We Are Conducting Community Roundtable Networking Events Nationwide
Since October, the SVCF has been conducting community roundtable networking events that involve President Yamada, throughout the country. The next one will be held in Hiroshima and Fukushima on December 2nd. We will be taking a break after that.
To date, we’ve had these events in Sapporo, Muroran, Morioka, Sendai, Koriyama, Nagaoka, Nagano, Shizuoka, and Osaka. The format and number of attendees varied depending on where it was held, but there is something to be said for the way that the SVCF members and supporting members were able to have a frank exchange of views despite the lack of regular contact between these two groups.
During these community networking events, President Yamada explained the situation at Fukushima #1 Nuclear Power Plant, and explained the necessity of removing TEPCO from the clean-up work and making it a national project, as well as the importance of removing the cumbersome multilayered subcontracting system and creating a consistent project management system.
When we started SVCF in the first half of last year, we thought that we would be able to start our work at Fukushima #1 Nuclear Power Plant almost immediately. However, the reality, which we’ve gradually come to understand since last year’s negotiations, is that the multilayered subcontracting system, which is characteristic of the Japanese society, has been a huge barrier for us.
The multilayered subcontracting system has been problematic in the IT industry for the last 10 years, and there doesn’t appear to be an easy solution for this issue. This issue is also something that will need to be resolved as it relates to the Fukushima nuclear power plant. As they prepare to start removing fuel debris from the site, it will become increasingly difficult to work within the current system.
As we continue our work in Kawauchimura, and in gathering signatures, we’d like to continue the exchange of ideas between SVCF and supporting members through things like the community networking events, as well as chart the future direction of SVCF.
We’d like to hold community meetings even in areas where participant sign-ups were low, so if you are interested, please contact our head office.
We’re Conducting a Variety of Campaigns in a Variety of Different Ways
The deadline for the signature gathering campaign, which we started in October, is in 2 weeks. However, we still need a lot more signatures if we want to make an impact on the Japanese government and the House of Councilors and the House of Representatives. So, I’d again like to ask for your participating.
Please ask people in your community to sign this, and send them into our head office. The signature sheet can be found on the main page of the SVCF website, so please download it from there.
In order to gather as many signatures as we can, the SVCF office has started standing at curbsides asking for people to sign up. Also, SVCF and supporting members in the Kansai and Chugoku areas have started their own signature collecting campaign.
We held signature gathering campaigns on November 11th, near the Diet in Tokyo, which was the site of the great assemblage for denuclearization, and on November 28th, at the 7th Annual Institution for Nuclear Power Debrief Meeting, sponsored by the Japan Atomic Energy Agency (JAEA). Regardless of whether people are for or against nuclear power, we went out to areas where people had an interest in nuclear power to collect signatures.
We ask that people come up with a variety of different ways to run these signature gathering campaigns.
A special TV program about SVCF was broadcast
Fukushima Central Television sent a special program to introduce SVCF, titled “Message from the Senior People －The Will of aged members of Skilled Veterans Corps for Fukushima” for an hour and a half from PM 3:55, Nov.24 (Sat).
This program provided a lucid commentary, through deliberate observations about the difficult situations which the association and its members were facing, depicting that “The association was formed by people who have amassed various experience and skills, and who have continuously appealed to the Government and TEPCO to let them carry out the clean-up work at the site of Fukushima Daiichi NPP, instead of vulnerable young employees” and that “elderly people being unable to act on their purpose, due to administrative and legal barriers, but are still challenging to overcome those.”
The TV program also featured scenes of an interview with the president of SVCF and other staff, an assembly discussion in Diet Member House, various activities in the SVCF’s office, campaign tours throughout the U.S.A., repeated petitions to TEPCO, various negotiations and operations in Kawauchi Village, monitoring of radioactivity, a round-table discussion in Koriyama City and encounters with sufferers, etc., etc., which in an excellent composition brought forth the will and the real situations of the members of SVCF, despite the limited short time.
The honest and sincere attitude of the TV correspondent, who frequently came on and had held close interviews at proper occasions for around 4 months, had gradually turned the frowning old stubborn people to a more moderate attitude. He recalled that the program became full of emotion in support of SVCF, therefore it had a warm atmosphere as a whole, in spite of the serious problems being dealt with therein.
Schedule during the holidays and New Year
The December assembly in the Diet Member House will not be held because of the general election this month.
Please note that the office of SVCF will be closed December 22 to January 6.
“Safety and Health Policy” established
The SVCF board of directors decided on a “Safety and Health Policy” at the meeting held on Oct. 11, 2012. This policy codifies, in declaration form, itemized obligatory provisions to assure the safety and health conditions during the operations of the SVCF. It is rigorously requested that you hereafter follow and comply with this policy in any field activities conducted by the SVCF.
(The Public Service Incorporated Association)
Skilled Veterans’ Corps for Fukushima
Safety and Health Policy
Declaration
In consideration of the unusual staff characteristics, the uniqueness of the missions and so forth, the members of the SVCF fully understand the following and will execute various missions safely.
1. We, senior generation, try to serve as a model for current and active generations.
2. We try to enhance our mutual communication and eliminate “perceived or overreacted actions”
3. We do start working after we fully understand an objective, process and procedures based on TBM-KY; Tool box meeting and hazard prediction.
4. We plan and establish a good schedule and assignments to prevent SVCF members from being involved in accidents due to the diminished ability by aging.
5. We execute our missions trying to minimize absolute radioactive exposure.
Prohibitions
To accomplish the above provisions, we keep smiling and exchanging salutes with respect, cooperate as one in a volunteer spirit, and never overlook the prohibitions listed below.
1. Default of duties of supervisors therein
By team leaders, legally designated superintendent, and surveyor:
– Intentional connivance of unsafe actions
– Sloppy order or request for unscheduled work
– Disregard of the weather forecast
– Intentional neglect of the duty to notify an accident, injuries and diseases
2. Radiation exposure for workers
– Wearing no dust respirator or drinking or eating while doing hazardous work
– Wearing no protective suit or gear, or wearing defective protections in hazardous tasks
– Work in a storm causing severe dust release
– Carrying no integrating dosimeter by a representative worker
– Neglect of a hot-spot location
– Working without passing a compulsory medical examination as required by law* in a hazardous area.
*Ordinance on prevention of ionizing radiation hazards pertaining to works for decontamination of contaminated soil.
3. Typically dangerous works for the aged
– Longer work without recess or water drink in a heat stroke incurring condition
– Neglect of the obligation to give notice of an injury, of poor physical condition or of hypertension, if any
– Lifting an object heavier than 10 kilograms carelessly or carrying that alone
– Neglect of the rule to assure a safe path, or obstructing a staircase to carry materials or equipment
– Long work in uncomfortable or forced positions
4. Unsafe works in higher or elevated places
– Work without a helmet or a safety belt in higher or elevated places, higher than 2 meters, such as on a roof or on scaffolding
– Similar works described above for those who are hypertensive.
– Unsafe works on a stepladder, ladder and loading platform
5. Violation of safety rules and regulations for facilities and traffic
– Operation of machines or equipment that are unchecked even by a legally licensed operator, or illegal operation under no license
– Driving of a necessary vehicle by an unauthorized person, driving over 100 kilometer-distance in an hour, or longer by a single person on a public route
6. Antisocial deeds and activities
– Movement or disposal of radioactively contaminated materials without permission
– Dangerous actions attributable to inconsiderate behavior, such as bad joking or drunkenness and so forth
Objectives
Exposure dose for a SVCF member: at most 20 milliSievert per year per person
Accident frequency rate for death or injury (requiring **one day or longer for curing): lower than 6 cases for 1 million work hours at maximum. ** legally 4 days applied
To achieve these objectives, the SVCF safety and health committee shall evaluate the accomplishments and results, reflect them in the work plans and procedures, and also try to maintain relevant standards and to provide necessary education conforming to the OSHMS**.
**; Occupational safety and health management system
Oct. 11, 2012
The Public Service Incorporated Association
Skilled Veterans’ Corps for Fukushima
Yasuteru Yamada, President