Historical Background
	The construction and loading machines manufacturing industry has achieved
remarkable economic development and technological innovation in recent years, and this industry is now supporting in large measure Japanese manufacturing industry.
	In 1977, its production reached 870 billion yen and the machines population
exceeded 700,000 units.
	However the remarkable economical developments and technological innovations
brought about very regrettable problems such as industrial accidents caused by the machines. For the prevention of industrial accidents, the following measures were required.
	(1)To improve the qualifications of these machines in the manufacturing phase.
	(2)To conduct appropriate maintenance by service shops.
	(3)To conduct periodical inspections by users.
	Thus in July1977, the Special Inspection System was newly introduced in the
Industrial Safety and Health Law.
Note: Special Inspection:
	The owner of the machines specified in the Industrial Safety and Health Law, Ministry of Labour, is
obliged to conduct, once a year, a Special Inspection.
	A Special Inspection can be conducted by two types of inspectors.
	One is a hired inspector employed by the machines owner having the qualifications specified the
above-mentioned law.
	The other is a registered inspector authorized to carry out inspections on a business basis in
response to the requests of the clients.
	In 1998, production reached 1,195 billion yen (forklift ; 196 billion yen, construction machinery ;
999 billion yen) and the estimated machine population exceeded 1.95 million units.(forklift ; 850,000 units,construction machinery ; 1.1 million units.)
	For the efficient and fair execution of the Special Inspection System and sound
development and modernization of the maintenance industry , the Safety Association of Construction and Loading Vehicles (SACL), composed of manufacturers, users, and service shops of construction and loading machines, was established on December 20, 1978, as a voluntary association under the guidance of the Ministry of Labour and the Ministry of International Trade and lndustry.
	In March 1979, SACL was legally incorporated as a non-profit organization under
the supervision of the two ministries and has been conducting a variety of activities as an authorized association.
Note: Modernization:
	The maintenance industry is supported mostly by small size and medium-size enterprises.
	The Ministry of International Trade and Industry and the Ministry of Construction are now
jointly developing a plan to improve the modernization of the maintenance industry under the Small and medium Enterprise Modernization Promotion Law.
	Modernization is expected to enable the maintenance industry to run its business more
effectively and to create more jobs.
Note: Maintenance Industry:
	The maintenance industry consists of enterprises doing the business such as inspection,
maintenance, repair, rebuilding and other related services for construction and loading machines.