• Safety and Health at Work
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• v.13 no.1
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• pp.112-116
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• 2022

Background/Aims: The Gachon Regional Occupational Cohort Study (GROCS) is a large-scale longitudinal study of occupational safety and health data (covering Work Environment Monitoring, Workers' Health Surveillance, and Occupational Health Service) conducted by the Gachon University Gil Medical Center (GUGMC) in Incheon, Republic of Korea. We conducted GROCS to identify the health effects of workers' occupational risks, behavior, socioeconomic status, and life style. Methods: The GROCS includes data from Work Environment Monitoring, Workers' Health Surveillance, and Occupational Health Service. The baseline year for all data collection was 2018. Work Environment Monitoring was conducted in 240 companies located in Incheon. General Health Examination and Special Health Examination were performed on 32,725 and 9,504 workers, respectively. Occupational Health Services were provided to 16,883 workers in 171 companies. These data have been collected and operated at an external data management institution and were provided as a retrospective cohort after removing personal identification information. Results: In 2018, the total number of companies was 2,854, among which which 488 special Health Examination, 171 Work Environment Monitoring, and 240 Occupational Health Service. The proportion of companies undergoing Special Health Examination was 17.1%, the proportion of companies undergoing Work Environment Monitoring was 8.4%, and the proportion of Companies undergoing Occupational Health Service was 6.0%. Conclusion: GROCS expects researchers to utilize its useful and reliable resource for occupational health and surveillance with for academic or political purposes to lead to improved workers' health and working environment.

• Safety and Health at Work
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• v.14 no.4
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• pp.368-374
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• 2023

Background: Recognizing that access to safe and healthy working conditions is a human right, the World Health Organization (WHO) calls for specific occupational safety and health (OSH) programs for health workers (HWs). The WHO health systems' building blocks, and the International Labour Organization (ILO), highlight the importance of information as part of effective systems. This study examined how OSH stakeholders access, use, and value an occupational health information system (OHIS). Methods: A cross-sectional survey of OSH stakeholders was conducted as part of a larger quasi experimental study in four teaching hospitals. The study hospitals and participants were purposefully selected and data collected using a modified questionnaire with both closed and open-ended questions. Quantitative analysis was conducted and themes identified for qualitative analysis. Ethics approval was provided by the University of Pretoria and University of British Columbia. Results: There were 71 participants comprised of hospital managers, health and safety representatives, trade unions representatives and OSH professionals. At least 42% reported poor accessibility and poor timeliness of OHIS for decision-making. Only 50% had access to computers and 27% reported poor computer skills. When existing, OHIS was poorly organized and needed upgrades, with 85% reporting the need for significant reforms. Only 45% reported use of OHIS for decision-making in their OSH role. Conclusion: Given the gap in access and utilization of information needed to protect worker's rights to a safe and healthy workplace, more attention is warranted to OHIS development and use as well as education and training in South Africa and beyond.

• Korean Journal of Occupational Health Nursing
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• v.6 no.2
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• pp.156-167
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• 1997

In Korea, based on the Revised Law of Occupational Safety and Health a new entity of institution was set up in 1990 to provide occupational health services to SSE in which three sorts of personnel as a team have to be involved. These institutions, in charge of scores to hundreds of workplace area-wide, have been providing occupational health services without payment from employers or employees, and government reimburses through the Occupational Injury Prevention Insurance since 1993. As a service provider, a team is composed of doctors, nurses and industrial hygienists. Undergraduate and postgraduate educations for the SSE occupational health are not specified and the question on the performance of the personnel has been raised. This study was designed to analyze the facilitating factors of and barriers to the performance and its improvement of these personnel. In 1997, the survey was conducted with all 58 institutions. Structured questionnaires were mailed to 200 personnel who were providing the occupational health service for SSE. The response rate was 51.7% for doctors, 58.6% for nurses, and 60.3% for industrial hygienist, respectively. Results are as follows : 1) There is a guideline for occupational service mandated by the government. Under the guideline, the minimum frequency of visiting workplace is assured with six times of doctors, 17 times for nurse and industrial hygienist in a year. There are one doctor for every 200 factories, one nurse and one hygienist for every 100 factories. 2) All respondents have basic qualification for occupational health service. About 16.7%. of doctors are certified in industrial medicine or preventive medicine, and 64.7% of industrial hygienists had first grade certification. Totally 66.7% of personnel have been involved in occupational health for more than one year. 3) As a support system for the performance improvement, 66.3% respond that they have been provided with educational materials, advice related to industrial environment and guidance of MSDS from Korea Industrial Safety Corporation. Most respondents indicate the lack of concern of employers and employees as a main barrier to the improvement of the service. Also they are in the need of the training opportunity more focused on SSE. The Governments policy for SSE is a principal facilitating factor. Training program focused on SSE situation, manpower, technical support, etc. are areas to be improved to have a better occupational health service for SSE in Korea.

• Safety and Health at Work
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• v.4 no.1
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• pp.63-70
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• 2013

Objectives: This study is planned to assess the trend of occupational injuries in Korea from 2001 to 2010. Methods: Ten years of occupational injuries, from 2001 to 2010, were analyzed in order to investigate the changing profiles according to the various characteristics of injuries; economic sectors, age of the injured, and type of injuries. The changing profile of occupational injuries was investigated by comparison with an index-created relative value based on the number of cases of reference category. Results: The fatalities of construction, forest, agriculture, and service show the increasing trend. The nonfatal occupational injuries of the manufacturing sector were higher than those of other sectors in every year but the fatal occupational injuries of construction workers were higher than those of the manufacturing sector. Occupational injuries occurring due to amputation and those of slip and trip increased. The number of occupational injuries for the worker groups of 24 years old and below decreased and 45 years old and above increased. In comparison to the figure of fall from height, the figures of slip and trip or caught in equipment are higher in every calendar year. Conclusion: This study find out construction, forest, agriculture, and service sectors, aged worker with 45 years old and over can be target population for the strategies of occupational safety.

• Safety and Health at Work
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• v.6 no.1
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• pp.75-75
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• 2015

• Safety and Health at Work
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• v.12 no.3
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• pp.304-310
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• 2021

Background: Healthcare settings have been recognized among the most hazardous places to work. Based on the five categories of occupational hazards that were identified by the ILO and WHO, this study aimed to analyze policy framework relevant to occupational health protection of health workers (HWs) in public health service in China, then discussed how to share the experience of the National Health Service (NHS) England for improvement. Methods: Based on policy learning theories, policy analysis and qualitative interview were used in this study. Results: In the Chinese public health service, at least five laws related to the regulation of occupational health protection for HWs; however, enforcement of relevant laws was separated and multi-centered; the national monitoring system, which targeted to occupational hazards and health outcome for HWs in China, had yet to be developed; the top three priorities were workplace violence, bloodborne pathogens, and musculoskeletal disorders; national strategies included Security Hospital, and Healthy China 2030. In NHS England, three laws were fundamental; several monitoring systems had been set up, including NHS Staff Survey, Commissioning for Quality and Innovation incentive scheme; mental health, musculoskeletal problem, and nutrition disorder and overweight were raised great concern; Health and Safety, and NHS Healthy Workforce Program were critical nationwide strategies. Conclusion: There were several similarities as well as differences between the Chinese public health system and NHS England, which laid foundation of learning by China. Recommendations of improving occupational health policies in China were provided, based on the lessons learned from the NHS England.

• Korean Journal of Occupational Health Nursing
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• v.17 no.2
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• pp.191-201
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• 2008

Purpose: The purpose of this study were to investigate the health status and to identify the influencing factors on health status by gender among service workers. Method: Data were collected from the self-reported survey of 781 service workers in sales, food & lodging industry. The data were analyzed by descriptive statistics and multiple linear regression analysis using SPSS Win 10.0. Result: The influencing factors of male workers' health status were job satisfaction, standing hour during work time, physical work environment, job demand and family support. The influencing factors of female workers' health status were job satisfaction, emotional labor, physical work environment, regular exercise, standing hour during work time, social support and age. Conclusion: Gender specific occupational Health program for service workers should be developed in consideration of these influencing factors.

• Safety and Health at Work
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• v.10 no.3
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• pp.251-253
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• 2019

• Safety and Health at Work
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• v.11 no.1
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• pp.97-102
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• 2020

Background: It is well known that the prevalence of obesity in Korea is increasing over time, however it is not known how the trends among occupational groups and sex differ in such increasing trends. This study was designed to provide recent trends of obesity among workers in Korea and to identify whether there were differences among occupational groups. Methods: We used data from the Korean National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey, Phases I to VI (19982015), to analyze trends in the prevalence of obesity in adult Korean workers. Obesity was defined as a body mass index of 25 kg/㎡ or higher. Occupations were classified into 3 groups: (a) nonmanual workers, (b) service/sales workers, and (c) manual workers. Results: During the period of the Korean National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey Phases I to VI, the prevalence of obesity in male workers increased in all occupations (31.1% to 39.5% in manual workers, 32.3% to 38.2% in service/sales workers, and 25.3% to 39.7% in manual workers). However, female workers did not show any particular tendency toward obesity, except for a significant decrease in the prevalence rate in service/sales workers (30.8% to 23.9%, p for trend = 0.0048). Conclusion: The trends of obesity prevalence by sex and occupation were different. For male manual workers, the prevalence rate increased steadily during the data period, while it decreased steadily in female sales/service workers.

• Journal of the Korea Safety Management & Science
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• v.17 no.3
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• pp.125-132
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• 2015

The primary purpose of present study, to take appropriate measures to prevent occupational accidents in the food service industry, was to evaluate characteristics of working condition and occupational safety and health. In order to fulfill our objective, profession and working environment, safety recognition and education, safety activities, physical conditions and accident experience were surveyed. To collect information and opinion in the field, face-to-face interviews were, using a structured questionnaire, carried out. Also, food service industry's accidents reported by Korean Occupational Safety and Health Agency at 2014 were statistically analyzed. In the resulting of analyzing data from a questionnaire survey of food service industry employees, safety/health train and management were increased.