ILO-TOKYO INTERNET FORUM 2004

ON

SAFETY AND HEALTH CULTURE AT WORK

INFORMATION COLLECTION: CASES OF PRACTICES/ACTIONS

• Posting No. 1 : Participatory approach for improving workplace environment using a "Mental Health Action Check List" [Japanese] (Received on 30 April)
  • Posting No. 26 (Dialogue to postings Nos. 1-25) : State of Japanese safety and health culture at work [Japanese] (Received on 18 June)
  • Posting No. 29 (Dialogue to postings Nos. 1-27) : Our common initiatives for expansion of "good practices" [Japanese] (Received on 30 June)
• Posting No. 2 : Development of workplace improvement action program in cllaboration with cooperative business associations of medium and small sized enterprises [Japanese] (Received on 6 May)
  • Posting No. 26 (Dialogue to postings Nos. 1-25) : State of Japanese safety and health culture at work [Japanese] (Received on 18 June)
  • Posting No. 29 (Dialogue to postings Nos. 1-27) : Our common initiatives for expansion of "good practices" [Japanese] (Received on 30 June)
• Posting No. 3 : International cooperation for safety and health improvement training by trade union initiative [Japanese] (Received on 7 May)
  • Posting No. 26 (Dialogue to postings Nos. 1-25) : State of Japanese safety and health culture at work [Japanese] (Received on 18 June)
  • Posting No. 29 (Dialogue to postings Nos. 1-27) : Our common initiatives for expansion of "good practices" [Japanese] (Received on 30 June)
• Posting No. 6 : Active RST trainers - their contribution to educate excellent foremen for thirty years - [Japanese] (Received on 13 May)
  • Posting No. 26 (Dialogue to postings Nos. 1-25) : State of Japanese safety and health culture at work [Japanese] (Received on 18 June)
  • Posting No. 29 (Dialogue to postings Nos. 1-27) : Our common initiatives for expansion of "good practices" [Japanese] (Received on 30 June)
• Posting No. 7 : Achievements of school kitchens inspection by industrial health teams [Japanese] (Received on 14 May)
  • Posting No. 8 (Dialogue to posting No. 7) : Support of safety and health improvement actions in school kitchens [Japanese] (Received on 18 May)
  • Posting No. 26 (Dialogue to postings Nos. 1-25) : State of Japanese safety and health culture at work [Japanese] (Received on 18 June)
  • Posting No. 29 (Dialogue to postings Nos. 1-27) : Our common initiatives for expansion of "good practices" [Japanese] (Received on 30 June)
• Posting No. 12 : Continous Stress Management as part of occupational safety and health management system [Japanese] (Received on 24 May)
  • Posting No. 26 (Dialogue to postings Nos. 1-25) : State of Japanese safety and health culture at work [Japanese] (Received on 18 June)
  • Posting No. 29 (Dialogue to postings Nos. 1-27) : Our common initiatives for expansion of "good practices" [Japanese] (Received on 30 June)
• Posting No. 14 : Improvement based on OSHMS for preventing low back pain in the waste management business [Japanese] (Received on 29 May)
  • Posting No. 26 (Dialogue to postings Nos. 1-25) : State of Japanese safety and health culture at work [Japanese] (Received on 18 June)
  • Posting No. 29 (Dialogue to postings Nos. 1-27) : Our common initiatives for expansion of "good practices" [Japanese] (Received on 30 June)
• Posting No. 15 : JISHA OSHMS registration [Japanese] (Received on 1 June)
  • Posting No. 26 (Dialogue to postings Nos. 1-25) : State of Japanese safety and health culture at work [Japanese] (Received on 18 June)
  • Posting No. 29 (Dialogue to postings Nos. 1-27) : Our common initiatives for expansion of "good practices" [Japanese] (Received on 30 June)
• Posting No. 18 : Health supporting system for workers stationed abroad [Japanese] (Received on 4 June)
  • Posting No. 26 (Dialogue to postings Nos. 1-25) : State of Japanese safety and health culture at work [Japanese] (Received on 18 June)
  • Posting No. 29 (Dialogue to postings Nos. 1-27) : Our common initiatives for expansion of "good practices" [Japanese] (Received on 30 June)
• Posting No. 19 : The design of training tools and planning/implementation methods are key success in participatory OSH activities [Japanese] (Received on 8 June)
  • Posting No. 26 (Dialogue to postings Nos. 1-25) : State of Japanese safety and health culture at work [Japanese] (Received on 18 June)
  • Posting No. 29 (Dialogue to postings Nos. 1-27) : Our common initiatives for expansion of "good practices" [Japanese] (Received on 30 June)
• Posting No. 20 : Pursuit of "safety cultures" established by labour unions [Japanese] (Received on 8 June)
  • Posting No. 22 (Dialogue to posting No. 20) : The role of OSH preventive instructors [Japanese] (Received on 15 June)
  • Posting No. 26 (Dialogue to postings Nos. 1-25) : State of Japanese safety and health culture at work [Japanese] (Received on 18 June)
  • Posting No. 29 (Dialogue to postings Nos. 1-27) : Our common initiatives for expansion of "good practices" [Japanese] (Received on 30 June)
• Posting No. 21 : Facilitation of workplace activities through participatory approach in occupational safety and health trainings [Japanese] (Received on 14 June)
  • Posting No. 26 (Dialogue to postings Nos. 1-25) : State of Japanese safety and health culture at work [Japanese] (Received on 18 June)
  • Posting No. 29 (Dialogue to postings Nos. 1-27) : Our common initiatives for expansion of "good practices" [Japanese] (Received on 30 June)
• Posting No. 23 : Improvement of occupational safety and health standards through dissemination of information [Japanese] (Received on 16 June)
  • Posting No. 26 (Dialogue to postings Nos. 1-25) : State of Japanese safety and health culture at work [Japanese] (Received on 18 June)
  • Posting No. 29 (Dialogue to postings Nos. 1-27) : Our common initiatives for expansion of "good practices" [Japanese] (Received on 30 June)
• Posting No. 24 : International cooperation for developing safety and health education trainers [Japanese] (Received on 16 June)
  • Posting No. 26 (Dialogue to postings Nos. 1-25) : State of Japanese safety and health culture at work [Japanese] (Received on 18 June)
  • Posting No. 29 (Dialogue to postings Nos. 1-27) : Our common initiatives for expansion of "good practices" [Japanese] (Received on 30 June)
• Posting No. 25 : Construction site improvement actions implemented by workers and business owners of small and medium sized construction companies [Japanese] (Received on 17 June)
  • Posting No. 26 (Dialogue to postings Nos. 1-25) : State of Japanese safety and health culture at work [Japanese] (Received on 18 June)
  • Posting No. 29 (Dialogue to postings Nos. 1-27) : Our common initiatives for expansion of "good practices" [Japanese] (Received on 30 June)
• Posting No. 27 : The approach to improve occupational safety and health in Asian informal sector [Japanese] (Received on 23 June)
• Posting No. 29 (Dialogue to postings Nos. 1-27) : Our common initiatives for expansion of "good practices" [Japanese] (Received on 30 June)
• Posting No. 28 : The establishment of easiest OSH-MS through a serial training course [Japanese] (Received on 30 June)
• Posting No. 30 : Employers' association's initiatives for international cooperation to promote occupational safety and health [Japanese] (Received on 30 June)
• Posting No. 31 : An Asian network useful for jointly developing training tools for participatory workplaces improvement activities in small workplaces [Japanese] (Received on 30 June)

• We are developing and applying a supporting tool for improving, in a participatory approach, workplace environment including psychosocial factors causing mental stress of workers. In this approach, the active participation of managers, supervisors and other employees is a key to achieve a better workplace.
• The tool in the form of a checklist widely covers various workplace environment factors, including not only physical and chemical agents but also working hours, work arrangements, work methods, human relations and work organization. The checklist presents a list of practical actions to improve workplace environment that can be implemented immediately and effectively with the cooperation of employees.
• We have already made use of the supporting tool developed as a "Mental Health Action Checklist," and confirmed its effectiveness in a participatory approach. We are trying to promote its wider application in industrial workplaces.

Mental health measures at the workplace need to be preventive and participatory. It is important to reduce psychosocial stress risks within workplace environment so that workers can work positively and comfortably. What is the most desirable is to create a workplace culture conducive to taking preventive measures before mental illness actually occurs. It is on the other hand required in any workplace to take care of individual workers who suffer from a mental illness.

Therefore, we initiated the development of a tool in the form of a "Mental Health Action Checklist" that can help managers, supervisors and other employees actively and voluntarily join in the elaboration of appropriate measures in their own workplace. The checklist was tested in an actual use.

This checklist was developed by the Working Group for Making Mental Health Action Checklist under a Health, Labor and Welfare Scientific Research project entitled "Research on methods and supporting measures to improve workingplace environment" in 2003.

What is a Mental Health Action Checklist?

The Mental Health Action Checklist takes the form of a so-called "action checklist," aimed at identifying mental health measures focusing on workplace environment. An action checklist is an action-oriented supporting tool consisting of a list of practical actions that can be easily and immediately implemented at most workplaces. For each action, you are asked whether you propose its implementation in your workplace or not. The suggested actions are based on a collection of good practices found in the workplace. Through self-checking and group discussions by managers, supervisors and workers, the checklist is intended to help them develop an appropriate action plan for their own workplace.

The newly designed Mental Health Action Checklist includes 30 practical actions in six areas, namely, (A) participatory planning of work with information sharing, (B) working time and work organization, (C) streamlined work processes (from ergonomic viewpoints), (D) workplace environment, (E) mutual support in the workplace, and (F) ensuring a healthy and untroubled workplace. Only actions that can be easily implemented in the workplace are listed. The following are some examples;

Cases of implementation

• When a mental health-training workshop was held in a local government, the Mental Health Action Checklist was used in examining an actual case. The results were discussed to identify priority measures.
• The research and development department of a manufacturing company implemented mental health measures to improve workplace environment and workers' health. These measures were targeted at managers, supervisors and other workers. The employees of the department were divided into small groups, and they used the Mental Health Action Checklist. Each group discussed the results for about an hour. A mental health expert joined in the group discussion as a facilitator. This group discussion had the task of identifying three "good features" of their workplace at first, then, three elements of workplace environment that they wanted to improve. Thus, each group proposed practical measures to improve the existing conditions.
  As good features of the workplace, they pointed out an environment where they could easily consult with each other and with their seniors. Practical measures suggested included the holding of meetings on a regular basis and workplace-level actions for better communication. As a result, they proposed priority measures to improve workplace environment and an action plan. These specific proposals were written in the Improvement Planning Sheet. The effectiveness of measures taken was examined and confirmed. The follow-up of the action plan is underway so that improvements may be implemented on a continual basis.

1. The use of a Mental Health Action Checklist enabled workers to realize in a more systematic way what and how to improve. This could help them develop appropriate measures for their workplace.
2. The use of the Action Checklist facilitated the identification of priority areas for action, as well as practical measures to improve working environment.
3. The Action Checklist has been useful for organizing participatory group discussion since it is a collection of practical suggestions for immediate implementation. Participants actively expressed their opinions and proposed various measures to reduce stress in multiple aspects.
4. This method was reported to the 2004 annual conference of the Japan Society for Occupational Health. The information is now accessible on the following website. The planning of the implementation of the Action Checklist is under way in a number of local workplaces.

- Dialogue to Postings Nos. 1-25 -

- Dialogue to Postings Nos. 1-27 -

On the other hand, small and medium sized enterprises have good footwork to promptly reflect managers' intentions, and therefore it is an important point how to motivate managers to work on occupational safety and health activities. It is quite certain that the effective use of occupational safety and health management systems will greatly contribute to small and medium sized enterprises, which have disadvantages of small human resources and funds. There are high needs to achieve good results in new technologies or human resources development through a series of activities such as assessing risks, positively working on workplace improvement based on the assessments and introducing management systems. We aim to collect accurate information and provide it for managers and workers.

The strategic framework of activities, which we have agreed on with several cooperative business associations and implemented, consists of the following four steps:

Step 1: Group study to identify risk profiles
The first step is to roughly understand the industry's unique risk profiles, through risk assessment based on on-site observation or inspections, interviews with management, and working environment assessment. For example, in the industries where we have worked with small and medium sized enterprises for joint projects, we identified risks such as heat, noise and heavy load transportation in the die-cast industry; harmful rays, arm restriction, injuries/burns and insufficient ventilation in the physical and chemical machinery manufacturing industry; electromagnetic wave (high-frequency welder), poisonous fumes and weld in the tent/sheet processing industry; injuries caused by wood processing machines and inhalation of wood dust in the furniture fittings industry; and rough hands and lower-back pain in the cosmetics industry. The backbone of the action programs is to give priorities on measures against these risks.

Step 2: Collect local good examples of risk reduction measures
Through the process of Step 1 or the use of cooperative trade associations' network, unknown good improvement action cases in industries are collected and compiled into a database, so that they can be shared industry-wide and gradually be put into practice. In other words, we produce a volume of case reports on workplace environment improvement actions for each industry.

Step 3: Group work for comprehensive risk assessment
An action checklist is made for each industry through active group discussion in the form of a committee consisting of highly motivated managers and professionals. This checklist enables a user to select an action suitable for their own workplace. We distribute it in order that each association member enterprise can take the initiative to improve the workplace environment. We further seek as many good examples as possible by the time checklist is used, in order to enrich the content of case reports in Step 2. If one conducts a self-evaluation of his enterprise with this checklist, he can identify the position of his enterprise in the industry.

Step 4: Implementing workplace improvements and their evaluation
It is important to comprehensively improve the workplace in wide areas such as working environment, ergonomics, reduction of working hours and handing down of techniques and skills to the younger generation.

Development of workplace environment improvement supporting tools
We have made several useful supporting tools for effectively implementing workplace improvement action programs in collaboration with cooperative business associations.

The first tool is collections of local good examples for workplace improvement to motivate management and workers. This tool is aimed at having managers and workers find out and realize that they can also implement them, and immediately work on them. From that point of view, visual tools such as photographic collection of improvement examples or videotapes are effective. For example, the A4-sized 43-pages of book with 86 photographs collected from twenty eight association member enterprises for the die-casting industry was well accepted. A training video "Let's improve workplace!"(3 tapes, about 10 minutes for each) was also developed and put to use.

The second tool is action checklist by industry, which is used for self-evaluation and group discussion. This checklist is different from the checklist to examine a person's knowledge, and it is unique having an action for improvement for each check item.

On top of the two tools above, a workplace implementation manual can help furthermore, through which one can get to know practical know-how to use the tools for improvement. Such a manual indicates what to consider and how to improve, in order to obtain a particular effect. It will become even more useful if it has an explanatory note on visions and main points for each check item, including "why is it necessary?," "how to improve," "good examples of workplace environment improvement," "some more hints for improvement" and "expected results."

1. Managers can establish visions for his own risk assessment covering a wide range of risks in the industry, assisted with the action checklist.
2. The case reports of improvement actions help take a problem-solving approach.
3. Video and other training tools can facilitate voluntary and active group discussions.
4. The resulting improvements of workplace environment can demonstrate that it helps improve welfare, safety and productivity of employees, vitalize the workplace, and ensure excellent human resources.

- Dialogue to Postings Nos. 1-25 -

- Dialogue to Postings Nos. 1-27 -

• We developed the POSITIVE Program for Asian developing countries using a participatory safety and health improvement training method by trade union initiative. The program has been applied in seven countries.
• Assistance in occupational safety and health training is strongly requested by partner trade unions in international cooperation field projects for developing countries. The first safety and health seminar focusing on action plans was held in Pakistan in 1994 and highly evaluated by the participants. Then, taking into account the situation of each country, a participatory safety and health training program for trade union members, entitled POSITIVE (Participation-Oriented Safety Improvements by Trade Union Initiative), was developed in cooperation with the Institute for Science and Labour, Kawasaki, Japan. The program aims at training trade union members, through participatory group work, in implementing immediate low-cost improvements addressing a variety of workplace environment factors.
• Our objective is to develop a training package fit for each country in cooperation with national trade union centers of target countries, train trainers and trade union members, and thus help them make improvement proposals and implement them within their enterprises. This participatory safety and health training may provide a strong support for trade union activities and contribute to improving working conditions. The newly developed program can help develop a safety culture through a domestic tripartite cooperation of the government, employers and workers.

Training of trade union members in conducting workplace improvements through learning practical actions

Workplace improvements by means of building on local practice are aimed at while promoting active participation of trade unions. Simple and easy-to-understand measures are focused on so that union members can understand and apply the program. The program encourages participants to propose an improvement plan of their own and implement it. This is facilitated by using as many photos of improvements done under the same local conditions as possible or illustrations showing low-cost solutions. One-day to four-day training courses are held using this methodology. Further, trainers are trained in short-term workshops. Training methods are adapted to local trade union members. We have already implemented the POSITIVE training courses in cooperation with the national trade union centers in China, Pakistan, Mongolia, Bangladesh, Nepal, the Philippines and Thailand. Manuals collecting local examples of low-cost improvements have been developed.

Methods to propose low-cost improvements by using action checklists

Participating workers learn to select improvement actions that can be immediately implemented in their workplaces by using an action checklist as an action-oriented support tool. This learning process is different from learning theories through lectures. Each locally adapted POSITIVE Checklist comprises thirty to forty actions listed in the areas of (A) materials handling, (B) workstations, (C) machinery safety, (D) workplace environment, (E) welfare facilities and (F) environmental protection. The checklist help workers select, from these areas, improvement actions suited to their local workplaces. At that time, examples of low-cost improvements implemented in the country are used as a training tool. Learning from local good practices, workers are able to identify improvements that can be readily implemented in their workplaces. A "POSITIVE Training Package" consists of an action checklist, a manual illustrating local examples as photos, a set of OHP or PowerPoint slides for conducting courses and sample improvement reports. The package is available in the local languages in all the participating countries. The package has been widely used in these countries.

Implementation of improvements through participatory group work and case reports

Active participation of workers has been achieved by participatory training courses consisting of group discussions followed by presentations of the results. This action-oriented training can enhance proactive attitude of workers after returning to their workplaces. A standard four-day course and a shorter one to two-day training course have been held depending on the situation in each country. Workers who have participated in a short course can organize a POSITIVE course and implement improvements using the locally adapted action checklist. Simultaneously, the trained trade union members further made and distributed brochures for union members, re-activated a safety and health committee in their workplaces and achieved broad-range improvements through management-worker cooperation.

1. We have applied the newly developed POSITIVE program in seven Asian countries, Pakistan, Bangladesh, China, Nepal, Mongolia, the Philippines and Thailand. Since 1994, more than 400 short-term courses have been held in which around 12,000 trade union members participated.
2. Through the use of action checklists, manuals and trainers' manuals written in local languages, the program has clarified concrete improvement measures and made it easier for trade unions to take initiative in improving workplace environment.
3. A large number of action plans have been proposed and implemented by participatory group discussion. Examples of low-cost improvements resulting from these courses are collected. Such local examples are persuasive, and they are included in the manuals. In addition, the photos showing these examples are converted to OHP sheets and PowerPoint slides and used as effective training materials.
4. Asian regional workshops for exchanging the achievements of trade union training using the POSITIVE methodology were held. This exchange has proven useful for spreading training activities in participating countries.

- Dialogue to Postings Nos. 1-25 -

- Dialogue to Postings Nos. 1-27 -

In our education center, we have educated RST trainers in charge of training foremen for thirty years since RST Course (Safety and Health Education Trainer Course of the Health, Labor and Welfare Ministry) was initiated in 1973.

1. There are two different types of courses: a general course for manufacturing companies and a course for construction companies. We organize more than sixty courses in total each year. Each course takes five days from Monday to Friday. Training sometimes ends at 9:00 pm, and the total hours of training become more than forty hours. In principle, trainees board together. Each class has a small group of about 20 trainees, which is aimed to ensure training effects through the integration of classmates and instructors.
2. In this training course, we prioritize training methods for foreman education on how a foreman should decide work procedures and how he or she should supervise and educate their subordinates. Another important feature is the instruction of training techniques, which will allow a trainer teach clearly and surely what he or she wants to teach. This is our Center's unique know-how.
3. For this reason, we utilize a discussion method in addition to lectures, in order that trainees can learn visions and logics of occupational safety and health through the exchange of views on practical cases. Moreover, our instructors teach trainees how to draft a training plan on a one-to-one basis, and provide a role-playing lesson for foremen education according to their own draft-training plan.
   A training plan, which represents a definite implementation manual of training, is our unique know-how. The following four steps are taken to draft it:
   [First Step]: This is an introductory part of training, in which a trainer aims to motivate trainees by securing their understanding of training objectives, necessities and reasons.
   [Second Step]: This is a step to present training contents by listing up the subject of lectures, summarizing their important points and context and preparing figures and tables.
   [Third Step]: This is a step to intensify trainees' understanding of lectures. A trainer need to decide themes for discussion on the basis of clear-cut goals and objectives and to consider how to follow-up the discussion.
   [Four Step]: This is a step to confirm the realization of expected outcomes. A trainer need to reflect on, overview and confirm the results of training, and to clarify what a trainer expects trainees to be and to do.
   Role-playing aims at developing training abilities. Participants play the role of trainer, and receive evaluation of their performance, together with their draft-training plan.

1. RST courses developed and established educational techniques such as discussion methods, the drafting of a training plan and role-playing, along with training curriculums and textbooks, which are necessary for educating trainers for foremen education.
2. We assisted employers in foremen training through our integrated trainers education system. It is difficult for a single company to educate a trainer by itself. In addition, our educated trainers established a common, high quality foremen education system.
3. We have educated total of 80,000 RST trainers for thirty years since the start of RST courses. These trainers have been educating foremen-to-be in companies and organizations all over Japan.
4. Intense foremen education have contributed to the education of foremen with leadership and the development of safety and health management in workplace. In addition, the role of RST trainers is not limited to that of foremen trainers, and they strengthened safety and health management in workplace through managing workers with foremen.
5. As a result, people now widely recognize the important position and role of foremen in safety and health management, and this contributes to raise the status of foremen and RST trainers.

- Dialogue to Postings Nos. 1-25 -

- Dialogue to Postings Nos. 1-27 -

• This is a report on workplace inspection of independent school kitchens that is characterized by workplace evaluation from broader perspectives and improvement proposals based on it. The inspection has successfully led to a great many workplace improvements.
• Workplace of school kitchens have been inspected by a joint team of industrial doctors, safety and health engineering and human engineering experts as well as safety and health inspectors selected by a municipal board of education since fiscal 1991, to seek improvements of safety and health conditions and promotion of cooking staffs' good health. The school kitchens covered are those of urban elementary schools and schools for the disabled.
• This was started as a measure against "Trigger finger," which occurred frequently among cooking staffs of school kitchens. Currently, we are improving a wide range of conditions of work and workplace environments, targeting total of 117 schools in the city. Such workers frequently do repetitive works in a semi-crouching position, handling heavy loads and are exposed to hazards such as burns and scalds. Disinfection in boiling water is often carried out, and there are many other hazards from unsafe and hasty work and workplace environment. In addition, they mostly clean kitchens using running water, which is called a wet method. Therefore, heat in summer and coldness in winter are common problems. Regular workplace inspections by a joint team are useful to improve such workplace.

Inspection of school kitchens by a joint workplace inspection team

A workplace inspection team consists of industrial doctors, human engineering and safety and health engineering experts, a health inspector (a safety and health committee member from the labor union side) and a responsible manager and a staff of the city's board of education. They inspect four schools in one course, and operate ten such courses per year, which means forty schools are inspected every year. The frequency of visits to each school is once in two to three years. The inspection includes: (1) inspection of human engineering conditions of workplace environment and equipments; (2) safety inspection of equipments and work; (3) inspection of refreshment and health facilities; (4) identification of cooking staff's health conditions and implementation of health guidance; and (5) taking snapshots of work and environmental conditions. We have so far inspected school kitchens 615 times in total, which means an average of 5.3 times per school, for thirteen years until 2003.

We identified 738 of improvement cases, an average of 3.7 per school, during inspections of 200 schools for five years from 1999 to 2003. They consist of 422 for "renewal and new installation of basic equipments and machineries," 74 for "workplace environment improvement, including light, ventilation and noise" and 60 for "floor, passage and drainage measures." We made 662 of improvement proposals to schools, an average of 3.3 per school. They mostly consist of 107 for "improvement of work organization and methods," 103 for "improvement of refreshment and health facilities" and 99 for "renewal and new installation of basic equipments and machineries."

Process for collection of improvement cases and presentation of proposals, through various feedbacks

Since an inspection team consists of experts and representatives of workplace, it is widely accepted as a good custom to collect improvement cases in workplace and make proposals that can be easily implemented. While much equipment have been renewed and installed since 1999, including those against Escherichia coliform bacillus O157, improvement cases and proposals cover broad areas each year. Such measures to renew and install basic equipments are implemented in parallel with measures for transportation of heavy loads, workstations, layouts and workability, floor, passage and drainage, workplace environment, safety measures, refreshment and health facilities and orderly workplace arrangement. As a result, many improvement cases and proposals are reported every year, such as improving carts and mobile lacks, repairing heights from floor to workplace surface avoiding semi-crouching positions, using readable color codes, eliminating differences in level on passages, enhancing drainage equipments, taking measures concerning light and noise, decreasing cuts and burns and improving refreshment conditions.

In addition to various such improvements, a dry-method of cleaning is introduced to the effect that amount of water used for cleaning is reduced to keep the floors from becoming wet. In such kitchens, mechanical ventilation and air-conditioning equipment are also installed to make the workplace environment even more comfortable. The effects of these measures are confirmed by measuring temperature and humidity. Dry cleaning-method kitchens have already been built in seven schools, where workplace improvements are obvious along with remodeled equipments against O157.

Participatory mechanism for continuous improvements, supported by a collection of improvement cases

Team inspections are widely accepted, their various practical proposals to improve workplace are given confidence from school principals and staffs, and the above-mentioned various feedbacks are provided. As a result, participatory approach by a full staff has been promoted in each school. The number of improvement cases identified per fiscal year is within the range between 120 and 170 from fiscal 1999 to 2003 and this matches the number of proposals, which is stable at around 100 or 180. The number of cooking staffs with digital abnormality, for which we decided to initiate such inspections, has been clearly decreasing from 1991 when the inspections were initiated.

Systematic workplace inspections conducted by a joint team contribute to safety and health improvements that are commonly useful to school kitchens scattered across the city.

1. It has become a widely accepted practice that industrial doctors and occupational health engineering and human engineering experts, together with safety and health inspectors, join in the inspection of school kitchens employing a small number of cooking staff, so that the workplace can be evaluated from broader perspectives.
2. Practical proposals to improve workplace have obtained confidence from school principals and staff, related departments of a city's board of education and labor unions.
3. Repetition of regular inspections facilitates the collection of many practical improvement cases and the presentation of proposals. This process is assisted with various ways of feedback, such as report to the safety and health committee, employee training and questionnaires.
4. With a renewed motivation, the participation of all staff in the continuous efforts to improve work methods is developing as a common characteristic of school kitchens.

- Dialogue to Posting No. 7 -

- Dialogue to Postings Nos. 1-25 -

- Dialogue to Postings Nos. 1-27 -

• When an electric company "A" introduced an occupational safety and health management system (OSHMS), its guidelines clearly indicated that mental health would be actively addressed. And stress management has been implemented by way of workplace improvement actions.
• More specifically, the risk assessment, which is required for OSHMS, covers mental health in the form of "Job Stress Assessment Diagram." In addition, a systematic mechanism to reduce such risk was introduced for workplace improvement.
• On such basis, we aim to realize that managers and supervisors in workplace are actively involved in the PDCA cycle for the continuous and voluntary improvement of workplace environment.
• Furthermore, we take participatory approach, and use supporting tools such as hint collections so that managers and supervisors in workplace can actively join in the process.

The incorporation of mental health programs is a policy of the enterprise "A" as a whole, and it has taken measures to improve workplace environment as part of OSHMS. The following shows concrete contents:

The case of improvement action in workplace "X"

According to the results of the stress survey, the workplace support score of the workplace "X" was smaller than those of other workplaces in the enterprise "A". So, during the participatory meeting of the workplace "X", it was proposed as an improvement action to have a short meeting every morning. The increase of workplace support score was recognized from the stress test conducted after one year. Additionally, some staff of the other departments said, "There is a lot of laughter from the workplace "X", and the staff look active and motivated to work."

1. The incorporation of mental health programs into occupational safety and health management system (OSHMS) enabled their introduction and implementation as a policy of the enterprise.
2. The stress survey enabled us to objectively identify stressors in workplace and to objectively evaluate the effects of improvement actions.
3. Participatory approach, in the form of "participatory meeting of stress survey results" enabled the workplace to voluntarily join in the planning and implementing of improvement actions.
4. The distribution and use of "hint collections" were effective in identifying problems and considering improvement proposals.
5. Since such processes were continuously conducted every year, we were able to assess the effects of improvement actions and to advance to further improvement. Actually, the assessed health risks have been improved every year, and this leads to further motivation for improvement.

- Dialogue to Postings Nos. 1-25 -

- Dialogue to Postings Nos. 1-27 -

According to the Japanese occupational disease statistics, low back pain accounts for about 60% of "diseases caused by injuries." Low back pain is developed in workplace due to multiple conditions, including: exposure to external environmental risks such as cold and vibration; work loads such as heavy materials handling, postures at work and hours of work; psychological factors at work such as habituation and impatience; and worker's age and previous illnesses. Such conditions are the risks that eventually cause low back pain.

When safety and health management system is implemented as a preventive action against low back pain in workplace, it is expected that the PDCA cycle would be effective to solve low back pain problems in workplace. This is undertaken through planning, implementation and evaluation of improvement actions based on assessment of risk causes in the workplace on a continual basis.

The Tokyo Metropolitan Bureau of Waste Management introduced a preventive program for low back pain utilizing an occupational safety and health management system (OSHMS). It collects, incinerates and fills in municipal solid waste and refuse from the 23 wards of Tokyo, and it has a large workforce with more than 10,000 workers. One of the reasons why OSHMS was introduced in the workplace was that there were many occupational injuries and diseases like other cleaning undertakings. The Tokyo Metropolitan Bureau of Waste Management had experienced 23 cases of occupational deaths, frequent low back pain and other safety and health problems for twenty years until 1986. Although it implemented industrial health activities required under occupational safety and health laws and regulations, it could not achieve satisfactory results.

Low back pain program in employee-management cooperative approach from 1986 to 1990
In order to solve the above-mentioned problems, cases of repeated serious occupational accidents were examined and analyzed jointly by the employees and management. They found that collection and transportation of wastes had the highest risks, and taking these into account, produced the "Safe Work Manual for Collection/Transportation" for preventive actions in workplace. Furthermore, the employees and management jointly conducted workplace inspections, which had been required to health supervisors and industrial doctors. The results were reported to the safety and health committee, and practical actions were proposed to improve workplace environment. The keyword of these occupational health activities is "employee-management cooperation," and such occupational health activities were conducted until 1990.

Lower back pain program based on "employee participation" since 1991
Since 1991, above-mentioned activities were strengthened further. The effects of improvement actions based on the proposals were assessed, and the Safe Work Manual was revised several times, reflecting opinions of workers who used it in practice. In addition, education/training programs have been operated on a regular basis, assisted with the safe work manual. Furthermore, an annual workplace safety check by all the workers has been conducted for the purpose of all the workers' participation in occupational health activities, and its results have been reflected on proposals for improvement actions in addition to the results of the joint workplace inspections conducted by the employees and management. Also participatory occupational health trainings have been implemented by the trade union. This is different from the previous type of safety and health education, focusing on small group works. The objective is to develop worker's ability to propose improvement actions through the discussion on real cases of accidents and safety and health challenges in workplace. This is a five-day practical training program. Various improvement actions were proposed including the remodeling of garbage vehicles, the change of collection places and the improvement of protective equipments such as helmets, hand gloves and work clothes. The occupational health programs at that time can be characterized by a keyword, "employees' participation," and they are still conducted this way at present.

From risk assessment to risk management, and further to risk communication
The development of occupational health programs in the Tokyo Metropolitan Bureau of Waste Management can be summarized as follows, focusing on their actions against risks:

• 1986-1991: the establishment of risk assessment of low back pain and the resulting production of safe work manual and improvement action proposals; and
• 1991-present: the review of safe work manual, the evaluation and reproduction of improvement action proposals; moreover, risk communication has been established through the promotion of workers' understanding of such risk management, their participation and cooperation in its implementation, and the raising of their occupational safety and health awareness and their abilities to propose improvement actions, assisted with the participatory occupational health trainings conducted by the labor union.

1. The annual incidence per 100 full-time employees is compared to analyse the effect of the above-mentioned development of occupational safety and health programs. From 1984 to 1994, there were 2,297 claimed cases of low back pains and 9,272 claimed cases of occupational injuries and diseases. 98.7% of claimed cases of low back pain and 100% of claimed cases of occupational injuries and diseases were compensated.
2. The number of claimed cases of low back pain which was 332 in 1985 (2.67 per 100 full-time employees) decreased to 142 in 1990 (1.26 per 100 full-time employees) and to 92 in 1994 (0.87 per 100 full-time employees). This demonstrates that low back pain was reduced to about 30% as a result of implementing low back pain improvement actions under OSHMS.
3. The total number of the whole occupational injuries and diseases was 1,057 in 1985 (8.51 per 100 full-time employees) decreased to 759 in 1990 (6.76 per 100 full-time employees) and to 533 in 1994 (5.02 per 100 full-time employees). The number of the occupational injuries and diseases excluding low back pain was 725 in 1985 (5.84 per 100 full-time employees) decreased to 617 in 1990 (5.49 per 100 full-time employees) and to 441 in 1994 (4.15 per 100 full-time employees), and this indicated that the participatory occupational health activities from 1991 also had preventive effects against occupational injuries and diseases other than low back pains.

- Dialogue to Postings Nos. 1-25 -

- Dialogue to Postings Nos. 1-27 -

Japan Industrial Safety and Health Association (JISHA) has conducted various programs including training orientations to support organizations' implementation of Occupational Safety and Health Management Systems (OSHMS) and initiated JISHA OSHMS Registration to assess OSHMS in organizations and certify organizations since March 2003.

2. Unit for qualification
Basically the unit is an individual organization.

3. JISHA OSHMS standards 2003
JISHA made the standard according to "Guidelines for Occupational Safety and Health Management Systems" of the Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare and "Guidelines on Occupational Safety and Health Management Systems (ILO-OSH 2001)" of the International Labour Organization.

4. Assessment method
Persons in charge of assessment conduct an examination by means of documents, in which results of self-evaluation by organizations and related documents are submitted, and a field examination, in which they interview in organizations and visit workplaces.

5. Effective period
3 years from the date of registration

6. Implementing agencies
- JISHA and TOYOTA Safety and Health Management Corporation implement JISHA OSHMS Registration.
- JISHA is under contract with TSHM to set TSHM as an agency for evaluation and certification.
- Organizations certified by TSHM are registered into the list of accredited organizations like organizations certified by JISHA.
- TSHM is engaged in the process of certifying fourteen companies in the TOYOTA Group, and related companies that are affiliates of TSHM.

- Dialogue to Postings Nos. 1-25 -

- Dialogue to Postings Nos. 1-27 -

They are concerned about their safety and health, including SARS problems, mental stress caused by linguistic environment, cultural differences, and political instability of their stationed country/area as well as terrorism. Furthermore, there is anxiety that these problems may cause workers to refuse to undertake duties abroad, thus jeopardizing the business operations of Japanese companies.

Our health supporting system can solve these problems, and can improve living environment, as well as reducing the health care cost born by employers.

After a special registration procedure of workers' accident compensation insurance (Workers' Accident Compensation Insurance Law, Article 36) was established for workers dispatched overseas, Japan Labour Health and Welfare Organization (JLHWO) initiated "oversea health consultation visit" for workers staying overseas in 1984, and founded the Japan Overseas Health Administration Center (JOHAC) in 1992. Additionally, JLHWO established "foreign cooperation hospital program" in 1991.

Under the Occupational Safety and Health Law (Ordinance on Occupational Safety and Health Article 45-2), health management for workers overseas, including mandatory medical checkup before/after dispatch, is required and JLHWO has been conducting medical checkups in its affiliated occupational accident hospitals and JOHAC.

2. Outline of the health supporting system for workers stationed abroad

1. Workers can manage their own health and daily life in destination countries/areas by knowing their own health conditions before dispatch.
2. Workers can alleviate concerns of mental stress caused by linguistic and cultural differences in destination areas, especially the stress coming from health insecurity, by knowing local medical and other situation before dispatch.
3. Workers can understand better ways to deal with health problems by receiving advices from Japanese doctors in destination countries, through overseas health consultation visits and e-mail consultations. Additionally, they feel mentally comfortable through such consultations.
4. Workers can improve daily health management in destination areas, assisted with information such as on local medical organizations.
5. Workers can conduct lifetime health management by receiving total medical services before dispatch, during temporary returns and after duties overseas.
6. Companies can reduce costs involving dispatch of workers overseas.

- Dialogue to Postings Nos. 1-25 -

- Dialogue to Postings Nos. 1-27 -

(1) Training tools such as an action check list, training manuals and follow-up sheets, which are simple and can be easily applied to different cases; and

(2) Appropriate planning and implementation of trainings, including the selection of workplaces to be visited, the allocation of time for the programme and the inclusion of a follow-up mechanism. Our training tools and planning/implementation methods are reported as follow and are designed for use by local small and medium sized enterprises.

• Action checklist: We use an action checklist with which one can instantly judge whether practical improvement actions are necessary or not. The action check list has been revised annually, and it currently has 37 check items, consisting of 8 items on "material storage and handling," 6 items on "work adjustments to the needs of workers," 5 items on "machine and equipment safety, " 11 items on "improvement of hazardous work environment" and 7 items on "welfare facilities, work organization and environmental protection." Each item is featured with a colored original illustration (see an example in right). The impact of illustration is enormous, since it is easier for workers in small and medium sized enterprises, including foreigners, to understand what it is all about by looking at the illustration than by reading sentences. An illustration is a best method to indicate important points, more effective than a photo.
• Training manuals: The training manuals are made in the Power Point form, each of which covers an item of the action checklist. Each training manual contains an explanation of the principles, illustrations, and photos of good practices. A presentation takes maximum 30 minutes, and is followed by a group discussion. The group discussion is focused on "indicating 3 good points and 3 improvement -required points of the workplace visited for the action check list training."
• Trainees are required to make two action plans in the end of the two-day training course. One is the action plan with which each group decides "3 good points and 3 improvement-required points of the workplace visited, on the basis of what they have learned during the two-day training course." The other is each trainee's action plan with which to make "3 improvement goals for his/her own workplace, which he/she aims to attain within six months." While we, the trainers, make a report to the workplace visited during the training course, each trainee makes a presentation of his/her own action plan, and a half a year later follows it up, fills in the follow-up sheets and brings them to us.

2. Planning and management

• Preparation and decision of a workplace tour: It takes about two months to prepare a training course for participatory OSH activities. The selection of a workplace and the recruitment of trainees are most important issues in the process. We need to select a workplace that is relevant to all the check items contained in the action check list. In addition, unless it has a good labor-management relationship, it would be difficult for them to accept our workplace tour. Furthermore, it should be located within a radius of 30 minutes by transportation. Even if we begin to negotiate with enterprises meeting these requirements, there have been many cases where our request was declined. The capacity of the Safety and Health School is 20, and it is important to establish and maintain a good relationship with the members of our Center that include trade unions and individual workers.
• Scheduling of a training course: Training courses are scheduled for two days (Friday and Saturday), in view of trainees' workplace circumstances. One technical lesson takes an hour, consisting of a lecture/facilitation for 25 minutes, a group discussion for 20 minutes and a plenary session for presentations and discussion for 15 minutes. The schedule of a two-day course, which starts at 9 a.m. and ends at 5 p.m. with breaks at 10 a.m. and 3 p.m., is considerably tight. Therefore, "insufficient time" is always one of the most frequently heard responses from participants in the post-course evaluation of the programme.
• Follow-up mechanism: For several years, our Center has held an annual meeting for presentations of OSH improvement actions in April, to promote the exchange of such actions between local small and medium sized enterprises. This covers improvement actions, implemented within the previous year. Since the Tokyo Occupational Safety and Health School is held in autumn, we integrated its follow-up meeting and the above annual meeting last year. We encourage the reunion of former trainees at this integrated meeting. Approximately 20 persons participated in this year's meeting, and we selected "Workplace Improvement Grand Prix" from their presentations.

- Dialogue to Postings Nos. 1-25 -

- Dialogue to Postings Nos. 1-27 -

Today, we received a thank-you letter from International Confederation of Free Trade Unions, ICFTU with which RENGO (Japanese Trade Union Confederation) is affiliated. It was for participating in the "International Memorial Day for Victims of Occupational Accidents on 28 April" which has been promoted for ten years. Five to ten million workers, from 100 countries, took part in the event. As well as conducting campaigns for this Memorial Day, RENGO participated for the first time in the ILO "World Day for Safety and Health at Work" and HIV/AIDS at the central May Day venue in Tokyo on 29 April.

RENGO's five-year plan for preventing occupational accidents

RENGO is currently implementing the second five-year plan on safety and health activities conducted by labor unions. This shows proposals from labor unions about the tenth occupational accident preventive plan the government started last year and our own activity goals. All labor unions by industry, local joint associations, and labor unions by company and safety and health centers of RENGO mainly conduct the activities. We have been calling that labor unions should participate more actively in the tenth occupational accident preventive plan of the government and negotiate workers' rights of pursuing safe and healthy workplaces with the government and employers, while fulfilling accountability to their affiliating workers.

Approaches of two labor unions for the safety week

I went to deliver lectures for the national safety week called by two labor unions. One is the workshop held by a local unit of industry-level labor union organization, JAM Saitama consisting of metal industrial workers. It was one-day workshop from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. and almost a half of the 100 or more participants were safety and health supervisors of the management side. I delivered a lecture, "problems about privatization of workers' compensation insurance", and was nervous since it was my first time to deliver a lecture before the representatives of management. They reported about practical actions regarding their safety and health activities in the afternoon. Pairs of the labor-management in the same company have joined in the workshop for a long time. One of participants said, "The union members do not want former labor union executives to go to workshops on topics such as human resources and labor. However, since they share the same purposes of safety and health, both the workers and the management are willing to go to the workshops together." I was very impressed by the tradition, in which the labor union calls on the management and the workers and managements of different companies learn occupational safety and health together in the safety week every year. This is a real safety culture of labor unions.

The labor union has developed such a culture in the tradition of manufacturing. Also in Osaka, real work places are provided, and workers and managements actively join in the OSHMS development for small and medium sized enterprises of RENGO proceeded by the RENGO Osaka occupational safety and health center. A safety culture has been widely shared in the case.

Another is the second occupational safety and culture network conference held by RENGO Kanagawa in early June. The local joint association has initiated a network conference at first to establish the safety and health center according to the RENGO five-year plan. For the first time, safety patrol of a real workplace is conducted by safety and health representatives of the labor union in the undertaking and the OSH preventive instructors assigned by the government, and they exchanged opinions about the results with the management side as well. Ebara Corporation in Fujisawa cooperated to provide the workplace. I delivered a lecture about the five-year plan, and then a safety officer of the Prefectural Labour Bureau reported that government could not achieve the goal of reducing occupational accidents by 20% and on the contrary that the accidents increased last year, the first year of the tenth occupational accident preventive plan. The participants must have thought how to improve the situation. Labour unions and OSH preventive instructors, who patrol workplace of occupational accidents and advise employers, are expected to have greater roles in safety and health, along with the administration.

Please submit many actions to Internet Forum

These activities have been implemented during the safety week or the health week in Japan every year. Local joint associations including industry-level unions such as All Japan Prefectural and Municipal Workers' Union and JAM hold joint safety network conferences in prefectures and joint Rengo locals block, and implement training of OSH preventive instructors. Preventive measures against disasters such as earthquake have also been included in the themes since last year. Such educational activities to train young successors understanding safety and health and to develop the tradition of safety culture will lead to the establishment of preventive safety and health cultures developed by labor unions. I would like as many as labor unions to report this year's practical actions in this Internet Forum.

- Dialogue to Posting No. 20 -

- Dialogue to Postings Nos. 1-25 -

- Dialogue to Postings Nos. 1-27 -

• As an example of occupational safety and health trainings with participatory and practical approach, the experiences of Kawasaki-city for twelve years are summarized and reported as below. Because such a local government has various kinds of jobs including field works, interpersonal services and administrative office works, this make an exemplary case in which different experiences of various jobs and workplaces are exchanged among the trainees. Such exchange of different experiences may be also useful within a company of private industries.
• Participatory safety and health trainings based on a small group discussion have demonstrated their effectiveness since employees can learn how to solve practical problems. However, further development of the method to design training agenda is necessary so that participants can facilitate their co-workers to join in the continuous process of problem solving after they return to their own workplace. Therefore, we planned a total five-day training course divided into several different terms. We focused on the cycle of training and implementation, in which we encourage participants to actively implement practical actions in their workplace after a first training term and then to report the results of implementation during a second training term.
• We provide the participants with facilitating tools such as a collection of practical improvement actions and an action checklist so that they can easily conduct risk assessment. The difficulties encountered when implementing practical actions are examined in the training, so that requirements for safety and health activities could be clarified.

The establishment of a training method in which participants can find answers through repeated small group discussions

The implementation of participatory approach to improve workplace has always been the main purpose of the trainings, which are entitled, for example, "the establishment of a comfortable workplace facilitated with a checklist," "facilitation of safety and health activities" and "promote workplace improvement." Approximately thirty workers and managers from various kinds of the local government's workplaces participate in a five-day training course, and they repeat video sessions to exercise workplace assessment as well as small group discussions about workplace improvement actions facilitated with a checklist. This has become an established training method. The themes for each two-hour session include (1) main points of improvement actions for works such as with VDT, (2) ergonomics at work, (3) measures against hazardous substances, (4) heat, light and noise and (5) mental health. In each session, a short lecture is followed by a group discussion and presentations. We also organize workplace tours, in which the participants study real practices on the theme and seek after their own solutions on the basis of good practices actually taken.

Switch over to a multiple-term training system

Since 2001, we have taken a multiple-term training system, in which training is divided into the first term and the second term. And the second term is further divided into two or three terms, where the participants, during the non-training periods, implement practical action assignments in their own workplace, such as workplace improvement actions and facilitating actions for the safety and health committee. As from 2002, the schedule of the first and second terms consisted of the following three parts: the first training term, the workplace improvement term and the second training term:

1. The first training term for two days: Participants conduct small group discussions to learn how to implement risk assessment and workplace improvement actions. This covers different occupational safety and health themes such as ergonomic improvement, measures against hazardous substances, comfortable work environment and mental health.
2. The period for participants implementing practical assignments in their own work place (a period of about one or two months is repeatedly set two or three times): Participants encourage managers of a same safety and health committee to make safety and health policies, facilitate the safety and health committee to do risk assessment, and implement new workplace improvement actions focusing on high-priority risks confirmed (if there are other participants in the same safety and health committee, all these participants cooperate to implement such actions).
3. The second training term for three days (the period for participants implementing action assignments should be further set between these training days to the extent possible): Participants report about the implementation of action assignments in their workplace, conduct small group discussions to examine the results of risk assessment and workplace improvement actions, and learn how to follow up on the results of risk assessment, including the safety and health committee's actions and the introduction of risk management systems.

The multiple-term schedule of the second training term, which set periods for participants implementing action assignments between training days has been taken since 2002. This resulted in the adoption of safety and health policies in every participant's workplace, the revitalization of safety and health committees and the implementation of risk assessment and workplace improvement actions. Most of the action assignments reported during the second training term covers practical issues as below:

• Decision and posting of annual safety and health policies by head of the undertaking;
• The holding of safety and health committee chairpersons' meeting in the undertaking;
• Survey on the use of VDT and improvement of environment and postures at work
• Elimination of steps in workplaces and installment of slopes at emergency exits
• Group discussion and improvement actions for proper and comfortable arrangement of the workplace
• Limitation of window operations preventing falls and installation of stoppers
• Improvement and reorganization of lacks, where citizens obtain brochures, etc.
• Improvement of safety cooking equipments and postures at work
• Re-installation of antiseptic containers at hand-washing places in restrooms
• Promotion of smoker and non-smokers separation and improvement of refreshment facilities
• Safety control at the entrance/exit of bicycle park lots in the main government office
• Foundation of the lay-out committee and improvement actions for proper arrangement of the workplace

The effectiveness of action assignment follow-ups during the second training term

The achievement level of action assignments is high, and many participants report of the new initiatives of the safety and health committee in their workplace. These successful results owe much to the training method in which the participants have the bipartite safety and health committee of their workplace conduct risk assessment, propose and implement practical improvement actions. We also recognize the usefulness of the first training term where participants learn how to use an action checklist for a practical method to deal with a wide range of risks. In addition, participants' group discussions to follow-up on the action assignments are considered to be effective in securing the quality of improvement actions.

1. The training's aim to facilitate safety and health activities in participants' own workplace is attained through a multiple-term training system, where the review of risks and the discussion of improvement action points during the first term are followed by action assignment experiences and their follow-up during the second term.
2. The action-oriented approach is reinforced by the multiple-term training system, in which the second training term is set to follow up the improvement action assignment experiences. The following three assignment themes are confirmed as appropriate in promoting the action oriented approach: the decision of safety and health policies of the participants' own workplace; the implementation of risk assessment by the safety and health committee; and the immediate implementation of practical workplace improvement actions.
3. The exchange of experiences among the participants from different jobs and workplaces are promoted through their reporting of improvement action assignments. Participants realize the importance of workplace actions through such exchange of experiences from the practical implementation process.

Since these effects confirm the usefulness of such a multiple-term training system, we will enhance and promote its use.

- Dialogue to Postings Nos. 1-25 -

- Dialogue to Postings Nos. 1-27 -

In fact, some small and medium sized companies have difficulties in obtaining necessary information such as on occupational safety and health legislation and statistics in foreign countries when they are planning a foreign direct investment. Furthermore, safety and health staff in Japan also seek after foreign information in Japanese language in order to understand the trends of safety and health management, for example, as in the United Kingdom or the United States.

We aim to solve such problems by providing companies expanding overseas with necessary information, so that they can improve their safety and health standards.

The following are major items of information:

1. "Information by country": You can obtain information on departments and ministries in charge of occupational safety and health, relevant laws with links to the original texts in the native language and the Japanese translations, safety and health related organizations, statistics and topics (analysis of countries by area of occupational safety and health). This covers 36 countries: Asian countries including China, Vietnam and India; and Western countries including the United Kingdom and the U.S.
2. "OSH Laws in Japan (English version)": Industrial Safety and Health Law, Enforcement Order of the Industrial Safety and Health Law, Ordinance on Industrial Safety and Health and other relevant laws are translated in English.
3. "What's New!": "Safety and Health" or "Today's Supervisor" issued by the U.S. National Security Council and articles such as "FACTS" issued by the European Agency for Safety and Health at Work are introduced in Japanese.

(2) Opening of EU-JISHA Joint Website

In 2003, European Agency for Safety and Health at Work and JISHA made an agreement to open EU-JISHA Joint Website, aiming to establish an internet-based information sharing network between occupational safety and health organizations of Europe and the five countries of Australia, Canada, the U.S., Brazil and Japan. We will start the provision of information on EU-JISHA Joint Website from September 2004. Major information will include English translation of collected good practices in occupational safety and health preventive activities conducted in Japan, especially, which were effective and implemented at low costs.

• The number of visitors to the JICOSH website has totaled 1.88 million for about five years since it was opened on 2 July 1999, and many persons are using it.
• In response to direct questions from some visitors to the website, we asked experts to give answers. This has acquired a favorable reputation.

- Dialogue to Postings Nos. 1-25 -

- Dialogue to Postings Nos. 1-27 -

• JICOSH has been inviting trainers and instructors playing leading roles in private safety and health organizations in the Asia-Pacific region, and educating and training them in safety and health management, in order to enhance the safety and health levels in developing countries, mainly in South-East Asia where an increasing number of Japanese companies operate their business. The objective is to improve the safety and health standards of Japanese companies in these countries.
• Safety and health problems caused in all industry are handled in this course, and it contributes to the development of human resources helping occupational safety and health activities.

• JICOSH reviews its training courses every year. Duration of one course is 10 to 18 days, and 2 courses are held at the same time. A total of 10 courses are conducted each year. The maximum number of participants per course is around 10 to achieve higher effect.
• Training courses to be conducted in the fiscal year 2004 are
  - Zero-Accident Activities (English),
  - Safety Management in the Construction Industry,
  - Diagnosis and Prevention of Pneumoconiosis,
  - Safe operation of boilers,
  - Ergonomics,
  - OSHMS (Risk Assessment),
  - Safety of Cranes, etc.,
  - Zero-Accident Campaign (Thai),
  - Safety Management and Inspection for Machinery (Press and woodworking), and
  - Safety Assessment of Construction Work Plan.
• Because KYT method (Risk Prediction Training) seems to be effective in developing countries, all training courses excluding Zero-Accident Campaign course have one-day KYT session. Lectures and textbooks are basically in English, but some Zero Accident Campaign courses are conducted in local languages such as Vietnamese and Mongolian, not in English. JICOSH plans to hold its Thai course this year and an Indonesian course next year.
• In addition to lectures, participants have opportunities to experience 3D Theater and practical training for KYT Basic 4-Round Method. Moreover, company visits and construction site tours are scheduled for every course because they help to understand current situation of occupational safety and health management in Japan and to obtain good practice conducted in companies or factories.
• Take "Zero-Accident Campaign" course as an example to explain whole schedule. The course duration is 10 days. In each lecture, lecturers are concerned if participants catch up with lectures and provide them reviewing time. Participants are allowed to ask questions at the end of the class. The program consists of the following lectures and factory tours.
  - The goal of Hazard Prediction Activities,
  - How to conduct morning and closing assembly,
  - KYT Basic 4-Round Method,
  - How to understand and express [reasons for hazards],
  - The points for adoption of KYT and how to spread,
  - One-person 4R-KYT,
  - One point KYT,
  - Operational Direction STK Training,
  - Traffic KYT,
  - Problem Solution Methods,
  - 3D experience, and
  - Factory tours
• JICOSH training courses are conducted with technical support of the Japan Construction Safety and Health Association, the Japan Boiler Association, the Japan Crane Association, and Japan Association for Working Environment Measurement.
• Participants who completed our trainings implement voluntary occupational safety and health activities in their countries, and concrete achievements such as giving lectures in safety and health seminars hosted by safety and health organizations have also been reported. Additionally, improvements related to occupational safety and health after participation in our trainings has been reported, and these will be listed on our Website.

• We have held 48 courses during the last five years, and 590 persons from 18 countries participated.
• ASEAN Occupational Safety and Health-net consisting of countries joining Asia Pacific Occupational Safety and Health Organization (APOSHO) and regional alumni of trainees in Indonesia, etc. have been being developed.
• Small groups in Mongolia and Vietnam have implemented zero-accident campaigns and have achieved zero-accident status for a period of three months. Our training results have been incorporated into programs of safety and health orientations and seminars, trainees are playing leading roles as safety and health instructors. Furthermore, they made textbooks for KYT training or promotion videos for pointing and calling in their mother tongues, and utilized them for domestic trainings, etc.
• JICOSH training has been gaining favorable opinions from many companies. The following is an example. "Knowledge obtained through JICOSH trainings is greatly useful for education and training of employees. Each program establishes team-work spirits and enhances cooperation among employees. As a result, improvement of occupational safety and health standards and communication methods are greatly improved."
• In South America, Mexican trainees play a central part in translating textbooks of zero accident campaign into Spanish, and jointly hold seminars in collaboration with those from Argentina, Brazil, etc.

- Dialogue to Postings Nos. 1-25 -

- Dialogue to Postings Nos. 1-27 -

On the basis of above-mentioned actions, we have developed tools to further promote improvement actions. And fifteen associations affiliated with Tokyo Joint Association join in this campaign from 2004. The clear objective is "horizontal development of good actions," and the basic principle of this activity is "Let's make our worksite better with confidence!" Such action is different from the previous "patrol activities" focused on pointing out problems. The tool consists of the following four items: (1) a public brochure "Let's start to improve your sites!;" (2) the above mentioned "action checklist for the construction industry;" (3) "action plan" to fill in improvement plans; and (4) "before and after sheet for site improvement" for the recording of improvement actions. We also made a CD-ROM containing digital data showing collected improvement actions. Each association designs a half-day to one-day simple training course, aiming to make an autonomous cycle of (1) construction site visit and checklist exercise; (2) small group discussion; (3) an individual participant's action plan; (4) reporting to the visited sites; and (5) follow-up after the training.

1. We are reassured that many good improvements have already been implemented. This encourages our union members to start new activities, removing their biased view that safety and health activities are something difficult.
2. The site improvement committee members, who are carpenters and painters, joined in the site visit and training, and examined the action checklist. Such a practical and voluntary approach facilitated and promoted safety and health actions.
3. The business owners of the visited sites appreciated the report, which identifies good points of their construction sites. Their improvement actions are facilitated with the reports.
4. The simple tool securing voluntary actions enabled even small labor unions to easily develop improvement actions.

- Dialogue to Postings Nos. 1-25 -

- Dialogue to Postings Nos. 1-27 -

"Prime System" taken in this course is a completely new occupational safety and health management system.

1. Simple and easily understandable standard
   Workshops and trainings to help understand the standard should be limited to the minimum level. Any workers can read and understand the standard. It also enables responsible staffs to easily explain the occupational safety and health management system to executives and employees. As they can understand the standard easily, they can introduce them into practice easily.
2. External certification not required
   Since this is a minimum occupational safety and health management standard for improving occupational safety and health, any external certification is not required. This OSHMS is set up according to an agreement between labor and management. We think it more important that management and labor cooperate to develop occupational safety and health actions and that internal audit by labor are priortized than unnecessary efforts to obtain an external certification. Certainly this standard can also be used for an external certification.
3. Basic form provided in digital data
   Some parts of the form, which have been already completed, are provided in digital data. Therefore, efforts and costs for documentation can be reduced.
4. The first step for an establishing occupational safety and health culture
   Since "Prime System" consists of minimum requirements for OSHMS, enterprises and organizations, which are trying to obtain the other standard certification, can use it as the first step to establish OSHMS. Certainly they can also make continuous and effective improvements solely based on "Prime System."

1. OSHMS can be established in workplace through a one-year practical course.
2. Participants can implement risk assessment, etc. in practical model workplaces and simultaneously experience how to establish OSHMS.
3. Since all programs are based on "Prime System," participants can easily understand and implement them.
4. Certificates are issued to offices that meet "Prime System" standard when serial courses are completed.

• Nippon-Keidanren International Cooperation Center (NICC) developed a safety and health training program and sponsors "occupational safety and health/workplace environment management" trainings every year as an international cooperation project with developing countries in Asia.
• This training program on occupational safety and health and work environment management aims at enhancing the development of human resources in each employers' association, maintaining good relationship among Japan and foreign countries and contributing to the economic growth in developing countries through human resources training. Trainees are selected from those who are expected to play leading roles in employers' associations in developing countries. Therefore, the program was developed for employers' associations in cooperation with Institute for Science of Labor. A workshop method is used in participatory trainings. Participants learn practical methods on occupational safety and health and work environment management, through dialogue with employers during company visits. They also exchange experiences of their countries with each other.
• This training program is based on cooperation with employers' associations in developing countries. Therefore, it is focused on promotion of occupational safety and health management systems under employers' self responsibilities, as well as on development of participatory training methods, in order that the training program can facilitate occupational safety and health activities of employers' associations in each country.

Young leaders from employers' associations in Bangladesh, Fiji, India, Indonesia, Malaysia, Nepal, Pakistan, Papua New Guinea, the Philippines, Sri Lanka, Thailand, Vietnam, Laos, Cambodia and Mongolia participated in the 2003 training.

The training method to improve workplace environment on the basis of good practices conducted by employers

We developed a manual for this training, which consists of management and action plans to improve both safety/health and productivity based on good practices, a checklist and a collection of practical improvement actions. The training is conducted in a workshop style, and participants learn good practices and improvement action plans in each area of occupational safety and health, through repeated group discussion and presentation of discussion results. Experiences in each country and international trends are discussed in the first week, and participants learn how to voluntarily improve safety and health through the exercise of checklist and company visits. In the second week, they learn low-cost improvement action plans in areas such as material handling, workstation and teamwork environment through group works. In addition, they discuss 5S and workplace improvement supporting measures after learning them through visits to companies and labor accident preventive organizations. Finally each participant makes a presentation about his/her action plan to be implemented after they go back to their countries. It is confirmed that this participatory training focusing on good practices is a suitable training method in each country.

Cost-efficient, simultaneous and coordinated safety and productivity improvement

Simultaneous and coordinated safety and productivity improvement with low costs is a important element of this training program. The action checklist used as a training tool indicates low-cost improvement actions in the areas of material handling, workstation and workplace environment. It is based on the WISE method checklist to improve small companies. All countries have difficulties in introducing occupational safety and health management systems. Therefore, participants are trained to utilize the WISE method, which enables the continuous improvement of safety and health by multiple risk assessment. Group discussions about good practices have been confirmed to be efficient. It is another advantage of this method that young leaders can take initiatives as trainers by setting the goal of cost-efficient, simultaneous and coordinated safety and productivity improvement.

Follow-up of voluntary improvement actions at home

The training tools together with a collection of improvement actions are contained in a CD-ROM, which enables participants to implement a same kind of participatory trainings after they return to their countries. Many participants want to include the implementation of workplace improvement actions and trainings into their action plans, and such exercise of making action plans seem to be useful for conducting trainings at home focusing on voluntary improvement. We are following up participants' activities in their countries.

1. The training contributes to the inclusion of international occupational safety and health management systems into the policies of employers' associations. Since more and more people are becoming interested in OSHMS based on ISO14000 and ILO-OSH 2001, this training course, through major employers' associations, have good effects on trainings conducted by industrial organizations.
2. The training package including supporting tools, with which employers can easily understand how to systematically implement participatory work environment improvement actions, provides guidelines on trainings for the participating countries.
3. Participants send reports on how they are making use of training results after they go back to their countries. For example, we received reports that safety and health seminars are regularly held through employers' associations in Sri Lanka and Fiji. Furthermore, we are informed of many cases that participants prepared short training courses and developed training tools. And the use of photos taken with a digital camera is advancing for trainings in their own countries. Reports on how participants utilize training contents lead to our follow-up, to improve future trainings and to develop training tools.

• In many countries including this country, there are various hurdles in improving workplaces in small and medium-sized enterprises and rural communities where safety and health risks are various. Participatory small workplace improvement has been spreading as a means of overcoming the hurdles and promoting risk-reducing actions. This is the report about Work Improvement Network-Asia, which is jointly operated by related institutions in Asian countries as a prominent case that has developed practical tools for participatory improvement programs.
• This network has evolved to exchange positive experiences and jointly develop training programs getting an impetus from WISE (Work Improvement in Small Enterprises) methodology. WISE methods were developed by the ILO to improve workplace conditions in small enterprises, and have been widely implemented in many countries since the 1990s. That triggered the cooperation between relevant occupational safety and health institutions in Southeast Asia and the Education and International Cooperation Department of the Institute for Science of Labour in Kawasaki, Japan. They started to jointly operate this network. WIND (Work Improvement in Neighborhood Development) methodology, similar to that of WISE, was further developed by the network to improve workplaces in rural communities in addition to small enterprises. Thus the inter-country network has been effective for improving workplace conditions mainly targeting small enterprises and agricultural farms.
• This network aims at jointly developing training methods, in particular participatory tools, with which partners can promote participatory improvement actions in small workplaces. The network activities have been concentrated on learning from local good practices and on simultaneously improving workplaces and productivity in various areas on the step-by-step basis while relying low-cost ideas.

Collecting low-cost examples of workplace improvements and conducting participatory action-oriented training

The network partners base their activities, learning from the WISE method, on the collection of low-cost examples of workplace improvements. In principle, cases of low-cost actions are collected in the form of photos or video clips and used as part of training tools. As our common experiences, it was found that the collection of such examples in a broad range of technical areas could be very effective for workplace improvement training, usually covering materials handling, workstation changes, machine safety, workplace environment, welfare facilities and work organization. All the partners of this network commonly adopt participatory approaches in implementing improvement training programs using such examples as training materials. The duration of training is various from one day to over one week. However, it has also been commonly identified that short-term training courses are more effective than longer ones since they are focused on locally practicable low-cost improvements and on immediate implementation of these improvements by means of group discussion.

Joint development of action tools

The partner organizations of the network also share the same experiences in the use of action-oriented training tools. A prominent feature of these tools is the spread use of "action checklists" adjusted to local conditions. These checklists present low-cost actions about materials handling, workstations, physical environment and work organization. The checklist items reflect collected cases of locally achieved improvements. At the same time, improvement manuals referring to such actions have been prepared. These manuals commonly explain how to implement low-cost improvements in different technical areas with photos showing local examples.

These tools have come to be used for checking and proposing potential workplace improvements. Our experiences show that widely applicable ways to use these tools is to apply the checklists in walk-through exercises and to utilize improvement manuals in training sessions and in small group discussions. Therefore, actual local examples are used for these tools. Since there are many common aspects in selecting checklist items and about the design of trainers' manuals, it is useful to jointly develop these training tools by the collaboration of the network partners.

Utilization of joint workshops by the participating organizations

Several Asian regional workshops have been organized involving the participating institutions, since they have common targets of addressing small workplaces and implementing participatory training focusing on practicable low-cost improvements. These workshops were held with the support of the Toyota Foundation and ILO projects or during mutual visits. In these international workshops, participants were commonly interested in how to use action-oriented tools, in obtaining hints for low-cost improvements and group work methods and in developing the means to train trainers. Of late, international workshops were held in Vietnam last October and in March this year, both of which were useful for exchanging mutual experiences.

These regular opportunities of exchanging common experiences through this network have given good stimuli to relevant improvement activities. These opportunities have also been effective for upgrading the quality of training tools. We have seen that participatory workplace improvement actions in small and medium- sized enterprises and rural communities in Japan have also been facilitated by learning from the network achievements.

1. Although various kinds of institutions participate in the network, the exchange of mutual experiences has been effective in jointly developing participatory training tools for small workplaces. In addition, the Website of this network enable the partners to further the exchange of participatory training tools worked up by other partners. Furthermore, the partners have been more and more motivated to develop action-oriented training tools.
2. The importance of low-cost improvement has been known especially for participatory small workplace improvement since the WISE methodology was developed. It is now also confirmed that training tools covering a broad range of improvements including basic ergonomics and multiple-risk control measures can be beneficial for understanding the essential characteristics of low-cost improvements.
3. The exchange of good practices training methods is increasingly active through the network owing to inter-country workshops and the Website. The joint development of group action tools is playing a key role in this exchange.
4. Since participatory improvement tools can be used widely in different countries, as proven by the network, the move towards the promotion of safety and health management and towards the application of action-oriented tools to other areas, such as construction sites and rural work life, has been accelerated.