• Last updated:2021-10-18

According to a statistic by Bureau of Labor Insurance compensation for deaths due to occupational overwork (cerebro/cardiovascular diseases) from 2010 to June 2013, the total number of karoshi (i.e. death form overwork) was 111. The top five industries ranked by the number of karoshi were manufacturing industry of 33 deaths(29%), transportation and warehousing industry of 20 deaths (17%), support services industry of 18 deaths (including security services, etc., 16%); wholesale and retail trade industry of 12 deaths (11%), and 11 deaths in the construction industry. (10%, see annex 1.) Among all industries, the ratio of karoshi to the total fatal work injuries were relatively high in support services industry, medical, health care and social assistance services industry, and real estate industry. (See annex 2.) Obviously, it can not be ignored. This year, from January to June, the total number of karoshi was 13, among which 5 were from security services industry, occupying the highest percentage. Due to long working hours and working on night shift were common in security services industry, it’s easier for employees to have work fatigue and then induce cerebro/cardiovascular diseases. The Ministry of Labor (MOL) appeals to all enterprises with long working hours, shift work, night work and heavy workload to comply with the Labor Standards Act on working hours, overtime and rest and other relevant requirements and implement labors health promotion and management program to maintain worker''''s health.

Moreover, according to 2012 Labor Inspection Annual Report, statistics on violations of legal working hours requirements by industries showed that the top five industries, ranked by karoshi cases, also had high rates of fail to pass the working conditions inspection on working hours. (See annex 3.) The violation rates of these five industries were transportation and warehousing industry of 20.77%, manufacturing industry of 16.28 %, support services industry of 10.93%, wholesale and retail trade industry of 10.45%, and construction industry of 9.12%. In order to protect workers’ health and to avoid long-hour working induced cerebro/cardiovascular diseases, enterprises should comply with the Labor Standards Act regarding working hours and rest requirements. Any violation of laws found by local labor administration authorities or labor inspection agencies will be fined in the amount between NT$ 20,000 to 300,000.

On December 17, 2010, MOL amended "Work-related Cerebrovascular and Cardiac Diseases (diseases resulted from trauma are excluded) Recognition Guidelines." <spanstyle="mso-spacerun: yes"="">The criteria of determining the overtime working hour for medium to long-term overloaded work had changed, and the criteria of recognizing karoshi was slightly lower. In addition, MOL made and implemented the “Investigation Procedures for the Suspected Karoshi Cases.” The number of compensation cases for karoshi in 2011and 2012 were therefore higher than 2010.Although some enterprises and labors were aware of overwork fatigue hazard, and had taken administrative measures, MOL still appeals to all enterprises with high work fatigue risk - long working hours, shift works, night work and heavy workload to comply with relevant labor laws to prevent occupational diseases. After all, healthy labors are the greatest assets of the enterprises.

• Source:Department of General Planning
• Publication Date:2013-12-06
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