• Journal of the Ergonomics Society of Korea
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• v.35 no.5
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• pp.465-472
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• 2016

Objective:This study is on the characteristics of motorcycle accidents occurring in the mail delivery process by skill level. Background: The tendency of delivery postmen's driving in a hurry may become the cause of accidents since there is a constraint that delivery should be completed within a limited time. Method: This study analyzed the traffic accident data of 259 delivery postmen, who had been approved as occupation-related industrial accident victims from 2009 to 2012, by their work experience in view of season, day of the week of an accident occurrence, accident occurrence time, accident cause, collision type, and driving situation. Results: Accident characteristics of delivery postmen show that the ratio of accidents occurring to those who had less than 10 years of work experience was high. There were many motorcycle collisions in winter and summer by season and an unexpected object, along with road condition, took up 70.7% of the accident sources. There were no differences in accident occurrence time, the day of the week, season, accident source, and collision type between the group of delivery postmen with less than 10 years of work experience and those with 10 years or more of work experience. However, there was a difference in distribution of driving condition. Conclusion and Applications: The results of this study can be used to present the policies or guidelines for the accident prevention of delivery postmen since the results show the characteristics of the injured and accident occurrence characteristics in relation with the delivery postmen's motorcycle collisions.

• Journal of Korean Society of Forest Science
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• v.90 no.3
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• pp.388-397
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• 2001

In forestry, where improvement of labor environment is quite impossible, improved posture would result in direct effects by preventing waste of physical strength, prevention of accidental injury caused by fatigue accumulated on certain body parts, and prevention of human error by inattentiveness due to weakened body. Therefore, this research carried on analysis of working posture in manual forest work(thinning using chain-saw, salvage cutting using chain-saw, clearing using hand saw, clearance of twiner using sickle, pruning using saw with a long handle, and tending of young growth using sickle) using OWAS analysis system. According to the OWAS method, percentage of OWAS action categories III and IV in the tasks using chain-saw and sickle was higher than another tasks. For the compared middle skillful worker group and low skillful worker group at felling work using chain-saw, percentage of OWAS action categories IV in middle skillful worker group was 5.1%, and low skillful worker group was 14.1%.

• Journal of Korean Society of Occupational and Environmental Hygiene
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• v.24 no.1
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• pp.1-13
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• 2014

Objectives: The purpose of this study is to review the debate on the Article 28(Prohibition of Inhouse-Contract for Harmful Work) of the Industrial Safety and Health Law. Methods: Literatures and recent debate for prohibition and permission of inhouse-contract for harmful work were reviewed. Proposals of revision for the Article 28 of the Industrial Safety and Health Law were also reviewed. Results: It was not found reasonable to revise the Article 28 based on increased fatal accidents or diseases in the electroplating work and heavy metals handling works that are currently listed in the Presidential Decree under the law as the harmful works. Regulation types of prohibition or authorization for any harmful work shall have inherently poor coverage since the scope of application is extremely limited. Contractors for maintenance and repair of chemical facilities may not be included in the scope of application if the harmful works are defined as chemical handling works. If harmful works are prohibited, the contractor workers may loose their jobs. Therefore, it is necessary to consider balancing job security and occupational safety and health safety. Conclusions: Various limitations were found in the Article 28 and the proposals to revise it. Currently in-house subcontracting is widely spread in the workplace. Therefore, it may be inappropriate to set one or two Article such as the Article 28 and 29 to protect in-house subcontract workers from injury and illness. It is believed that it needs fundamental redirection and new approach with new paradigm to impose occupational safety and health duty to prime contractors.

• Journal of Preventive Medicine and Public Health
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• v.28 no.3 s.51
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• pp.715-725
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• 1995

This study was done for identifying the factors which affect psychologic symptoms of low back(LBP) patients. The study subjects were 43 work-related low back pain patients, 28 work-related non-low back pain patients and 47 general low back injury patients. The study materialis SCL 90-R for checking psychologic symptoms and questionnaire for obtaining general information about the subjects. The data were analyzed by model of analysis of covariance adjusted by several variables such as gender, age, education and marital status and then compared the least square means of symptom score between groups. To identify the factors that affect psychologic symptom, duration of suspension, return to work and interaction factor of these two variables were analyzed by multivariate model and we calcuated partial correlation coefficient of these variables. As a result, work-related LBP patients showed higher score of symptoms in somatization, depression and psychosis than work-related non-LBP and non-work-related LBP. Duration of suspension and return to work were significant explanatory variables for psychologic symptom score of work-related LBP. Then, we may conclude that the treatment and rehabilitation programe for work-related LBP should cover the strategy of early return to work.

• Journal of the Ergonomics Society of Korea
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• v.34 no.4
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• pp.293-302
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• 2015

Objective: This study was performed to investigate the prevalence of musculoskeletal disorders in auto workers of a mission assembly plants. Background: Most studies of musculoskeletal disorders have used car assembly line workers as their participants. However, little research has been done on musculoskeletal disorders afflictions of mission assembly line workers. Method: Through a focus group interview with an ergonomist and a manager at a mission assembly plant site, a questionnaire was developed for musculoskeletal disorders. The questionnaire consisted of five parts, demographic factors, musculoskeletal disorder symptoms, and musculoskeletal disorder experiences; 137 workers participated in this survey. The surveys were analyzed by correlation and Chi-squared analysis. Results: Musculoskeletal disorder symptoms and serious pain were reported in the neck, shoulder, back, and fingers. These problems were statistically related to various demographic factors, such as age, stature, stretching, and work satisfaction. Conclusion: Treatment of musculoskeletal disorders should consider the workers' traits. If there is no specific cause of the pain, developing stretches and exercises before and after work should be applied to prevent musculoskeletal disorders. Application: The results of this study can be used to develop guidelines to prevent injury in auto workers at mission assembly plants.

• Journal of Preventive Medicine and Public Health
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• v.30 no.4 s.59
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• pp.805-814
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• 1997

Injuries to the menisci occur in a variety of ways, most commonly with a twist, pivot, squat, or valgus stress to the knee. Tear patterns are classified to longitudinal, horizontal, or transverse features according to the mechanism of injury. Work-related meniscal tear usually occurs with a repetitive usage of the foot, hence it can be classified as a cumulative traumatic disorder. We found a 47 year-old female worker who had been taking charge of repetitive foot-switch stepping for 8 years. She suffered from pain in the right knee since 5 months ago. Tenderness along the medial joint line of the right knee was observed and pain was aggravated with full flexion of the right knee. On magnetic resonance imaging, high signal intensity was observed at the posterior horn of the medial meniscus of the right knee. Degenerative longitudinal and transverse complex tear in the medial meniscus was observed on arthroscopy. Arthroscopic partial meniscectomy was performed. We surveyed the work process and the health status of co-workers. It turned out that the work process was compatible to injure the meniscus and nine out of fourteen co-worker(64.3%) complained pain of the knee. No other factors related to her meniscal tear could be found except for the situation at her work. Therefore, we conclude that meniscal tear is related to the repetitive stepping of foot switch.

• Safety and Health at Work
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• v.4 no.2
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• pp.77-83
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• 2013

There is still a considerable burden of occupational diseases and injuries in the world. It is not well known which interventions can effectively reduce the exposures at work that cause this burden. The objective of this article is to summarize evidence from systematic reviews of interventions to prevent occupational diseases and injuries. We included systematic reviews of interventions to reduce the incidence of work-related cancer, dust-related diseases, occupational asthma, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, noise induced hearing loss, back pain, and occupational injuries. We searched Medline and Embase with predefined search strategies to locate systematic reviews of these interventions. We found 23 systematic reviews of which the results are also applicable to low- and middle income countries. Effective measures to reduce exposure leading to work-related cancer, dust-related diseases, asthma, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, noise, and injuries are available. However, better implementation of these measures is needed. Regulation, enforcement of regulation, and incentives for employers are effective interventions to achieve this goal. There is evidence that feedback and rewards for workers help in reducing occupational injuries. There is no evidence in many studies that back pain can be prevented. Personal protective equipment technically has the potential to reduce exposure but this is difficult to put into effect. There is no evidence in the studies regarding the effectiveness of education and training, preventive drugs, or health examinations. There is evidence that the implementation of technical measures enforced by regulation can prevent occupational diseases and injuries. For other interventions such as education or health examinations, there is no evidence that supports their effectiveness. More systematic reviews are needed in the area of injury prevention.

• Physical Therapy Korea
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• v.13 no.4
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• pp.39-46
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• 2006

The purpose of this study was to determine the effects of slump sitting postures on the masticatory, neck, shoulder, and trunk muscles associated with work-related musculoskeletal disorders (WRMD). Eleven healthy adults (age, $23.3{\pm}2.7$ yrs; height, $174.0{\pm}4.1$ cm; weight, $61.4{\pm}6.6$ kg) participated in this study. The participants were free of injury history and neurologic deficits in the masticatory, neck muscles and upper extremities at the time of participation. The subjects were asked to perform erect and slump sitting postures under the guidance of physical therapists. The surface electromyography (EMG) was recorded from the anterior temporalis, masseter, upper trapezius, serratus anterior, middle trapezius, L3 paraspinal, external abdominal oblique, gluteus maximus muscles of 11 adults as they performed visual terminal display work, which are known as the weakened and tightened muscles owing to WRMD. The recorded signals were averaged and normalized to the mean amplitude of the EMG signal obtained during submaximal reference voluntary contractions. The results of study were as follows: The masseter, upper trapezius, serratus anterior, middle trapezius, L3 paraspinal, external abdominal oblique muscles significantly differed in the slump sitting posture (p<.05). The muscle activities of the serratus anterior, middle trapezius muscle, and external abdominal oblique were significantly lower and that of the masseter, upper trapezius, L3 paraspinal muscles were significantly higher. Further research is needed to assess the motor control problems and the function of the deep muscles in posture stability of patients with WRMD.

• Journal of Korean Society of Occupational and Environmental Hygiene
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• v.31 no.2
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• pp.156-172
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• 2021

Objectives: To investigate the trends of industrial injuries among long-term health care workers in Korea Methods: T7866 injuries were selected from the total industrial injuries approved by the Industrial Accident Compensation Insurance Act(Occupational Safety and Health Act) among long-term health care workers between 2007 and 2016 in Korea. We analyzied the trends of industrial injuries according to work process, occurrence type, and causes. Results: The industrial injuries among long-term health care workers increased since 2012. The mostly occurred area for industrial injuries were low back areas, which is related that the most serious industrial injuries occurred when the one long-term healthcare worker lift manually the recipient, from bed(ondol, Korean floor heating system) to a wheelchair, bed to bath bed, and wheelchair to bath chair. In addition to this, lack of workforce, increased work intensity due to overwork contributed the increasing of occupational injury. Conclusions: This study suggests that the main causes of industrial injuries were Lack of facilities and equipment for small private long-term care institutions, The physical load that goes into lifting the recipient directly, work intensity such as excessive workload and increased work speed. We suggest that the social publicization of long-term care service for the elderly, avoiding ways to lift recipients directly, introducing lifting machines as well as improving working methods, and reducing the workload of caregivers are required.

• Safety and Health at Work
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• v.13 no.3
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• pp.343-349
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• 2022

Background: In the United States, the dairy product manufacturing industry has consistently had higher rates of work-related nonfatal injuries and illnesses compared to the national average for industries in all sectors. The selection and implementation of appropriate safety performance indicators are important aspect of reducing risk within safety management systems. This study examined the leading safety indicators implemented in the dairy product-manufacturing sector (NAICS 3115) and their perceived effectiveness in reducing work-related injuries. Methods: Perceptions were collected from individuals with safety responsibilities in the dairy product manufacturing facilities. OSHA Incident Rate (OIR) and Days away, restricted and transferred (DART) rates from 2013 to 2018 were analyzed. Results: The perceived most effective leading were safety observations, stop work authority, near miss reporting, safety audits, preventative maintenance, safety inspections, safety training attendance, and job hazard analysis/safety analysis, respectively. The 6-year trend analysis showed that those implementing all eight top indicators had a slightly lower rates than those that did not implement all eight. Production focused mentality, poor training, and lack of management commitment were perceived as the leading causes of injuries in this industry. Conclusion: Collecting leading indicators with the unique interest to meet the regulatory requirements and to document the management system without the actual goal of using them as input to improve the system most probably will not lead to an effective reduction of negative safety outcomes. For leading indicators to be effective, they should be properly selected, executed, periodically evaluated and actions are taken when necessary.