• Journal of Environmental Health Sciences
• /
• v.40 no.5
• /
• pp.385-396
• /
• 2014

Objectives: By conducting a meta-analysis of cohort studies reporting standardized mortality ratios (SMRs) for workers exposed to trichloroethylene, we attempted to adjust for healthy hired effect by applying the same methods as described in a recent report from the Agricultural Health Study. Methods: Among all cohort studies that evaluated the association between all cancer, non-Hodgkin's lymphoma (NHL), kidney cancer, liver cancer and occupational exposure to trichloroethylene, a total of 10 studies reporting SMR values were selected. A random-effects model was used to estimate the summary SMRs or rSMRs and 95% confidence intervals. Relative SMR ($rSMR=SMR_x/SMR_{not\;x}$) was calculated comparing observed and expected counts for all cancer, NHL, kidney cancer, and liver cancer with an independent referent set of values consisting of the observed and expected counts for other causes. Results: The SMR values for all causes ranged from 0.68 to 1.03, suggesting moderate to weak healthy worker effect for the selected studies. When the healthy worker hire effect was taken into account, the summarized risk became statistically significant; the summary SMR of all cancer was 0.95 (0.91-1.00) and the summary rSMR of all cancer was 1.10 (1.04-1.15). The summary SMR of NHL was 1.04 (0.93-1.14) and the summary rSMR of NHL was 1.23 (1.04-1.46). The summary SMR of kidney cancer was 1.08 (0.88-1.33) and the summary rSMR of kidney cancer was 1.23 (1.02-1.49). The summary SMR of liver cancer was 0.88 (0.78-0.99), and the summary rSMR of liver cancer was 0.95 (0.84-1.07). Conclusion: The rSMR method is useful to determine summary risk adjusted for healthy worker effect through meta-analysis.

• Journal of the Korean Home Economics Association
• /
• v.38 no.10
• /
• pp.143-156
• /
• 2000

The purpose of this study were to compare the job satisfaction of married salaried women with that of self-employed, and to identify the determinants of job satisfaction of both of them. The sample consisted of 176 salaried women and 123 self-employed from data of 1998 Korea Household Panel Study, and analyzed into Frequencies, Percentile, t-test, $\varkappa$$^2$-test, and Multiple Regression. The findings showed that self-employed had larger proportion of home-based worker, worked more hours, and had more earnings than the salaried, and that the job satisfaction of salaried worker were higher than that of self-employed. The determinants of job satisfaction of total working women were educational level, perception of present economic status, health status, number of eamers, weekly working hours, and their income. In case of salaried worker, educational level, health status, number of earners, weekly working hours, and their income had effect on their job satisfaction, while the factors contributing job satisfaction of self-employed were health status, region, weekly working hours, and income.

• Journal of Digital Convergence
• /
• v.17 no.6
• /
• pp.307-314
• /
• 2019

The study examined the mediating effect of emotional dysregulation on the relationship between care worker's job stress and mental health. The Geriatric Caregiver's Job Stress Questionnaire, Difficulties in Emotion Regulation Scale, and The Symptom Check-List-90-R were administered to 154 care workers. Through the hierarchical regression analysis, direct interrelationship among job stress, emotional dysregulation, and mental health was examined. Furthermore, the statistical significance of mediating effect of emotional dysregulation on the relationship between job stress and mental health was tested through the bootstrapping. The result showed that the lack of emotional clarity and the limited access to emotion regulation strategies appeared to have a complete mediation effect on the relationship between job stress and mental health. That meant the necessity of adaptive emotional regulation in dealing with mental health problem elicited by job stress.

• Journal of Preventive Medicine and Public Health
• /
• v.25 no.3 s.39
• /
• pp.269-286
• /
• 1992

The purpose of this study is to investigate the present state of worker's recognition and attitude about hazard materials and occupational disease in his workplace. In general worker's view of hazard materials and occupational disease that sis recognition and attitude is related to worker's health behavior for preventing occupational disease and improving his health status. The study subject is composed of workers in the asbestos related industry for example brake lining manufacturing industry, asbestos fiber manufacturing industry, and asbestos slate manufacturing industry. The result of the study are follows : 1. The most of workers in the asbestos related industry have taken health education and safety education, and the more than half of workers recognized the usefulness of preventive device, and ventilatory device in workplace. 2. About 70% of workers have always taken the preventive device. 3. About 80% of workers have recognized occupational disease in the asbestos related industry, and about 64% of workers have recognized that hls workplace have harmful effect on his health. 4. Recognition about the usefulness of ventilatory device in work place has not related with any variables. But recognition about the usefulness of repiratory protector has related with recognition of hazard materials in his workplace, for example asbestos. 5. Attitude about severity and susceptability of occupational disease in the asbestos related industry have related with knowledge about hazard materials and occupational disease.

• Journal of Korean Society of Occupational and Environmental Hygiene
• /
• v.29 no.1
• /
• pp.13-20
• /
• 2019

Objective: This study was performed to propose a domestic occupational exposure limit(OEL) following a health hazard assessment, calculation of a non-carcinogenicity reference concentration worker($RfC_{worker}$) value, and examination of international agencies' exposure limits. It also recommends legal management within the Occupational Safety and Health Act for PHMG-Phosphate(CAS No. 89697-78-9), It is a humidifier disinfectant that generated many lung injuries. Methods: We have investigated the recommendation or guidelines of foreign OEL for PHMG-Phosphate and the actual state of legal management in Korea. To examine the procedures and methods for recommendation OEL. Toxicological hazard and health hazard classifications were examined and a non-carcinogenicity $RfC_{worker}$ value was calculated for PHMG-Phosphate. An OEL and the necessity of legal management were recommended as well. Results and Conclusions: The OEL for PHMG-Phosphate is recommended to be $0.01mg/m^3$. The recommended OEL is close to 10 times the RfCworker value of $0.000833mg/m^3$ calculated from the chemical dose-response hazard assessment, which is a 2017 study. The CMIT/MIT(3:1) mixture, which was a social issue as a humidifier disinfectant substance, was also exposed to the same ratio in March 2018, establish the OEL. It is recommended to establish OEL for PHMG-Phosphate to prevent worker health hazards and for chemical safety management.

• Safety and Health at Work
• /
• v.10 no.4
• /
• pp.428-436
• /
• 2019

Background: Metalworking fluids (MWFs) are mixtures with inhalation exposures as mists, dusts, and vapors, and dermal exposure in the dispersed and bulk liquid phase. A quantitative risk assessment was performed for exposure to MWF and respiratory disease. Methods: Risks associated with MWF were derived from published studies and NIOSH Health Hazard Evaluations, and lifetime risks were calculated. The outcomes analyzed included adult onset asthma, hypersensitivity pneumonitis, pulmonary function impairment, and reported symptoms. Incidence rates were compiled or estimated, and annual proportional loss of respiratory capacity was derived from cross-sectional assessments. Results: A strong healthy worker survivor effect was present. New-onset asthma and hypersensitivity pneumonitis, at 0.1 mg/㎥ MWF under continuous outbreak conditions, had a lifetime risk of 45%; if the associated microbiological conditions occur with only 5% prevalence, then the lifetime risk would be about 3%. At 0.1 mg/㎥, the estimate of excess lifetime risk of attributable pulmonary impairment was 0.25%, which may have been underestimated by a factor of 5 or more by a strong healthy worker survivor effect. The symptom prevalence associated with respiratory impairment at 0.1 mg/㎥ MWF was estimated to be 5% (published studies) and 21% (Health Hazard Evaluations). Conclusion: Significant risks of impairment and chronic disease occurred at 0.1 mg/㎥ for MWFs in use mostly before 2000. Evolving MWFs contain new ingredients with uncharacterized long-term hazards.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Safety
• /
• v.31 no.5
• /
• pp.82-88
• /
• 2016

The current risk assessment system do not reflect workers' various opinion. However, the worker actually are in the center of work field and are exposed to accidents. In this regard, this study suggests enhanced risk assessment by 'safety circle discussion' on workers' hand. The self-administered surveys on supervisors and workers were done for the effect analysis of the safety circle discussion. According to the question investigation, even though the current risk assessment causes difficulties in preventing accidents by unsafe behaviors, the worker-oriented safety circle discussion establishing measures for risk factors of each work type will be able to prevent accidents more effectively. Also, it can positively contribute to safety health awareness, industrial accident prevention, accurate recognition on risk factors, improving safety facilities/work conditions, workers' compliance to safety health rules. Lastly, most respondents agreed that it is necessary to form organic relationship through circle discussion and deriving safety inspections that workers participate.

• Health Policy and Management
• /
• v.25 no.4
• /
• pp.333-342
• /
• 2015

Background: The purposes of this study is to analysis the differences of the job satisfaction between regular and non-regular workers in hospitals. Methods: The samples used for data analysis are 632 workers of 6 hospitals using a standardized questionnaires in B, C, D, and G provinces. In research methodology, all the data were analyzed with descriptive statistics, t-test, Pearson's correlation, and multiple linear regression analysis. Results: In case of regular workers, communication, working conditions and employee benefit, and education were found to have a significant positive (+) effect on job satisfaction. In case of non-regular workers, empowerment, reward systems, communication, working conditions, and employee benefit had a significant positive (+) effect on job satisfaction. Conclusion: These results showed that hospitals needed to reinforce communication, working conditions and employee benefit to regular and non-regular workers in order to improve job satisfaction. Especially, more empowerment, working conditions, and employee benefit should be given to non-regular workers.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Safety
• /
• v.32 no.6
• /
• pp.116-124
• /
• 2017

The purpose of this study is to examine the effect of subjective overwork on health and the moderating effect of risk perception in the relationship between subjective overwork and health. The data used in this study are the fourth Korean Working Condition Survey (KWCS) conducted by Korea Occupational Safety and Health Agency (KOSHA) in 2014. The items related to actual working hours, subjective overwork, health, and risk perception were used. A total of 18,508 workers who are 1) waged workers, 2) work more than three days a week, 3) work more than 21 hours a week, 4) work longer than preferred work hours or work as longer as they desired were selected. Hierarchical regression analysis was performed to identify the effect of actual work hours, subjective overwork, prevalence of risk, lethalness of accident damage on health and to determine the moderating effects of prevalence of risk and lethalness of accident damage. As a result, actual work hours, subjective overwork, prevalence of risk, lethalness of accident damage had an effect on worker's health problems. Second, lethalness of accident damage had a moderating effect in the relationship between subjective overwork and health. These results suggest that organizations should manage worker's environmental factors and other threats that could increase the lethalness of accident damage.

• Safety and Health at Work
• /
• v.7 no.1
• /
• pp.18-31
• /
• 2016

Background: A job-specific Worker's Health Surveillance (WHS) for hospital physicians is a preventive occupational health strategy aiming at early detection of their diminished work-related health in order to improve or maintain physician's health and quality of care. This study addresses what steps should be taken to determine the content of a job-specific WHS for hospital physicians and outlines that content. Methods: Based on four questions, decision trees were developed for physical and psychological job demands and for biological, chemical, and physical exposures to decide whether or not to include work-related health effects related to occupational exposures or aspects of health reflecting insufficient job requirements. Information was gathered locally through self-reporting and systematic observations at the workplace and from evidence in international publications. Results: Information from the decision trees on the prevalence and impact of the health- or work-functioning effect led to inclusion of occupational exposures (e.g., biological agents, emotionally demanding situations), job requirements (e.g., sufficient vision, judging ability), or health effects (e.g., depressive symptoms, neck complaints). Additionally, following the Dutch guideline for occupational physicians and based on specific job demands, screening for cardiovascular diseases, work ability, drug use, and alcohol consumption was included. Targeted interventions were selected when a health or work functioning problem existed and were chosen based on evidence for effectiveness. Conclusion: The process of developing a job-specific WHS for hospital physicians was described and the content presented, which might serve as an example for other jobs. Before implementation, it must first be tested for feasibility and acceptability.