• Annals of Occupational and Environmental Medicine
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• 제35권
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• pp.12.1-12.12
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• 2023

Background: The purpose of this study is to investigate the relationship between job stress and impaired fasting glycemia (IFG) of male workers in a manufacturing industry. Methods: Data were collected from 5,886 male workers in a manufacturing industry who participated in the medical examination from June 19 to August 14, 2020 through self-reported questionnaires. The general characteristics of the subjects, shift work, high blood pressure, dyslipidemia, and job stress were included. Job stress was measured using the Korean Occupational Stress Scale (KOSS) consisting of 8 items and 43 questions. Multivariable logistic regression analysis was used to investigate the IFG association with job stress. Results: Among the various factors that can cause job stress, only high job demand was associated with a risk of IFG (odds ratio, 1.43; 95% confidence interval, 1.13-1.82) especially in non-shift worker. For all other factors, no statistically significant results were obtained. Conclusions: In this study of male workers engaged in the Korean steel manufacturing industry, the 'job demand' item among job stress of non-shift worker was related to IFG.

• Annals of Occupational and Environmental Medicine
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• 제34권
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• pp.33.1-33.13
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• 2022

Background: Circadian rhythm disturbance caused by shift work has adverse effects on the metabolic homeostasis of the liver. Disruption of the metabolic homeostasis of the liver causes fat accumulation in the liver. The aim of this study was to investigate the correlation between shift work and non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) among male workers in the steel manufacturing industry of Korea. Methods: Based on medical examination data collected in June 2020, 2,511 male subjects from one steel manufacturing company in Korea were selected in total. NAFLD was evaluated using abdominal ultrasound, which was performed by two experienced radiologists. The multinomial logistic regression analysis was performed by adjusting for age, physical activity, smoking history, alcohol consumption, body mass index, waist circumference, blood pressure, blood glucose, lipidemia, liver function test, employment duration, and hepatotoxic materials exposure status. Results: Compared to daytime workers, the odds ratio (OR) of moderate-severe NAFLD in shift workers was 1.449 (95% confidence interval [CI], 1.028-2.043). Compared to daytime workers, the ORs of moderate-severe NAFLD were significantly higher for the group that engaged in total shift work for more than 20 years (OR, 2.285; 95% CI, 1.051-4.970), the group that was not allowed to sleep during night shift work (OR, 1.463; 95% CI, 1.030-2.078), and the group that consumed food during night shift work (OR, 1.580; 95% CI, 1.093-2.284). Conclusions: There was a correlation between shift work and moderate-severe NAFLD in male steel manufacturing workers. There will be a need for more research related to the correlation of shift work with steatohepatitis and cirrhosis in the future.

• Journal of Preventive Medicine and Public Health
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• 제29권1호
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• pp.113-131
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• 1996

This study was carried out to evaluate the relations among workers' general characteristics, work-related behaviors and health related behaviors in a steel industry with 1,134 workers in Pohang. The results were as follows; 1. The mean age of workers was 50 years old and working duration was 15 years and over. Most of them were married(94.5%) and had studied beyond high school (53.0%). They performed three shift work and most of them(63.0%) had experienced industial accidents. The frequency of noise and dust exposure was defined by a minimum of 6 hours per day, and workers complained about noise exposure(62.9%) and dust(55.6%). There were current smokers(67.7%), current drinkers(74.3%) and current exercising workers(32.3%) in the industry. The number of cigarette consumption in current drinkers was significantly high $(13.6{\pm}8.4\;pieces/day)$ and the alcohol consumption in current smokers was significantly high$(104.5{\pm}113.5\;g/wk)$. And the number of cigarette consumption of exercisers was significantly low and the alcohol consumption of exercisers was higher than non-exercisers. 3. The ratio of current smokers on frequent noise in exposed workers versus non-exposed workers was not significantly high but the current drinkers in frequent noise and dust exposed workers was significantly higher than non-exposed. 4. The normal levels of SGOT workers in non-smokers were significantly higher than in current smokers, and the normal levels of LFT (SGOT, SGPT, $\gamma-GTP$ workers in nondrinkers were significantly high. The normal levels of SBP and DBP workers in current smokers were not significantly high but were significantly high in non-drinkers. 5. The ratio of current smokers in voters unsatisfied with their job and working condition was higher than non-smokers, but the ratio of current drinkers in workers satisfied with their job and working condition were higher. 6. The significant factors for SGOT and $\gamma-GTP$ were age, the drinking amount and BMI. But the only significant factor for r-GTP was BMI. The significant factors for DBP were age, the alcohol consumption and BMI. And the significant factors for SBP were age, BMI.

• Safety and Health at Work
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• 제9권2호
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• pp.232-235
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• 2018

Background: This study was conducted to investigate the heat stress and semen quality among male workers in a steel industry in Iran and investigate the relationship between heat stress indices and semen parameters. Methods: The study was conducted on workers exposed (n = 30) and unexposed (n = 14) to heat in a steel industry. After obtaining a brief biography of the selected employees, scrotal temperature, oral temperature, and environmental parameters were measured, and their semen samples were analyzed according to the procedure recommended by the World Health Organization. The heat stress indices, including wet-bulb globe temperature (WBGT) and predicted heat strain (PHS), in their workplace were calculated according to environmental parameters (ISO 7243:1989 and 7933:2004, respectively). Results: Time-weighted averages of WBGT and PHS ($35.76^{\circ}C$ and 491.56 $w/m^2{\frac{w}{m^2}}$, respectively) for the exposed group were higher than threshold limit values. The mean difference of environmental, physiological, and semen parameters (exception: pH of semen), and also WBGT and PHS indices were statistically significant (p < 0.05) between the two groups. Mean semen parameters were in the normozoospermic range. WBGT and PHS indices showed significantly "negative" correlation with physiological parameters (scrotal and oral temperature) and most semen parameters (semen volume, sperm morphology, sperm motility, sperm count; p < 0.05); moreover, the correlation of WBGT with these parameters was stronger than PHS. Conclusion: Semen parameters of the studied workers exposed to heat were in the borderline level of normozoospermic range, and their semen parameters were significantly lower than controls. For better assessment of occupational environment concerning physiological and semen parameters in steel industries, WBGT can be a more useful index.

• 대한산업공학회지
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• 제30권3호
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• pp.181-189
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• 2004

The purpose of this study was to investigate the effects of sleep/wake behavior for shift workers in the iron and steel industry using wrist actigraph for 59 male workers on a continuous full-day three-team three-shift system of backward rotation including on-duty and off-duty periods. The wrist actigraph data were recorded for 15 days (l shift cycle) for each subject. The sleep length at home during night shift decreased significantly as compared to the morning or evening shifts. The night shift nap length increased significantly in all sections as compared to the morning or evening shifts. The nap length in the Steel Manufacturing Process and Rolling Process during night shift decreased significantly as compared to the Machine Maintenance Section, the Forwarding of Products Section, and the Field Management Section. However, the sleep length at home while off-duty period increased significantly. The percentage of nap length during night shift in the Rolling Process, Steel Manufacture Process, and the other three types of jobs was 16.0%, 20.4%, and about 50.0%, respectively. The nap length during night shift for the above 50 year olds increased significantly as compared to the below 50 year olds. Finally, we discussed the role of nap-taking during the burden on night shift workers and the increased difficulty in continuing their job.

• Journal of Preventive Medicine and Public Health
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• 제32권3호
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• pp.415-420
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• 1999

Objectives: We investigated the effects of changes in obesity and life style factors, such as cigarette smoking, alcohol drinking, and exercise, on the changes in blood pressure and serum cholesterol among Korean men. Methods: This study included 7,205 healthy male employees in the steel manufacturing industry. Each subject underwent health examination in 1994 and was re-examined in 1997. The study subjects were classified into four categories, according to changes in body mass index (BMI) (loss; stable; mild gain: severe gain), cigarette smoking (quitter; nor-smoker; smoker continued; smoker started), alcohol drinking (quitter; non-drinker; drinker continued; drinker started) and exercise (more exercise; continuous regular exercise; continuous irregular or no exercise; less exercise), respectively. We evaluated the relationship between the categories of change in those independent variables and the changes in blood pressure and serum cholesterol, adjusted for BMI in 1994 and age by analysis of variance. Results: The change in systolic blood pressure was positively associated with the changes in BMI (p<0.001) and drinking (p=0,001), but negatively with smoking (p=0,004), compared to the first category of each independent variables. The systolic blood pressure was significantly less increased in the continuous smoking group than quitter or hon-smoker. The changes in diastolic blood pressure and serum cholesterol appeared to have statistically significant linear relationships only with the change in BMI. The change in exercise showed a marginal significance with diastolic blood pressure (p=0.088). Conclusions: These prospective data emphasize the importance of obesity as a determinant of the changes in blood pressure and serum cholesterol. In addition, the changes in smoking and drinking habits can affect systolic blood pressure.