In the 1995 Great Hanshin-Awaji Earthquake, a male employee in Akashi City, Hyogo Prefecture, who collected debris, died of a cancer peculiar to asbestos. In the proceedings, the Kobe District Court sentenced the bereaved family to the proceedings.
The person who filed the complaint was an employee of Akashi City, who was the bereaved family of Mr. Kazunori Shimatani (49 at the time) who died of asbestos-specific cancer and mesothelioma in 2013.
Immediately after the Great Hanshin-Awaji Earthquake that occurred in 1995, Mr. Shimatani complained that the onset of mesothelioma was caused by the asbestos inhaled at that time when collecting debris.
However, the local government employee disaster compensation fund did not recognize it as a civil servant disaster, saying that "the period of engagement in collecting debris was short", so the bereaved family requested the bereaved family to cancel the judgment.
In a ruling on the 26th, Judge Kaoru Izumi of the Kobe District Court said, "The work that Mr. Shimatani was engaged in is not equivalent to the certification criteria for public affairs accidents, but he is working in a situation where he can inhale asbestos dust. The cause of the onset was not found in Kobe, "and the relationship with the onset was confirmed, and the judgment of the fund, which was not recognized as a public affairs accident, was canceled.
According to the plaintiff's defense team, it is the first time that the court has found asbestos health hazards over the death of a civil servant who was involved in the recovery work of the Great Hanshin-Awaji Earthquake.
Bereaved family "I'm glad I worked hard with my husband's thoughts in my heart."
Following the decision on the 26th, Kazunori Shimatani's bereaved family and lawyers representing him held a press conference in Chuo-ku, Kobe.
Mr. Shimatani's wife, Hiromi (57), said, "I'm glad I worked hard to my heart with the thoughts of my husband who still wanted to live. Thank you to everyone who helped me. I think this ruling will support those who work in jobs that may expose them to asbestos. "
In addition, attorney Hiroshi Idahiroshi, who acts as an agent, said on the 26th, "The court has decided not to be disadvantageous even if it does not meet the formal standards recognized as a public affairs accident. Since the health hazard is due to the exposure of asbestos, if you were dealing with asbestos at work, you should be relieved as an industrial accident or a public affairs accident, and he made a very important decision. "
A man in his 60s who worked at the same workplace as Mr. Shimatani said, "At the time of the earthquake, there would be many people in Kobe City and Hanshinkan who worked to remove debris like us, and it happened after that. There must have been many people who did the same work in the event of a disaster. I want to make sure that both the people who do the work and the people who do the work have such a risk in collecting debris. That is Shimatani. I think this is one of the things that Mr. San entrusted to us. "
Local Government Employees Disaster Compensation Fund "Refrain from commenting"
Regarding the decision on the 26th, the Local Government Employees Disaster Compensation Fund said, "We have not confirmed the contents, so we will refrain from commenting."
Mayor Akashi "I'm glad there was a full history of cooperation."
In Akashi City, Mr. Shimatani takes seriously the fact that he has developed mesothelioma, and the staff and former staff who took part in the removal of debris and the collection of disaster garbage in the Great Hanshin-Awaji Earthquake will be 1 year if desired from 2012. I am trying to get a detailed examination of my lungs.
Mayor Fusaho Izumi of Akashi City said at a press conference on the 26th, "It is a story of Akashi City staff, and I am glad that the city has fully cooperated with the procedure of public affairs disasters so far. I have. "
Expert "When to be careful about health damage from now on Lung examination"
Professor Seiki Hasegawa of Hyogo College of Medicine, who specializes in the treatment of asbestos-specific cancer "mesothelioma," said, "26 years before the Great Hanshin-Awaji Earthquake, asbestos was still used in large quantities, and the confusion caused by the earthquake. Workers were working in a situation where asbestos dust control was not sufficient. People who inhaled dust containing high concentrations of asbestos for a long time are at great risk for asbestos-related diseases. I point out.
"26 years after the earthquake, the incubation period for asbestos-related diseases is passing. The memories of the earthquake tend to be distant, but rather, it is time to pay attention to health hazards. Infants and children during the earthquake. There is little data on what happens to young people who have grown up because they may have inhaled asbestos. " I am calling for an inspection.
Since the manufacture and use of asbestos has been completely banned by 2006, Professor Hasegawa said that even if a building collapses in the event of a disaster, the risk of scattering is lower than before. When you wake up, be careful not to go where the dust is flying, and wear a dust mask. "
Asbestos that has been used in building materials, etc.
Asbestos, a fibrous mineral, has excellent heat resistance and soundproofing properties, and has been used as a building material. However, if inhaled, it may cause mesothelioma and lung cancer.
Regarding asbestos, in 2005, it was discovered that the health hazards caused by asbestos were spreading among residents around the factory of the major machine maker "Kubota" in Amagasaki City, Hyogo Prefecture.
Due to this "Kubota shock", the use of asbestos was completely banned in 2006, but there are cases where it was used in buildings before that, and the government has to dismantle the building in advance. After investigating, it is obligatory to take measures to prevent it from scattering.
At the time of the Great Hanshin-Awaji Earthquake in 1995, when 540,000 houses in Hyogo Prefecture were completely or partially destroyed, asbestos was widely used, and the NPO "Hyogo Occupational Safety and Health" tackles asbestos health problems. According to the Center, at least five people, including workers and former police officers who worked in the affected areas of the prefecture, are certified as industrial accidents and public affairs accidents.
For this reason, NPOs point out that local governments need to identify buildings that use asbestos on a daily basis and stockpile dust masks in case of a disaster.