• Journal of the Ergonomics Society of Korea
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• v.26 no.4
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• pp.147-152
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• 2007

The aim of this study was to evaluate the musculo-skeletal symptomatic features of municipal sanitation workers and to compare differences of the musculo-skeletal symptoms by work types. We conducted descriptive cross-sectional survey concerning the musculo-skeletal symptomatic features of 315 street cleaners in Seoul and GyeongGi Province, Korea, during 2 weeks of September 2006. Questionnaires were consisted of general characteristics, occupational characteristics and musculo-skeletal symptoms. And we observed their works and evaluated their movement and posture by REBA. For work types, tools and subjective physical work loading, there were statistical difference whether or not NIOSH symptom positive on upper limb. Musculo-skeletal symptoms on upper limb were claimed from 43.2% of street cleaners, more than in 32.4% of cleaners. Musculo-skeletal symptoms on upper limb were reported higher in the group who felt their subjective physical work loading severe than in the otherwise group. The REBA results were over 'high risk stage' in street cleaners. Street cleaners had more repetitive motions than solid waste collectors on upper limbs. Works according to the criteria of musculoskeletal burdened work by the Ministry of Labor results were over 'high risk stage' of No. 2 and No. 4 in street cleaners. We found that street cleaners complained musculo-skeletal symptoms on upper limb more than solid waste collectors. This study suggests that it is necessary for street cleaners to carry out the prevention program of musculo-skeletal diseases. For street cleaner, the measure plans such as job rotation, automatic street sweepers, reducing work hours are helpful in preventing musculoskeletal symptoms on the upper limb.

• Safety and Health at Work
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• v.13 no.4
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• pp.394-400
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• 2022

Background: Impacts of exposure are generally monitored and recorded after injuries or illness occur. Yet, absence of conventional after-the-effect impacts (i.e., lagging indicators), tend to focus on physical health and injuries, and fail to inform if workers are not exposed to safety and health hazards. In contrast to lagging indicators, leading indicators are proactive, preventive, and predictive indexes that offer insights how effective safety and health. The present study is to validate an extended Voluntary Protection Programs (VPP) that consists of six leading indicators. Methods: Questionnaires were distributed to 13 organizations (response rate = 93.1%, 1,439 responses) in Taiwan. Cronbach α, multiple linear regression and canonical correlation were used to test the reliability of the extended Voluntary Protection Programs (VPP) which consists of six leading indicators (safe climate, transformational leadership, organizational justice, organizational support, hazard prevention and control, and training). Criteria-related validation strategy was applied to examine relationships of six leading indicators with six criteria (perceived health, burnout, depression, job satisfaction, job performance, and life satisfaction). Results: The results showed that the Cronbach's α of six leading indicators ranged from 0.87 to 0.92. The canonical correlation analysis indicated a positive correlation between the six leading indicators and criteria (1st canonical function: correlation = 0.647, square correlation = 0.419, p < 0.001). Conclusions: The present study validates the extended VPP framework that focuses on promoting safety and physical and mental health. Results further provides applications of the extended VPP framework to promote workers' safety and health.

• Journal of Information Technology Services
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• v.8 no.4
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• pp.175-185
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• 2009

Objectifying claims filed during the warranty period, analyzing the current circumstances and improving on the problem in question is an activity worth doing that could reduce the likelihood of claims to occur, cut down on the costs, and enhance the corporate image of the manufacturer. Existing analyses of claims are confronted with two problems. First, you can't precisely assess the risks of claims involved by means of the value of claims per 100 products alone. Second, even in a normal state, the existing approach fails to capture the probabilistic conflicts that escape the upper control limit of claims, thus leading to wrong control activities. To solve the first problem, this paper proposed that a time series detection concept where the claim rate is monitored based on the date when problems are processed and a hazard function for expression of the claim rate be utilized. For the second problem, this paper designed a model whereby to define a normal state by making use of PID (Proportion, Integral, Differential) and infer by way of a fuzzy concept. This paper confirmed the validity and applicability of the proposed approach by applying methods suggested in the actual past data of warranty claims of a large-scaled automotive firm, unlike hypothetical simulation data, in order to apply them directly in industrial job sites, as well as making theoretical suggestions for analysis of claims.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Safety
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• v.12 no.4
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• pp.209-213
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• 1997

Manual lifting techniques are commonly defined in terms of the postures adopted at the start of the lift. Quantitative definition is problematic, however, because the absolute joint angles adopted to lift an object are influenced by task parameters, such as the initial height of the load. The main objective of this study is to investigate the grip strength of the both hands at the initial lifting points. The survey is conducted by measuring the compression force, anthropometric data and grip strength at the lifting postures for the subjects(n=50) who is assigned to their job as usual. The experiment is peformed at the four lifting postures which involving the combination of two horizontal factors(H1 : 35 cm, H2 : 55 cm) and two vertical factors(V1 : 20~80 cm, V2 : 47~102 cm). The analysis result of lifting posture indicated that each H1-V1, H2-V1 combinations are about 60$^{\circ}$ and each H1-V2, H2-V2 combinations are about $30^{\circ}$. There are significant differences on grip strength between $60^{\circ}$ and $30^{\circ}$ stooped posture. The results of this study can be provided a method defining lifting postures at the minimum grip strength. Also, it is eliminated a hazard of the injuries which are cumulative trauma disorders(CTDs) and back pain, increased a productivity and improved a welfare of workers.

• Journal of the Ergonomics Society of Korea
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• v.30 no.3
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• pp.427-435
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• 2011

Objective: The objective of this study was to evaluate a work of building cleaners using the ergonomic methods. Background: Previous studies about cleaning worker describe typical physical demands of this work. They found that the most significant risk factors associated with the physical work of cleaners are static loads and repetitive movements and high output of force. Method: A head of ergonomics estimation was work analysis(define of combined task, work tool, work time and frequency of combined task) and posture analysis of worker. Results: The results showed that combined task of building cleaners was classification sweeping, mopping(wet), mopping(oil), moving barrels/carts, dumping trash bags, scrubbing, arrangement of cleaning tool, arrangement of circumferential, moving of cleaning tool, and waiting. The work time of combined task such as mopping(wet) and scrubbing indicated high ratio. The posture analysis of building cleaners indicated high value in bending of the head, lower arm, and hands. Conclusion: The findings appear to indicate that building cleaner were related to high risk of work-related musculoskeletal disorders. So, building cleaner would be required an interventional strategy, improvement of cleaning tools and working environment. Application: If ergonomics rule can be integrated into existing cleaning tools and work environments, the risk of occupational injuries will be reduced.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Hazard Mitigation
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• v.7 no.4
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• pp.41-49
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• 2007

This study aims to examine the ripple effect of the '119 Integrated Information System' for city disaster management on the local economy. The study was conducted in the area of Gyeongnam province, and the study method is the interdependence analysis based on the Input Coefficient drawn from Input-Output Tables in which Intermediary Transaction Tables drawn through RAS was taken advantage of to grasp the correlation among industries and regions in terms of the local economy, and the ripple effect of the changes of political exogenous variables on the local economy was divided to such elements as production, added value, and employment so as to attempt empirical analysis on the local economy system. To estimate the ripple effect on the local economy, three different amounts of the expected input were applied to the study respectively and the results are as follows: Some $28.7{\sim}42.4$ billion won for the production induction effect, some $7.5{\sim}11.4$ billion won for the added-value induction effect, some $103{\sim}157$ job openings for the employment induction effect, and some $3.8{\sim}5.7$ billion won for the income induction effect are expected to take place as the ripple effect on the local economy.

• Safety and Health at Work
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• v.13 no.3
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• pp.343-349
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• 2022

Background: In the United States, the dairy product manufacturing industry has consistently had higher rates of work-related nonfatal injuries and illnesses compared to the national average for industries in all sectors. The selection and implementation of appropriate safety performance indicators are important aspect of reducing risk within safety management systems. This study examined the leading safety indicators implemented in the dairy product-manufacturing sector (NAICS 3115) and their perceived effectiveness in reducing work-related injuries. Methods: Perceptions were collected from individuals with safety responsibilities in the dairy product manufacturing facilities. OSHA Incident Rate (OIR) and Days away, restricted and transferred (DART) rates from 2013 to 2018 were analyzed. Results: The perceived most effective leading were safety observations, stop work authority, near miss reporting, safety audits, preventative maintenance, safety inspections, safety training attendance, and job hazard analysis/safety analysis, respectively. The 6-year trend analysis showed that those implementing all eight top indicators had a slightly lower rates than those that did not implement all eight. Production focused mentality, poor training, and lack of management commitment were perceived as the leading causes of injuries in this industry. Conclusion: Collecting leading indicators with the unique interest to meet the regulatory requirements and to document the management system without the actual goal of using them as input to improve the system most probably will not lead to an effective reduction of negative safety outcomes. For leading indicators to be effective, they should be properly selected, executed, periodically evaluated and actions are taken when necessary.

• Journal of Preventive Medicine and Public Health
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• v.39 no.1
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• pp.74-80
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• 2006

Objectives: The purpose of this study is to examine the factors affecting the rate and duration of breastfeeding. Methods: We analyzed the data from the year 2000 Korea National Fertility Survey that was collected through direct interviews. In particular, the mothers who delivered their last child and the child was under 1 year of age from January 1998 to June 2000 (N=1,066) were analyzed via a logistic model to assess the factors affecting the breastfeeding rate. Among the study subjects, those who had initiated breastfeeding (N=740) were analyzed through Cox's proportional hazard model to evaluate the factors affecting the duration of breastfeeding. Results: The multivariate logistic model showed that the delivery type and the baby's birth-weight have a statistically significant influence on the breastfeeding rate. Women who delivered their babies through Cesarean section were less likely than others to breastfeed. In contrast, the women whose babies weighed 2.5Kg or more were more likely than others to breastfeed. The results obtained from the survival analysis are as follows: the higher the mother's education level, the shorter is the breastfeeding duration. The mother's work status played a significant role in the early termination of breastfeeding. Women aged 35 or older showed a longer breastfeeding duration than the younger age groups, whereas the maternal age was not a significant factor in affecting whether or not a mother would breastfeed. Conclusions: Reducing the cases of operative delivery (Cesarean section) and low weight births, enlightening young and highly educated women on breastfeeding and improving the environment for breastfeeding on the job are important strategies to encourage women to breastfeed.

• Journal of Korean Society of Occupational and Environmental Hygiene
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• v.22 no.2
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• pp.156-163
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• 2012

Objectives: The aim of the present study was undertaken to investigate the association between communication for chemical hazard information and characteristics of occupational safety and health managers. Subjects and Methods: We surveyed 78 occupational safety and health managers(64 male and 14 female) in 78 chemical manufacturing plants. Data were obtained using a self-reported questionnaire about size and type of company, products, communication system for chemicals and work-related characteristics of occupational safety and health managers. All analyses in this study were performed using SPSS program 12.0. Results: 64.1% of the study participants were occupational health managers aged 39.3 years on average and were graduated from college and university around 90%. 30.0% and of them were majoring in chemistry (engineering chemistry), 18.0% occupational health, 16% nursing and 30.0% others. Occupational safety managers were aged 39.4 years on average, 42.9% of them were majoring in chemistry (engineering chemistry), 21.4% environmental engineering, 10.7% occupational safety and 25% others. 86% of occupational health managers and 71.4% of occupational safety managers were classified as office job. Over 94% of the hazards information for chemicals were delivered by occupational safety and health managers, but about 28.2% workers preferred outside experts who have a profound knowledge about occupational safety and health and understandable. Occupational safety and health managers and workers had difficulties in understanding toxicological information, hazards identification, stability/reactivity, composition/information on ingredients, physical/chemical properties and ecological information. On multiple logistic regression analysis for the 16 heading of material safety data sheet, content of material safety data sheet was significantly associated with education level (odds ratio=0.286, 95% confidence interval=0.105-0.780). The hazard identification (odds ratio=3.947, 95% confidence interval=1.092-14.271) and toxicological information (odds ratio=0.841, 95% confidence interval=0.705-0.998) were significantly associated with type of occupation. Conclusions: This finding implies that the education level, type of occupation and speciality of occupational safety and health managers may affects hazards information delivery.

• The Journal of Korean Institute for Practical Engineering Education
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• v.2 no.2
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• pp.99-104
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• 2010

The Individual Training Account System(ITAS) is a new vocational training system for the unemployed in Korea. This paper analysis ITAS based on the theoretical framework of contracting-out public services. The results show that ITAS has problems of targeting and mismatch with the training needs of the industry. Also the possibility of the moral hazard problems of training institutions and trainees can be increased in ITAS. The unstability of training market may deteriorate the quality of the vocational training under ITAS. In order to solve these problems, there should be consulting services on the job finding and vocational training before issuing the training account so that trainees can take guided training courses according to industrial needs for vocational training. Government has to develop a more efficient monitoring and evaluation system on the vocational training institutions and to restructure the private training market based on the evaluation.