• Journal of Korean Society of Occupational and Environmental Hygiene
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• 제19권3호
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• pp.182-194
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• 2009

This study was conducted to evaluate health status and to propose health protection measures of irregular plant construction workers in Yoesu National Industrial Complex (YNIC). The status of safety and health management was examined in five areas including safety and health education, work environment monitoring, health examination, health management record, and personal protective equipment (PPE) for plant construction workers. The safety training rate for plant construction workers was reached high at 91%, The training was mostly consisted of safety accident related things, but training on hazardous materials was found to be insufficient. Workplace monitoring results showed that the compliance rate for work environment for irregular construction workers was 54% and workplace monitoring during turnaround (TA) period with high risk of exposure to hazardous agents has not been implemented. While 61.4% of irregular workers received the general health examination but only 36.8% received the special health examination. The special health examination was found to be conducted only upon welders from 2-3 years ago. The issue of health management record upon irregular construction workers was not being implemented. In case of PPE, basic safety protective equipments such as safety shoes, safety belt, safety helmet were being supplied well while the supply rate of respirator for organic vapor was relatively low at 40%. Based on this study, two suggestions to maximize the utilization of the current safety and health program were made while boosting its effectiveness in protecting workers' health. First, the role of owners (petrochemical plant) related to safety and health should be strengthened. Second, in consideration of the characteristics of construction workers who usually engage in short term employment and frequent movement, community based health management organization is suggested that can overcome such structural problem and carry out the implementation of health examination and sustained health management.

• Safety and Health at Work
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• 제7권4호
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• pp.268-283
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• 2016

Among men, depression is often unrecognised and untreated. Men employed in male-dominated industries and occupations may be particularly vulnerable. However, efforts to develop tailored workplace interventions are hampered by lack of prevalence data. A systematic review of studies reporting prevalence rates for depression in male dominated workforce groups was undertaken. Studies were included if they were published between 1990 - June 2012 in English, examined adult workers in male-dominated industries or occupations (> 70% male workforce), and used clinically relevant indicators of depression. Twenty studies met these criteria. Prevalence of depression ranged from 0.0% to 28.0%. Five studies reported significantly lower prevalence rates for mental disorders among male-dominated workforce groups than comparison populations, while six reported significantly higher rates. Eight studies additionally found significantly higher levels of depression in male-dominated groups than comparable national data. Overall, the majority of studies found higher levels of depression among workers in male-dominated workforce groups. There is a need to address the mental health of workers in male-dominated groups. The workplace provides an important but often overlooked setting to develop tailored strategies for vulnerable groups.

• Safety and Health at Work
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• 제14권4호
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• pp.358-367
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• 2023

Background: This study aimed to develop and assess the psychometric features of the Physical Activity at Workplace Questionnaire (PAWPQ) based on the Social Cognitive Theory (SCT) to evaluate employees' physical activity (PA) behaviors at the workplace. Methods: This psychometric cross-sectional study was conducted on 455 employees working in one of the gas refineries in Iran. The participants were selected using the proportional stratified sampling method in 2019. The data collection tools were a demographic information questionnaire, the short form of the International Physical Activity Questionnaire (IPAQ), and a questionnaire developed based on the SCT, whose psychometric features were confirmed in terms of validity and reliability. Data were analyzed using SPSS₂₂ and AMOS₂₀ software. Results: The first version of PAWPQ-SCT had 74 items. After evaluating content and face validity, nine items were removed. The results of the content validity index (0.98), content validity ratio (0.86), and impact score (3.62) were acceptable for the whole instrument. In exploratory factor analysis, after removing seven items-58-item final version of the scale-six factors could explain 73.54% of the total variance. The results of structural equation modeling showed the acceptable fit of the model into the data (RMSEA = 0.052, CFI = 0.917, NFI = 0.878, TLI = 0.905, IFI = 0.917, CMIN/DF = 2.818). Cronbach's alpha coefficient and Intraclass Correlation were 0.90 and 0.86, respectively. Conclusion: This study confirmed that the psychometric features of the 58-item final version of PAWPQSCT constructs were acceptable in a sample of Iranian employees. This questionnaire can be used as a valid and reliable tool to evaluate Iranian employees' PA behaviors and develop effective educational interventions for workers and managers.

• Journal of Korean Society of Occupational and Environmental Hygiene
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• 제30권4호
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• pp.364-375
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• 2020

Objectives: The purpose of this study is to suggest a direction for consumer-oriented curriculum development by analyzing the priorities of subjects and their preference for educational methods. Methods: The participants included 773 management supervisors and education practitioners in the workplace, and a survey was conducted from April 17 to August 30, 2019. Frequency analysis, t-test, Borich's Needs Analysis, and Locus for Focus Model analysis were performed using Microsoft Excel 2019 and IBM SPSS 21.0. Results: The highest perceived priorities for education subjects were as follows: ① 'CPR and First Aid Practice' and 'Occupational Disaster Prevention and First Aid Basics' in the manufacturing industry; and ② 'Emotional Labor and Job Stress Prevention', 'Occupational Disaster Prevention and First Aid basics, and 'Musculoskeletal Disorder Prevention' in the service industry. 'Collective education' was the most preferred method of education. 'School-type' was preferred for the seating arrangement, and the proper number of trainees was considered to be about 30. Respondents said the contents of the education was a top priority when they applied for education, and curriculum and appropriate textbooks should be considered in calculating the cost of education. Conclusions: Practical subjects and subjects related to major hazards by industry were required for management supervisor education. It was proposed in this study that the contents and operating methods of education be changed so that workers can easily comprehend essential subjects such as the Occupational Safety and Health Act. In conclusion, it is necessary to design the curriculum and apply educational methods suitable for each subject's characteristics in consideration of the priorities for subjects reflected in the needs of trainees.

• Safety and Health at Work
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• 제4권2호
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• pp.77-83
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• 2013

There is still a considerable burden of occupational diseases and injuries in the world. It is not well known which interventions can effectively reduce the exposures at work that cause this burden. The objective of this article is to summarize evidence from systematic reviews of interventions to prevent occupational diseases and injuries. We included systematic reviews of interventions to reduce the incidence of work-related cancer, dust-related diseases, occupational asthma, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, noise induced hearing loss, back pain, and occupational injuries. We searched Medline and Embase with predefined search strategies to locate systematic reviews of these interventions. We found 23 systematic reviews of which the results are also applicable to low- and middle income countries. Effective measures to reduce exposure leading to work-related cancer, dust-related diseases, asthma, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, noise, and injuries are available. However, better implementation of these measures is needed. Regulation, enforcement of regulation, and incentives for employers are effective interventions to achieve this goal. There is evidence that feedback and rewards for workers help in reducing occupational injuries. There is no evidence in many studies that back pain can be prevented. Personal protective equipment technically has the potential to reduce exposure but this is difficult to put into effect. There is no evidence in the studies regarding the effectiveness of education and training, preventive drugs, or health examinations. There is evidence that the implementation of technical measures enforced by regulation can prevent occupational diseases and injuries. For other interventions such as education or health examinations, there is no evidence that supports their effectiveness. More systematic reviews are needed in the area of injury prevention.

• Research in Community and Public Health Nursing
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• 제14권1호
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• pp.83-94
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• 2003

The purpose of this study is to analysis the awareness and opinion of occupational health managers on the deregulation of occupational safety and health. The data were collected by using constructed questionnaires from December 1 to December 20, 2000. The subjects for this study were 107 respondents. The results were as follows ; 1. The highest awareness score was voluntary employment for occupational health doctor. High awareness score was exemption from obligatory education for occupational health manager, and expansion cover range of group occupational health agencies. 2. Most of the occupational health managers had a negative opinion on the deregulation of occupational safety and health. In particular, one of the most negative opinions was no restrictions on occupational health managers holding other jobs. 3. The correlation between awareness and opinion on the deregulation of occupational safety and health was negative, showing that the negative opinion on the deregulation of occupational safety and health tended to increases as awareness increases.

• Safety and Health at Work
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• 제2권2호
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• pp.105-121
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• 2011

Objectives: This paper presents the framework and protocol design for a construction industry risk management toolbox. The construction industry needs a comprehensive, systematic approach to assess and control occupational risks. These risks span several professional health and safety disciplines, emphasized by multiple international occupational research agenda projects including: falls, electrocution, noise, silica, welding fumes, and musculoskeletal disorders. Yet, the International Social Security Association says, "whereas progress has been made in safety and health, the construction industry is still a high risk sector." Methods: Small- and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) employ about 80% of the world's construction workers. In recent years a strategy for qualitative occupational risk management, known as Control Banding (CB) has gained international attention as a simplified approach for reducing work-related risks. CB groups hazards into stratified risk 'bands', identifying commensurate controls to reduce the level of risk and promote worker health and safety. We review these qualitative solutions-based approaches and identify strengths and weaknesses toward designing a simplified CB 'toolbox' approach for use by SMEs in construction trades. Results: This toolbox design proposal includes international input on multidisciplinary approaches for performing a qualitative risk assessment determining a risk 'band' for a given project. Risk bands are used to identify the appropriate level of training to oversee construction work, leading to commensurate and appropriate control methods to perform the work safely. Conclusion: The Construction Toolbox presents a review-generated format to harness multiple solutions-based national programs and publications for controlling construction-related risks with simplified approaches across the occupational safety, health and hygiene professions.

• Journal of Korean Public Health Nursing
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• 제36권3호
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• pp.347-360
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• 2022

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to identify the risk perception, safety climate and preventive behaviors of COVID-19 infections, and to verify the factors influencing the adoption of preventive behaviors by health care workers. Methods: A mixed-method approach was used based on a survey carried out in a general hospital. Quantitative data (N=181) were collected through a questionnaire and analyzed using multiple regression. Qualitative data (N=8) were collected through individual interviews and analyzed through Colaizzi's phenomological research method. Results: The factors influencing adoption of preventive behaviors by health care workers were safety climate (β=.41, p<.001), education (β=-.20, p=.025), work unit (β=-.16, p=.032), and risk perception (β=.15, p=.020). The explanatory power was 28.3%, and they have shown that these health care workers felt 'the threat of a pandemic like a battlefield', experienced 'struggle with quarantine rules' and realized 'the reality of infection control and the reorganization for change'. Conclusion: The findings of this study indicate that to increase the adoption of infection control preventive behaviors by health care workers when faced with new infectious diseases in the future, it is necessary to establish organizational support and a safe climate. This study confirms the need for preemptive support and education.

• Journal of Korean Academy of Nursing
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• 제48권6호
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• pp.720-730
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• 2018

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to investigate patient safety teaching competency of nursing faculty and the extent of teaching patient safety topics in the nursing curriculum. Methods: A national survey was conducted with full-time nursing faculty in 4-year nursing schools. Regional quota sampling method was used. An online survey was sent to 1,028 nursing faculty and 207 of them were completed. Among the 207, we analyzed data from 184 participants. The revised Health Professional Education in Patient Safety Survey was used. Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics, independent t-test, one-way ANOVA, Pearson's correlation analysis, and multiple linear regression analyses. Results: The faculty's self-confidence was lower than their perceived importance of patient safety education. The mean score of teaching patient safety was $3.52{\pm}0.67$ out of 5, and the contents were mostly delivered through lectures. The extent of faculty's teaching varied depending on faculty's clinical career, teaching subjects, participation in practicum courses, and previous experience of patient safety education. The significant predictors of the extent of teaching patient safety were the faculty's self-confidence in teaching patient safety (${\beta}=.39$) during clinical practicum, their perceived importance of patient safety education during lectures (${\beta}=.23$), and the teaching subject (${\beta}=.15$). Conclusion: To enhance the competency of nursing faculty for effective patient safety education, a patient safety education program tailored to faculty characteristics should be developed and continuously provided for faculty. In addition, it is necessary to improve patient safety curriculum, strengthen clinical and school linkages, and utilize various education methods in patient safety education.

• Journal of the Korea Safety Management & Science
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• 제11권4호
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• pp.15-24
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• 2009

The object of this study is to understand the psychological factor of the worker on safety and recommend the experimental factor of safety education program. The following are the methods of this study. We analyzed the statistical data from survey to workers(N=139) about the psychological factor on safety. The survey consisted of 34 questions about 4 factors like private external characteristic, psychological characteristic, characteristics on behavior, and experience and reason of disaster. As the result of the analysis of the multi regression model on the base of correlation of each of the major factors, psychological health, effort on practicing, and satisfaction on their life were the variables with high influence on the safety mind of workers. So, it is good safety strategy for effective working to maintain healthy life with optimistic minds, and try to practice actively as usual. After considering the result, for the development of safety education program for working, we have to consider psychological factors of our workers that influence their safety and try to improve the experimental education opportunity, and it will be effective.