The Ministry of Labour announced on July 23, 1999 that non-SI compatible legal measurement units used in the Enforcement Order of the Industrial Safety and Health Law will be replaced by SI-compatible units starting from October 1, 1999. Although the Measurement Law (Law No. 207; 1951) was totally amended in 1992 to standardize legal measurement units into SI (Le System International d'Unite) units, pressure-related non-SI measurement units (kilogram per square centimeter, etc., for example) are still used in the Enforcement Order of the Industrial Safety and Health Law based on transitional measures for the amendment of the Measurement Law. As these transitional measures are scheduled to expire on September 31, 1999, these non-SI measurement units cannot be used as units under the Measurement Law. Accordingly, the ministry has determined to use SI-compatible measurement units in place of non-SI units in the Enforcement Order of the Industrial Safety and Health Law.

# Content of Amendment

Megapascals shall be used as pressure measurement units in place of kilograms per square centimeter (starting from October 1, 1999).

Note 1:The "Legal measurement units" are units defined in Articles 3 through 5 of the Measurement Law. Measurement units other than legal measurement units cannot be used in transactions or certifications (Article 8 of the Measurement Law)

Note 2: Pressure-related measurement units are used in the definition of boilers, etc., (Article 1) in the Enforcement Order of the Industrial Safety and Health Law.