富山地方鉄道株式会社

Between October 22 and 25, 2024, a safety audit was conducted on Toyama Chihō Tetsudō Kabushiki Kaisha. The audit revealed that, despite exceeding maintenance limits for track switches as specified in Railway Implementation Standards Articles 62 and 63 during regular inspections from fiscal years 2021 to 2023, the company had not formulated necessary corrective plans under Article 119. Additionally, some switches had exceeded internal operational stop values as per internal regulations, and although repairs were made immediately after audit findings, the switches were used for extended periods without appropriate operational restrictions. The company is instructed to promptly take necessary measures to ensure proper track maintenance, improve management systems including technical managers, and conduct staff education to enhance understanding of relevant regulations by February 21, 2025. The guidance is issued by the Hokuriku-Shinetsu Transport Bureau.

On April 11, 2023, between Echū-Nameri Station and Echū-Misato Station, a train collided with a maintenance worker engaged in track work, leading to the worker's death. Safety audits conducted on April 17 and 18, 2023, revealed several deficiencies in the company's safety management practices, including non-compliance with the accident prevention guidelines, improper positioning of staff, and inadequate training. The company was instructed to verify whether the safety management regulations have become obsolete, review and reinforce safety procedures, and ensure strict adherence to safety guidelines such as the 'Guidelines for Preventing Train-Track Contact Accidents during Track Work.' The company must also re-educate staff on safety awareness and review its safety management system to prevent similar accidents. A report on the implementation of these measures is required by July 7, 2023.

Between July 11 and July 15, 2022, the Japan Transport Safety Board conducted a safety audit of Toyama Chihō Tetsudō Corporation. The audit revealed that at the Minami-Toyama crossing on the Fushiki Line, the crossing road was not fully blocked across its entire width, which contravenes Article 115 of the Electrical Equipment and Operation Safety Standards. The company was instructed to inspect other safety equipment at crossings, address any non-compliance issues, and strengthen the system to ensure compliance with the standards. The company was required to report the measures taken by October 13, 2022.

Between September 28 and October 1, 2021, the Japan Transport Safety Board conducted a safety audit of Toyama Chihou Tetsudo Co., Ltd. (corporate number 5230001002133), headquartered in Toyama City, Toyama Prefecture. The audit revealed deficiencies in safety management practices, including the lack of verification of track alignment inspections conducted near Tateyama Line 19k610m on September 2, 2021, due to insufficient awareness among operational staff and inadequate management oversight. The company is instructed to enhance staff awareness through re-education, strengthen management systems (such as inspection record review and procedural revisions), and ensure proper operation of regulations. Additionally, maintenance management of bridge sleepers, including hook bolts and sleeper ties, was found to be inadequate, especially on long-span bridges where replacement plans are lacking. The company must establish appropriate maintenance systems and develop replacement plans to improve safety. Furthermore, gap inspections as per Article 110 of the Track Implementation Standards were not followed up with necessary measures in areas judged as 'C' grade, requiring verification of the need for track alignment correction and appropriate action based on results. The company is required to organize and review management systems to ensure future compliance. The guidance must be reported by December 15, 2021, to the North Chubu Transport Bureau.