Accident leaves seven yard workers injured at Japan's Imabari Shipbuilding

Seven people suffered injuries as a result of an accident at a shipyard in Japan's Ehime prefecture on Saturday, July 12.

The incident occurred just after 11:00 local time on Saturday when a heavy object fell off one of the cranes at the facilities of Imabari Shipbuilding.

The impact of the fall left three shipyard workers with what local authorities have described as serious arm and hip fractures while three other people suffered less severe injuries.

Officials have assured that the seven injured workers are all conscious and responsive and are being treated in hospital.

Saturday's mishap is the latest setback to befall Imabari Shipbuilding. Earlier this year, the company was given a five-year ban preventing it from recruiting and training workers from overseas.

The ban was imposed after an investigation by the Japan Immigration Services Agency revealed numerous health and safety violations at the company's Imabari City facilities.

The more than 2,000 foreign nationals who were undergoing training at Imabari Shipbuilding at the time were transferred to other companies in line with the ban.