Health and productivity management initiatives to promote worker health and improve the workplace environment at the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant

Takahiro Mori; Ryotaro Ito; Kenta Moriya; Seiichiro Tateishi; Tatsuhiko Kubo; Ryuji Okazaki; Katsunori Suzuki; Hiroshi Kikuchi; Koji Mori

doi:10.1093/joccuh/uiae004

Health and productivity management initiatives to promote worker health and improve the workplace environment at the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant

J Occup Health. 2024 Jan 4;66(1):uiae004. doi: 10.1093/joccuh/uiae004.

Authors

Takahiro Mori¹, Ryotaro Ito¹, Kenta Moriya¹, Seiichiro Tateishi², Tatsuhiko Kubo³, Ryuji Okazaki⁴, Katsunori Suzuki⁵, Hiroshi Kikuchi⁶, Koji Mori¹

Affiliations

¹ Department of Occupational Health Practice and Management, Institute of Industrial Ecological Sciences, University of Occupational and Environmental Health, Japan, Fukuoka, 807-8555, Japan.
² Disaster Occupational Health Center, Institute of Industrial Ecological Sciences, University of Occupational and Environmental Health, Japan, Fukuoka, 807-8555, Japan.
³ Department of Public Health and Health Policy, Graduate School of Biomedical and Health Sciences, Hiroshima University, Hiroshima, 734-8553, Japan.
⁴ Department of Radiobiology and Hygiene Management, Institute of Industrial Ecological Sciences, University of Occupational and Environmental Health, Japan, Fukuoka, 807-8555, Japan.
⁵ Department of Infectious Disease Medicine, University of Occupational and Environmental Health, Japan, Fukuoka, 807-8555, Japan.
⁶ Health Administration Center, Business Solution Company, Tokyo Electric Power Company Holdings, Tokyo, 100-8560, Japan.

Abstract

Background: Since the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant (FDNPP) accident in 2011, measures have been taken to address occupational health risks, such as heat illness and infectious diseases, and ensure fitness for duty with the Tokyo Electric Power Company and its contractors. However, with the decommissioning operations set to span several decades and an aging workforce, there arose a need for proactive occupational health strategies that not only addressed these risks but also promoted employee health and created a comfortable work environment. With the Japanese government's promotion of health and productivity management (HPM) for corporations, an HPM-based initiative was launched at the FDNPP in 2019.

Case: We designed an HPM questionnaire tailored to the unique conditions at the FDNPP for contractors in 2019. Subsequently, we adjusted the questionnaire annually in light of evolving societal contexts and insights derived from contractors' feedback. This initiative also involved the annual recognition of outstanding contractors. These efforts have led to a steady increase in the number of contractors participating in the HPM survey, with respondents' scores continually improving. We also emphasized dissemination of HPM practices from contractors to their subcontractors due to the complex subcontracting structure at FDNPP, and our results showed that more contractors have been extending these efforts to their subcontractors.

Conclusions: Our findings suggest that individual contractors are steadily enhancing their HPM efforts. We are committed to continually offering support to advance HPM throughout the FDNPP.

Keywords: award systems; health and productivity management; occupational health; risk management; subcontracting structure.

MeSH terms

Fukushima Nuclear Accident*
Humans
Japan
Nuclear Power Plants
Occupational Exposure* / analysis
Occupational Health*
Tokyo