I: Purpose

These guidelines are aimed at promoting improvements in safety management standards at construction sites and preventing industrial accidents in the construction industry by setting forth specific safety management techniques that should be implemented by master employer at construction sites. As further improvements in the standards of safety management at construction sites can be expected when master employer and related subcontractor work in unison, these guidelines outline not only the safety management techniques to be implemented by master employer but also the corresponding items that should be implemented by related subcontractor.

II: Safety Management at Construction Sites

1 Preparation of safety and health management plans

The master employer shall prepare safety and health management plans outlining the contents of basic safety and health management policies at construction sites, safety and health objectives, safety items, etc., that should be emphasized among industrial accident prevention measures

In the event the master employer is a joint venture, the preparation of such plans shall be carried out in collaboration with all employers constituting the joint venture by means of collectively examining and preparing such plans through a committee composed of all such employers.

2 Improvements in the case of excessive multi-layered contracts

Master employers shall observe the following matters and provide guidance to related subcontractors with respect to observing such matters in order to promote improvements in the case of excessive multi-layered contracts, which tend to involve problems relating to industrial accident prevention. Such problems include: difficulties in providing appropriate liaison and coordination between work; difficulties in providing appropriate safety and health guidance by master employer for related subcontractors; difficulties in enabling related subcontractors to secure expenses for preventing industrial accidents.

[1] No part of any contract should be assigned to an employer that is unable to carry out the employer's responsibility for industrial accident prevention, and which simply provides basic labor.

[2] All of the contract work should not be assigned on a lump-sum basis.

3 Clarifying the entity implementing industrial accident prevention measures in contracts and the parties bearing the expenses

The master employer shall clarify the scope of the measures for the prevention of industrial accidents by specifying all matters related to industrial accident prevention in the documentation outlining estimate conditions that is shown to subcontractors, and shall also clarify in the contract the parties to implement such measures and to bear the expenses required.

With respect to the expenses to be borne by subcontractors among those required for industrial accident prevention (expenses required only for industrial accident prevention measures, excluding those that are difficult to separate from the expenses required for construction), the master employer shall also itemize such expenses in the itemized statement of contract prices, etc., which is attached to the contract documents.

In addition, the master employer shall also provide guidance to related subcontractors with respect to this matter.

The following are examples of industrial accident prevention measures to be included in the contract documents and price itemization statement, etc., which specify the parties to undertake such measures and the parties to bear the expenses involved.

(1) Contract examples of industrial accident prevention measures that specify the parties to implement such measures and the parties to bear the expenses involved

[1] Installation of protective netting to prevent workers from falling
[2] Installation of protective netting to prevent accidents caused by falling or flying objects
[3] Installation of facilities to attach safety belts
[4] Deployment of guide personnel to prevent contact in case of work involving the use of vehicle-type construction machines
[5] Patrols of work sites conducted by safety and health promoter, etc., placed to the small sites/offices of the related subcontractors
[6] Participation in safety meetings, etc., conducted by the master employer
[7] Participation in safety seminars, etc.

(2) Expenses to be specified in the itemized contract price statements

[1] Expenses in case related subcontractors are required to deploy the guide personnel mentioned in [4] above
[2] Expenses in case safety and health promoters, etc., placed to the small sites/offices of related subcontractors are required to implement site management such as patrolling work sites, etc.
[3] Expenses incurred by related subcontractors in having their employees participate in safety meetings, etc., conducted by the master employer
[4] Expenses for participation fees in case related subcontractors have their workers participate in seminars, etc. (dealing with safety issues concerning the employees of related subcontractors) conducted by the master employer

4 Full comprehending the situation of related subcontractors and their workers by the master employer

(1) Understanding the situation of related subcontractors

In order to appropriately provide related subcontractors with safety and health guidance, promptly after the conclusion of a contract the master employer shall require the related subcontractors to submit to the master employer their names, contract contents, the names of safety and health controller, whether or not they have selected safety and health promoters, and if so, their names.

(2) Understanding the situation of related subcontractor employees

The master employer shall require the related subcontractors to indicate the number of workers engaged in the work before the start of work on every working day.

In addition, the master employer shall provide guidance to the related subcontractors in ascertaining if their employees have safety- and health-related licenses and qualifications, have taken special education courses, foreman education, etc. With respect to employees of the related subcontractors who are newly assigned to said work, the related subcontractors shall be required to notify the master employer of these items before such new workers engage in work at the construction site.

(3) Understanding the assignment status of the safety and health controller

For any day on which the related subcontractor conducts work at the site, the master employer shall understand the assignment status of the related subcontractor's safety and health controller, or any personnel fulfilling an equivalent role. Such information shall be conveyed at such opportunities as the morning meeting and during liaison and coordination between work assignments.

(4) Understanding any machinery and equipment brought onto the site

The master employer shall require the related subcontractors to provide advance notification of any machinery and equipment, such as construction machinery, to be brought onto the construction site by the related subcontractors, and shall require that said subcontractors thoroughly conduct periodic voluntary inspections, before-work inspections, etc., of such machinery and equipment.

5 Preparation of work procedure documents

The master employer shall provide guidance to the related subcontractors in the preparation of work procedure documents in consideration of industrial accident prevention.

6 Establishing and implementing consultative organizations

With respect to any consultative organizations such as an industrial accident prevention conference, etc., to be established and implemented by the master employer, the efforts shall be made to vitalize such organizations through the following.

(1) Frequency of holding meetings

The master employer shall hold meetings of such safety consultative organizations more than once a month.

(2) Composition of the consultative organization

The master employer shall include the following persons as members of the consultative organization: the overall safety and health controller; the master safety and health supervisor or personnel fulfilling equivalent roles; the master employer's site employees; the small site/office safety and health supervisor, or the construction and safety management personnel in charge, or the safety and health controller or personnel fulfilling equivalent roles of the master employer's small sites/offices (or, in case of a joint venture, the small sites/offices of all employers constituting the joint venture); and the construction and safety management personnel in charge at the small sites/offices of the related subcontractors, and their management executives and safety and health promoters, etc.

With respect to small site/office office employees as safety consultative organization members, the master employer shall require their participation in consultative organization meeting that are held during periods when important processes that relate to the prevention of industrial accidents accompanying mixed work involving multiple subcontractors are started, as well as during other periods when holding a meeting is considered necessary for the prevention of industrial accidents.

(3) Agenda matters to be discussed

The agenda to be taken up at consultative organization meeting include the following.

[1] Plan that establish the basic policy and goals of safety and health management at the construction site as well as other basic industrial accident prevention measures
[2] Monthly or weekly work process plans
[3] Deployment plans for machinery and equipment
[4] Working methods in case of conducting work using vehicle-type construction machinery
[5] Working methods in case of conducting work using mobile cranes
[6] Basic measures to prevent worker exposure to dangers and the risks of health impairment
[7] Rules on safety and health
[8] Implementation plan for safety and health education
[9] Standardizing signals to be used in the operation of crane, etc.
[10] Standardizing signs to be posted at accident sites, etc.
[11] Consolidating the storage location for organic solvents, etc.
[12] Standardizing warning alarms
[13] Standardizing the training methods for such procedures as evacuation
[14] The causes of industrial accidents and measures to prevent recurrence
[15] Matters concerning the prevention of danger to workers or the prevention of health impairments based on guidance provided by personnel of the labor standards inspection office, etc.
[16] Matters concerning the prevention of danger to worker or the prevention of health impairment based on the results of patrols conducted by the master employer
[17] Other matters concerning the prevention of danger to worker or the prevention of health impairment

(4) Bylaws of the consultative organization

The master employer shall prepare bylaws for the consultative organization that stipulate the membership, conference matters, meeting frequency, etc.

(5) Records of the proceedings of consultative organization meeting

The master employer shall prepare records covering important items among the proceedings of the consultative organization meeting, and distribute the same to related subcontractors.

(6) Disseminating the results of consultative organization meeting

The master employer shall use morning meeting, etc., to announce to all workers at the site details on important matters resulting from consultative organization meeting.

7 Liaison and coordination between work processes

In order to prevent industrial accidents due to mixed work, the master employer shall fully conduct liaison and coordination concerning the following matters with the safety and health controller or personnel fulfilling equivalent roles of all related subcontractors involved in such mixed work. Such liaison and coordination shall be conducted before starting such mixed work as well as at the time of daily construction safety cycle activities.

[1] Working plan in case of conducting work using vehicle-type construction machinery
[2] Working plan in case of conducting work using mobile crane
[3] Deployment plan for machinery and equipment
[4] Results of worksite patrols
[5] Working methods and specific industrial accident prevention measures

8 Worksite patrols

The master employer shall require the overall safety and health controller and the master safety and health supervisor, or personnel fulfilling equivalent roles, to patrol the work site more than once every working day.

9 Implementation of newcomer education

The master employer shall assist the related subcontractors in appropriately implementing newcomer education for those of their workers who are newly assigned to the work by providing the necessary sites and materials, and shall require them to submit reports on the implementation status of said education.

10 Steps for newly engaged related subcontractors

The master employer shall carefully inform newly engaged related subcontractors of all matters concerning related subcontractors before they start any work, including the contents of the consultative organization meeting and the results of liaison and coordination arrangements between work assignments prior to the day on which such newly engaged related subcontractors commence work at the site.

11 Safety and health arrangement before starting work

The master employer shall give guidance to the related subcontractors in assembling their workers daily before the start of work to make safety and health arrangement.

12 Implementing construction safety cycle activities

The master employer shall conduct construction safety cycle activities in which construction and safety management are united.

13 Establishing a committee of foremen (leader committee)

The master employer shall provide guidance to related subcontractors to establish a committee of foremen (leader committee) in order to raise the safety and health awareness among the foremen and workers, develop greater liaison among foremen, as well as to obtain safety and health information from workers.

14 Matters to be implemented by related subcontractors

(1) Improvements in excessive multi-layered contracts

The related subcontractors shall not give contracts for part of their project to any employers that simply provide basic labor and which are unable to carry out the employer's responsibility for industrial accident prevention, nor give any contracts for the entire work on a lump-sum basis.

(2) Clarifying the parties to implement industrial accident prevention measures in contracts and the parties to bear the expenses

In the case of giving contracts for part of their work to other subcontractor, the related subcontractors shall clarify the parties to implement the industrial accident prevention measures specified in the contract documentation as well as the parties to bear the expenses.

(3) Notification of matters related to related subcontractors and their workers

a. Notification of names, etc.

Promptly after the conclusion of a contract, the related subcontractors shall notify the master employer of their name, contract contents, names of safety and health controller, and whether or not they have appointed safety and health promoter, and if so, their names.

b. Notification of the number of workers, etc.

The related subcontractors shall notify the master employer of the number of workers to be engaged in the work before the start of work on every working day.

In addition, the related subcontractor shall ascertain whether their employees have licenses and qualifications concerning safety and health, whether they have received special education or foreman education, and notify the master employer of these items for those workers who are newly assigned to work at said construction site prior to the time such newly assigned workers commence work at the site.

c. Notification of machinery and equipment brought onto the site

The related subcontractors shall notify the master employer in advance of machinery and equipment such as construction machinery to be brought onto the construction site.

(4) Preparation of work procedure documents

The related subcontractors shall prepare work procedure documents with due consideration to industrial accident prevention.

(5) Participation in the consultative organization

The related subcontractors shall require their safety and health controller, or personnel fulfilling equivalent roles, to participate in each meeting of the consultative organization.

In addition, the related subcontractors shall require their office employees to participate in the meetings of the consultative organization during periods when important processes that relate to the prevention of industrial accidents accompanying mixed work involving multiple subcontractors are started, as well as during other periods when holding such meetings is considered necessary for the prevention of industrial accidents.

(6) Disseminating the results of consultative organization meeting

The related subcontractors shall announce to their employees all important matters resulting from the consultative organization meeting.

(7) Management of liaison and coordination between work assignments

The related subcontractors shall take steps to ensure that their safety and health controller, or personnel fulfilling equivalent roles, convey to those concerned all matters for which notifications are received from the overall safety and health controller, or the person fulfilling an equivalent role, and shall require that they definitely manage the implementation of all matters related to them from among the matters subject to notification.

(8) Implementation of newcomer education

In case of newly assigning any employees to work at a construction site, the related subcontractors shall instruct their foremen, etc., to inform such workers of the following matters based on the characteristics of said construction site before they commence work at the site, and shall report the results to the master employer.

[1] Conditions concerning locations where work is conducted by a mixed workforce that consists of both the master employer's employees and the related subcontractors' employees
[2] Locations that pose a danger to workers (dangerous and harmful places and no-entry zones)
[3] Relationship between work processes conducted at mixed work sites
[4] Evacuation methods
[5] Command structure
[6] Contents of the work involved and industrial accident prevention measures
[7] Rules on safety and health
[8] Plans that prescribe the basic policy and goals of safety and health management at the construction site and other basic industrial accident prevention measures

(9) Implementation of safety and health arrangements before the start of work

The related subcontractors shall assemble their employees before the start of work every day and make safety and health arrangements concerning the following matters.

[1] Providing instructions to related workers concerning the work contents, working procedures, points concerning industrial accident prevention, etc., for each day
[2] Announcing the results of liaison and coordination arrangements between work assignments
[3] Understanding the views and opinions of related workers on the prevention of industrial accidents
[4] Safety activities such as danger prediction activities

(10) Establishing a committee of foremen (leader committee)

The related subcontractors shall establish a committee of foremen (leader committee) in order to raise safety and health awareness among the foremen and workers, to develop closer liaison among foremen, as well as to obtain safety and health information from workers.

III: Safety Management in Small Sites/Offices, including Branch Offices, Etc.

1 Preparation of safety and health management plans

The master employer shall prepare safety and health management plans that outline the small site/office's annual safety and health basic policy, safety and health goals, and matters to be stressed with respect to industrial accident prevention measures, etc.

2 Setting in-house standards to improve multi-layered contracts

In order to avoid the use of excessive multi-layered contracts at construction sites, the master employer shall make efforts to suppress multi-layered contracts by such means as setting in-house standards on the limit of contract layering.

3 Discussion on basic safety management by employers constituting a joint venture

In case of carrying out construction on a joint-venture basis, the master employer shall establish a committee consisting of all employers' small sites/offices constituting the joint venture to enable member employers to fully cooperate on safety management, and to discuss the safety and health management structure, safety management budgets, safety management rules, safety and health management plans, etc.

4 Appointing an overall safety and health controller and the master safety and health supervisor

(1) Overall safety and health controller

In cases of work involving the (1) the construction of tunnels, etc., (2) the use of compressed-air techniques, (3) the construction of certain types of bridges, and (4) the construction of steel-frame structures and/or reinforced concrete structures in which the appointment of an overall safety and health controller is necessary, the master employer shall assign such personnel to work exclusively at the worksite concerned.

The master employer shall further implement educational programs on supervisory safety and health management, and shall appoint overall safety and health controller from among personnel who have received such education.

(2) The master safety and health supervisor

The master employer shall implement educational programs on the techniques for preventing industrial accidents at mixed work sites, and the master safety and health supervisor shall be appointed from among personnel who have received such education and who have accumulated practical experience in safety and health relating to the same type of work.

5 Establishing a structure for the advance screening of construction plans

The master employer shall establish an advance evaluation structure within the office in order to fully conduct advance examinations of work processes, machinery and equipment from the viewpoint of safety and health. Furthermore, in order to improve the capabilities of the qualified personnel participating in the preparation of plans for said work, the master employer shall thoroughly conduct the necessary education, etc., and shall also promote the utilization of the safety assessment guidelines in order to enhance the contents of such advance evaluations.

6 Implementing safety and health patrols

For any of its small sites/offices that conclude a work contract, the master employer shall require the safety and health supervisor or the personnel in charge of construction and safety management at said site/office to patrol the worksite where such work is conducted during periods when important processes that relate to the prevention of industrial accidents accompanying mixed work involving multiple subcontractors are started, as well as during other periods when such patrols are considered necessary for the prevention of industrial accidents. In case the master employer is a joint venture, this responsibility shall be implemented in cooperation with the small sites/offices of all the member employers constituting the joint venture.

7 Investigating the cause of industrial accidents and establishing measures to prevent recurrences

In the event of an industrial accident at worksites for which one of its small sites/offices has concluded a work contract, the master employer shall conduct an investigation of such accident in cooperation with the related subcontractors involved in order to find the cause and establish measures to prevent any recurrence. This investigation shall be conducted by such personnel as the safety and health supervisor or the personnel in charge of construction and safety management at such site/office, the overall safety and health controller, the master safety and health supervisor, or personnel fulfilling equivalent roles. In case the master employer is a joint venture, this responsibility shall be implemented in cooperation with the small sites/offices of all the member employers constituting the joint venture.

In finding the cause of industrial accidents and establishing measures to prevent any recurrence, efforts shall be made to promote the utilization of experts such as industrial safety consultants, etc., as necessary.

8 Evaluation of the safety and health management situation of related subcontractors by the master employer

In order to promote the selection and development of related subcontractors with excellent qualifications, the master employer shall prescribe the rules for evaluating the safety management situation and safety management capabilities of the related subcontractors, require its overall safety and health controller, etc., to evaluate the safety management situation, etc., of the related subcontractors at the construction site at the time the construction is completed, etc. In addition, the master employer shall require its safety management department, etc., to evaluate the safety management situation, etc., of the small sites/offices of the related subcontractors at the time of ordering any work.

In conducting any evaluation of the safety management situation, etc., of the related subcontractors, the master employer shall pay attention to the following.

(1) Safety management situation, etc., at construction sites

[1] Participation in consultative organizations established and implemented by the master employer, such as the accident prevention conference, etc.
[2] Liaison with the overall safety and health controller, and inter-work liaison and coordination with the safety and health controllers, etc., of sub-subcontractors
[3] Preparation of work plans, etc., based on Paragraph 1, Article 155 of the Industrial Safety and Health Regulation
[4] Implementation of newcomer education, and/or participation in safety and health education implemented by the master employer
[5] Deployment of license holders, those who have completed skill seminars, and those who have completed special education concerning safety and health
[6] Stationing the safety and health controller at the site
[7] Worksite patrols by the small site/office
[8] Participation in and implementation of safety and health arrangements before starting work such as at the time of the morning meetings
[9] Preparation of work procedure documents
[10] Participation in safety management activities implemented by the master employer
[11] Implementation of safety inspections before using construction machinery
[12] Keeping the worksite tidy and in good condition
[13] Usage of protective equipment
[14] Observing related provisions of the Industrial Safety and Health Law and regulations
[15] Incidence of industrial accidents

(2) Safety management situation, etc., in the small site/office

[1] Appointing safety and health promoters and safety and health personnel
[2] Preparation of the office's annual safety and health management plans
[3] Implementation of safety and health education and medical examinations at the time of hiring
[4] Developing and fostering safety and health capabilities among employees by providing them with opportunities to obtain licenses and complete skill seminars
[5] Holding safety meetings conducted by the small site/office
[6] Preparation of work standards documents indicating general working methods, matters requiring attention, etc.
[7] Worksite patrols at the construction site by the small site/office
[8] Providing guidance to sub-subcontractors in terms of safety management
[9] Preparing notifications and submitting safety-related documents
[10] Recording industrial accident statistics
[11] Utilization of industrial accident case files
[12] Incidence of industrial accidents

9 Matters to be implemented by related subcontractors

(1) Preparation of safety and health management plans

The related subcontractor shall prepare safety and health management plans that outline the small site/office's annual safety and health basic policy, safety and health goals, and matters to be stressed with respect to industrial accident prevention measures, etc.

(2) Appointing safety and health promoters

In case a safety and health promoter has been appointed for its small site/office, the related subcontractor shall require said safety and health promoter to patrol the worksite for which said site/office has concluded a contract, investigate the cause of any industrial accidents, and plan and implement safety and health education for workers.

(3) Appointing safety and health controller

In case of appointing a safety and health controller, the related subcontractor shall implement the necessary education required to fully perform said duties, and shall appoint safety and health controller from among those who have received such education and shall always station such personnel at the construction site.

In addition, the related subcontractor shall be fully cognizant of the way in which such safety and health controllers are implementing the assigned duties.

(4) Implementing safety and health patrols

With respect to any work for which a small site/office has concluded a contract, the related subcontractor shall require the personnel in charge of construction and safety management, etc., at said site/office to patrol the worksite concerning said work during periods when important processes that relate to the prevention of industrial accidents accompanying mixed work involving multiple subcontractors are started, as well as during other periods when such patrols are considered necessary for the prevention of industrial accidents.

(5) Investigating the cause of industrial accidents and establishing measures to prevent any recurrences

In the event any of its employees suffers an industrial accident, the related subcontractor shall cooperate with the master employer, and any subcontractor(s) placing an order for such work if applicable, in conducting an investigation of the accident in order to find the cause and establish measures to prevent any recurrence. This investigation shall be conducted by such personnel as said site/office's personnel in charge of construction and safety management, or the safety and health promoter and the safety and health controller, or personnel fulfilling equivalent roles, etc.