• Journal of Preventive Medicine and Public Health
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• 제40권5호
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• pp.397-403
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• 2007

Objectives: The prevalence of metabolic syndrome has recently increased, Payments from the Korea Labor Welfare Corporation for compensation for mortality in workers caused by cardiovascular and cerebrovascular diseases have also increased in Korea in recent years. The association of metabolic syndrome and cardiocerebrovascular disease has been investigated by several researchers in recent studies, This study was conducted in an attempt to characterize the relationship between metabolic syndrome and Korean cardiocerebrovascular disease risk assessment, and to provide basic data to group health practices for the prevention of cardiocerebrovascular disease. Methods: Health examinations were previously conducted for 1526 male researchers at a private laboratory. The prevalence by age and the odds ratio of metabolic syndrome scores into the "cardiocerebrovascular risk group" (sum of low, intermediate, and high risk groups) of the Korean cardiocerebrovascular disease risk assessment were assessed, in an effort to elucidate the associations between metabolic syndrome and cardiocere brovascular disease risk assessment. Results: The prevalence of metabolic syndrome and inclusion in the cardiocerebrovascular risk group was 11,7% and 22.1% respectively. The severity of metabolic syndrome and cardiocerebrovascular risk assessment showed that individuals in their 40's and 50's were at higher risk than those in their 30's (p<0,001). The age-adjusted odds ratio of metabolic syndrome to cardiocere brovascular risk group inclusion was 5.6. Conclusions: An active prevention program for cardiocerebrovascular disease needs to begin in the 40's, as the prevalence of metabolic syndrome and the risk group of cardiocerebrovascular risk assessment peak in the 40's age group. The odds ratio between metabolic syndrome and the cardiocerebrovascular risk group was high, which indicates that metabolic syndrome scores should be utilized as guidelines during the consultation and behavioral modification program for the workplace prevention of cardiocerebrovascular diseases in group health practices.

• 한국산업융합학회 논문집
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• 제25권5호
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• pp.811-816
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• 2022

Even though continuous management and supervision of reinforcement of policies to safeguard accidents at workplace and work sites were implemented. Accident prevention activities such as inspection and diagnosis are urgently required to induce a preliminary investigation to identify the risk factors for each type of work, before the work task to eliminate risks at the worksites. Since safety inspections at work sites were generally conducted through visual inspections, the results of safety inspections may vary depending on the findings and proficiency of the safety officers. The results of those inspections may have loopholes to prevent potential accidents at work. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to develop a risk identification checklist that can effectively perform safety inspections to prevent accidents at work sites. This study initially analyzed the previously developed accident checklist to identify current complications and issues in safety checklists. Based on the findings of major industrial accidents over the past three years, the relationship between accident, workplace, and work type were analyzed refereeing the safety inspection standards. A risk recognition-checklist was developed to provide basic data on identifying risk factors, and inspection guidance at work sites. To prepare for potential accidents by identifying and taking countermeasures to mitigate the high risk and serious accidents at sites by the guidelines of the checklist. The developed inspection checklist has been practically used by experts at work sites to perform safety inspections, and it has been verified its suitability, and feasibility, to prevent or mitigate workplace accidents, including securing the safety and health of field workers. The role of the developed safety checklist has been considered effective at worksites.

• Safety and Health at Work
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• 제14권2호
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• pp.185-192
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• 2023

Background: The turnover rate of nurse aides in Taiwan is high. However, the predictors of turnover behavior in the newly employed are still unclear. Objective: To examine the predictors of turnover behavior in newly employed licensed nurse aides. Methods: A longitudinal study design was used and subjects were newly employed certified nurse aides from a nurse aid training association in Taiwan. A total of five questionnaire surveys were conducted. The questionnaire was mainly used to collect information on turnover behavior, personal socioeconomic background, workplace psychosocial hazards, worker health hazards, and musculoskeletal disorders. Results: A total of 300 participants were recruited in the study. Cox regression analysis results showed that short working experience (hazard ratio [HR] = 0.21, p < 0.01), work as non-home nurse aides (HR = 0.58, p = 0.01), low monthly salary (HR = 0.68, p < 0.01), high work mental load (HR = 1.01, p = 0.01), low workplace justice (HR = 0.97, p < 0.01), high workplace violence (HR = 1.60, p < 0.01), high burnout (HR = 1.01, p = 0.04), poor mental health (HR = 1.06, p = 0.04), and high total number of musculoskeletal disorder sites (HR = 1.08, p = 0.01) contribute to a higher risk of turnover. Conclusion: The results indicated that employment period, work as a home nurse aide, monthly salary, work mental load, workplace justice, workplace violence, work-related burnout, mental health, and total number of musculoskeletal disorder sites are predictors of turnover behavior in newly employed certified nurse aides.

• 한국산업융합학회 논문집
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• 제26권5호
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• pp.765-774
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• 2023

The Ministry of Employment and Labor implemented the process safety management(PSM) system from 1996 to prevent major industrial accidents caused by chemical substances, but the number of accidents did not drastically decrease. Even in workplaces with excellent PSM ratings, large-scale chemical accidents still occur due to non-compliance with safety work procedures and insufficient safety measures during maintenance and other work. Accordingly, the chemical accident risk warning system was introduced in 2014 to supplement the PSM system and prevent accidents that may occur during regular or unexpected maintenance and repair work. In the meantime, changes in the safety management system have been checked since the introduction of the chemical accident risk warning system at chemical handling workplaces, and based on the results, a plan for upgrading this system has been proposed. The effect of the CARW system was found to directly prevent accidents through wired and on-site consulting and post-management at the workplace and indirectly contribute to the establishment of a safety and health management system at the workplace, such as improving safety culture awareness.

• Safety and Health at Work
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• 제12권2호
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• pp.225-229
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• 2021

Background: The socioeconomic burden of musculoskeletal disorders (MSDs) is significant, and kitchen work is a high-risk occupation for MSDs due to the intensive manual workload and repetitive movements that are involved. However, there are very few studies on MSDs and rest breaks as a workplace intervention among kitchen workers. This study examined the relationship between insufficient rest breaks and increased MSD risk among Korean kitchen workers. Methods: Sociodemographic and occupational factors of 1,909 kitchen workers were collected from the 3rd-4th Korean Working Conditions Survey data. Five items on rest breaks at work were categorized into two groups, "sufficient" and "insufficient." The number of MSDs and work-related MSDs (WMSDs), an outcome variable, was obtained from the sum of MSDs/WMSDs in three anatomical sites (back, neck, and upper limb, lower limb). The association between rest breaks and MSDs was estimated using zeroinflated negative binomial analyses, with adjustments for age, education level, and weekly working hours, and the analyses were stratified by sex. Results: After adjustment, significant associations were found between insufficient rest breaks and an increased risk of MSDs (odds ratio [OR] 1.68 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.11-2.54) and WMSDs (OR 1.40 95% CI 1.01-1.96) among female kitchen workers. Insufficient rest breaks were significantly associated with MSDs in female kitchen workers in all three anatomical sites. Conclusion: This study emphasizes the need for rest breaks as a workplace intervention for preventing MSDs in kitchen workers. Further studies to reveal the causality of this relationship are required.

• 한국직업건강간호학회지
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• 제31권2호
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• pp.95-103
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• 2022

Purpose: This study aims to identify general, workplace, and health-related characteristics of outdoor workers exposed to high temperatures, and to compare the risk of disease according to outdoor high temperature exposure. Methods: This secondary analysis study used the 5th Korean Working Conditions Survey (2017) to identify 4,915 outdoor workers exposed to high temperatures. Results: Outdoor workers exposed to high temperatures were mostly male, elderly, less educated, and daily contract workers. Most of them were engaged in agriculture, forestry and fishing, and construction industries. About 40~50% of them complained of musculoskeletal pain and overall fatigue. The results showed that high temperature exposure increased the risk of illness (hearing problem, skin problem, backache, muscular pains in upper and lower limbs, headache/eyestrain, injuries, depression, and overall fatigue) among workers. Conclusion: High temperature exposure might increase the risk of illness among workers. The results of this study demonstrated that the outdoor workers should be protected from high temperatures.

• Safety and Health at Work
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• 제15권1호
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• pp.96-101
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• 2024

Background: Silicosis among workers who fabricate engineered stone products in micro or small-sized enterprises (MSEs) was reported from several countries. Workplace exposure data of these workers at high risk of exposure to respirable crystalline silica (RCS) dust are limited. Methods: We surveyed workers performing cutting, shaping and polishing tasks at 6 engineered stone fabricating MSEs in Sydney, Australia prior to regulatory intervention. Personal exposure to airborne RCS dust in 34 workers was measured, work practices were observed using a checklist and worker demography recorded. Results: Personal respirable dust measurements showed exposures above the Australian workplace exposure standard (WES) of 0.1 mg/m³ TWA-8 hours for RCS in 85% of workers who performed dry tasks and amongst 71% using water-fed tools. Dust exposure controls were inadequate with ineffective ventilation and inappropriate respiratory protection. All 34 workers sampled were identified as overseas-born migrants, mostly from three linguistic groups. Conclusions: Workplace exposure data from this survey showed that workers in engineered stone fabricating MSEs were exposed to RCS dust levels which may be associated with a high risk of developing silicosis. The survey findings were useful to inform a comprehensive regulatory intervention program involving diverse hazard communication tools and enforcing improved exposure controls. We conclude that modest occupational hygiene surveys in MSEs, with attention to workers' demographic factors can influence the effectiveness of intervention programs. Occupational health practitioners should address these potential determinants of hazardous exposures in their workplace surveys to prevent illness such as silicosis in vulnerable workers.

• 한국직업건강간호학회지
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• 제29권1호
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• pp.58-68
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• 2020

Purpose: Workers with chronic health problems find it difficult to maintain their work because of socioeconomic difficulties. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the relationships between physical, ergonomic, and mental health hazards in the workplace and chronic health problems of Korean workers. Methods: A total of 28,807 wage workers participated in the study and were selected using the Fifth Korean Working Conditions Survey (2017). Multiple logistic regression analysis was used to determine the associations between physical, ergonomic, and mental health hazards and chronic health problems. Results: Of the participants, 1,220 (4.23%) had chronic health problems. Even after adjusting the general characteristics, vibration, noise, high temperature, low temperature, dust, chemical and cigarette smoke, fatigue and painful posture, dragging or pushing or moving of heavy objects, repetitive hand or arm movements, working with a computer or smartphone, use of internet or e-mail, and anxiety situations increased the risk of chronic health problems. Conclusion: The study reaffirms that exposure of physical, ergonomic, and mental health hazards in the workplace significantly increases the risk of chronic health problems.

• Safety and Health at Work
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• 제11권1호
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• pp.103-108
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• 2020

Background: Presenteeism has emerged as an important health-related issue and has been studied in a variety of occupation groups. This study examines the relationship between emotional labor and presenteeism in nurses in Republic of Korea. Methods: As a cross-sectional study, our study was conducted on 328 female nurses participating in the fourth Korean Working Conditions Survey (2015). Nurses were identified by the Korean Industry Classification Code. Multivariable logistic regression analysis was performed to explore the association between emotional labor and presenteeism. Results: Female nurses who always or sometimes hide their emotions in the workplace were found to have a high risk for presenteeism compared with female nurses who rarely hide their emotions in the workplace {odds ratio [OR] = 2.40 [95% confidence interval (CI) 1.04-5.54]; OR = 4.12 [95% CI 1.72-9.84], respectively}. Furthermore, the risk of presenteeism was higher in nurses who sometimes engaged with complaining customers compared with nurses who rarely did so, but it lacked statistical significance. Conclusion: Presenteeism in nurses can cause various negative secondary effects; therefore, an alternative should be sought to mediate nurses' emotional labor to prevent presenteeism.

• 대한산업공학회지
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• 제24권4호
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• pp.503-517
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• 1998

Cumulative trauma disorders(CTDs) of the upper extremities among the workers at manufacturing workplace have become a serious problem in Korea. However, most of the studies on the CTDs carried out in this country have focused on the Video Display Terminal(VDT) operators. In fact, high rates of the CTDs have been reported for telecommunication employees, and the CTDs associated with VDT use in telecommunication industries pose great health and social problems in Korea today. On the other hand, there are few studies on the CTDs among the manufacturing workers, and the severity of the problem was much under-reported. This study reports and discusses the results of the literature review on the cross-sectional studies of the CTDs, along with the analysis of the problems associated with identification, medical examinations, and ergonomic evaluation of the disorders. Also a checklist was developed for the use of quick screening tool for risk factor analysis. Consistency of the checklist was validated with the field studies of several manufacturing workplace. Current issues and suggestions for future ergonomic studies are also addressed.