Following serious accidents that occurred at construction sites on the Chugoku Expressway (Chugoku Branch) and the Okinawa Expressway (Kyushu Branch) from January to February, West Nippon Expressway Company is conducting emergency safety inspections of all construction projects and calling on all contractors, including subcontractors, to prevent recurrences and raise safety awareness.
Emergency safety inspection (at Shin-Meishin Expressway construction site) = Provided by West Nippon Expressway Company
On January 27, a serious accident occurred while scaffolding was being installed to replace the road surface of the Chugoku Expressway under the jurisdiction of the Chugoku Branch Office, causing five workers to fall, killing two of their precious lives. On the 2nd of this month, a gantry crane collapsed during bridge deck replacement work on the Okinawa Expressway, also under the jurisdiction of the Kyushu Branch Office, although no casualties were reported.
The company is taking this series of accidents seriously and is conducting emergency safety inspections at all currently operating construction sites. Construction work similar to the one involved in the suspended scaffolding accident on the Chugoku Expressway has been suspended, and in addition to conducting a comprehensive inspection of safety equipment related to falls, construction plans and structural calculations for construction work without suspended scaffolding are also being examined to see if there are any safety issues. After the 7th, the suspension of construction was gradually lifted as safety was ensured, and most projects resumed construction on the 12th.
In addition to the company-wide efforts, the Kansai branch, where the construction of the Shin-Meishin Expressway is reaching its peak, held an emergency safety conference on the 5th for superstructure and scaffolding contractors to prevent a series of serious accidents. About 200 people, including company employees, attended.
At the beginning of the meeting, Kansai Branch Managing Director and Director Adachi Masato expressed a sense of crisis, saying, "The current situation is similar to the series of accidents that occurred at the Arima River Bridge and the Yonogawa Bridge on the Shin-Meishin Expressway in 2016." Structural Engineering Department Chief Ando Ryosuke, while explaining examples of past accidents, called for a return to basics in site management, saying, "The main cause of serious accidents is the mismatch between the construction plan and the site. Accidents can be prevented if work is carried out regularly and according to the correct procedures." Hiroyuki Kato, head of the engineering planning department, also called for everyone to "think of the construction plan as an agreement to protect the safety and lives of workers."
With the need for comprehensive safety management in cooperation with customers, contractors, and cooperating companies, Ozasa Koji, Director and CEO, Head of Construction Business Division, said, "We will further strengthen the necessary efforts to carry out rigorous risk management. On the contractor side, as labor conditions change with the increase of foreign workers and the decrease of skilled technicians, we need to further improve our risk management capabilities through close communication with cooperating companies and enhanced training, while always being vigilant about safety management."
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