Worker Dies Of Heart Attack, This Fast Food Outlet Changes Shift Work Rules

Illustation of Sukiya outlet in Nagoya. (Wikimedia Commons/pi 3%)

JAKARTA - A female worker from Japan's leading fast food outlet Sukiya Co. fainted earlier this year while working alone in one of its outlets and she was confirmed to have died later after suffering a heart attack, a company official said.

The woman in her 50s worked the morning shift in January at a Nagoya outlet, with her situation unknown until her colleague arrived around 9 a.m., the official said, adding she was taken to hospital but later pronounced dead.

The fast-food outlet known as the beef bowl 'gyudon', said a one-staff system had been implemented for the morning shift between 5 am and 9 am in some shops.

Now, the restaurant has decided to end the system this month, with all shifts to be staffed by two or more people at its nearly 2,000 outlets across the country.

Following the incident, Sukiya said in a statement, that it would make further efforts to improve the working environment for its employees, while a number of industries in Japan face chronic labor shortages, partly due to the country's aging population.

Sukiya said that other shifts, such as late-night 12 pm to 5 am, have several people on staff for safety and other reasons.

In addition, employees are provided with a wireless emergency button to use in the event of a crime or accident. However, the female worker did not have it when she passed out, the company added.