806 companies responded.
The contents of the survey are shown in Table 1. Thesurvey was conducted principally on the support activities
for the recovery of the infrastructure functions, including
rescue and relief activities. Here, we are presenting partof the results on the effects and issues of business
continuity plan (BCP) and disaster prevention drills.
As for BCP and disaster response manual, 20% of thecompanies have laid out their plans before the Great
Earthquake, of which 90% responded there were useful
items（Graph 2）. As for its contents, many cited “plansconcerning organization framework and chain ofcommand”, are found to be effective. As a futureimprovement, it would be effective to make anassumption when telephone line is dead.
Table 1 Survey contents
Contents
Questions
Attribute Basic info of the company, whether affected and ifso, its level
Activity Start to completion of activities and their details
contents How to secure human resource, construction
equipment, communication methods, fuel, goods
for activities
Reminders, difficulties faced and factors forbreakthrough to enable swift activities,
Prepared Relationship between disaster agreements andness
support activities, planning on BCP/disaster
response manual, conducting disaster preventiondrills.

Planned on BCP

NA

Not planned on BCP nor
disaster response manuals

Not planned on BCP
had manuals

Graph1 Planning of BCP/disaster response manual
NANot UsefulUsefulGraph2 Effect of BCP/disaster response manual
Slightly less than 20% conducted any disasterprevention drill one year prior to the Great Earthquake, of
which more than 90% responded that it was useful insome way.
Also, another consideration is that joint drill with theadministrative organization or other company will havedifferent effect and both should be conducted in thefuture.
３．ConclusionOther than what’s been presented here, analysis isconducted on quick initial response, decision-making
procedures on the support activities and disasteragreements, etc. results of which is due to be published.
Also, National Institute for Land and InfrastructureManagement has in the past surveyed the regional
construction
contractor’sactivities
afterThe
Iwate-Miyagi Nairiku Earthquake in 2008 and The
Niigataken Chuetsu-oki Earthquake in 2007, results ofwhich are to be analyzed.
【Reference】
1) Ohashi, Takeya, Mori：The 30th research presentation and discussion
on construction management issues/ Effect of BCP, disaster responsemanual by regional construction industry in Great East Japan Earthquake,
Dec.2012.
2) Ohashi, Takeya, Mori：Effect of disaster prevention drill by regional
construction industry in Great East Japan Earthquake, ditto