• Safety and Health at Work
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• v.8 no.4
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• pp.393-397
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• 2017

Background: It has been suggested that engaging technology can empower individuals to be more proactive about their health and reduce their health risks. The aim of the present intervention was to study the effects of technology-aided testing and feedback on physical activity and biological age of employees in a middle-sized enterprise. Methods: In all, 121 employees (mean age $42{\pm}10$ years) participated in the 12-month three-arm cluster randomized trial. The fitness measurement process (Body Age) determined the participants' biological age in years. Physical activity was measured with the International Physical Activity Questionnaire Short Form. Results: Physical activity did not change during the intervention. Biological age (better fitness) improved in all groups statistically significantly (p < 0.001), but with no interaction effects. The mean changes (years) in the groups were -2.20 for the controls, e2.83 for the group receiving their biological age and feedback, and -2.31 for the group receiving their biological age, feedback, and a training computer. Conclusion: Technology-aided testing with feedback does not seem to change the amount of physical activity but may enhance physical fitness measured by biological age.

• Toxicological Research
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• v.32 no.4
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• pp.337-343
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• 2016

We determined the toxicity of mixtures of ethyl acetate (EA), isopropyl alcohol (IPA), methyl ethyl ketone (MEK), toluene (TOL) and xylene (XYL) with half-maximal effective concentration ($EC_{50}$) values obtained using human hepatocytes cells. According to these data, quantitative property-activity relationships (QPAR) models were successfully proposed to predict the toxicity of mixtures by multiple linear regressions (MLR). The leave-one-out cross validation method was used to find the best subsets of descriptors in the learning methods. Significant differences in physico-chemical properties such as boiling point (BP), specific gravity (SG), Reid vapor pressure (rVP) and flash point (FP) were observed between the single substances and the mixtures. The $EC_{50}$ of the mixture of EA and IPA was significantly lower than that of contained TOL and XYL. The mixture toxicity was related to the mixing ratio of MEK, TOL and XYL (MLR equation $EC_{50}=3.3081-2.5018{\times}TOL-3.2595{\times}XYL-12.6596{\times}MEK{\times}XYL$), as well as to BP, SG, VP and FP (MLR equation $EC_{50}=1.3424+6.2250{\times}FP-7.1198{\times}SG{\times}FP-0.03013{\times}rVP{\times}FP$). These results suggest that QPAR-based models could accurately predict the toxicity of polar and nonpolar mixtures used in rotogravure printing industries.

• Journal of the Korea Safety Management & Science
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• v.26 no.3
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• pp.19-27
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• 2024

This study analyzes the impact of occupational health risk assessments on the safety and health levels and the safety behaviors of workers in manufacturing workplaces. An online survey was conducted among 3,172 companies, yielding 637 responses. The statistical analysis on the collected responses revealed three key findings. First, the safety and health levels (safety importance, safety comprehension, safety awareness) positively influence the outcomes of occupational health risk assessments(safety practice, safety management, safety improvement) and safety behaviors (activity change, safety check). Second, the effectiveness of occupational health risk assessments has a positive impact on safety behaviors. Lastly, the effectiveness of occupational health risk assessments partially mediate the relationship between safety and health levels and safety behaviors. These findings are expected to contribute to the promotion of risk assessments in the field of industrial health and to enhancing safety performance by improving workplace safety, health levels, and safety behavior.

• Journal of Korean Society for Quality Management
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• v.29 no.1
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• pp.184-190
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• 2001

Industrial structure is more developed, the economical value of human resources and the cases which risks worker's Health & Safety is expended. The Safety & Health issues are focused on elements of control for management activity simultaneously with work environment as well as the risk elements which risks worker's life and body. The activity for combination of basic management System and Safety & Health management is progressing with active discussion in ILO, BS 8800 is specified the guidance of Occupational Safety & Health Management System in UK. 1996. This research refers to BS 8800:1996, specification as a basic model, and introduce of the result of certification development result in Occupational Safety & Health management System with in ISO 14001 Environmental System Standards & ISO 9001 Quality Management System Standards and Systemic Factors. Through this applicability and efficiency evaluation, we make an effort to support and to improve the specification. Also applicability evaluation of Occupational Safety & Health management System and the specification developed for the purpose of the third party certification is applied with expending in industry, and the method is presented through the case which is required to support for method review and activities.

• Safety and Health at Work
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• v.10 no.4
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• pp.527-530
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• 2019

The increasing prevalence of inactivity and obesity, along with aging, has implications on work capacity of labor force. This study reports the relationships between activity level and BMI by age with objectively measured physical workload. Data were examined from a sample of 19 481 Finnish employees using an estimate of minute-to-minute oxygen consumption based on R-R interval recordings. The mean estimated %VO₂max during the working day was 12.1 (±3.6) and 15.1 (±4.5)% for men and women, respectively. Based on a linear model, the mean %VO₂max increased by 1.5%-unit per 10-year increase in age, by 2.1%-unit per 5 kg/㎡ increase in BMI, and decreased by 1.6%-unit if improving physical activity class by two (p < 0.001 for all). Overweight and obesity, together with inactivity, notably increases workload throughout the career, even though at young adulthood, the daily workload is almost the same for each person regardless of the BMI, activity level, or gender. This study highlights the importance of regular physical activity and normal weight in protecting the worker from excessive physical (cardiovascular) workload during the whole working career.

• Safety and Health at Work
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• v.14 no.4
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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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• v.4 no.2
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• pp.240-247
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• 1994

To identify normal levels of ethanol, acetaldehyde and alcohol dehydrogenase(ADH) activity in blood of Koreans, ethanol and acetaldehyde levels, activity of ADH in blood of Koreans, ethanol and acetaldehyde levels, activity of ADH in blood were measured in 97 subjects(male : 36, female : 61), 45 subjects(male : 21, female : 24) were not exposed to organic solvents and any other chemicals. Fifty two subjects(male : 15, female : 37) were exposed to organic solvents including toluene and xylene. The results were summerized as follows : 1. The blood ADH was not detected in exposed and non-exposed group. 2. The average blood ethanol level of non-exposed group was 0.0490 mg/dl, and exposed group was 0.0363 mg/dl. They were statistically significant(p<0.05). 3. The blood acetaldehyde levels in exposed group were significantly higher than that of non-exposed group was not statistically significant (p>0.05). 4. The average blood ethanol level of males in both groups was significantly higher than that of females, however, they were not statistically significant (p>0.05).

• Korean Journal of Occupational Health Nursing
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• v.26 no.1
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• pp.1-9
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• 2017

Purpose: This study was conducted to evaluate the validity of the 'Enterprise Health Promotion Index', a tool for assessing health promotion activities of worksite developed by the Ministry of Employment and Labor and the Korea Occupational Safety and Health Agency. Methods: This is designed a methodological study that evaluates the validity of the Enterprise Health Promotion Index. For this study, a questionnaire survey was conducted for the workplace health professional and safety professional, and a total of 297 data were extracted as final data. We developed the informal health promotion needs and activity measurement tools. The correlation coefficient between the score of the enterprise health promotion index and the score of the informal health promotion tool was analyzed for the criterion validity evaluation. Results: The criterion validity of the Enterprise Health Promotion Index and activity index were supported by finding moderate (r=.597) and high (r=.783) correlation coefficient. However, the requirement index has low levels of criterion validity (r=.364). Conclusion: Based on these results, we suggest to improve the utility of the corporate health promotion index by developing user manual, active public relations, and providing briefing sessions.

• Journal of the Ergonomics Society of Korea
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• v.31 no.1
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• pp.203-209
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• 2012

Objective: The aim of this paper is to introduce the roles of H&S(Health and Safety) department and its future directions in the shipbuilding industry. Background: It is necessary to improve the level and quality of Safety & Health department. Method: Various documents and performances involving a shipbuilding company have been reviewed to describe the job of the Safety & Health department. Results: The role of the Safety & Health department has increased and developed in recent domestic industry. Conclusion: The status of the Safety & Health department should be improved by introducing of new systems and skills. Application: These results can be used to provide information for establishing a more effective safety and health organization.

• Safety and Health at Work
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• v.14 no.3
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• pp.340-346
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• 2023

Background: Truck driving is a highly sedentary occupation that places workers at risk for chronic health conditions, such as obesity and high blood pressure. The primary purpose of this study was to objectively describe truck drivers' typical physical activity (PA) patterns. Methods: We used ~7-10-day baseline PA actigraphy data samples from drivers in the Safety & Health Involvement For Truckers (SHIFT) study (n = 394). Driver PA patterns (e.g., average number of ≥10 minute Freedson bouts per week, time in bouts, and common days/times for PA) were summarized with descriptive analyses. We also compared objective accelerometer data to self-reports. Results: Drivers' weekly PA averaged 14.4 minutes (SD = 37.0), and most PA occurred between 5-6 pm on Tuesdays and Wednesdays. Drivers overestimated self-reported weekly exercise by over 60 min/week compared to accelerometer data. Conclusion: Our results suggest that objective PA assessment may be warranted over self-report when possible, and timing may be key in future PA intervention work with truck drivers.