• Safety and Health at Work
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• v.7 no.3
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• pp.213-217
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• 2016

Background: The objective of this study is to identify high-risk groups for industrial accidents by setting up 2003 as the base year and conducting an in-depth analysis of the trends of major industrial accident indexes the index of industrial accident rate, the index of occupational injury rate, the index of occupational illness and disease rate per 10,000 people, and the index of occupational injury fatality rate per 10,000 people for the past 10 years. Methods: This study selected industrial accident victims, who died or received more than 4 days of medical care benefits, due to occupational accidents and diseases occurring at workplaces, subject to the Industrial Accident Compensation Insurance Act, as the study population. Results: According to the trends of four major indexes by workplace characteristics, the whole industry has shown a decreasing tendency in all four major indexes since the base year (2003); as of 2012, the index of industrial accident rate was 67, while the index of occupational injury fatality rate per 10,000 people was 59. Conclusion: The manufacturing industry, age over 50 years and workplaces with more than 50 employees showed a high severity level of occupational accidents. Male workers showed a higher severity level of occupational accidents than female workers. The employment period of < 3 years and newly hired workers with a relatively shorter working period are likely to have more occupational accidents than others. Overall, an industrial accident prevention policy must be established by concentrating all available resources and capacities of these high-risk groups.

• Safety and Health at Work
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• v.8 no.2
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• pp.130-142
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• 2017

Background: Osteoarthritis of the knee is considered to be related to knee straining activities at work. The objective of this review is to assess the exposure dose-response relation between kneeling or squatting, lifting, and climbing stairs at work, and knee osteoarthritis. Methods: We included cohort and case-control studies. For each study that reported enough data, we calculated the odds ratio (OR) per 5,000 hours of cumulative kneeling and per 100,000 kg of cumulative lifting. We pooled these incremental ORs in a random effects meta-analysis. Results: We included 15 studies (2 cohort and 13 case-control studies) of which nine assessed risks in more than two exposure categories. We considered all but one study at high risk of bias. The incremental OR per 5,000 hours of kneeling was 1.26 (95% confidence interval 1.17-1.35, 5 studies, moderate quality evidence) for a log-linear exposure dose-response model. For lifting, there was no exposure dose-response per 100,000 kg of lifetime lifting (OR 1.00, 95% confidence interval 1.00-1.01). For climbing, an exposure dose-response could not be calculated. Conclusion: There is moderate quality evidence that longer cumulative exposure to kneeling or squatting at work leads to a higher risk of osteoarthritis of the knee. For other exposure, there was no exposure dose-response or there were insufficient data to establish this. More reliable exposure measurements would increase the quality of the evidence.

• Journal of the Ergonomics Society of Korea
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• v.28 no.3
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• pp.17-25
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• 2009

This study was aimed to analyze of characteristics of Musculoskeletal disorders (MSDs) based on the industrial accident statistics which were extracted from the Ministry of Labor. In this study all MSDs cases in 2007, 7,723 cases, were investigated. First of all, for the analysis of a wide view point concerning the characteristics of MSDs, We have inspected characteristics of the user population (i.e. age, gender, employed periods, etc.). Secondly, work-related risk factors such as repetitive motions, awkward postures, manual material handling were analyzed in terms of disease code, injured part of body, types of business, etc. Next, characteristics of handling of heavy materials were analyzed according to weight, types of handling, agency of cause, etc. Finally, we have compared and analyzed the features between the period of hospitalization and other variables. In addition to that we also conducted statistics analysis. The study results showed that there were significant characteristics of MSDs that could be used as basis data for the MSDs prevention policy.

• Safety and Health at Work
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• v.14 no.3
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• pp.272-278
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• 2023

Background: Some working conditions may pose a higher physical or psychological demand to pregnant women leading to increased risks of pregnancy complications. Objectives: We assessed the association of woman's employment status and the industrial classification with obstetric complications. Methods: We conducted a national population study using the National Health Information Service database of Republic of Korea. Our analysis encompassed 1,316,310 women who experienced first-order live births in 2010-2019. We collected data on the employment status and the industrial classification of women, as well as their diagnoses of preeclampsia (PE) and gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) classified as A1 (well controlled by diet) or A2 (requiring medication). We calculated odds ratios (aORs) of complications per employment, and each industrial classification was adjusted for individual risk factors. Results: Most (64.7%) were in employment during pregnancy. Manufacturing (16.4%) and the health and social (16.2%) work represented the most prevalent industries. The health and social work exhibited a higher risk of PE (aOR = 1.11, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.03-1.21), while the manufacturing industry demonstrated a higher risk of class A2 GDM (1.20, 95% CI: 1.03-1.41) than financial intermediation. When analyzing both classes of GDM, women who worked in public administration and defense/social security showed higher risk of class A1 GDM (1.04, 95% CI: 1.01, 1.07). When comparing high-risk industries with nonemployment, the health and social work showed a comparable risk of PE (1.02, 95% CI: 0.97, 1.07). Conclusion: Employment was associated with overall lower risks of obstetric complications. Health and social service work can counteract the healthy worker effect in relation to PE. This highlights the importance of further elucidating specific occupational risk factors within the high-risk industries.

• Safety and Health at Work
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• v.13 no.4
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• pp.429-439
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• 2022

Background: The risk observatory (RO) of the German Social Accident Insurance (DGUV) provides strategic support to the German Social Accident Insurance Institutions (GSAII) in proactive prevention. It does so by identifying future challenges and opportunities for occupational safety and health (OSH) resulting from new trends and developments that affect employees as well as children in elementary education, pupils, and students. Methods: The core of the RO is an online survey that relies on a pool of new trends and developments identified via internet and literature research. 865 prevention experts of the GSAII and the DGUV participated in the survey. They rated trends and developments regarding their sector-specific risks and opportunities for OSH in the 5 years to come. Results: Sector-specific and over-all results show that besides well-known OSH risks such as musculoskeletal stress and noise, developments relevant for OSH come to the fore that do not have their origin in work itself, but are strongly influenced by political, social, economic, environmental, or technical developments that accident insurance can only peripherally influence. Shortage of skilled staff was identified as a threat to OSH in almost all sectors. Conclusions: Prevention must find ways to address repercussions of such OSH risks. Cooperation and political awareness are therefore gaining in importance. Also, implementing a prevention culture in society and strengthening individuals' health and safety literacy, e.g., by target-group-specific communication and sensitization, as well as early safety and health education, help to counteract those OSH risks.

• Safety and Health at Work
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• v.12 no.4
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• pp.462-470
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• 2021

Background: Fatigue is pervasive, under-reported, and potentially deadly where flight operations are concerned. The aviation industry appears to lack a standardized, practical, and easily replicable protocol for fatigue risk assessment which can be consistently applied across operators. Aim: Our paper sought to present a framework, supported by real-world data with subjective and objective parameters, to monitor aircrew fatigue and performance, and to determine the safe crew configuration for commercial airline operations. Methods: Our protocol identified risk factors for fatigue-induced performance degradation as triggers for fatigue risk and performance assessment. Using both subjective and objective measurements of sleep, fatigue, and performance in the form of instruments such as the Karolinska Sleepiness Scale, Samn-Perelli Crew Status Check, Psychomotor Vigilance Task, sleep logs, and a wearable actigraph for sleep log correlation and sleep duration and quality charting, a workflow flagging fatigue-prone flight operations for risk mitigation was developed and trialed. Results: In an operational study aimed at occupational assessment of fatigue and performance in airline pilots on a three-men crew versus a four-men crew for a long-haul flight, we affirmed the technical feasibility of our proposed framework and approach, the validity of the battery of assessment instruments, and the meaningful interpretation of fatigue and work performance indicators to enable the formulation of safe work recommendations. Conclusion: A standardized occupational assessment protocol like ours is useful to achieve consistency and objectivity in the occupational assessment of fatigue and work performance.

• Journal of Korean Society of Occupational and Environmental Hygiene
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• v.31 no.4
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• pp.451-460
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• 2021

Objectives: The purpose of this study is to examine occupational risk factors that affect the mental health (depression, anxiety, anger, insomnia, self-esteem, trauma) of hospital facility workers. Methods: A survey was conducted from November 17, 2020 to December 1, 2020 for 700 non-medical workers (Temporary and contract workers: cleaning, security, information, office workers, etc.) working at a general hospital in Seoul. Results: As a result of the study, the risk of musculoskeletal disorders was found to have a significant effect on depression, anxiety, insomnia, and trauma. Noise had a significant effect on depression and anger, dust hazard had an effect on depression and self-esteem, and high temperature had a significant effect on anxiety and insomnia. Conclusions: Based on these results, it is necessary to examine the influence of occupational risk factors to improve the mental health of non-medical hospital facility workers.

• Annals of Occupational and Environmental Medicine
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• v.34
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• pp.2.1-2.14
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• 2022

Background: Because income and working hours are closely related, the health impact of working hours can vary according to economic status. This study aimed to investigate the relationship between working hours and the risk of poor self-rated health according to household income level. Methods: We used the data from the Korea National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey VI and VII. The information on working hours and self-rated health was obtained from the questionnaire. After stratifying by household income level, the risk of poor self-rated health for long working hour group (≥ 52 hours a week), compared to the 35-51 working hour group as a reference, were calculated using multiple logistic regression. Results: Long working hours increased the risk of poor self-rated health in the group with the highest income, but not in the group with the lowest income. On the other hand, the overall weighted prevalence of poor self-rated health was higher in the low-income group. Conclusions: The relationship between long working hours and the risk of poor self-rated health varied by household income level. This phenomenon, in which the health effects of long working hours appear to diminish in low-income households can be referred to as the 'poor worker's long working hours paradox'. Our findings suggest that the recent working hour restriction policy implemented by the Korean government should be promoted, together with a basic wage preservation to improve workers' general health and well-being.

• Safety and Health at Work
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• v.10 no.4
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• pp.428-436
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• 2019

Background: Metalworking fluids (MWFs) are mixtures with inhalation exposures as mists, dusts, and vapors, and dermal exposure in the dispersed and bulk liquid phase. A quantitative risk assessment was performed for exposure to MWF and respiratory disease. Methods: Risks associated with MWF were derived from published studies and NIOSH Health Hazard Evaluations, and lifetime risks were calculated. The outcomes analyzed included adult onset asthma, hypersensitivity pneumonitis, pulmonary function impairment, and reported symptoms. Incidence rates were compiled or estimated, and annual proportional loss of respiratory capacity was derived from cross-sectional assessments. Results: A strong healthy worker survivor effect was present. New-onset asthma and hypersensitivity pneumonitis, at 0.1 mg/㎥ MWF under continuous outbreak conditions, had a lifetime risk of 45%; if the associated microbiological conditions occur with only 5% prevalence, then the lifetime risk would be about 3%. At 0.1 mg/㎥, the estimate of excess lifetime risk of attributable pulmonary impairment was 0.25%, which may have been underestimated by a factor of 5 or more by a strong healthy worker survivor effect. The symptom prevalence associated with respiratory impairment at 0.1 mg/㎥ MWF was estimated to be 5% (published studies) and 21% (Health Hazard Evaluations). Conclusion: Significant risks of impairment and chronic disease occurred at 0.1 mg/㎥ for MWFs in use mostly before 2000. Evolving MWFs contain new ingredients with uncharacterized long-term hazards.

• Safety and Health at Work
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• v.2 no.4
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• pp.375-379
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• 2011

Control Banding (CB) strategies to prevent work-related illness and injury for 2.5 billion workers without access to health and safety professionals has grown exponentially this last decade. CB originates from the pharmaceutical industry to control active pharmaceutical ingredients without a complete toxicological basis and therefore no occupational exposure limits. CB applications have broadened into chemicals in general - including new emerging risks like nanomaterials and recently into ergonomics and injury prevention. CB is an action-oriented qualitative risk assessment strategy offering solutions and control measures to users through "toolkits". Chemical CB toolkits are user-friendly approaches used to achieve workplace controls in the absence of firm toxicological and quantitative exposure information. The model (technical) validation of these toolkits is well described, however firm operational analyses (implementation aspects) are lacking. Consequentially, it is often not known if toolkit use leads to successful interventions at individual workplaces. This might lead to virtual safe workplaces without knowing if workers are truly protected. Upcoming international strategies from the World Health Organization Collaborating Centers request assistance in developing and evaluating action-oriented procedures for workplace risk assessment and control. It is expected that to fulfill this strategy's goals, CB approaches will continue its important growth in protecting workers.