Industrial Safety and Health Act

Having begun to employ a new worker, the employer must educate that worker in safety or health as it relates to the operations in which the worker is to be engaged, pursuant to Order of the Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare.

The provisions of the preceding paragraph apply mutatis mutandis if the substance of the worker's work has changed.

Before assigning a worker to dangerous or hazardous operations specified by Order of the Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare, an employer must educate that worker in safety or health as it relates to the operations, pursuant to Order of the Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare.

When engaging in the operations referred to in the preceding paragraph at the same site as workers, an officer, etc. engaged in work must receive the education prescribed in that paragraph.

If the type of industry at an employer's workplace falls under the category specified by Cabinet Order, the employer must conduct safety or health education regarding the following particulars, pursuant to Order of the Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare, for foremen newly taking on that role and other persons newly taking on a role directly guiding or supervising workers in operations (except operations supervisors):

things related to decisions on work methods and the assignment of workers;

things related to the method of guiding or supervising workers;

the necessary particulars for preventing industrial injuries that Order of the Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare prescribes, beyond what is set forth in the preceding two items.

Beyond what is provided for in the preceding two Articles (excluding paragraph (4) of Article 59), an employer must endeavor to educate workers currently engaged in dangerous or hazardous work operations in safety or health as it relates to the operations in which they are engaged, in order to improve the level of safety and health at the workplace.

When engaging in dangerous or hazardous work operations at the same site as workers, an officer, etc. engaged in work must endeavor, beyond what is provided for in paragraph (4) of Article 59, to receive education in safety or health in order to improve the level of safety and health at the place where that work is carried out.

The Minister of Health, Labour and Welfare is to release the necessary guidelines to ensure the appropriate and effective implementation of the education referred to in the preceding two paragraphs.

The Minister of Health, Labour and Welfare may provide the necessary guidance to persons conducting a business and associations thereof in accordance with the guidelines referred to in the preceding paragraph.

An employer must not assign a person to the operation of a crane or any other operations specified by Cabinet Order unless the person has obtained a license for those operations from the Director of the Prefectural Labour Bureau, has completed a skill training course for those operations conducted by a person registered by the Director of the Prefectural Labour Bureau, or has other qualifications specified by Order of the Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare.

A person other than one that may engage in the relevant operations pursuant to the provisions of the preceding paragraph must not engage in those operations.

A person that may engage in the relevant operations pursuant to the provisions of paragraph (1) must, at the time of the engagement in these operations, carry the license for those operations or other document evidencing the person's qualifications.

If it is necessary to do so for workers who are to receive vocational training authorized under the provisions of paragraph (1), Article 24 of the Human Resources Development Act (Act No. 64 of 1969) (including as applied mutatis mutandis pursuant to paragraph (2), Article 27-2 of that Act), it is permissible, within the limits of that necessity, for alternate provisions to be made by Order of the Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare as regards the provisions referred to in the preceding three paragraphs.

For middle-aged, elderly, and other workers with regard to whom particular considerations need to be made in assigning work with a view to preventing industrial injuries, an employer must endeavor to arrange appropriate assignments for these persons based on their physical and mental conditions.

In order to prevent industrial injuries among elderly persons, an employer must endeavor to improve the work environment, carry out management of work, and take other necessary measures in consideration of the characteristics of elderly persons.

The Minister of Health, Labour and Welfare is to release the necessary guidelines in connection with the measures referred to in the preceding paragraph that employers are to take, in order to ensure their appropriate and effective implementation.

The Minister of Health, Labour and Welfare may provide the necessary guidance and assistance to employers and associations thereof in accordance with the guidelines referred to in the preceding paragraph.

In order to ensure the effective implementation of safety and health education by employers, the State is to endeavor to strengthen the necessary policies and measures including those for the training of instructors and improvement of their quality, preparation and dissemination of training and educational methods, and the supply of educational materials.