Tobu Railway released an interim report on the accident on the Tobu Nikko Line in which 4 workers died. The report identified a lack of safety management, including the failure to hold a meeting before work began to determine a place of refuge.
In August this year, an accident occurred at Shin-Kanuma Station on the Tobu Nikko Line in Tochigi Prefecture in which 4 workers died. As efforts to determine the cause at the site continue, deficiencies in related safety procedures have come under scrutiny.
According to an interim report compiled by Tobu Railway, it emerged that no meeting had been held before work began to determine a place of refuge, highlighting the reality of inadequate safety management. The report is said to call for consideration of measures to prevent a recurrence.
The lack of a safety system at the worksite has been identified as a direct factor in the incident, and future investigations and reports may set out specific improvements and policies to prevent a recurrence. A review of the safety-management system is being called for alongside a full investigation into the accident.