• Journal of the Korean Society of Safety
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• v.27 no.6
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• pp.144-150
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• 2012

A survey was carried out to understand and analyze the characteristics of the symptoms of musculoskeletal disorders among farmers of pears, grapes, cucumbers, eggplants and various vegetables. One hundred and forty farmers participated in the study. It was found that task characteristics differ according to crops and the gender of the farmers. The fruits farmers mainly assume arm-elevated postures while vegetables farmers mostly take bent-back or squatting postures. The symptoms of musculoskeletal disorders are mostly reported in the low back, shoulder, and knee. Though the rates of symptoms of musculoskeletal disorders were not much different among the crops, the fruits farmers showed relatively higher rate of symptoms in the shoulder and neck than those of other crops. The rate of symptoms of female farmers was higher than that of male farmers, which is the similar results of other studies. The relatively low correlationship between the task characteristics and the rate of symptomes might be caused by the fact that most farmers are involved in various agricultural tasks that are not much different among different crops.

• Journal of the Korea Academia-Industrial cooperation Society
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• v.12 no.5
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• pp.2163-2171
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• 2011

This study evaluated the complaint rates of musculoskeletal symptoms and investigated the related factors of musculoskeletal symptoms among nurses in a university hospital. For 249 nurses working at the ward, we used the self-administered questionnaires to examine sociodemographic, health related factors, job-related, subjective musculoskeletal symptoms designed by NIOSH. during the period from Aug. 1st to Aug. 31st, 2010. As a results, one and more of musculoskeletal symptoms was 66.3%, and two and more of that was 45.8%. The complaint rates of musculoskeletal symptoms were 44.2% in the shoulders, 33.7% in the low back, 33.3% in the legs/feet, 29.7% in the neck, 14.9% in the hands/wrists/fingers, 4.8% in the arms/elbows. For the age adjusted odds ratio for the musculoskeletal symptoms of neck, shoulders, low back and legs/feet, the groups who are shift work, staff nurse, who reported that their subjective health status are not good, and whose physical burden of works are hard were increased than their respective counterparts. In conclusion, the complaint rates of musculoskeletal symptoms was differently revealed by variable factors such as sociodemographic, health related factors and job-related factors.

• International Journal of Quality Innovation
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• v.5 no.2
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• pp.79-88
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• 2004

The purpose of this study was to analyze the prevalence of self-reported musculoskeletal symptoms among the three Taiwan's traditional industries as lathe, electronics and food by the Nordic Musculoskeletal Questionnaire (NMQ). Moreover, the study was also to make a comparison among the aforesaid industries for revealing their differences. The result of the questionnaire indicated that the symptoms appeared on the three industries were all originated from four parts as neck, shoulders, elbows, and wrists/hands. More than 68% of the interviewers thought that their symptoms might be related to their work. However, the rate of harmful influence resulted from life or job was over 50%. As to the respect of the interviewers' attitude in treating their symptoms, more than 80% of them neglected or just treated the symptoms by massaging or cold/hot compressing and resting. From the questionnaire, the proportion of symptoms discussed in each item indicated that the distribution, in perceiving symptom, of interviewers were not quite identical; however the Chi-square test discovered majority did not reach 0.05 levels, hence the difference among industries were not significant.

• Journal of Korean Society of Occupational and Environmental Hygiene
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• v.26 no.2
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• pp.210-218
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• 2016

Objectives: The objectives of this study were to investigate female labor workers' occupational stress and musculoskeletal symptoms and to identify the effects of their occupational stress and musculoskeletal symptoms on their health-related quality of life. Methods: A survey was conducted through direct interviews using a musculoskeletal symptoms questionnaire, the Korean Occupational Stress Scale(KOSS), and the Short-Form 36-Item Health Survey(SF-36). Subjects were 112 female labor workers in three factories in D city who were selected by convenience sampling. Results: Factors significantly affecting health-related quality of life were found to be: occupational stress(${\beta}$=-.36); degree of pain, with medium pain(${\beta}$=-.31) and extremely severe pain(${\beta}$=-.24); duration of pain, with more than 1 week-less than 1 month(${\beta}$=-.25) and more than 6 months(${\beta}$=-.16); frequency of pain, with once per 2-3 months(${\beta}$=-.22); responses to pain such as medical leave, use of worker's compensation insurance, task change, etc.(${\beta}$=-.16), and Slightly difficult(${\beta}$=-.16) versus Not hard at all. These variables demonstrated that health-related quality of life is 48%(F=11.72, p<.001) in female workers. Conclusions: To improve female labor workers' health-related quality of life based on the above results, occupational health managers should reduce the workers' occupational stress, develop and apply health interventions regarding musculoskeletal symptoms, prevent the early onset of musculoskeletal symptoms, and protect and promote the workers' health.

• Safety and Health at Work
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• v.1 no.2
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• pp.124-133
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• 2010

Objectives: This study was conducted to develop a model describing the interaction between lifestyle, job, and postural factors and parts of the upper extremities in shipyard workers. Methods: A questionnaire survey was given to 2,140 workers at a shipyard in Ulsan City. The questionnaire consisted of questions regarding the subjects' general characteristics, lifestyle, tenure, physical burden, job control, posture and musculoskeletal symptoms. The overall relationship between variables was analyzed by a structural equation model (SEM). Results: The positive rate of upper extremity musculoskeletal symptoms increased in employees who worked longer hours, had severe physical burden, and did not have any control over their job. Work with a more frequent unstable posture and for longer hours was also associated with an increased positive rate of musculoskeletal symptoms. Multiple logistic regression analysis showed that unstable posture and physical burden were closely related to the positive rate of musculoskeletal symptoms after controlling for age, smoking, drinking, exercise, tenure, and job control. In SEM analysis, work-related musculoskeletal disease was influenced directly and indirectly by physical and job stress factors, lifestyle, age, and tenure (p < 0.05). The strongest correlations were found between physical factors and work-related musculoskeletal disease. Conclusion: The model in this study provides a better approximation of the complexity of the actual relationship between risk factors and work-related musculoskeletal disorders. Among the variables evaluated in this study, physical factors (work posture) had the strongest association with musculoskeletal disorders.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Safety
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• v.38 no.2
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• pp.52-59
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• 2023

Due to the routine nature of social distancing in accordance with the COVID-19 pandemic, the logistics industry is under rapid development, given that offline demand is focused on online platforms. The number of warehouse workplaces and workers are steadily increasing per annum, and the industrial accident rate of transportation, warehouse, and telecommunication industries to which warehouse employees belong is higher than the total industrial accident rate in Korea. In previous studies, warehouse workers reported exposure to health hazards such as musculoskeletal disorders due to the handling of heavy objects and improper working postures. Accordingly, in this study, a survey was conducted to investigate symptoms of musculoskeletal disorders with focus on parcel delivery workers nationwide. The questionnaire included a musculoskeletal disorder symptom survey table to identify information such as worker occupational history, work type, and signs or symptoms of musculoskeletal disorders. Survey response data from 453 people were obtained to determine the influence of delivery business characteristics on occupational musculoskeletal disorders, and the influencing factors were analyzed. Based on the results, in the analysis of pain with respect to body part, the duration, degree, and frequency of pain were highest in the leg part, and as a result, the average value for the leg part exhibited a significant difference from those of other body parts. In addition, 52.32% of workers exhibited symptoms of musculoskeletal disorders, and a high number of patients with musculoskeletal disorders was observed in the work group with less than three years of service and with ages ranging from 30-39. The results of this study can serve as basic data for the derivation of a management plan that meets the characteristics of musculoskeletal disorders that impact logistics workers overburdened with work due to the rapid increase in parcel delivery volume in accordance with an increase in online consumption.

• Korean Journal of Occupational Health Nursing
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• v.26 no.3
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• pp.133-141
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• 2017

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to identify the relationship between work-related characteristics and job stressors and the factors influencing musculoskeletal symptoms of the warehouse employees. Methods: The research was a cross-sectional, descriptive study. Data were collected from 319 warehouse employees who agreed to participate in the study by using self-report questionnaires. Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics, $x^2-test$, and logistic regression analysis (SPSS 18.0). Results: The overall prevalence of musculoskeletal symptoms was 37.6%. The logistic regression analysis revealed a posture that renders fatigue or pain, repetitive work, and a higher total score of job stressors as the risk factors for musculoskeletal symptoms in many body parts. Conclusion: Employers should plan to educate employees who work in warehouses about the correct working posture to prevent musculoskeletal diseases, stop repetitive work, and manage job stressors.

• Journal of Korean Biological Nursing Science
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• v.17 no.2
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• pp.169-178
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• 2015

Purpose: This study aimed to compare work-related musculoskeletal symptoms, occupational stress and nursing work environments of nurses working in patient-sitter wards and general wards. Methods: The study surveyed 240 nurses with more than one year of experience working in both patient-sitter wards and general wards. The collected data then was analyzed by SPSS statistics version 22. Results: As for the musculoskeletal symptoms, the survey showed that 85.2% and 67.8% of the nurses had such symptoms respectively in patient-sitter wards and general wards. In terms of occupational stress, no significant difference was observed between the patient-sitter ward and the general ward (t=-0.23, p=.821). Lastly, the study showed that there is a significant difference in terms of work environment considering the scores recorded 2.65 and 2.55 points respectively in patient-sitter ward and general ward (t=2.53, p=.012). Conclusion: Follow-up research should look at ways to lower the rate of experiencing work-related musculoskeletal symptoms; analyze work performances and establish work standards to lower occupational stress; and devise measures to improve the work environment for the nurses working in patient-sitter wards.

• Journal of the Ergonomics Society of Korea
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• v.25 no.2
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• pp.181-186
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• 2006

MSDs(Musculoskeletal Disorders) symptoms related to infants-rearing was evaluated on 207 Korean caregivers who taking care of their infants under 36 months on January and February 2005. In Result, 77 percentages caregivers suffered from MSDs symptoms that occurred more than one time for 1 month during the last one year or last for more than one week (by NIOSH). This results shows that MSDs problems of Korean infants caregivers are very serious. Body parts complained of MSDs symptoms were low back(61%), shoulder(60%), hand/wrist(46%), neck(37%), upper back(35%). Parenting stress of the caregivers who had MSDs symptoms was significantly higher than who didn't showed MSDs symptoms.

• Safety and Health at Work
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• v.11 no.4
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• pp.491-499
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• 2020

Background: Assembly lines work is frequently associated to work-related upper limb musculoskeletal disorders. The related disability and absenteeism make it important to implement efficient health surveillance systems. The main objective of this study was to identify self-reported variables that can determine work-related upper limb musculoskeletal symptoms-discomfort/pain-during a 6-month follow-up. Methods: This was a prospective study with a 6-month follow-up period, performed in an assembly line. Upper limb musculoskeletal discomfort/pain was assessed through the presence of self-reported symptoms. Uni- and multivariate logistic regression analyses were used to evaluate which self-reported variables were associated to upper limb symptoms after 6 months at the present and to upper limbs symptoms in the past month. Results: Of the 200 workers at baseline, 145 replied to the survey after 6 months. For both outcomes, "having upper limb symptoms during the previous 6 months" and "education" were possible predictors. Conclusion: Our results suggest that having previous upper limb symptoms was related to its maintenance after 6 months, sustaining it as a specific determinant. It can be a hypothesis that this population had mainly workers with chronic symptoms, although our results give only limited support to self-reported indicators as determinants for upper limb symptoms. Nevertheless, the development of an efficient health surveillance system for high demanding jobs should implicate self-reported indicators, but also clinical and work conditions assessment should be accounted on the future.