Necessary number of dedicated industrial physicians in japan: Evaluated from the establishment and enterprise census

Abstract

The required number of dedicated industrial physicians has been enacted by the Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare in Japan. However, the number of workplaces requiring an appointment of industrial physicians is unknown, because of the lack of official publication from the Ministry of Health, Labor and Welfare. The Bureau of Statistics in the Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications has published the Establishment and Enterprise Census. Based on this statistical data, we estimated the minimal necessary number of dedicated industrial physicians in Japan. There are 1,228 workplaces where 1,000 workers or more are regularly employed. Considering that the number of hazardous workplaces where 500-999 workers are regularly employed is around 1,500, it is estimated that at least 2,000-2,500 dedicated industrial physicians are required in Japan.