Seven Injured in Accident at Imabari Shipbuilding

 

More than half a dozen workers were injured in a crane accident at Imabari Shipbuilding last weekend, according to local police. 

Just before 1200 hours on Saturday, the police and fire departments in Imabari City received an emergency call about an accident at the shipyard. The caller reported that a heavy object had fallen from a crane during an assembly operation, injuring seven people. 

All seven were conscious and responsive when fire department responders arrived on the scene, and after initial treatment, the survivors were taken to a nearby hospital. Three had serious fracture injuries in their arms and hips. 

The cause of the accident is under investigation. It is the latest setback for Imabari, which lost its license to recruit and train foreign workers because of safety concerns earlier this year. Japan's Immigration Services Agency found that the shipbuilder had violated industrial safety and health laws, and as an administrative punishment, the agency revoked Imabari's critically-needed license to recruit foreign labor for a period of five years. All of Imabari's 2,000-plus foreign "trainees" were transferred to other employers. The details of the alleged violations were not disclosed. 

Japan's shipbuilding order books have been in decline for years, and its yards are trying to consolidate and restructure in order to remain competitive. Last month, Imabari announced plans to absorb the smaller Japan Marine United (JMU) as a fully-controlled subsidiary, taking over its management and integrating its design and purchasing functions to pursue economies of scale.