• Journal of the Ergonomics Society of Korea
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• v.30 no.4
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• pp.541-550
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• 2011

Objective: The objective of this study is to present varying cases of ergonomic improvements in equipments for agricultural work. Background: In Korean agricultural sector, many older people and females, who may be more vulnerable to musculoskeletal diseases than young males, are doing high stressful tasks such as manual materials tasks, harvesting, etc. For reducing the work stress of the farmers, the Korean government has been performing support projects to provide the farmers with agricultural implements specified for their crops. In the projects, ergonomics experts have participated and helped modify the equipments. Method: Fifty cases of equipment improvements, which were carried out in 33 farming organizations cultivating 13 different crops, were reviewed and presented by equipments and their parts. Results: In total, 283 cases of improvements for 12 equipments including 4-wheel, 1-wheel, and 3-wheel powered carts, grass cutter, conveyer, pest control machine, and so on, were presented. The improvements were also classified according to the ergonomic principles like compatibility, ease of use, safety and fitting to the anthropometry, etc. Frequencies of improvements by equipment and its part were the highest in carts and controls, respectively. Principles of safety and ease of use were adopted more frequently in improving equipments than others. Conclusion: The tables of examples of improvements of agricultural implements are main results of this study and the systematical summaries are expected to be widely used in the development of more improved agricultural implements. Application: The results could be used as practical guidelines in ergonomically developing and modifying agricultural implements by both the experts and non-experts in ergonomics. The improvements would contribute to reduction of stress in farm work, which result in increasing the level of safety and health of Korean agricultural society.

• Journal of the Ergonomics Society of Korea
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• v.29 no.2
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• pp.225-239
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• 2010

A high prevalence of farmer's work-related musculo-skeletal disorders (MSDs) have been reported in precedent studies. Risk factors - physical, chemical, biological, ergonomic risk factor etc. - in farm-work were identified by previous studies. To prevent farmers from exposing to them and reduce, Agricultural Safety Technology were introduced and used on farm. The purpose of this study is to review and summarize the agricultural safety technology on farm in Korea. According to strategy principles, this technology is classified as four criteria - workload reduction by reducing awkward posture, workload reduction by using manual material handling aids, Comfort improvement by protecting worker from hot, cold environment and work efficiency improvement by workplace redesign and cultivation modification. This technology includes transporting tools, working cloth, personal protective equipment, and pesticide-proof Clothing. Anthropometric study of Korean farmers was also carried out to support the development of equipment and clothes. In long terms, it needs to precaution activity from risk factors by using cultivation modification and working improvement. Although working condition gets better and workload reduce by this technology, it required customized safety technology in each crops - rice cultivation, horticulture and livestock farming. And farmers should use the assistive technology and participate voluntarily in ergonomic intervention program.

• Proceedings of the Korean Society for Agricultural Machinery Conference
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• v.10 no.1
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• pp.240-244
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• 2005

• Journal of Agricultural Extension & Community Development
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• v.4 no.1
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• pp.269-281
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• 1997

This study intended to compare rural development programs between China and Thailand, focused on research and extension activities. In China, Agricultural Science Administration(ASC) took charges in agricultural research, and under the ASC there were 39 agricultural organizations throughout the country. There were distinctive differences as to condition of agricultural areas, under-developed area at middle and developing area by sea and river. To improve agricultural production in China, diffusion of new agricultural technology would be important along with supplying equipment such as soil test kits, plant nutrition analysis sets and vehcles for extension educators. In Thailand, under the Ministry of Agriculture & Cooperatives, there were five departments, seven divisions and eight national enterprises. Among them, Department of Agriculture was in charge of agricultural research while the Department of Agricultural Extension for extension services. Each department had sub-division and provincial organization including personnel management and budget. However, the relationships and consistency between the Department of Agriculture and the Department of Agricultural Extension needed to be improved for better cooperation of research and extension.

• Journal of Drive and Control
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• v.12 no.4
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• pp.105-111
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• 2015

• Proceedings of the Korean Society of Postharvest Science and Technology of Agricultural Products Conference
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• 2002.08a
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• pp.86-98
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• 2002

When the quality and cooking characteristics of wash free rice was compared with those of control milled rice during storage, smaller quality change during storage and more easy to cook was found in wash free rice than control. The wash free rice equipment manufactured in foreign country was carefully investigated and commercial wash free rice equipment with 1metric ton per hour capacity was made considering the characteristics of domestic rice cultivar. Modification of the equipment was made through the repeated field test, and the technique on wash free rice equipment was transferred to the RICETECH. These systems were manufactured in RICETECH will be exported to China next year.

• Journal of Environmental Health Sciences
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• v.43 no.6
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• pp.467-477
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• 2017

Objectives: Oxidative stress and DNA damage have been proposed as mechanisms linking pesticide exposure to health effects such as cancer and neurological diseases. We investigated whether protective measures could significantly reduce the levels of biomarkers for oxidative stress and DNA damage in agricultural workers. Methods: In the present study, the levels of malondialdehyde (MDA) and 8-hydroxy-2'-deoxyguanosine (8-OHdG), biomarkers related to oxidative stress and DNA damage, respectively, were analyzed in urine samples collected from agricultural workers in two provinces of Korea (n=60). The influence of wearing personal protective equipment (PPE) and performing protective behaviors on the levels of these two biomarkers was also evaluated. Results: The median urinary levels of MDA and 8-OHdG were 10.45 nmol/mg creatinine and 14.42 ng/mg creatinine in subjects living in region A, while they were 6.25 nmol/mg creatinine and 24.77 ng/mg creatinine in subjects living in region B, respectively. The levels of MDA and 8-OHdG were higher in male farmers. Farmers wearing greater numbers of PPE and performing more protective behaviors had significantly lower levels of MDA. Greater numbers of protective behaviors was significantly associated with lower levels of 8-OHdG. Conclusion: The results of the present study indicate that pesticide exposure could induce oxidative stress and DNA damage in agricultural workers, and that protective measures are important for mitigating pesticide exposure.

• Journal of the Ergonomics Society of Korea
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• v.35 no.4
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• pp.205-223
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• 2016

Objective:This study introduced the status of studies and the projects related with agricultural accident prevention carried out by the Rural Development Administration. This study was conducted to promote Korean farmers' agricultural safety activation by analyzing study trends on farmers' agricultural work safety. Background: Agriculture is one of the dangerous industries, and the agricultural accident rate is on the rise, due to recent serious aging and increased female work force. Such a phenomenon emerges as a serious problem from the social perspective, and therefore measures for farmers' healthy and safe agricultural activities and accident prevention are required. Method: This study conducted literature review related with domestic and international agricultural safety and health. This study also examined the hazard factors of agricultural labor and injuries, agricultural safety and health system and policy, support and education for farmers' safety practice, and the status of convenience tools and protection equipment, based on major study activities performed by the Rural Development Administration for recent four to five years. Results: Through the study results, the status of Korea's agricultural safety system, compensation support policy, safety education of farmers for actual practice, and diverse channels including media were confirmed. This study also presented the R&D implementation status on convenience equipment and protective gear to prevent agricultural diseases and safety accidents. Conclusion: This study found out that continuous monitoring and efforts are required to prevent accidents for the Korea's agricultural labor environment and agricultural safety, and that social bond of sympathy formation is demanded through effect analysis on the implemented projects including education and support projects. Furthermore, it can be understood that agricultural accident prevention should be carried out through shift from current government-led top down approach to bottom-up approach from itself. Application: The results of this study can be utilized as useful data for farmers' safety and health.

• Proceedings of the Korean Society of Agricultural Engineers Conference
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• 2002.10a
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• pp.253-256
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• 2002

A hydrologic gauging network include a real-time measuring equipment was established within the Balhan watershed. Rainfall, stream water level, flow velocities were monitored at the six gauging stations. For stream flow gauging stations, the stage-discharge relationships were developed. The flow rate of the Balan watershed was 83.60% in 2001 and 48.79% in 2002.

• Proceedings of the Korean Society for Agricultural Machinery Conference
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• 1996.06c
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• pp.393-403
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• 1996

The tractors and field crop machinery used in North American are produced by a mature industry. Recent technological innovations in include machinery for spatially -variable crop production , electronics for machine control and tractor-implement communications, low-emission and alternative fuel engines , flexible power transmission, and larger and more sophisticated equipment . Trends and issues are discussed.