In order to prevent industrial
accidents and improve the level of safety and health at workplaces widely
in the nation, it is necessary for all parties involved to understand the
importance of safety and health, and to comply with statutory regulations
and enhance their own awareness of safety and health.
In Japan, several safety and health promotion events are undertaken nationwidely
each year mainly in the campaign periods of the National Safety Week and
the National Industrial Health Week.
1. The National Safety Week
(1) Campaign Period
The nationwide campaign of the National Safety Week is carried out every
year from July 1 thru July 7.
The campaigns have continued without interruption from
1928 when it inaugurated.
And the period from June 1 thru June 30 is set as a
preparatory time for the Week. In the preparatory time, a lot of events are
planned to enhance the effectiveness of the campaign.
(2) Objectives
The National Safety Week is aiming to promote voluntary
safety and health activities in the industries, to enhance the public awareness
concerning occupational safety and to ensure the firm implementation of safety
activities.
(3) Planning and Organizing bodies
The Ministry of Health, Labor and Welfare, and The Japan
Industrial Safety and Health Association
(4) Supporting bodies
Sector-specific organizations for industrial accident
prevention, including the Japan Construction Safety and Health Association
(5) Collaborating bodies and administrative offices
The Cabinet Office, the Ministry of Economy, Trade and
Industry, the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport, and other related
administrative agencies; prefectures, municipalities and other local public
bodies; the Japan Boiler Association, the Japan Crane Association and other
safety-related organizations; national and local safety conferences, trade
unions and management associations.
(6) Developing and implementing the campaign
At every workplace
- (7) Items to develop and implement
-
- a. Items to be provided by the organizing, supporting
and collaborating bodies
-
(a) To set up a campaign slogan for each year
The major organizer, the Ministry of Health, Labor and Welfare sets up
and announces slogans for each year's campaign in cooperation with the
Japan Industrial Safety and Health Association.
Slogan for the year 2001: "Taking 'Safety First' over the New Century
- Zero Risk in the Workplace"
(b) Dissemination of the campaign
Activities for dissemination are conducted by preparing
and distributing safety-related public relation materials (statistics on the
industrial accidents and major safety measures, etc.) and by developing TV
and newspaper coverage.
(c) Regional conferences for the National Safety Week
Prefectural safety conferences are organized by labor
administrative bureaus.
(d) Safety commendations
Workplaces and individuals who have achieved excellent safety results receive
commendations from the Minister of Health, Labor and Welfare and the directors
of prefectural labor bureaus.
(e) Contests for posters, etc.
Contests for campaign posters, photographs and essays
are held and winning entries receive commendations through the cooperation
of the Japan Industrial Safety and Health Association.
(f) Supporting the activities implemented by workplaces
The supporting and collaborating organizations dispatch
experts to provide assistance to workplaces implementing safety activities.
- b. Activities implemented by workplaces
-
(a) General safety inspection
Workplaces conduct general safety inspections covering
all of the safety activities they carry out every day. In some cases, industrial
safety consultants and other experts are called for to provide assistance.
(b) Safety conference
Workplaces hold safety conferences to provide safety
lectures and awards to the employees making efforts in safety.
(c) Contests for posters and slogans, etc.
(d) Training courses on emergency measures
(e) Appeal for cooperation to the employees' families
c. The National Safety Day
July 1 is the National Safety Day on which various events are planned every
year, such as traffic safety and marine safety campaigns. The prime minister
provides commendations to the persons achieving distinguished services.
2. The National Industrial Health Week
(1) Campaign Period
The National Industrial Health Week is a nationwide campaign that is mounted
from October 1 through October 7 every year. The campaign was inaugurated
in 1950, about 20 years after the start of the National Safety Week. The
period from September 1 through September 30 is set as a preparatory period
for the National Industrial Health Week. In the period various events are
scheduled to carry out the campaign for the week effectively.
(2) Objective
The National Industrial Health Week is aiming to improve
the awareness of the general public concerning industrial health, to ensure
worker health through voluntary industrial health management activities at
workplaces, and to create comfortable working environments.
(3)Planning and Organizing bodies
The Ministry of Health, Labor and Welfare and the Japan
Industrial Safety and Health Association
(4) Supporting and collaborating bodies
The supporting and collaborating bodies are the same
as those for the National Safety Week.
(6) Implementing bodies
Each workplace
- (7) Items to be implemented by organizers, supporting and collaborating
bodies
-
- a. Items to be implemented by organizers, supporting and collaborating
bodies
-
(a) Set up of slogans
As the major organizer, the Ministry of Health, Labor and Welfare sets
up and announces slogans for each year's campaign in cooperation with the
Japan Industrial Safety and Health Association.
Slogan for the year 2001: "Standards for the New Century ! Healthy, Joyful and Comfortable Workplaces."
(b) Dissemination of the campaign
Dissemination of the campaign are conducted by preparing
and distributing industrial health-related informations (statistics on occupational
diseases and major industrial health measures, etc.) and by developing TV
and newspaper coverage.
(c) Regional conferences for the National Industrial
Health Week
Industrial health conferences are organized in each
prefecture by prefectural labor bureaus. In some cases, industrial health
and safety conferences are jointly held during the period.
(d) Industrial health commendations
Workplaces and individuals we have achieved, excellent
results in industrial health receive commendations from the Minister of Health,
Labor and Welfare and the directors of prefectural labor bureaus.
(e) Contests for campaign posters
Contests for campaign posters, photographs and essays
are held and winning entries receive commendations through the cooperation
of the Japan Industrial Safety and Health Association.
(f) Supporting the activities implemented by workplaces
- b. Activities implemented by workplaces
-
(a) General inspection
Workplaces conduct general inspections covering all
of the industrial health activities they carry out every day. In some cases,
industrial health consultants and other experts are called for to provide
assistance.
(b) Industrial health conference
Workplaces hold industrial health conferences to provide
lectures and awards to the employees with excellent achievements.
(c) Contests for posters and slogans, etc.
(d) Training courses on emergency measures, including
the leakage of harmful substances
(e) Appeal to the employees' families
3. Other safety and health campaigns and events
The Japan Industrial Safety and Health Association holds
a National Industrial Safety and Health Convention in autumn (usually in September
or October) every year with the support and cooperation of sector-specific
industrial injury prevention organizations, the Ministry of Health, Labor
and Welfare, the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry, the National Police
Agency, and prefectures. This nationwide convention is held at a major city,
and brings together 10,000 to 13,000 participants.
The event usually continues for three days during which a plenary session,
panel sessions for various safety and health areas, and research announcements
are presented. Exchange meetings and exhibitions of safety and health or
protective equipment are also included, thus significantly contributing
to the amassing and dissemination of knowledge in the safety and health
field.
Sector-specific industrial accident prevention organizations
and safety and health-related organizations also hold nationwide conventions
and research meetings respectively.
(2) Other safety and health campaigns
- Safety and health-related organizations are developing
the following activities every year:
-
a. Japan Industrial Safety and Health Association
- Year-end and new-year zero accident campaign: December 15 through January
15
b. Japan Construction Safety and Health Association
- Year-end and new-year campaign for the accident prevention accidents in
the construction industry: December 15 through January 15
-
Fiscal year-end campaign month for the accident prevention in the construction
industry: March 1 through March 31
c. Japan Boiler Association
d. Japan Crane Association
e. Safety Association of Construction and
Loading Vehicles
- Specified voluntary inspection campaign month: November 1 through November
30
f. Japan Association for Working Environment
Measurement
- National promotional campaign for working environment evaluations: September
1 through September 30
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