PRESENT SITUATION AND FUTURE DIRECTION OF FALL
ACCIDENT PREVENTION MEASURES BASED ON THE
INDUSTRIAL SAFETY AND HEALTH LAW
Hideo Kamaishi
Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare, 1-2-2 Kasumigaseki Chiyoda-ku Tokyo,
100-8916 Japan

In Japan, fall accident prevention measures are established based on the Industrial
Safety and Health Law, and the Industrial Safety and Health Regulation wasamended in 2009 to strengthen the measures for fall prevention from scaffolding.
Among occupational death accidents in the construction industry, the ratio of thenumber of fall accidents is the highest; especially fall accidents from roofs orladders are more increasing than that from scaffolding. Ministry of Health, Labourand Welfare (MHLW) started 12th Industrial Accident Prevention Plan in April
2013. The MHLW will examine safety-related measures in the future for fall fromscaffolding and other high places, and will amend safety-related regulations, ifnecessary, to strengthen the occupational accident prevention measures.

Occupational accidents
In Japan, the number of casualties who are absent from work for more than four days and the numberof deaths caused by occupational accidents have tended to decrease over a long period of time.
However, the number of casualties who are absent from work for more than four days and thenumber of deaths has continuously increased during the past three years. The number of deaths hasrepeatedly increased and decreased in recent years. The number of occupational accidents in theconstruction industry has tended to decrease over a long period of time due to decreases in theamount of construction investment and the number of workers. In 2012, the number of casualties
who were absent from work for more than four days increased to 17,073, and the number of deaths
increased to 367 (Figure 1 - 2). Among occupational accidents in the construction industry, the ratioof the number of fall accidents to the number of accidents resulting in casualties who are absent fromwork for more than four days is approximately 35%, while the ratio to the number of accidents
causing deaths is as high as approximately 43%. Regarding places where accidents resulting incasualties who are absent from work for more than four days occur, devices for high-place work suchas ladders are ranked first, followed by roofs and scaffoldings, in that order. Regarding places whereaccidents causing death occur, roofs are ranked first, followed by scaffoldings and buildings, in thatorder.

Industrial Safety and Health Law and scaffolding-related provisions
In Japan, occupational accident prevention measures are established based on the Industrial
Safety and Health Law and related cabinet orders, ministerial regulations, public notices,announcements, and notifications. Therefore, fall accident prevention provisions in the Industrial
Safety and Health Law and related regulations are described first.

- 49 -

7,000

6,712
6,506
6,303
6,046

6,095

6,000

6,208
6,088 6,048

5,895

6,093 6,126

5,990

5,631
5,269

5,552

5,000
4,330

4,000

3,725

All industry

3,345
3,326 3,077

3,000
2,458
2,302

2,482
2,405 2,492
2,405
2,470

2,652

2,000

2,271 2,251

2,186

1,351
1,147

1,000

1,160

2,323

1,189
1,161 1,191
1,195 1,266
1,211
1,097

1,582
1,184
1,108

Manufacturing industry
0‘59‘61‘62‘63‘64‘65‘66‘67‘68‘69

‘60

2,572

2,635

2,015

1,400

1,184

2,674
2,588

3,009

2,402 2,440

2,430

1,348

2,912

3,302

Construction industry

1,583
1,451
1,464

1,404

709

2,342

2,245 2,301

2,414

2,078

1,992
1,889
1,790
1,658
1,844

650

589
594

581

‘71‘72‘73‘74‘75‘76‘77‘78‘79

1,106

1,083
927
983
960

1,106
556

482

459

475

1,0751,047

1,017
452

428

441

431

448

405

409
414

417

1,195

607

1,093

1,024

594

497 508 461430
371 365 342
323
305275548 293
268
260
211
344
351
326
293
264
256
186
182
644

‘91‘92‘93‘94‘95‘96‘97‘98‘99

‘90

1,268

1,075

848
1,001
794 731
725

942

392

1,514
1,472

1,357

1,021

953

993

447

‘81‘82‘83‘84‘85‘86‘87‘88‘89

‘80

‘70

1,620

1,628
1,113

1,173

669

2,363

2,354

1,374

975
856

2,550
2,549
2,489
2,419

2,318

‘01‘02‘03‘04‘05‘06‘07‘08‘09

‘00

367
199

‘11

‘10 ‘12Figure 1. Changes of number of occupational death accidents from 1959 to 2012 (persons)

Others332
30.4%

Manufacturing
199
18.2%
1,093
persons

Mining60.5%

2012

Forestry373.4%

Construction
36733.6%

Logistics
134, 12.3%

Stevedore
5, 0.5%
Transport
13, 1.2%

Figure 2. Classification of number of occupational death accidents in 2012 (persons)
The Industrial Safety and Health Regulation provides the standards that are intended toprevent fall accidents. The Regulation states that an employer shall provide a working floor by
scaffolding or by other methods if an employer carries out an operation at a place having aheight of 2 meters or more. If working floors are difficult to install, the employer shall take themeasures of installing a protective net, having workers use safety belts, etc. to prevent workers
from being injured due to falling. The Industrial Safety and Health Regulation also provides
various measures that employers must take to prevent fall accidents and requirements forpassages and scaffoldings. The public notice of the Minister of Health, Labour and Welfare also
provides the strengths and shapes of components and furniture used for steel-pipe scaffolding.
When setting up scaffolding which is more than 5 m above the floor level, the employer
must select a chief worker, and operations must be performed under the command of the chiefworker.

- 50 -When setting up scaffolding which is more than 10 m above the floor level, the employer
must submit the operation plan to the Chief of the Labour Standards Inspection Office.
According to the Industrial Safety and Health Law, the principal employers (generalcontractors who contract with the ordering bodies) are obliged to execute comprehensive safety
and health management in order to prevent occupational accidents that occur when workers ofdifferent employers cooperate in a same place to perform operations at one time. The IndustrialSafety and Health Law stipulates provisions which focuses on the characteristic of theconstruction industry.

Fall accident prevention measures taken by the Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare
In Japan, the construction works are generally pursued after receiving orders. Workers work atdifferent worksites every new order and the contents of the operation change within a shortperiod of time. Furthermore, workers from different employers often cooperate in a same place
to perform operations at one time under a multilayered contract system, and a business structure
is adopted in which branches and business offices of companies are in charge of multiple
worksites. Based on the above facts, the Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare (MHLW)
established “comprehensive occupational accident prevention measures for the constructionindustry” in which the safety and health management measures performed by principal
employers and related contractors were summarized according to the type of implementing body.
The abovementioned measures were exhibited in the form of the notification by the DirectorGeneral of the Labour Standards Bureau. The MHLW has guided principal employers andrelated contractors to precisely execute occupational accident prevention measures based on theabovementioned measures. The MHLW has also guided and urged associations on occupational
accident prevention, construction-related associations, and ordering bodies to perform
occupational accident prevention activities according to their roles.
In the case where encouragement of companies’ voluntary approaches is effective forpreventing occupational accidents, the MHLW has entrusted activities such as training toassociations on occupational accident prevention. At present, the activities performed as fall
accident prevention measures are as follows:
1) Projects for promoting fall accident prevention measures (construction)z A preceding handrail construction method for scaffolding is instructed at worksites for
its diffusion.
2) Projects for diffusing fall prevention measures in high-place work where scaffolding isdifficult to installz A standard operation manual is created for works on roofs where scaffolding is difficult
to install.
z A workshop that demonstrates fall accident prevention measures is held for works onroofs where scaffolding is difficult to install.

Recent revision of regulations
In order to prevent occupational accidents due to falls from scaffolding, the Industrial Safety and
Health Regulation was amended in March 2009, and the revised provisions were enforced inJune 2009. The amended points are as follows (Figure 3):
Regarding prefabricated scaffoldings, installation of a crossing diagonal brace wassufficient before the amendment. After the amendment, lower rails must be installed at aposition 15−40 cm above the floor level, or more than 15cm toe boards or preceding handrails
must be installed.
Regarding scaffolding other than prefabricated scaffoldings, such as tube and coupler
scaffolding, the height of a handrail was increased from 75 cm to 85 cm. Furthermore, middle
rails must also be installed at a position 35−50 cm above the floor level.

- 51 -In April 2009, “further safety measures,” which are desirable to be adopted together withenforcement of the amended Industrial Safety and Health Regulation, were exhibited in the formof the notification by the Director-General of the Occupational Safety and Health Department.
There have been a variety of efforts to implement these further safety measures. The key pointsof these further safety measures are as follows:z Regarding prefabricated scaffolding, additional upper rails and scaffolding specific topreceding handrails should be installed.
z Regarding scaffolding other than prefabricated scaffolding, toe boards should be added.
z A preceding handrail construction method should be used and easy-to-work and comfortablescaffolding should be installed.
z Safety check of scaffolding etc. should consistently be performed.
Toe boardMore than 15 cm
above floor level

BraceFloor level
Floor level

oror

Lower rail
From 15 to 40 cm
above floor level
Floor level

Prefabricated scaffolds
HandrailMore than 75 cm
above floor level

Preceding handrail

HandrailMore than 85 cm
above floor level
Middle rail
From 35 to 50 cm
above floor level
Floor level

Floor level

Other scaffolds
Before revision

After revision

Figure 3. Revision of the Industrial Safety and Health Regulation in 2009

Evaluation of regulation amendment and further measures
After the amendment of the Industrial Safety and Health Regulation in 2009, the MHLW has
analyzed data on accidents caused by falls from scaffolding every year. The MHLW has also
held “meetings to verify and evaluate the effectiveness of measures to prevent falls fromscaffolding” consisting of professors and researcher. The MHLW summarized the suggestions
and opinions expressed in the meeting and issued a report every year.
According to the results obtained by analyzing data of the fiscal year 2011 (latest data),
approximately 90% of accidents caused by falls from scaffolding occurred at worksites where
measures based on the Industrial Safety and Health Regulation were not appropriately taken.
Approximately 9% of the accidents occurred at worksites where measures based on theIndustrial Safety and Health Regulation were taken, but workers behaved unsafely, such as
climbing on the outside of scaffolding. Slightly more than 1% of the accidents occurred atworksites where measures based on the Industrial Safety and Health Regulation were taken andno unsafe behaviour was observed.
Therefore, in the meeting report, the following measures were pointed out:

- 52 -

Observance of the Industrial Safety and Health Regulation
Enforcement of measures to avoid unsafe behaviour
Further diffusion of a preceding handrail construction method
Development and diffusion of easy-to-fabricate scaffolding devices and easy-to-use
scaffolding parts
Based on suggestions in the meeting report, “guidelines for promotion of comprehensive
measures to prevent scaffolding accidents” were established in February 2012 in order to prevent
scaffolding accidents by diffusing “further safety measures” and a preceding handrail
construction method. The guidelines were exhibited in the form of the notification by theDirector-General of the Occupational Safety and Health Department. The MHLW has facilitatedscaffolding accident prevention measures based on this guideline.
zzzz

12th Industrial Accident Prevention Plan
Since 1958, the MHLW has formulated a revised version of the Industrial Accident Prevention
Plan 11 times and positively implemented various policies based on these plans. Based on therecent situation of occupational accidents and social changes, the 12th Industrial Accident
Prevention Plan, a five-year plan that starts in fiscal 2013 and is to complete in fiscal 2017, hasstarted in April 2013. The 12th plan contains the following six important activities:1) Concentration of occupational accident prevention measures according to the changing
situation of occupational accidents and diseases.
2) Prevention of occupational accidents by administrative bodies in cooperation withassociations on occupational accident prevention and industry associations.
3) Encouragement of societies, companies, and workers to change their way of thinking about
safety and health.
4) Implementation of policies based on scientific evidence and international trends.
5) Intensification of endeavour by ordering bodies, manufacturers, and managers of facilities
6) Further measures that will correspond with the issues on the Great East Japan Earthquake andTokyo Electric Power Company’s Fukushima No.1 Nuclear Power Plant Disaster.
The construction industry aims to decrease the number of fatal accidents by more than 20%
in 2017 compared with 2012. The following four measures will be implemented for theconstruction industry:(1) Promotion of fall accident prevention measures(a) Promotion of measures to prevent accidents due to falls from various places
In addition to promotion of scaffolding accident prevention measures, devices andmethods to prevent accidents caused by falls from ladders, roofs etc. should be
developed and diffused (Figure 4).
(b) Diffusion of harness-type safety belts
Safety belts, which ease impact at the time of a fall, should be diffused in such a waythat harness-type safety belts are mandatory under certain conditions (e.g. work at theplace of difficulty in rescuing a worker when the worker falls).
(2) Promotion of policies on the basis of nationwide manpower shortage following the Great
East Japan Earthquake
Administrative bodies request ordering bodies of construction works to integrate expenses
required for securing safety and health. Administrative bodies also guide principalemployers to execute comprehensive safety and health management at construction sites.
(3) Promotion of safety measures in demolition works
Administrative bodies establish the Guidelines for safety measures in demolition and repair
works of buildings, etc. .
(4) Promotion of safety measures in restoration and reconstruction works due to natural disasters
Occupational accident prevention measures should be thoroughly adopted in restoration andreconstruction works due to natural disasters caused by typhoons, heavy rains, heavy snows,
and tornados, which have occurred frequently in recent years.

- 53 -

(Persons)(Persons)

7,000

200
Casualties
5,796

6,000

5,892

5,407
5,000

4,000

3,000

160
1397

1350

Others435

Building,
Structure

529

Truck

713

Scaffolds

159

413

399

522

510
864
80

1691

Ladder
etc.

1655

861

Roof,
Beam,etc.

958

955

2011
ᖹᡂ23ᖺ

2012
ᖹᡂ24ᖺ

2010
ᖹᡂ22ᖺ

157

61

62

12

14

14

16

Others

120
100

1519

45

60

19

Ladderetc.

16

Building,
Structure

45

Scaffolds

25

24

34

Roof,Beam,etc.

42

41

2011
ᖹᡂ23ᖺ

2012
ᖹᡂ24ᖺ

40

1,000

0

154

1473
140

851

2,000

Deaths
180

200

2010
ᖹᡂ22ᖺFigure 4. Classification of fall place when accidents happened from 2010 to 2012

Future direction
Regarding scaffolding accident prevention measures, the MHLW held a “meeting to verify andevaluate the effectiveness of measures to prevent falls from scaffoldings” in September, which
consisted of professors, researcher and representatives from scaffolding and construction
equipment manufacturers and construction-related associations. In the future, the meeting will be
continuously held to examine the effectiveness of prevention measures established based on theIndustrial Safety and Health Regulation, which were amended in 2009, and to discuss what typeof measures will be required.
In the case where scaffolding is difficult to install, such as cleaning of building window
glasses and inspection and repair of bridges, rope-access works must be performed. Therefore, a“meeting to examine safety measures in rope-access works” will be held to examine safetymeasures for rope-access works.
Recently, the MHLW has requested the National Institute of Occupational Safety andHealth, Japan (JNIOSH) to develop devices and methods to prevent accidents caused by falls
from ladders and roofs. After these devices and methods have been developed, the MHLW willattempt to diffuse them.
Regarding methods and devices to prevent falls from roofs and buildings in repair works,
since fall accidents have frequently occurred in repair works for house roofs which weredamaged in the Great East Japan Earthquake in 2011, the JNIOSH formed an “examinationcommittee to prevent falls from roofs and buildings” and made a report in cooperation with theJapan Safety Appliances Association. The MHLW has been publicizing and instructing
construction-related companies on the contents of this report.
The MHLW will guide companies to execute occupational accident prevention measures andwill entrust the related projects to institutes and companies, while concentrating measures containedin the 12th Industrial Accident Prevention Plan. The MHLW will hold meetings to examine thesafety-related measures in the future, while also listening to opinions of professors, researchers andpersons from the construction and manufacturing industries. The MHLW will amend safety-relatedregulations, if necessary, to strengthen the occupational accident prevention measures.

- 54 -