• Journal of Korean Institute of Industrial Engineers
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• v.24 no.2
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• pp.167-173
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• 1998

Many workers like welders work in squatting postures with the object on the ground during an entire work shift. It is suspected that such prolonged squatting without any supporting stool would gradually cause musculoskeletal injuries to workers. This study is to examine the physical stress caused by the prolonged squatting and to recommend a safe work/rest schedule for a welding task with squatting posture based on the lab experiments. In this study, 8 healthy student subjects participated in the experiment. They maintained a squatting work posture for 16 minutes with 4 different stool height conditions: no stool; 10cm height; 15cm height; and 20cm height. Every 2 minutes, the discomfort was subjectively assessed with the magnitude estimation method for the whole body, lower back, upper leg and lower leg. Based on discomfort ratings, we found that a 10cm height stool relieved the workload most. Discomfort rating results also indicated that a 20cm height stool showed the highest workload, and the there were no difference in workload between a 15cm height stool and no stool. We recommend to use low height stools and to maintain such working postures no longer than 6 minutes for prolonged squatting tasks.

• Journal of Korean Biological Nursing Science
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• v.21 no.4
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• pp.266-274
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• 2019

Purpose: The aim of this research was to identify the mediating effect of sleep quality on the relationship between job stress and stress response of shift-working nurses. Methods: The participants in this study were 150 nurses who had more than 6 months of shift-working experience. A survey was conducted from May to June 2017 in a hospital in Gyeonggi-do, South Korea. The data were collected through self-report questionnaires. The collected data were analyzed using SAS 9.4 program. The analysis was based on Baron and Kenny's model to examine the mediating effects of sleep quality on the relationship between job stress and stress response of shift-working nurses. Results: In the first and second steps, job stress was identified as a significant predictor of sleep quality (β= .29, p= .001) and stress response (β = .24, p= .004). In the third step, sleep (B = .55, p< .001) was observed as a significant predictor of stress response, and the direct relationship between job stress and stress response was not significant (β= .07, p= .291). Sleep quality was found to exhibit complete mediating effect on the relationship between job stress and stress response. Conclusion: The results of this study suggest that strategies for managing the stress of shift-working nurses should include effective ways to ensure sleep quality.

• Journal of Preventive Medicine and Public Health
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• v.27 no.3 s.47
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• pp.475-486
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• 1994

In order to provide necessary information for better health of workers through understanding the actual status of the industries adopting shift systems. The data were gathered from a stratified random sample of 347 (0.5%) firms selected out of about 70,000 manufacturing industries throughout the nation in 1993. Stratification during sampling was by industrial group and number of workers. The major findings obtained from 288 firms surveyed completely were as follows : 1. About 20.2% of the 288 firms were adopting shift systems and shirtworkers accounted for about 25.1% of the total work force in 288 firms. 2. The bigger number of workers was, the higher the adopting rate of shift system was. 3. The rate of having welfare facilities such as dining room, commuting bus, washing facilities, and health care room etc. was higher in the industries adopting shift systems. 4. The major industrial groups adopting shift systems were the rubber a: plastic goods manufacturing industry (54.1 per 100 firms) and the textile manufacturing industry (44.8 per 100 firms). However, the proportion of shiftworkers was higher in the textile manufacturing industry (70.5 per 100 firms) and the electronics industry (57.9 per 100 frms). 5. The most predominant work schedule was the weekly rotating, semi-continuos 2-crew 2-shift system (47.5%). 6. In the industries adopting shift systems, shiftworkers had an adjusted average of 0.29 spells per 100 workers ($0.14{\sim}0.45$ in 95% C.I.) compared to 0.23 spells per 100 nonshift dayworkers ($0.15{\sim}0.31$ in 95% C.I.) for 1 month. 7. Also, in the industries adopting shift systems, the adjusted average annuel turn-over rate of shiftworkers was 13.07 per 100 workers ($12.03{\sim}14.12$ in 95% C.I.) compared to 10.18 per 100 nonshift dayworkers ($9.53{\sim}10.82$ in 95% C.I.).

• Safety and Health at Work
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• v.7 no.1
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• pp.72-77
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• 2016

Background: This study aimed to determine the prevalence and factors related to needle stick injuries (NSIs) and to assess related safety measures among a sample of Iranian nurses. Methods: In this cross-sectional study, a random sample of 168 registered active nurses was selected from different wards of one of the hospitals of Shiraz University of Medical Sciences (SUMS). Data were collected by an anonymous questionnaire and a checklist based observational method among the 168 registered active nurses. Results: The prevalence of NSIs in the total of work experience and the last year was 76% and 54%, respectively. Hollow-bore needles were the most common devices involved in the injuries (85.5%). The majority of NSIs occurred in the morning shift (57.8%) and the most common activity leading to NSIs was recapping needles (41.4%). The rate of underreporting NSIs was 60.2% and the major reasons for not reporting the NSIs were heavy clinical schedule (46.7%) and perception of low risk of infection (37.7%). A statistically significant relationship was found between the occurrence of NSIs and sex, hours worked/week, and frequency of shifts/month. Conclusion: The study showed a high prevalence of NSIs among nurses. Supportive measures such as improving injection practices, modification of working schedule, planning training programs targeted at using personal protective equipment, and providing an adequate number of safety facilities such as puncture resistant disposal containers and engineered safe devices are essential for the effective prevention of NSI incidents among the studied nurses.

• Safety and Health at Work
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• v.8 no.1
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• pp.67-71
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• 2017

Background: Job stress and job satisfaction are important factors affecting workforce productivity. This study was carried out to investigate the job stress, job satisfaction, and workforce productivity levels, to examine the effects of job stress and job satisfaction on workforce productivity, and to identify factors associated with productivity decrement among employees of an Iranian petrochemical industry. Methods: In this study, 125 randomly selected employees of an Iranian petrochemical company participated. The data were collected using the demographic questionnaire, Osipow occupational stress questionnaire to investigate the level of job stress, Job Descriptive Index to examine job satisfaction, and Hersey and Goldsmith questionnaire to investigate productivity in the study population. Results: The levels of employees' perceived job stress and job satisfaction were moderate-high and moderate, respectively. Also, their productivity was evaluated as moderate. Although the relationship between job stress and productivity indices was not statistically significant, the positive correlation between job satisfaction and productivity indices was statistically significant. The regression modeling demonstrated that productivity was significantly associated with shift schedule, the second and the third dimensions of job stress (role insufficiency and role ambiguity), and the second dimension of job satisfaction (supervision). Conclusion: Corrective measures are necessary to improve the shift work system. "Role insufficiency" and "role ambiguity" should be improved and supervisor support must be increased to reduce job stress and increase job satisfaction and productivity.

• Women's Health Nursing
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• v.29 no.1
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• pp.32-43
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• 2023

Purpose: This study investigated the dietary behavior of experienced shiftwork nurses and aimed to identify factors related to dietary behavior. Methods: This study was a secondary analysis based on the Shift Work Nurses' Health and Turnover study (2018-2021) among Korean nurses. In total, 247 experienced (>12 months) shiftwork nurses were included in this study. The participants' dietary behavior, depression, level of occupational stress, fatigue, physical activity, and general characteristics were measured. Descriptive statistics, Pearson correlation coefficients, independent t-test, one-way analysis of variance, the Kruskal-Wallis test, and multiple regression analysis were conducted. Results: The dietary behavior score of the participants using the Mini-Dietary Assessment Index was 29.35±5.67. Thirty percent of the participants were depressed, the participants experienced moderate occupational stress, and 74.1% of the participants engaged in an inadequate amount of physical activity. The factors influencing shiftwork nurses' dietary behavior were having child(ren) (β=.16, p=.027), depression (β=-.13, p=.032), level of occupational stress related to occupational climate (β=-.13, p=.035), and an inadequate amount of physical activity (β=-.17, p=.006). These factors explained 10.4% of the variance in experienced shiftwork nurses' dietary behavior scores. Conclusion: Experienced nurses with child(ren) tended to have healthier diets. However, a higher level of occupational stress related to occupational climate, depression, and engaging in an inadequate amount of physical activity were associated with a higher risk of having an unhealthy diet. Therefore, strategies are needed to encourage physical activity and alleviate adverse occupational climate and depression among experienced nurses.

• Korean Journal of Construction Engineering and Management
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• v.3 no.4 s.12
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• pp.93-103
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• 2002

The reinforcement concrete work is the work affected by structural safety, durability, and schedule with form work. The domestic reinforcement concrete works have mainly worked the process of re-barfabrication/assembly on site. Finally it have low productivity. Then this paper analyzed waste factors and the process of re-bar fabrication/assembly on site for the productivity improvement and value-added productivity improvement. Waste factor analysis aims at maximizing value-added by the value analysis of re-bar fabrication and assembly on site. Finally, Value-AddingActivity(VAA)ismuchlessthan non-value adding activity. Especially, Non-Value-Adding Activity(NVAA) generates waste such as the activity steps, labors, equipments, materials, time, and soon. And it was non-flow production, over production, and analyzed into having to shift value. This paper aimsat maximizing value-addingactivity and minimizingnon value-addingactivity through waste factor analysis in process for the improvement of value added productivity.

• Journal of Nutrition and Health
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• v.36 no.3
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• pp.306-318
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• 2003

This study was performed to investigate the dietary attitudes and nutrient intakes of nurses. A total of 291 nurses working at hospitals in the Kyungnam area participated in the study. The general characteristics and dietary attitudes of the subjects were surveyed using a self-administered questionnaire, and nutrient intakes was examined using one-day 24-hour recall method. The results were as follows : 67.7 percent of the subjects were nurses, 32.3% were nursing assistants. Average age of the subjects was 26.9 years old, average nursing experience was 5.7 years, and 70.7% of the subjects graduated from junior college. The rates of shift work (45.4%) and non-shift work (54.6%) were similar, and 91.5% of subjects worked on a three-shift a day schedule. The average nutrition knowledge score was 14.3 $\pm$ 2.5 out of a possible 20 points. Most of the nurses had experienced dietary problems such as skipping meals and overeating. Sixty-eight point three percent of the nurses had breakfast less than 3 times a week, and the main reason for skipping meals was a lack of time. Most of the nurses (74.1%) didn't exercise regularly. The average score on dietary habits was 55.6 out of 100, and most of the subjects belonged to the‘fair’group in terms of dietary habits. Married nurses, and those over 31 years of age, scored significantly higher on dietary habits than unmarried nurses, and those under 25 years of age (p < 0.001), and the scores significantly increased with increasing age. Mean daily carbohydrate and fat intake was 231.5 $\pm$ 66.1 g, 41.1 $\pm$ 18.8 g, and cholesterol and crude fiber intake was 238.2 $\pm$ 184.6 mg, 5.2 $\pm$ 2.0 g. respectively. Compared with the recommended allowances, the energy (1560.0 $\pm$ 448.5 kcal), calcium (453.8 $\pm$ 222.3 mg) iron (10.6 $\pm$ 7.6 mg), vitamin A (658.5 $\pm$ 538.1 R.E) and vitamin B$_2$ (0.96 $\pm$ 0.5 mg) figures were below the Korean RDA, and the protein (65.9 $\pm$ 31.0 g), vitamin B, (1.14 $\pm$ 0.5 mg), vitamin C (143.2 $\pm$ 119.6 mg), niacin (14.4 $\pm$ 6.3 mg) and phosphorus (958.1 $\pm$ 352.1 mg) figures were above the Korean RDA. The average carbohydrate, protein, fat ratio of energy intake was 60：17：23. The intake ratio of Ca and P showed an unbalance of 1：2. The dietary habits had a positive correlation (p < 0.001) with nutrition intake except vitamin A and vitamin C. Therefore, In order to improve overall dietary behavior and nutritional status, systematic nutrition education programs should be developed.

• Nuclear Engineering and Technology
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• v.56 no.1
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• pp.222-232
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• 2024

New modular factory-built methodologies implemented in the construction and industrial plant industries may bring down costs for modular reactors. A factory-built environment brings about benefits such as; improved equipment, tools, quality, shift patterns, training, continuous improvement learning, environmental control, standardisation, parallel working, the use of commercial off shelf equipment and much of the commissioning can be completed before leaving the factory. All these benefits combine to reduce build schedules, increase certainty, reduce risk and make financing easier and cheaper.Currently, the construction and industrial chemical plant industries have implemented successful modular design and construction techniques. Therefore, the objectives of this paper are to understand and analyse the state of the art research in these industries through a systematic literature review. The research can then be assessed and applied to modular reactors.The literature review highlighted analysis methods that may prove to be useful. These include; modularisation decision tools, stakeholder analysis, schedule, supply chain, logistics, module design tools and construction site planning. Applicable research was highlighted for further work exploration for designers to assess, develop and efficiently design their modular reactors.

• Safety and Health at Work
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• v.5 no.2
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• pp.86-90
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• 2014

Background: Urinary 1-hydroxypyrene (1-OHP) was selected as a biomarker of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) to explore the accumulation level in the bodies of workers at rubber smoke sheet factories in southern Thailand. Methods: Spot urine samples were taken from four groups of workers from June 2006 to November 2007. The nonexposure or control groups included habitual cigarette smokers and nonsmokers. The other two groups were workers exposed to particle-bound PAHs from rubber wood smoke and they were nonsmokers. All spot urine samples were analyzed for 1-OHP and creatinine levels. Results: The mean${\pm}$standard deviation urinary 1-OHP in the control group of habitual smokers and the nonsmokers was $0.24{\pm}0.16{\mu}mol/mol$ creatinine and not-detected to $0.14{\mu}mol/mol$ creatinine, respectively. In the workers, the 1-OHP levels on workdays had no significant difference from the 1-OHP levels on the days off. The yearly average 1-OHP level was $0.76{\pm}0.41{\mu}mol/mol$ creatinine whereas the average 1-OHP level during 10 consecutive workdays was $1.06{\pm}0.29{\mu}mol/mol$ creatinine (p > 0.05). Conclusion: The urinary 1-OHP levels of workers exposed to PAHs were high. The accumulation of 1-OHP in the body was not clear although the workers had long working hours with few days off during their working experience. Therefore, a regular day off schedule and rotation shift work during high productive RSS should be set for RSS workers.