Ordinance on Industrial Safety and Health
Ministry of Labour Ordinance No. 32 of September 30, 1972

Latest Amendments:
Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare Ordinance No. 47 of March 30, 2007
In Japanese

Part II Safety Standards

Chapter VII Prevention of Dangers in Cargo Handling Operations, etc.

Section 1 Freight Handling Work, etc.
Subsection 1 Loading and Unloading, etc.

Article 417 (Deleted)

Article 418 (Prohibition of the Use of an Inadequate Fibre Rope)

• (1) The employer shall not use a fibre rope falling under any of the following each item for roping cargoes on a freight vehicle:
  • (i) Those with cut strands
  • (ii) Those with marked damage or corrosion

Article 419 (Checkup)

• (1) The employer shall, when using a fibre rope for roping cargoes on a freight vehicle, check the said rope before commencing the use for the day, and immediately replace it when having found any abnormalities:

Article 420 (Appointment and Duties of Operations Leader)

• (1) The employer shall, when carrying out the work loading a cargo with the weight of 100 kg or more on a freight vehicle (including the work roping and sheeting) or unloading the said cargo from a freight vehicle (including the work unroping and unsheeting), designate a leader for the said work, and have the said person carry out the following matters:
  • (i) To decide the method and procedure of the work, and supervise the work directly;
  • (ii) To check an instrument and a tool, and remove defective ones.
  • (iii) Not to allow workers other than those concerned to enter the place where the said work is carried out.
  • (iv) When carrying out unroping operations and unsheeting, to instruct the commencement of the said operation after having confirmed that there is no danger that cargo on the vehicle platform may fall off.

Article 421 (Prohibition of Pulling Out Middle Cargo from the Pilings)

• (1) The employer shall, when carrying out the work unloading cargoes from a freight vehicle, not allow the worker engaging in the said work to pull out middle cargo from the pilings.
• (2) The worker engaging in the work set forth in the preceding paragraph shall not pull out middle cargo from the pilings.

Articles 422 to 425 (Deleted)

Article 426 (Workshop for Stevedoring at Wharves, etc.)

• (1) The employer shall take the following measures for places where stevedoring work is carried out such as wharfs and quays:
  • (i) To take safe and effective measures to provide illumination for dangerous parts of workshop and passages.
  • (ii) When providing a passage along the wharf or quay, to make the width of the said passage 90 cm or wider, and remove from such an area obstacles other than stationary facilities and devices in use.
  • (iii) To provide an appropriate enclosure, railing, etc., for dangerous parts of passages and workshop on shore, such as angular corner, bridges, and footpaths over the lock gate of a dock.

Section 1 Freight Handling Work, etc.
Subsection 2 Making and Breaking Cargo Piles, etc.

Article 427 (Raising and Lowering Equipment for Cargo piles)

• (1) The employer shall, when carrying out the work on a cargo piles (a group of piled cargoes (excluding bulk cargoes of wheat, soy beans, ores, etc.) piled up in a warehouse, shed or cargo piling place, the same shall apply hereinafter) with the height of the work place exceeds 1.5 m from the floor surface, provide the equipment for the worker engaging in the said work to go up and down safely between the floor surface and the said work place. However, this shall not apply to the case where a safe ascent and descent is possible by the cargoes composing the said cargo pile.
• (2) The worker engaging in the work set forth in the preceding paragraph shall, when going up and down between the floor surface and the said work place, use the equipment for raising and lowering set forth in the same paragraph, excluding in the case set forth in the proviso of the same paragraph.

Article 428 (Appointment of an Operations Chief of Cargo Piling)

• (1) The employer shall, as regards the work set forth in item (xii) of Article 6 of the Order, appoint an operations chief of cargo piling from the persons who have completed the skill training course for operations chief of cargo piling.

Article 429 (Duties of an Operations Chief of Cargo Piling)

• (1) The employer shall have an operations chief of cargo piling carry out the following matters:
  • (i) To decide the method and procedure of the work, and supervise the work directly;
  • (ii) To check instruments and tools, and remove defective ones;
  • (iii) To give the necessary instructions for a worker who passes by the said work place in order safely to have the said person pass by;
  • (iv) When carrying out cargo pile breaking operation, to instruct the commencement of the said operation after having confirmed that there is no danger of collapse of such stacks of cargo;
  • (v) To monitor the use of the equipment for ascending and descending set forth in paragraph (1) of Article 427, and a safety helmet.

Article 430 (Spacing between Cargo Piles)

• (1) The employer shall, as regards the cargo pile (limited to those composed of cargoes, containers of which are sacks, straw bags or bales) having a height of 2 m or more from the floor surface, ensure the spacing between cargo piles with 10 cm or more at the bottom.

Article 431 (Cargo Pile Breaking Work)

• (1) The employer shall, when carrying out the work breaking a cargo pile having a height of 2 m or more from the floor surface, have the worker engaging in the said work carry out the following matters:
  • (i) Not to pull out middle cargo from the pilings.
  • (ii) For a cargo pile composed of cargoes of which containers are sacks, straw bags or bales, to break the said cargo pile in tiers, and make the height of each tier (excluding the lowest tier) 1.5 m or less.
• (2) The Worker engaging in the work set forth in the preceding paragraph shall carry out the matters listed in each item of the same paragraph.

Article 432 (Prevention of Dangers of Collapse, etc., of Cargo Piles)

• (1) The employer shall, when it is liable to cause dangers to workers due to collapsed cargo piles or fallen cargoes, take measures to prevent dangers by fastening with ropes, setting over nets, providing preventive posts, restacking cargo piles, etc.

Article 433 (Prohibition of Entry)

• (1) The employer shall not allow workers other than those concerned to enter the place where the work making and breaking cargo piles is being carried out and where it is liable to cause dangers to workers due to collapsing cargo piles or falling cargoes.

Article 434 (Maintenance of Illumination)

• (1) The employer shall, as regards a place where carrying out the work making or breaking cargo piles, maintain necessary illumination for carrying out the said work safely.

Article 435 (Wearing of a Safety Helmet)

• (1) The employer shall, when carrying out the work on a cargo pile (limited to the work at the height of 2 m or more from the floor surface) , have workers engaged in the said operation wear safety helmets in order to prevent dangers to workers from falling from height.
• (2) The worker engaging in the work set forth in the preceding paragraph shall wear the safety helmet set forth in the same paragraph.

Articles 436 to 448 (Deleted)

Section 2 Stevedoring Work
Subsection 1 Facilities, etc., for Passage

Article 449 (Facilities for Passage to the Hold)

• (1) The employer shall, when carrying out the cargo handling work in a hold having a depth exceeding 1.5 m from the exposed deck, provide facilities that enable the worker engaging in the said work to pass safely between the said deck and the said hold. However, this shall not apply to where facilities for safe passage have been already provided in the ship.
• (2) The worker engaging in the work set forth in the preceding paragraph shall use the facilities for passage set forth in the same paragraph when passing between the exposed deck and the hold.

Article 450 (Appointment of an Operations Chief of Stevedores)

• (1) The employer shall, as regards the work set forth in item (xiii) of Article 6 of the Order, appoint an operations chief of stevedores from the persons who have completed the skill training course for operations chief of stevedores.

Article 451 (Duties of an Operations Chief of Stevedores)

• (1) The employer shall have an operations chief of stevedores carry out the following matters:
  • (i) To decide a work method and supervise the work directly.
  • (ii) To check and maintain the facilities for passage, a cargo handling machine, personal protective equipment, an instrument and a tool, and monitor the use of the said facilities, etc.
  • (iii) To communicate and coordinate with workers at surrounding work sites.

Article 452 (Prohibition of Passage)

• (1) The employer shall, in the case where carrying out raising or lowering operations using a cargo lifting appliance, cranes, mobile cranes, or derricks (hereinafter referred to as “cargo lifting appliance, etc.” in this Section) and when it is liable that cargoes may fall or hit on workers who pass using the facilities for passage set forth in paragraph (1) of Article 449, not allow workers to pass through the said facilities.

Article 453 (Prohibition of Entry)

• (1) The employer shall not allow a worker to enter the following places:
  • (i) Places located downward of the place where the work opening or shutting a hatch board or mounting or removing a hatch beam is carried out, and where is liable to cause dangers to workers due to a fallen hatch board or hatch beam.
  • (ii) Places where the work raising or lowering the boom of cargo lifting appliance is carried out, and where is liable to cause dangers to workers due to a fallen boom.

Article 454 (Maintenance of Illumination)

• (1) The employer shall, when carrying out the work stevedoring (meaning the work loading cargoes to a vessel, unloading cargoes from a vessel or moving cargoes in a vessel; the same shall apply hereinafter), maintain necessary illumination for carrying out the said work safely.

Section 2 Stevedoring Work
Subsection 2 Loading and Unloading of Cargo

Article 455 (Prevention of Dangers Due to Harmful Substances, Dangerous Substances, etc.)

• (1) The employer shall, before commencing the stevedoring work, investigate whether or not substances that may cause acute poisoning such as chlorine, cyanic acid and tetraalkyl lead, corrosive liquids or other corrosive substances, gunpowder or dangerous substances exist in the cargo in the hold, on the exposed deck or on the quay where the said work is carried out, and when the said substances exist, take the following measures:
  • (i) To determine the method of safe handling of the said substances and make them known to the worker engaging in the said work, and have them follow the said method in carrying out the work.
  • (ii) To determine the measures to be taken in case the said substances are scattered or leak and make them known to the workers engaging in the said work, and have them take the said measures in case where scattering or leaking of the said substances.

Article 456 (Checkup of Hatch Beam, etc.)

• (1) The employer shall, when carrying out the work hoisting cargo from the hold or lowering cargo into the hold with cargo lifting appliance, etc., before commencing the said work, check the condition of fastening of the hatch beam or the opened hatch board with a hinge, and not have workers engage in the said work unless otherwise having confirmed that they have been fastened.

Article 457 (Confirmation of Removal of Shifting Board, etc.)

• (1) The employer shall, in the case of carrying out the work unloading bulk cargoes such as wheat, soy beans or corn in the hold, and when it is liable to cause dangers to the worker engaging in the said work due to collapsed or fallen partitions to prevent cargo from moving such as shifting boards and feeder boxes, not have the worker engage in the said work unless the said board have been removed.

Article 458 (Prohibition of Simultaneous works)

• (1) The employer shall not carry out the work on different tiers in the same hold at the same time. However, this shall not apply to where facilities to prevent cargo from falling such as protective nets, protective sheets are provided.

Article 459 (Use of Drag Lines, etc.)

• (1) The employer shall, when carrying out the work hoisting with cargo lifting appliance, etc., the cargo in the hold other than those located directly under the hatch, move the cargos to the place directly under the hatch using drag lines, etc., before commencing the work.

Article 460 (Mounting of Sheaves)

• (1) The employer shall, when carrying out the work dragging out or in cargos using cargo lifting appliance, etc., mount sheaves firmly on the frames of the vessel with beam clamps, shackles, etc.

Article 461 (Prohibition of Entry)

• (1) The employer shall, while dragging cargoes with drag lines using a cargo lifting appliance, etc., not allow workers to enter places located within the interior angle of the said lines where is liable to cause dangers to workers due to the said lines or sheaves coming off.

Article 462 (Use of Slings with Hooks)

• (1) The employer shall, when carrying out the work hoisting drums, barrels , etc. with slings with hooks using cargo lifting appliance, etc., use drum slings or other slings with hooks having a structure, which is unlikely to cause coming-off of cargos.

Article 463 (Handling of Baled Cargo)

• (1) The employer shall, when carrying out the work hoisting cotton, wool, cork etc., packaged with a bale package using cargo lifting appliance, etc., not allow workers to hitch sling hooks on the band irons, ropes or wires used for the said cargo packaged with a bale package.
• (2) The worker engaging in the work set forth in the preceding paragraph shall not hitch sling hooks on the band iron, rope or wire set forth in the same paragraph.

Article 464 (Wearing of a Safety Helmet)

• (1) The employer shall, when carrying out the stevedoring work, have the worker engaging in the said work wear a safety helmet in order to prevent workers from dangers due to flying or falling objects.
• (2) The worker engaging in the work set forth in the preceding paragraph shall wear the safety helmet set forth in the same paragraph.

Section 2 Stevedoring Work
Subsection 3 Handling of Cargo Lifting Appliance

Article 465 (Checkup)

• (1) The employer shall, when carrying out the work hoisting or lowering cargos using a cargo lifting appliance, check up the working conditions of the appliance before commencing the said work and not have the worker use the appliance unless otherwise having conformed there has been no abnormality.

Article 466 (Strict Observance of Limited Capacity)

• (1) The employer shall not use a cargo lifting appliance with a load exceeding its limited capacity.

Article 467 (Signals)

• (1) The employer shall, when carrying out the work using a cargo lifting appliance, set fixed signals for the operation of the cargo lifting appliance, designate a person who gives the signals for each cargo lifting appliance, and have the said person give the signals.
• (2) The person who is designated set forth in the preceding paragraph shall, when engaging in the work set forth in the same paragraph, give the signals set forth in the same paragraph.
• (3) The worker engaging in the work set forth in paragraph (1) shall follow the signals set forth in the same paragraph.

Article 468 Prohibition of Leaving Work Station Unattended)

• (1) The employer shall not allow the operator of cargo lifting appliance to leave the work station unattended while suspending the cargo.
• (2) The operator set forth in the preceding paragraph shall not leave the work station unattended while suspending the cargo.

Article 469 (Safety Coefficient of Wire Rope)

• (1) The employer shall, as regards the value of the safety coefficient of wire ropes used for slinging of a cargo lifting appliance, ensure six or more.
• (2) The safety coefficient set forth in the preceding paragraph shall be the value of the breaking load of a wire rope divided by the value of the maximum load applied to the said wire rope.

Article 469-2 (Safety Coefficient of Chains)

• (1) The employer shall ensure the safety coefficient of a chain used for slinging of cargo lifting appliance, values equivalent or more those listed in the following each item corresponding to categories listed in the said each item.
  • (i) Chains falling under the following every condition: 4
    • (a) Those with an elongation not more than 0.5 % when loaded with one half of the breaking load.
    • (b) Those with a tensile strength of 400 N/mm2 or more, and the elongation of the value listed in the right column of the following table or more corresponding to tensile strength listed in the left column.

      Tensile strength (Unit: N/mm2)	Elongation (Unit: %)
      400 or more but less than 630	20
      630 or more but less than 1000	17
      1000 or more	15

  • (ii) Chains other than those falling under the preceding item: 5
• (2) The safety coefficient provided for in the preceding paragraph shall be the value of the breaking load of the chain divided by the value of the maximum load applied onto the said chain.

Article 470 (Safety Coefficient of Hooks, etc.)

• (1) The employer shall ensure the safety coefficient of hooks or shackles used for slinging of cargo lifting appliance, the value of five or more.
• (2) The safety coefficient set forth in the preceding paragraph shall be the value of the breaking load of a hook or a shackle divided by the value of the maximum load applied onto the said hook or shackle.

Article 471 (Prohibition of the Use of an Inadequate Wire Rope)

• (1) The employer shall not use a wire rope falling under any of the following each item for slinging of cargo lifting appliance:
  • (i) Those with 10% or more of the element wires (excluding filler wires) are cut in one strand.
  • (ii) Those with the reduction ratio of a diameter exceeding 7% of the nominal diameter.
  • (iii) Those with kink.
  • (iv) Those with marked deformation or corrosion.

Article 472 (Prohibition of the Use of an Inadequate Chain)

• (1) The employer shall not use a chain falling under any of the following each item for slinging of cargo lifting appliance:
  • (i) Those with elongation exceeding 5% of the original length of such a chain at the time of manufacture.
  • (ii) Those with the reduction ratio of a diameter of the cross section exceeding 10% of the original diameter of the cross section of such a chain at the time of manufacture.
  • (iii) Those with crack.

Article 473 (Prohibition of the Use of an Inadequate Hook etc.)

• (1) The employer shall not use a hook, a shackle or a ring with deformation or crack for slinging of cargo lifting appliance.

Article 474 (Prohibition of the Use of an Inadequate Fibre Rope, etc.)

• (1) The employer shall not use the fibre rope or fibre belt falling under any of the following each item for slinging of a cargo lifting appliance:
  • (i) Those with cut strands
  • (ii) Those with marked damage or corrosion

Article 475 (Wire Rope and Chain)

• (1) The employer shall, as regards the non-endless type of wire ropes or chains, not use unless they are fitted with hooks, shackles, rings or eyes on both their ends for slinging of cargo lifting appliance.
• (2) The eyes set forth in the preceding paragraph shall be those of eyesplicing, compressed fitting methods or other methods with the strength equal to or greater than those methods. In this case, the eye-splicing method shall be made by splicing every strand of a wire rope three times or more, then cutting half of the wires of each strand, and further splicing the remaining wires at least twice (when every strand is spliced four times or more, at least once).

Article 476 (Checkup of Sling)

• (1) The employer shall, when carrying out the work using a cargo lifting appliance, check the condition of sling used for the said work such as a sling with a hook, a net sling and a wire sling before commencing the work for the day, and immediately repair or replace when having found any abnormalities.

• Part II Safety Standards
• << INDEX
• Chapter I
• Chapter I-2
• Chapter II
• Chapter III
• Chapter IV
• Chapter V
• Chapter VI
• Chapter VII
• Chapter VIII
• Chapter VIII-2
• Chapter VIII-3
• Chapter VIII-4
• Chapter VIII-5
• Chapter VIII-6
• Chapter IX
• Chapter X
• Chapter XI
• Chapter XII

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