北海道旅客鉄道株式会社

On November 9, 2024, at Hakodate Line Sunagawa Station, Takikawa Maintenance Management Office staff entered the tracks without proper safety measures, causing a failure to evacuate in response to a freight train horn. It was also found that they falsely reported having maintained safety measures when reporting to higher authorities. Such false reporting undermines the safety management system and is unacceptable. An audit under the Railway Business Act confirmed the need for improvements in these areas. Furthermore, on November 16, 2024, during a derailment incident between Mori Station and Ishikura Station, the company failed to implement safety checks before allowing trains to pass the derailment site, and repeated unsafe behaviors such as improper track closure procedures during patrols were observed. Despite two previous improvement orders and ongoing efforts under the 'Safety Plan 2026,' the company’s safety measures are deemed insufficient given the frequent recurrence of such incidents. The guidance requires the company to promptly implement measures to investigate root causes, establish concrete and feasible corrective actions, and coordinate closely with authorities during planning. A report on these measures must be submitted by April 30, 2026. Failure to improve safety management systems as directed may result in orders to improve business operations under the Railway Business Act. Specific corrective actions include reviewing and strengthening management systems for track work safety, re-educating staff on safety and compliance, establishing a comprehensive safety management system to ensure adherence to internal regulations, and regularly reviewing the implementation of previous improvement orders. The company must report progress periodically to the authorities.

On November 9, 2024, at Hakodate Line Sunagawa Station, JR Hokkaido's Takikawa Maintenance Office staff entered the tracks without proper safety measures, causing a failure to evacuate in response to a freight train horn. It was also found that they falsely reported having maintained safety measures when reporting to higher authorities. Such false reporting undermines the safety assurance system and is unacceptable. An audit under the Railway Business Act identified necessary improvements. Additionally, on November 16, 2024, during a freight train derailment between Mori Station and Ishikura Station, JR Hokkaido allowed a train to pass the derailment site without safety checks, and repeated unsafe behaviors such as improper track closures and unauthorized track entry during patrols were observed. Despite previous improvement orders and ongoing safety plans, these issues persist, indicating inadequate progress. JR Hokkaido is instructed to review and improve its safety management systems, including verifying management structures, re-educating staff on safety and compliance, establishing proper safety oversight, and thoroughly examining the root causes of incidents. They must report on measures taken by April 30, 2026. Failure to comply or demonstrate safety improvements may result in orders to improve business operations.

Between July 18 and 25, 2024, the Hokkaido Railway Company underwent a safety audit conducted by the Hokkaido Transport Bureau. The audit revealed that the ground loop of the ATS system designed to prevent incorrect departures at Platform 2 of Urapporu Station on the Nemuro Line was resonating at the same frequency for both stop and proceed signals, causing the system to not function as specified in Article 11 of the Operational Safety Equipment Guidelines (Implementation Standards). It was also confirmed that similar issues had been recorded since fiscal year 2018 and possibly earlier. The company is instructed to promptly inspect whether similar incidents have occurred and to establish a system for proper maintenance and management of operational safety equipment. An improvement report is to be submitted by October 17, 2024.