• Journal of the Korea Institute of Building Construction
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• v.23 no.6
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• pp.875-885
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• 2023

This research delves into the evolving interplay between occupational diseases, work-related illnesses, and accidents in the construction industry, focusing on the past twenty years. One significant discovery is the 19-fold escalation in reported occupational diseases, prompting an examination of their root causes and connections to workplace environments. Frequently encountered work-related ailments include physically strenuous tasks, low back pain, and cerebrovascular issues, highlighting the need for robust prevention and management approaches. Predominantly, noise-induced hearing loss and pneumoconiosis are the most common occupational diseases. The study unveils notable correlations between specific work-related illnesses and accidents, indicating the necessity for bespoke safety measures. Additionally, a pronounced association between work-related illnesses and occupational diseases offers insights into underlying risk factors. Remarkably, the findings propose a bidirectional link between occupational diseases and accidents, challenging traditional beliefs about causality. These insights are pivotal for enhancing safety protocols, focusing on preventive measures, and foreseeing occupational diseases that may arise following accidents in the construction industry.

• Journal of agricultural medicine and community health
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• v.35 no.1
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• pp.21-35
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• 2010

There are many work-related injuries and diseases of fisheries in Korea. Fishermen have exposed to harmful environment, such as natural disasters, ultraviolet, noise, vibration, organic solvents, ergonomic risk factors, loss of fresh water and food, and psychologic stress. They have suffered from numerous work-related health problems, including musculoskeletal disorders, cardiovascular diseases, infectious diseases, pyschological diseases, decompression sickness, and so on. Sea accidents can cause deaths of fishermen and if sea pollution is occurred, fishermen have a great economic damage. However, the concern of these injuries and diseases has been little because they are small in number and have decreased. Fisheries are important core industries, so the problems of fisheries have to be solved by a government. But work-related injuries and diseases are not investigated properly and accurate diagnoses are not made due to loss of concern. We hope that this article will be a cornerstone to solving the work-related problems of fisheries.

• Journal of Korean Society of Occupational and Environmental Hygiene
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• v.30 no.4
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• pp.353-363
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• 2020

Objectives: Occupational diseases that occur due to or aggravated by work have commonly been recognized in the manufacturing industry, but there are now more incidences happening in the service industry due to changes in the industrial structure. Health workers are exposed to direct factors and various other causes of occupational disease at work, such as physical, chemical, biological, and psyco-social factors. This study aims to identify work-related diseases affecting health workers that are recognized as occupational diseases. Methods: The research is based on the data of workers whose diseases were accepted as work-related by the Industrial Accidents Compensation Insurance, and filed by the Korean Occupational Safety and Health Agency. Amongst the approved claims during 2011 to 2015, we focused on healthcare workers and health-related workers of the Korean Standard Classification of Occupations. Descriptive statistics were performed. Results: The number of health workers(HWs) with approved work-related disease was 1,707 over 5 years. The number of healthcare workers(HCWs) excluding caregivers was 370 (21.7%) and of health-related workers (HRWs) it was 736 (43.1%). Out of HWs who were approved for their illnesses, females were 80% of HCWs and 88% of HRWs. The most common occupational disease in HWs was musculoskeletal diseases, while that of nurses was infectious disease. Conclusions: HWs are exposed to various risks from their profession and are affected by occupational diseases. It is necessary to focus on this issue and provide preventive measures.

• Journal of Korean Society of Occupational and Environmental Hygiene
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• v.33 no.3
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• pp.298-307
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• 2023

Objectives: The purpose of this study is to analyze the recent trends in patients with work-related musculoskeletal disorders in South Korea and to check the major results by reviewing the literature on the risk factors and prevalence of musculoskeletal diseases related to work. Methods: Industrial disaster data from the Ministry of Employment and Labor from 2012 to 2021 were used, and the literature was reviewed regarding risk factors for musculoskeletal diseases related to work using PubMed and RISS. Results: The trend of patients with work-related musculoskeletal disorders has increased overall since 2017 after declining until 2016, with a particularly notable increase in the average annual number of patients with physical burden work. The average annual rate per ten thousand people for patients with body burden work, non-accidental lower back pain, and carpal tunnel syndrome among work-related diseases was high in the mining industry. The average annual rate per ten thousand people for patients with accidental lower back pain was the highest in the fishing industry. Within the manufacturing field, it was the highest in the shipbuilding and ship repair industry. As a result of the literature review, the search rate for work-related musculoskeletal disease papers in unstructured work was high. In addition, physical stress factors were high among risk factors, and pain areas showed a high rate for the waist. Conclusion: Even after the institutional implementation of a hazard investigation system related to musculoskeletal diseases is implemented, the number of patients with occupational musculoskeletal disorders continues to increase. Therefore, it is necessary to conduct regular surveys and implement effective improvement activities for vulnerable industries or occupations.

• Journal of the Ergonomics Society of Korea
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• v.31 no.5
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• pp.671-685
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• 2012

Objective: This study aims to investigate subjects in recuperation to identify the following factors with regard to work-related musculoskeletal diseases: diagnosis in the context of occupational and environmental medicine; assessment systems for judging work-relatedness; recuperation management; workplace management; prevention programs; and care after returning to work. This study intends to analyze differences between subjects and determine what characteristics of subjects account for the differences. Method: A survey was administered to 1,664 workers who were approved by the Korea Worker's Compensation & Welfare Service between 2003 and 2005 for recuperation due to work-related musculoskeletal diseases. The data of 229 subjects who responded the survey questionnaire related to recuperation were analysed. Results: According to the results, demographic, occupational, and musculoskeletal disease-related factors were significant. The demographic factors included gender, age, marital status, and region, while occupational factors included working period, work type, size of workplace, and industry type. The factors related to musculoskeletal diseases were the part of the body in pain, the tissues in pain, and the existence of dysfunction. The above factors were associated with statistically significant differences in the following areas: revealed symptom period, symptoms-diagnosis period, and application for recuperation approval periods; diagnosis and care institutes for recuperarion; the state of patients (body parts in pain, tissues in pain, and existence of dysfunction); return to work; and care after returning to work. Conclusion: The results of this study can serve as basic data in setting priorities for prevention programs for work-related musculoskeletal diseases and selecting target groups.

• Safety and Health at Work
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• v.14 no.4
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• pp.390-397
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• 2023

Introduction: Biological risks are a major global problem in the workplace. The recent COVID-19 pandemic has highlighted the need for a more comprehensive understanding of the biological risks at work. This study presents data on both communicable infectious biological agents and noncommunicable factors leading to death and disability for the year 2021. Methods: We followed the methodology established by the International Labour Organization (ILO) in their past global estimates on occupational accidents and work-related diseases. We used relevant ILO estimates for hazardous substances and related population attributable fractions derived from literature, which were then applied to World Health Organization mortality data. The communicable diseases included in the estimates were tuberculosis, pneumococcal diseases, malaria, diarrheal diseases, other infectious diseases, neglected tropical diseases, influenza associated respiratory diseases and COVID-19. Noncommunicable diseases and injuries considered were Chronic Obstructive Diseases (COPD) due to organic dusts, asthma, allergic reactions and risks related to animal contact. We estimated death attributable to biological risk at work and disability in terms of disability adjusted life years (DALYs). Results: We estimated that in 2022, 550,819 deaths were caused by biological risk factors, with 476,000 deaths attributed to communicable infectious diseases and 74,000 deaths caused by noncommunicable factors. Among these, there were 223,650 deaths attributed to COVID-19 at work. We calculated the rate of 584 DALYs per 100,000 workers, representing an 11% increase from the previous estimate of the global burden of work-related disabilities measured by DALYs. Conclusion: This is a first update since previous 2007 ILO estimates, which has now increased by 74% and covers most biological risks factors. However, it is important to note that there may be other diseases and deaths are missing from the data, which need to be included when new information becomes available. It is also worth mentioning that while deaths caused by major communicable diseases including COVID-19 are relatively rare within the working population, absences from work due to these diseases are likely to be very common within the active workforce.

• Korean Journal of Health Education and Promotion
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• v.18 no.2
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• pp.141-156
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• 2001

This study was performed to identify the occupational diseases in the dental technicians working in Korea, and to elucidate the main related affecting factors for the occurrence of the occupational diseases. The research was carried out using a mail questionnaire and data collection was done for two months from April 15, 2000. The questionnaires were delivered to 1000 dental technicians working at 250 dental laboratories which were chosen among the total 1330 dental laboratories in south Korea. And 763 questionnaires were collected, then 739 questionnaires were used for a logistic and a multiple regression analyses. The results obtained in this study are summarized as follows: 1. The occupational diseases in the dental technicians included pneumoconiosis, chronic bronchitis, asthma, pneumonia, hyposmia, allergic dermatitis, eczema, contagious dermatitis, central nervous disorder, dysfunction of finger, vertebral disorder, dysfunction of interphalangeal joint, ophthalmitis, auditory dysfunction, otitismedia, optic trauma, and bum. 2. The main related affecting factors for the occurrence of the occupational diseases in the dental technicians were elucidated as follows: On the ccurrence of chronic bronchitis, vibration of equipment and job career were affected positively. On the ccurrence of asthma, job career and career on current working part were affected positively, but exhaust ventilation, work hour were affected negatively. On the occurrence of eczema, career on current working part and vibration of equipment were affected positively, but personal protective equipment, local exhaust ventilation, isolation of gas source were affected negatively. And eczema was occurred more in methyl methacrylate work than in any other work part. On the occurrence of finger dysfunction, vibration of equipment and noise of work place were affected positively. But personal protective equipment, local exhaust ventilation, isolation of dust and gas source were affected negatively. But finger dysfunction was occurred more in metal polishing than in any other work part. On the occurrence of auditory dysfunction, noise of work place were affected negatively. The results obtained in this study can give a valuable information for a prevention of the occupational diseases in the dental technicians working in Korea, and for keeping them in healthy. This study also can be helpful for a researcher who is aiming at a identification of occupational diseases and a elucidation of related affecting factors in a similar occupation.

• Journal of the Ergonomics Society of Korea
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• v.29 no.4
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• pp.473-478
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• 2010

For the medical approaches of work-related musculoskeletal diseases, it is important to consider occupational relatedness and occupational fitness. Clinical approach includes physical examination, radiologic tests and other related tests and we should choose proper management which is suitable to workers' status for the prevention of early disease's progression and later disabilities. Also, it suggests that occupational prevention program consultation for work-related musculoskeletal diseases considering workers' variable circumstances should be done via occupational relatedness and occupational fitness.

• Korean Journal of Occupational Health Nursing
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• v.22 no.2
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• pp.102-111
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• 2013

Purpose: This study was conducted to analyze the characteristics of work-related musculoskeletal diseases (MSD) and the factors for approving MSD by the parts of the body. Methods: The analysis was done using the data which were drawn from the Industrial Accident Compensation Insurance that is operated by the Korea Worker's Compensation & Welfare Service. The data were composed of total cases related to the work-related diseases from 2006 to 2009. In addition, MSD data input by an investigator were collected. The factors associated with MSD were analyzed using ${\times}2$ and multiple logistic regression. Results: MSD approved cases have increased since 2006 and the proportion of the approved work-related MSD cases in the workers with work-related diseases in 2009 were 33.4%. Spinal approved cases were the highest percentage and upper and lower extremities cases gradually increased. The factors for approving upper extremity were found to be age, company size, type of industry, working duration, and in the case of spine to be company size and heavy lifting. Conclusion: Work-related MSD have increased and the factors that affected MSD by the parts of the body varied. Management strategy must be established to prevent MSD by the parts of the body.

• Safety and Health at Work
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• v.7 no.1
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• pp.83-85
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• 2016

Effective interventions to reduce work-related exposures are available for many types of work-related diseases or injuries. However, knowledge of the impact of these interventions on injury or disease outcomes is scarce due to practical and methodological reasons. Study designs are considered for the evaluation of occupational health interventions on occupational disease or injury. Latency and frequency of occurrence of the health outcomes are two important features when designing an evaluation study with occupational disease or occupational injury as an outcome measure. Controlled evaluation studies-giving strong indications for an intervention effect-seem more suitable for more frequently occurring injuries or diseases. Uncontrolled evaluation time or case series studies are an option for evaluating less frequently occurring injuries or diseases. Interrupted time series offer alternatives to experimental randomized controlled trials to give an insight into the effectiveness of preventive actions in the work setting to decision and policy makers.