Lessons Learned: Medical and Health Care Management for Emergency Workers at the TEPCO Fukushima Daiichi APP Accident

Abstract

During the emergency work at the Fukushima Daiichi Atomic Power Plant (APP), the Tokyo Electric Power Company (TEPCO) and the Japanese government experienced various problems in medical and health care management issues, including special medical examinations, on-site triage and initial treatment, patient transportation, lodging and food, and long-term health care for emergency workers. To resolve these problems, the Ministry of Health, Labor and Welfare (MHLW) issued a series of compulsory directives and provided administrative guidance to TEPCO. Based on the experiences and lessons learned, the MHLW recognized that the proper management and implementation of medical and health care management in response to a similar accident would require sufficient measures and systematic preparation, including the following:

1. In case of large-scale nuclear accidents, the government needs to assist in dispatching medical staff to the affected plants.

2. Nuclear facility operators, medical facilities and fire departments should make an agreement to clarify the division of the roles played prior to the accident and should conduct emergency drills periodically with the full attendance of related personnel to identify and resolve the problems.

3. Operators need to develop a support base at a safe distance from the plant and to prepare to develop makeshift lodgings in case of emergency.

4. Operators need to come to an agreement to share food stocks among closely located nuclear plants and prepare cooking equipment that can be used in case of blackout to provide warm foods and drinks to as many workers as possible.

5. It is necessary to conduct long-term follow-up for emergency workers, including health care system, medical examinations and mental health consultations.

Keywords:

• health care management
• medical examinations
• patient transportation
• - long-term health care