• Journal of the Korea Safety Management & Science
• /
• v.16 no.3
• /
• pp.101-110
• /
• 2014

This study tried to identify the effects of ergonomic risk factors for absence from work of fire fighters in Korea. A self-administered questionnaire was prepared for this study. The questionnaire consisted of several parts such as 'general information', 'work-related factors', 'physical & chemical risk factors', 'ergonomic risk factors', and 'absence information'. A total of 7,098 fire fighters participated in this study. The data obtained from the survey was mainly analyzed by logistic regression. A total of 856 out of 7,098 fire fighters experienced absence from work. The risk factors such as gender, age, marital status, education level, total work year, work area. position, job rotation, noise, dust, organic solvent, skin contact with chemical substance, toxic waste, regional vibration, manual material handling, continuous standing posture, awkward working posture were associated with absence from work. Specifically, awkward working posture and manual material handling from ergonomic risk factors were major risk factors for absence from work.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Safety
• /
• v.24 no.2
• /
• pp.89-93
• /
• 2009

The muscular-skeletal disorders that have become a major issue recently in Korean industrial safety area are mainly caused by manual material handling task. The objective of this study is to provide scientific data for the establishment of work safety standard for Korean workers through the experiments of lifting task under various conditions, in order to prevent the muscular-skeletal disorders in the industrial work site. This study used the psychophysical approach to determine the maximum acceptable weight(MAWL) for seven young male subjects, and used isometric and isoinertial strength variables as predictors to develop prediction models. Also, the oxygen consumption, heart rate, and RPE were measured or recorded while subjects were lifting their MAWL. Three different lifting frequencies(1, 3, 5lifts/min) with two lifting range from floor to knuckle height and knuckle to shoulder height for one hour's work shift using free style lifting technique were studied. These results may not only provide scientific data in establishing the safety standards for Korean workers' lifting tasks, but also contribute preventing the rapidly increasing muscular-skeletal disorders lately on the industrial site.

• Hwankyungkyoyuk
• /
• v.11 no.2
• /
• pp.144-155
• /
• 1998

This research aims to perceive the present state of science experimental education practiced in middle school and also to improve the laboratorial environment. Accordingly, this study surveyed 297 middle school science teachers in Seoul to examine the risks and accidents occurred during lab sessions, the conditions of chemical waste disposal, and whether or not teacher's manual clearly states cautions on toxic chemicals. About 70%(69.6%) of science teachers were highly concerned about risks and toxicity of chemicals used in classes, 59.9% experienced actual accidents, and 83.2% were anxiety of incidents caused by chemicals. Besides, 55.2% of science teachers answered that they have little knowledge about caring noxious chemicals used in lab sessions. So it turns out that they need more specific education on handling toxic chemicals. More than one third(36.7%) answered that they disposed of chemical waste water without any special care or kept it in the lab after experiments. The number of chemicals as well used in middle school curriculum is increasing as grades gets higher toxic chemicals. However, there are few teachers' manual covering how to handle noxious chemicals. Therefore, in middle school curriculum the number of poisonous chemicals should be minimized as much as possible, and in case the toxic chemicals have to be used, teacher's guide book should state precautions on handling chemicals in detail. Also government should make it obligatory on schools to instate ventilator for chemical waste, or to transport the waste to proper disposal systems.

• Journal of the Ergonomics Society of Korea
• /
• v.18 no.1
• /
• pp.1-12
• /
• 1999

The objective of this study was to investigate the metabolic energy consumption rate of the psychophysical Maximum Acceptable Weight of Loads (MAWLs) for different manual materials handling tasks. Lifting activities with four different lifting frequencies (2, 5, 8, 11 lifts/min) for a lifting range (from floor to 76cm height) were studied. The oxygen consumption rate and heart rate were measured or recorded while subjects were lifting their MAWLs. It was found that the relationship between MAWL and frequency can be described best by the exponential function with the R-sq value 0.9865 for this study. Psychophysical MAWL decreased from 22.38 to 7.48 kg, while the oxygen consumption rate with the MAWL increased from 717.8 to $1114.7m{\ell}-O_2/min$ as the frequency increased from 2 to 11 lifts/min. Heart rate also increased from 104.5 to 120.7 bpm. The ratio of oxygen consumption for the MAWL to the Physical Work Capacity (PWC) ranged from 28 to 43%. The MAWLs were greater than or equal to the Maximum Permissible Limits (MPLs) when the frequencies were higher than 8 lifts/min. It seems that the MAWLs by psychophysical approach when the frequencies were higher than 8 lifts/min tend to be overestimated from the viewpoint of the physiological criterion of the oxygen consumption rates. From these findings it is suggested that the NIOSH Guideline should not be directly applied to Korean without reasonable modifications.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Safety
• /
• v.29 no.4
• /
• pp.153-159
• /
• 2014

Low back pain is one of major issues in musculoskeletal diseases mainly caused by MMH (Manual Material Handling) tasks. In Korea, the standards of NIOSH(National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health) Lift Equations in U. S. A. have been most widely used. However, there is no standard in case the height of one feet is higher than that of another one. Moreover, since the standards are developed in U. S. A., there are many limitations for the applicability of Korean workers. In this study, MVC(Maximum Voluntary Contraction) for four postures are measured and an empirical model based on SVR(Support Vector Regression) is constructed. Constructing SVR model, PSO(Particle Swarm Optimization) is employed to investigate the optimal parameters of SVR. The results show that the performance of this empirical model is approximately accurate, even if the deviation of experimental values is large due to the individual differences. This empirical model may contribute to establish the standards of MMH tasks in Korea.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Safety
• /
• v.24 no.2
• /
• pp.83-88
• /
• 2009

The objective of this paper was to evaluate the effectiveness of horizontal, vertical, asymmetric and coupling multipliers for manual material handling. Lifting tasks with 5 different horizontal distances ($30{\sim}70cm$) for 6 vertical distances(ankle, knee, waist, elbow, shoulder and head height) were experimented. The muscle activity and muscle exertion level during asymmetric load handling(without trunk flexion) was experimented. Lifting tasks with and without handle tote box for three postures(straight, bending, right angle posture) were experimented. The degrading tendency did not appeared almost in $60{\sim}70cm$ interval's horizontal distance. As a result of ANOVA, MVC paid attention to horizontal and vertical distance but cross effect was insignificant(p<0.01). The change of the MVC according to the horizontal, vertical distance appeared similar from of RWL. The results of normalized MVC measurement were decreased about 16%, 24%, 34% respectively as the asymmetry angle was $30^{\circ}$, $60^{\circ}$, $90^{\circ}$. RMS EMG values of right erector spinae muscles were decreased as the work posture went to $90^{\circ}$ and those of left erector spinae muscles were increased until the asymmetry angle was $40^{\circ}$ but decreased continually over $40^{\circ}$. 7 subjects, activities of left and right latissimus dorsi muscles were maintained constantly, while for remainer, those were irregular. MVC reduced maximum 23% by type of handle. MVC was highest in straight posture, but was lowest in right angle posture. As a result of ANOVA, MVC paid attention to posture, coupling(p<0.01). To all handle types, biceps brachii activity was increased in right angle posture, but reduced in straight posture. Based on the results of this study, it is suggested that the NIOSH guideline should not be directly applied to Korean without reasonable reexamination. In addition, we need to afterward study through an age classification.

• Safety and Health at Work
• /
• v.8 no.1
• /
• pp.11-18
• /
• 2017

The purpose of this review is to name and describe the important factors of musculoskeletal strain originating from pushing and pulling tasks such as cart handling that are commonly found in industrial contexts. A literature database search was performed using the research platform Web of Science. For a study to be included in this review differences in measured or calculated strain had to be investigated with regard to: (1) cart weight/ load; (2) handle position and design; (3) exerted forces; (4) handling task (push and pull); or (5) task experience. Thirteen studies met the inclusion criteria and proved to be of adequate methodological quality by the standards of the Alberta Heritage Foundation for Medical Research. External load or cart weight proved to be the most influential factor of strain. The ideal handle positions ranged from hip to shoulder height and were dependent on the strain factor that was focused on as well as the handling task. Furthermore, task experience and subsequently handling technique were also key to reducing strain. Workplace settings that regularly involve pushing and pulling should be checked for potential improvements with regards to lower weight of the loaded handling device, handle design, and good practice guidelines to further reduce musculoskeletal disease prevalence.

• Journal of the Ergonomics Society of Korea
• /
• v.34 no.3
• /
• pp.279-291
• /
• 2015

Objective: The purpose of the study is to evaluate appropriate weight for aged farmers in manually handling livestock feed in bags using ergonomic methods. Background: In the livestock industry in South Korea, despite the trend of aging of labor manpower, heavy items are still manually handled in many farms. In particular, among stockbreeding works, the handling of feed in bags weighing 25~30kg is reported as a cause of frequent injuries and musculoskeletal system diseases. However, studies on the standard for recommended weight allowed considering the physical characteristics of aged farmers older than 60 years with greatly decreased physical strength and muscle strength are insufficient. Method: To evaluate appropriate weight for handling of heavy livestock feed in bags, physical techniques for measuring recognized levels of physical work loads, the NLE (NIOSH lifting equation) a method that is an observation type technique, and an ergonomic modeling technique to predict compressive force imposed on L5/S1 were used. Subjects who participated in the experiment were organized into two groups of males/females with mean age exceeding 60 years, and lifting tasks were evaluated for nine weight levels. Results: Based on the results of psychophysical measurement, females showed a tendency of more drastic increases compared to males when weight was over 19kg. The results of estimation of regression models for the weight, 18.0 kg ($r^2=0.97$) and 15.3kg ($r^2=0.97$) were evaluated as stable load for males and females, respectively. In addition, both the observation type evaluation and ergonomic model evaluation showed stable loads in a range of 15~18kg. Conclusion: Given the results of the study, the weight of the feed in bags currently distributed to farms can become a cause of not only overexertion but also farm work related disasters such as musculoskeletal disorders and safety accidents. Providing livestock feed in bags weighing not more than 19kg for aged farmers is judged desirable, and managerial improvement for this matter is considered necessary. Application: The results of the present study can be utilized as useful data for institutional improvement of the weight of livestock feed in bags.

• Journal of Korean Society of Forest Science
• /
• v.99 no.2
• /
• pp.197-203
• /
• 2010

The data of average temperature, average relative humidity, precipitation and average wind speed were collected from 674 meteorological stations in China. A specific procedure that processes original data into a new data format needed in forest fire danger rating forecast system of China was introduced systematically, and the feasibility of this method was validated in this paper. In addition, a set of meteorological data processing software was constructed by the secondary development of GIS in order to realize automation of processing data for the system. Results showed that the approach preformed well in handling temperature, average relative humidity and average wind speed, and the processing effect of precipitation was acceptable. Moreover, the automated procedure could be achieved by GIS and the working efficiency was about 3 times as much as that of manual handling. The informationization level of processing meteorological data was greatly enhanced.

• Proceedings of the KSR Conference
• /
• 2008.11b
• /
• pp.1188-1194
• /
• 2008

Derail accident of train and motorcar through signal override causes such a huge obstruction in train service. To minimize such derail accidents, number of bills were examined such as installing normal and reverse position indicator on the switch. A indicator was necessary which does not affect current equipments and not to be confused as traffic lights. Normal and reverse position indicator is installed in the middle of the rail in front of front rod of switch. It is to prevent derail accident while manual handling of obstacle by ease of verifying normal and reverse position by attendants or motorcar driver. Also, it is a device that prevents accidents by indicating normal and reverse position of switch during night service of motorcar. Such a prevention accomplished through thorough maintenancework of equipment, precise handling of operators and exterior factors are eliminated or perceived and treated well.