Seiichiro Tateishi

How Occupational Health can Contribute in a Disaster and What We should Prepare for the Future—Lessons Learned through Support Activities of a Medical School at the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant in Summer 2011

How Occupational Health can Contribute in a Disaster and What We should Prepare for the Future—Lessons Learned through Support Activities of a Medical School at the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant in Summer 2011: Koji MORI, et al. Department of Occupational Health Practice and Management, Institute of Industrial Ecological Sciences, University of Occupational and Environmental Health, Japan—

Review of health issues of workers engaged in operations related to the accident at the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant.

Review of health issues of workers engaged in operations related to the accident at the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant: Koh Hiraoka, et al. Occupational Health Training Center, University of Occupational and Environmental Health, Japan

Transition of occupational health issues associated with stabilization and decommissioning of the nuclear reactors in the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant through 2013.

Objective: To clarify the occupational health (OH) issues that arose, what actions were taken, and the OH performances during the disaster involving the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant and thus improve the OH management system with respect to long-term decommissioning work and preparation for future disasters. Methods: We used information in advisory reports to the Tokyo Electric Power Company by an OH expert group, observation through support activities, and data officially released by the Tokyo Electric Power Company. Results: Occupational health issues transitioned as work progressed and seasons changed. They were categorized into OH management system establishment, radiation exposure control, heat illness prevention, infectious disease prevention and control, and fitness for workers’ duties. Conclusions: Occupational health management systems involving OH experts should be implemented to manage multiple health risks with several conflicts and trade-offs after a disaster.

What Occupational Health Needs Arise in Workplaces Following Disasters? A Joint Analysis of Eight Cases of Disaster in Japan.

Objective: To identify occupational health needs arising after disasters. Methods: Using semistructured interviews with expert informants, we jointly analyzed the needs arising in eight disaster cases that threatened the lives or health of workers in Japan. Results: Various types of health issues occurred in a wide range of employees. In total, we identified 100 needs in six phases after disasters and classified them across nine categories of worker characteristics. The proportion of health needs on the list that were applicable in each case varied from 13% to 49%. More needs arose when the companies were responsible for the disaster and when employee lives were lost. We also assessed the list as fairly comprehensive. Conclusions: The list developed in this study is expected to be effective for anticipating occupational health needs after disasters.

Continuous improvement of fitness-for-duty management programs for workers engaging in stabilizing and decommissioning work at the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant

Numerous workers have participated in recovery efforts following the accident that occurred at the Tokyo Electric Power Company (TEPCO) Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant after the Great East Japan Earthquake. These workers, belonging to various companies, have been engaged in various tasks since the accident. Given the hazards and stress involved in these tasks and the relatively long time required to transport sick or injured workers to medical institutions, it became necessary to quickly implement a more stringent management program for fitness for duty than in ordinary work environments.

The opinions of occupational physicians about maintaining healthy workers by means of medical examinations in Japan using the Delphi method

The opinions of occupational physicians about maintaining healthy workers by means of medical examinations in Japan using the Delphi method: Seiichiro Tateishi, et al. Occupational Health Training Center, University of Occupational and Environmental Health, Japan