日航機墜落３０年 安全運航への誓いを新たに

The Yomiuri Shimbun
JAL must pledge anew safe flights on 30th anniversary of fatal accident
日航機墜落３０年　安全運航への誓いを新たに

Wednesday marks the 30th anniversary of a JAL jumbo jet crash into Mt. Osutaka in Gunma Prefecture that claimed the lives of 520 passengers and crew members.
　日航ジャンボ機が群馬県・御巣鷹山に墜落し、乗員乗客５２０人が犠牲になった事故から、１２日で３０年を迎える。

It was the worst single-airplane accident in the history of world aviation. Time has passed, but it cannot erase the grief of families who lost loved ones. We want to see the anniversary day serve as an opportunity to pledge anew to ensuring the safety of air travel without letting the memory of the accident fade.
　単独機の事故としては今なお、世界の航空史上最悪の惨事だ。遺族の無念は、年月を経ても変わるまい。事故の記憶を風化させず、空の安全を改めて誓う日としたい。

The jumbo jet was involved in a tailstrike accident during a landing in 1978, seven years before the fatal 1985 crash. Due to subsequent inadequate repairs by Boeing Co. of the United States, the aircraft’s rear pressure bulkhead broke up in flight and this resulted in the crash, according to a conclusion by the then Aircraft Accident Investigation Commission.
　ジャンボ機は墜落の７年前の１９７８年、着陸時に尻もち事故を起こしていた。この際の米ボーイング社による修理が不適切だったため、後部の圧力隔壁が飛行中に破断し、墜落の原因となった。

The commission told Japan Air Lines (currently Japan Airlines) that “its inspection methods were not adequate.”
　当時の航空事故調査委員会は、こう結論付け、日本航空に対しても、「点検方法に十分とはいえない点があった」と指摘した。

After the 1985 disaster, the airline carried out improvement measures, including an overhaul of its maintenance system. Despite this, it received a business improvement order from the Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism Ministry in 2005 in the aftermath of the revelation of multiple instances of inadequate maintenance.
　日航は事故後、整備システムの全面見直しなどを実施した。それにもかかわらず、２００５年に整備ミスなどが相次ぎ、国土交通省から事業改善命令を受けた。

As one countermeasure, JAL established the Safety Promotion Center in 2006 at Haneda Airport. The center has played a major role as the hub for safety education for its employees. Looking at the wreckage of the pressure bulkhead, as well as articles and notes left by the victims, helps to impress upon employees the importance of safe flight operations.
　対応策として、０６年に羽田空港内に設けた「安全啓発センター」は、社員教育の拠点として大きな役割を果たしている。圧力隔壁の残骸や遺品、遺書を目にすることで、社員は安全運航の大切さを再認識する。

All 35,000 JAL employees, including those from its group companies, had taken part in seminars at the center as of last March. More than 90 percent of JAL’s current employees joined the airline after the accident. This makes the importance of inheriting lessons from the disaster even greater.
　グループ企業を含めた３万５０００人の全社員が、今年３月までに研修を受けた。今では、事故後に入社した社員が９割以上を占める。事故の教訓を継承する安全教育の重要性は増している。

Cultivate safety-first mindset

At the time of its financial management crisis in 2010, JAL put forth “safe flight operations” as the primary goal of its management as it worked toward revitalization. We want JAL to establish corporate culture that gives top priority to safety.
　日航は１０年の経営危機を機に、再生へ向けた経営目標の第一に「安全運航」を掲げた。その理念を忘れず、安全最優先の企業風土を築き上げてもらいたい。

Since the 1985 JAL accident, there have been no passenger fatalities due to domestic airline accidents. However, “serious incidents” that might very well have led to great disasters have not ceased to happen. In June at Naha Airport, for example, an All Nippon Airways jetliner ready to take off was interrupted by an Air Self-Defense Force helicopter flying across its path.
　日航機事故後、国内航空会社で乗客が死亡する事故はない。ただし、一歩間違えば大惨事となりかねない重大インシデントは後を絶たない。６月には那覇空港で、離陸直前の全日空機の前を自衛隊ヘリが横切るトラブルがあった。

The total number of landings at domestic airports has nearly doubled from 30 years ago. Given the market participation of low-cost carriers and other factors, domestic airline companies face harsh competition. But they can never be allowed to neglect efforts to ensure safety in flight operations.
　国内空港の総着陸回数は３０年前の２倍近くに増えた。格安航空会社（ＬＣＣ）の参入などで、航空会社は激しい競争にさらされているが、安全運航への取り組みを怠ることは、決して許されない。

Well known in this regard is Heinrich’s Law, which states, “For every accident that causes a major injury, there are 29 accidents that cause minor injuries and 300 accidents that cause no injuries.” It is essential to share information among those involved in the civil aviation industry and to prevent accidents by nipping them in the bud while they are still at the stage of small mistakes.
　重大事故の背景には、２９件の軽微な事故と３００件の小さなミスがあるとする「ハインリッヒの法則」が知られる。航空業界で情報を共有し、小さなミスの段階で事故の芽を摘むことが大切だ。

The transport ministry last year launched a system under which airlines are asked to voluntarily report even small operational mistakes, for which reporting is not mandatory, and information that should be made known is then published. The system must be used to prevent further accidents.
　国土交通省は昨年、報告義務のない小さなミスも航空会社に自発的に報告させ、周知すべき情報は公開する制度をスタートした。事故防止に役立てたい。

(From The Yomiuri Shimbun, Aug. 11, 2015)