JICOSH was closed in 2008. For further information, please contact JISHA.
JICOSH Home > OSH Japan > Development of safety and health in Japan (brief outline)
OSH Japan

Develpoment of Safety and Health (Hygiene) in JAPAN (Brief Outline)

1911 The Factories Act was promulgated. (Put in force in 1916)

1927 The "Green Cross Motif" was adopted as a symbol mark of safety.

1928 The National Safety Week was initiated.

1929 Ordinance on the Factory Accident Prevention and Health (Hygiene)

1932 National Industrial Safety Convention was initiated.

1935 Ordinance on Boiler Control Act promulgated.

1936 Ordinance on Safety and Health for Civil Engineering and Construction Work Sites promulgated.

1942 The Research Institute of Industrial Safety was established.

1947 Labour Standard Law promulgated
The Ministry of Labour was established.
Ordinance on the Occupational Safety and Health, etc. put in force.

1950 Nation Occupational Health Week initiated as an independent activity.

1951 Ordinance on the Regulation for Prevention of Tetra-ethyl-lead Hazards promulgated.

1952 No Accident Record Movement initiated.

1953 Nationwide Safety Organization (Predecessor of the JISHA) founded.
The "White Cross Motif" was adopted as a symbol mark of occupational health.
The National Occupational Health Convention was initiated.
(The Convention was held in 1967 under a renewed name of "National Industrial Safety and Health Convention".)

1955 Special Protection Act for Silicosis, etc. promulgated.

1956 The Research Institute for Occupational Health was established.
(The Institute was reorganized in 1976 as "National Institute of Industrial Health".)

1958 Industrial-Accident Prevention Five-Year Plan formulated.

1959 Ordinance on Safety of Boilers and Pressure Vessels promulgated.
Ordinance on Prevention of Ionizing Radiation Hazards promulgated.

1960 The Pneumoconiosis Law promulgated.

1960 July1of every year was designated as "People's Safety Day"

1960 Ordinance on Prevention of Organic Solvent Poisoning promulgated.

1961 Ordinance on Safety and Health at Work under High Pressure promulgated.

1961 Special financing for safety measures taken by small and medium-sized enterprises, and Round Special Medical Examination for Small and Medium-sized Enterprises initiated.

1962 Ordinance on Safety of Cranes and Other Similar Equipment promulgated.

1964 Industrial Accident Prevention Organizations Law promulgated.
Japan Industrial Safety and Health Association, and Japan Safety and Health Associations by industrial sector were established.

1965 "Safety and Health Motif" was adopted by integrating two separate motif.
"Green Cross Award" was granted to persons who had made distinguished contributions in the field of occupational safety and health, for the first time.

1967 Ordinance on Prevention of Lead Poisoning promulgated.
"Department of Safety Engineering" was established in the National University of Yokohama.

1968 Ordinance on Prevention of Tetra-alkyl Lead Poisoning promulgated.
An industrial safety seminar for business executives was initiated.
"Green Cross Exhibition", which is annexed to the Occupational Safety and Health Convention, was initiated to display protective equipment, etc.

1969 Ordinance on Safety of Gondola promulgated.
The 16th World Congress on Occupational Health was held.

1971 Ordinance on Prevention of Hazards due to Specified Chemical Substances promulgated.
Ordinance on Health Standards in the Office promulgated.
Ordinance on Prevention of Anoxia, etc. promulgated.

1972 Industrial Safety and Health Law promulgated.
Ordinance on Industrial Safety and Health, etc. promulgated.

1973 The Zero-Accident Total Participation Campaign was initiated.

1973 Ordinance on Industrial Safety Consultants and Industrial Health Consultants promulgated.
The Tokyo Safety and Health Education Center was established.

1975 Working Environment Measurement Law promulgated.

1976 The Guideline for safety assessment of chemical plants was published.

1977 The Subsidy program for small and medium-sized enterprises' health management was initiated.

1978 The University of Occupational and Environmental Health was established.
The Silver Health Plan was announced. This plan was developed in 1989 to "Total Health Promotion Plan (THP)" In 1978, The Osaka Safety and Health Education Center was established.

1979 Ordinance on Prevention of Hazards due to Dust promulgated.

1981 The Subsidy program for working environment management at small and medium-sized enterprises was initiated.

1982 "Safety Work Cycle Activity" in construction industry was proposed.
Japan Bioassay Research Center founded.

1983 Ordinance on Industrial Safety and Health was partially revised (safety measures for industrial robots)

1984 Construction Industry Safety and Health Training Center was founded.

1992 The Industrial Safety and Health Law was partially revised (for creating a comfortable working environment).

1997 The Ninth International Conference on Occupational Respiratory Diseases was held in Kyoto.

1999 The Japan International Center for Occupational Safety and Health (JICOSH) was founded.

2000 Japan Advanced Information Center of Safety and Health (JAISH) was founded.
toptop