Construction workers face health deterioration

Original Text from Zukunashi no Hiyamizu's Blog :http://inventsolitude.sblo.jp/article/98624132.html

The cases are going on increasing that workers on the building site die suddenly. Authorities and construction companies must take urgent action!

After Fukushima nuclear accident, I thought that it was possible for workers on the building site and landscaping contractors in areas around Tokyo to damage their health seriously because of radiation exposure. 

Although I wrote about the concern in my blog posts again and again, I did not take other steps to call attention to all the concerned parties because I did not find the cases of their health deterioration.

Now I finally got the reliable information that the cases were going on increasing that workers on the building site die suddenly. It was as I suspected… I am disappointed very, very much.

There are cited as possible causes as follows;

1. In Japan, March is the end of a fiscal year and is a busy month for constructive works and public works constructions, and unfortunately, Fukushima nuclear accident occurred in March, 2011. Therefore, there were many workers working outside who might be exposed to the radiation by breathing radioactive plume.

2. Radioactive plume passed directly above areas around Tokyo early in the morning in Mar 15, 2011, and the second plume attacked again in that afternoon. This means that radioactive substances were hanging over the areas around Tokyo for long time.

3. These radioactive substances fluttered to the ground, and stirred up again and again especially at the scene of earthmoving and soil improvement work. Then workers on the building site are likely to be exposed internally to the radiation by breathing the air contaminated with radioactive substances.

4. Of course there is no shielding outdoors; workers are more likely to be exposed externally to the radiation than staying indoors.

5. In case when workers have lunch outdoors, radioactive substances in the air may flutter to their food and they eat it without knowing that.

6. Many workers tend to eat boxed meals from a convenience store for their breakfast and lunch. And it could be that the ingredients in such boxed meals are contaminated by radioactivity.

Although Ministry of Health, Labor and Welfare must take measures against radiation exposure prevention in terms of industrial health and safety, they do not do anything about that. 

Actually I hardly see that workers on the building site and landscaping contractors wear even a mask at all. And then I also point out that the list of victims will be lengthening in the future as long as authorities will not improve such dangerous work environment. 

I need your help, all my readers! I hope you to move into the following actions;

1. Please tell that the cases are going on increasing that workers on the building site die suddenly to your friends and relatives, if they work as building constructors and landscaping workers.

2. In addition, please tell them that boys' baseball coaches and physical-education teachers most often die suddenly who spend long time in the field.

3. Although mask is the best of all to prevent them from being exposed internally to the radiation, it makes no sense if company does not force them to wear a mask as a rule.

I am convinced that authorities must be aware of the changing in death toll patterns of the industry through managing social security. Then authorities never take actions unless we increase public concern over their health damage caused by radiation exposure.

4. However we can take limited defensive measures on an individual basis, the most effective action is not to consume contaminated food and drink. And it is also effective to wash work clothes frequently to keep dust attachment to a minimum.

5. Field superintendents have to do the best to prevent themselves from being exposed to the radiation too. I would like them, especially business managers and persons in charge of subcontractors, to know that these actions prevent themselves from being exposed to the radiation.

6. I think it would be accurate to say that there will be a dramatic increase in health damage and we will learn more about the details as time goes on. We have to take actions against health damage caused by radiation exposure before list of victims will lengthen.