Browse > Article

Comprehensive Review of Standard Occupational Classification (SOC) as used in the Occupational Safety and Health Field  

Park, Donguk (Korea National Open University)
Choi, Sangjun (Catholic University Daegu)
Byun, Hyaejeong (Seoul National University)
Kim, Yangho (University of Ulsan)
Kim, Soogeon (Sungkyunkwan University)
Ha, Kwonchul (Changwon University)
Kang, Taesun (Seoul National University)
Publication Information
Journal of Korean Society of Occupational and Environmental Hygiene / v.23, no.1, 2013 , pp. 11-19 More about this Journal
Abstract
Backgrounds: Occupations are grouped on the basis of similarity in tasks and duties performed. Standard occupational classification (SOC) is a tool for organizing all professions into a clearly defined set of groups according to the tasks and duties undertaken in the respective jobs. Objectives: The major objective of this study is to comprehensively review how a SOC system is used in occupational and safety fields such as surveillance, exposure monitoring, occupational epidemiological study, management of carcinogens and analysis of occupational accidents. Methods: We summarized the cases, policies and regulations used in SOC systems in advanced countries and as they appear in articles Results: We found that SOC systems have been widely used in various areas of occupational safety and health in the US, the UK, Finland, and the EU. In general, it is highly common to use SOC in the analysis of occupational accidents and diseases and to identify factors causing those accidents. The SOC system is also used not only for surveillance of exposure to hazardous agents and occupational health, but to manage carcinogens. In order to adjust the effects of a particular job, SOC is used in the general population health area. The Ministry of Employment and Labor (MOEL) has never used or introduced an SOC system. There have been no cases of the application of a SOC system to either the occupational safety and health field or to health surveillance for the general population in Korea. Conclusions: We suggested a need to introduce an SOC system in several occupational safety and health activities, such as work environment measurement, analysis of occupational accidents, specific physical examination and surveillance systems, etc.
Keywords
standard occupational classification (SOC); surveillance system; occupational accidents;
Citations & Related Records
Times Cited By KSCI : 1  (Citation Analysis)
연도 인용수 순위
1 Murray LR. Sick and tired of being sick and tired: scientific evidence, methods, and research implications for racial and ethnic disparities in occupational health. Am J of Pub Health 2003;93(2):221-226.   DOI
2 NIOSH. Worker health chart book, 2004, Department of Health and Humane Services, Centers for Disease Control, National Institute for Occupational Health, Cincinnati, OH, DHHS (NIOSH) Publication No. 2004-146, 2004
3 Nurminen M, Karjalainen A. Epidemiologic estimate of the proportion of fatalities related to occupational factors in Finland. Scan j of work, environ & health 2001;27(3):161-213.   DOI   ScienceOn
4 Pukkala E, Guo J, Kyyronen P, Lindbohm ML, Sallmen M, Kauppinen T. National job-exposure matrix in analyses of census-based estimates of occupational cancer risk. Scandinavian journal of work, environment & health 2005;31:97-107.   DOI   ScienceOn
5 Pukkala E, Martinsen JI, Lynge E, Gunnarsdottir HK, Sparen P, Tryggvadottir L, Weiderpass E, Kjaerheim K. Occupation and cancer - follow-up of 15 million people in five Nordic countries. Acta Onco (Stockholm, Sweden) 2009;48(5):646-790.   DOI   ScienceOn
6 Rake C, Gilham C, Hatch J, Darnton A, Hodgson J, Peto J. Occupational, domestic and environmental mesothe lioma risks in the British population: a case-control study. Bri j of cancer 2009;100(7):1175-1183.   DOI   ScienceOn
7 Reulen RC, Kellen E, Buntinx F, Brinkman M, Zeegers MP. A meta-analysis on the association between bladder cancer and occupation. Scan j of uro and nephr. Suppleme tum 2008;(218):64-78.
8 Siemiatycki J, Richardson L, Straif K, Latreille B, Lakhani R, Campbell S, Rousseau MC, Boffetta P. Listing occupational carcinogens. Environ health per 2004;112(5):1447-1459.   DOI   ScienceOn
9 Takkouche B, Regueira-Mendez C, Montes-Martinez A. Risk of cancer among hairdressers and related workers: a meta-analysis. Int J of epi 2009;38(6):1512-1531.   DOI   ScienceOn
10 Whorton MD, Schulman J, Larson SR, Stubbs HA, Austin D. Feasibility of Identifying High-Risk Occupations Through Tumor Registries. Journal of Occupational Medicine 1983;25:657-660.   DOI
11 Boiano JM, Hull RD. Development of a National Occupational Exposure Survey and Database Associated with NIOSH Hazard Surveillance Initiatives. App Occup and Environ Hyg 2001;16(2):128-134.   DOI   ScienceOn
12 BLS (Bureau of Statistics Labor, Case and Demographic Characteristics for Work-related Injuries and Illnesses Involving Days Away From Work, Resource Table Categories - Calendar Year 2008 Survey Results [Accessed 2013 Mar 5]. Available from: URL: http://-www.bls.gov/iif/oshcdnew2008.htm#08b
13 Cherry NM, Meyer JD, Holt DL, Chen Y, McDonald JC. Surveillance of Work-Related Diseases by Occupational Physicians in the UK: OPRA 1996-1999. Occup Med 2000;50(7):496-503.   DOI   ScienceOn
14 Consonni D, De Matteis S, Lubin JH, Wacholder S, Tucker M, Pesatori AC, Caporaso NE, Bertazzi PA, Landi MT. Lung cancer and occupation in a population-based case-control study. Am J of Epi 2010;171(3):323-333.   DOI   ScienceOn
15 Curnen MG, Thompson WD, Heston JS, Flannery JT: Cancer prevention: The Tumor Registry connection. Cancer Detection and Prevention 1984;7:191-199.
16 EUROSTAT, Accidents at work (ESAW) - 2008 onwards, [Accessed 2013 Mar 5]. Available from URL; http://-epp.eurostat.ec.europa.eu/cache/ITY_SDDS/EN/hsw_acc_work_esms.htm)
17 Kang SK, Gi YK, Ahn YS, Kim HO, Ha MN and Kwon HJ et al. Perspective and Status of National Scale of Surveillance System. Korean J Occup Environ Med, 2001;13(2):116-126
18 Leem JH, Jang SS, Kim SA, Moon JD, Chai CH and Hong YC et al. Status of Surveillance System for Occupational Disease in Korea. Korean J Occup Environ Med, 2001;13(2):101-115
19 Feldman JP, Gerber LM. Sentinel Health Events (Occupational): analysis of death certificates among residents of Nassau County, NY between 1980-82 for occupationally related causes of death. Am J of Pub Health 1990;80(2):158-161.   DOI
20 Guo J, Kauppinen T, Kyyronen P, Heikkila P, Lindbohm ML, Pukkala E. Risk of esophageal, ovarian, testicular, kidney and bladder cancers and leukemia among finnish workers exposed to diesel or gasoline engine exhaust. International Journal of Cancer 2004a;111:286-292.   DOI   ScienceOn
21 Guo J, Kauppinen T, Kyyrönen P, Lindbohm ML, Heikkilä P, Pukkala E. Occupational exposure to diesel and gasoline engine exhausts and risk of lung cancer among Finnish workers. American journal of industrial medicine 2004b;45:483-490.   DOI   ScienceOn
22 Jacintoa, C. and Aspinwall, E: A survey on occupationalaccidents' reporting and registrationsystems in the European Union, Safety Science, 42, 2004, 933-960.   DOI   ScienceOn
23 Guo J, Pukkala E, Kyyronen P, Lindbohm ML, Heikkilä P, Kauppinen T. Testicular cancer, occupation and exposure to chemical agents among Finnish men in 1971-1995. Cancer causes & control 2005;16(2):97-103.   DOI
24 HSE (Health and Safety Executive). The burden of occupational cancer in Great Britain : Research Report 880. [Accessed 2013 Mar 5]. Available from URL; http://www.hse.gov.uk/research/rrhtm/rr595.htm
25 HSE (Health and Safety Executive). A guide to the Reporting of Injuries, Diseases and Dangerous Occurrences Regulations 1995. 4th ed. 2012.
26 Ji J, Granstrom C, Hemminki K. Occupation and bladder cancer: a cohort study in Sweden. Bri j of cancer 2005;92(7):1276-78.   DOI   ScienceOn
27 Kaminski R, Brockert J, Sestito J, Frazier T. Occupational information on death certificates: a survey of state practices. Ame J of Pub Health 1981;71(5):525-526.   DOI   ScienceOn
28 Kauppinen T, Saalo A, Pukkala E, Virtanen S, Karjalainen A, Vuorela R. Evaluation of a national register on occupational exposure to carcinogens: effectiveness in the prevention of occupational cancer, and cancer risks among the exposed workers. The An of Occup Hyg 2007;51(5):463-470.   DOI   ScienceOn
29 Leem JH, Kim HC, Ryu JS, Won JW et al. Occupational Lung Cancer Surveillance in South Korea, 2006-2009, Safety Health Work 2010;1:134-139   DOI   ScienceOn
30 Melius JM, Sestito JP, Seligman PJ. Occupational disease surveillance with existing data sources. Am J of Pub Health 1989;79(Suppl):46.   DOI
31 Muldoon J, Wintermeyer L, Eure J, Fuortes L, Merchant J, Van Lier S, Rake C, Gilham C, Hatch J, Darnton A, Hodgson J, Peto J. Occupational, domestic and environmental mesothelioma risks in the British population: a case-control study. Bri j of cancer 2009;100(7):1175-1183.   DOI   ScienceOn