情報通信業のシステムエンジニアとプログラマーにおける過労死等の労災認定事案の特徴

Abstract

ITの技術革命によりシステムエンジニア（SEs）やプログラマー（PGs）の労働環境は急速に変化し，彼らの過重労働と健康問題が懸念されている中，IT産業が「過労死等防止のための対策に関する大綱」において過労死等の多発が指摘される5つの業種・職種の1つに挙げられた．本研究では，SEs及びPGsを中心とした情報通信業の過労死等の労災認定事案の実態や特徴を明らかにし，過労死等の予防・対策の手がかりを得ることを目的とした．2010年から2015年に過労死等で労災認定された情報通信業の事案を対象に脳・心臓疾患51件と精神障害85件を抽出した．その結果，SEs及びPGsにおいて，脳・心臓疾患事案では50歳未満の事案が9割を超え，心臓疾患の死亡事案が9割を占めていた．精神障害事案では50歳未満の事案が約3/4を占め，うつ病エピソードの事案が3/4以上であり，死亡（自殺）の事案が3割を超えた．また，脳・心臓疾患の多くの事案で時間外労働時間は発症前3か月から80時間以上を超え，発症前2か月にかけて増加する傾向が見られた．精神障害事案において心理的負荷が生じた出来事のうち特別な出来事では「極度の長時間労働」や「恒常的な長時間労働」の割合が高く，具体的出来事では「対人関係」及び「役割・地位の変化等」の割合が生存よりも死亡事案で高くなっていた．SEs及びPGsにおいて若年齢層から中年齢層に対し適正な勤務時間管理の実施や業務内容の効率化を図り，長時間労働による負荷を軽減することが過労死等の防止対策に必要であることが示唆された．

The relationship between overwork and health-related issues among systems engineers (SEs) and programmers (PGs) has been recently gaining attention, as the working environment continues to change rapidly due to the information technology revolution. This study elucidated the actual conditions and characteristics of SEs and PGs who were approved for industrial accident compensation insurance for overwork-related disorders and shed light on how to prevent Karoshi and other Overwork-related Health Disorders. We analyzed 51 cases of cerebrovascular/cardiovascular diseases (CCVD) and 85 cases of mental disorders due to overwork between 2010 and 2015 in the information and communications technology industry. Among the participants studied, more than 90% of the CCVD cases involved people under the age of 50 years, and 90% of the death cases were caused due to heart diseases; in addition, it was observed that the onset of a disorder occurred after a period of three months wherein the number of overtime hours exceeded 80 hours. Among cases of mental disorders, the suicide rate exceeded 30%, about 75% were under the age of 50 years, and more than 75% experienced episodes of depression. In the events with psychological load, the ratio of long working hours was high. Particularly suicide cases that included interpersonal relationships and changes in roles and positions were higher than survival cases. From these findings, implementing appropriate work time management, improving work efficiency, and reducing workload due to long working hours for young and middle-aged employees might contribute to the prevention of overwork-related disorders.