Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare

Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare

In Focus: Radiation Protection at Works Relating to TEPCO's Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant Accident

Framework for Health-care of Emergency Workers at the TEPCO Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant

  1. Primary actions taken by employers

    1. Medical examination
      Employers are required to conduct general and ionizing radiation medical examination *1 for their regular workers. In addition, they should provide health consultation services upon workers’ requests *2.

      *1 Ionizing radiation medical examination intended for workers engaged in radiation works.
      *2 This is pursuant to the Guideline for Maintaining and Improving Health of Emergency Workers at the TEPCO Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant issued on October 11, 2011.


    2. Submitting the medical examination results and records of radiation exposure doses to the national government
      Employers*1 are required to submit records of the medical examination and radiation exposure doses of emergency workers to the national government.

      *1 Employers with workers who have engaged, had engaged, or will engage in emergency work or other radiation works at the TEPCO Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant (Article 59, paragraph 2 of Ordinance on Prevention of Ionizing Radiation Hazards)


    3. Cancer screening, etc. *
      1. Employers should provide eye examination for cataracts approximately once a year for emergency workers who have been exposed to effective doses higher than 50 mSv during emergency work.
      2. Employers should provide cancer screening approximately once a year in addition to the examination described in (a) above to emergency workers who have been exposed to effective doses higher than 100 mSv during emergency work.

      * This is pursuant to the Guideline on Maintaining and Improving Health of Emergency Workers at the TEPCO Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant issued on October 11, 2011.


  2. The support to emergency workers provided by the national government

    1. Health consultation service
      Workers who were engaged in emergency work may have health consultations or guidance at the support desk established across the nation by the national government. In addition, the emergency workers can receive transcripts of their own records including radiation exposure doses and medical examination results at this support desk.
       
    2. Cancer screening, etc.
      Workers who are no longer engaged in emergency work*1 and who have “Radiation dose recording notebook for workers engaged in designated emergency work*2” may receive general medical examination, cancer screening and examination equivalent to each of those at medical institutions designated by the national government at no cost*3.

      *1 Those workers who were currently not engaged in emergency work or radiation works are also eligible to receive such benefits except for those employed by large corporations.
      *2 Application form will be sent to eligible workers.
      *3 The benefits are limited to medical examination designated by the national government.