In spite of all our differences, the one thing that binds all living creatures is that we each have an expiration date. This finality to our existence is what makes life special, something to be cherished and protected. But occasionally things can go terribly wrong…
One of Toyota’s top car engineers literally worked himself to death. A Japanese labor office determined the 45-year-old Tokyo man died from working too many hours. The ruling will allow the man’s family to collect benefits from his work insurance.
His widow’s lawyer said the man had been under significant pressure as lead engineer to develop a hybrid version of the Toyota Camry. In the months leading to his death, the engineer averaged more than 80 hours overtime per month. Though if you think about it, doesn’t that work out to just about 60 hours work per week? That’s alot, but certainly not a fatal level.
Japan has been struggling to reduce deaths from overwork, known as “karoshi.” These deaths have increased steadily since the Japanese Health Ministry recognized the phenomenon in 1987. In 2006, 147 Japanese died from overwork, most from strokes or heart attacks.
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