• Safety and Health at Work
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• v.10 no.1
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• pp.61-66
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• 2019

Background: Emergency workers such as firefighters are cataloged within the most demanding and injurious professions globally. Considering the health and safety implications in firefighting, a lot of research needs to be conducted to examine how firefighters' task characteristics and their work demand influence the development of work-related musculoskeletal disorders (WMSDs). This study therefore examines how the task characteristics of firefighters moderates the relationship between their work demand and the development of WMSDs. Methods: Convenient sampling was employed to select 320 firefighters in the Greater Accra region of Ghana. Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics, correlation, and regression. Results: The findings revealed that work demand and task characteristics have significant positive effects on WMSDs. Again, the task characteristics of firefighters moderates the relationship between their work demand and WMSDs. Conclusion: Since the study shows that task characteristics influences the relationship between work demand and WMSDs, it is vital for managers to constantly modify the nature of tasks performed by and work demand of emergency workers to minimize the development of WMSDs and other industrial health complications.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Safety
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• v.18 no.3
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• pp.149-153
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• 2003

Recently, work-related musculoskeletal disorders(WMSDs) are one of major issues in occupational safety and health in Korea. Main risk factors of WMSDs include manual handling of heavy weight loads, awkward posture, repetitive tasks, Prolonged static muscle contraction, and so on. The number of injured workers has rapidly increased and the related regulation was amended to improve the work conditions and environments. And demands for workers' compensation and improvement of work conditions and environment to prevent WMSDs have increasingly been raised. This study focused on managerial system to prevent WMSDs. Literal survey and questionnaire survey were accomplished to propose a management system in Korea for preventing WMSDs.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Safety
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• v.25 no.4
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• pp.68-75
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• 2010

This study was conducted to evaluate the differences in symptoms of work-related musculoskeletal disorders (WMSDs) and health-related quality of life (HRQoL) between vinylhouse farmers and non-vinylhouse farmers. The study included 118 residents who lived in a rural community. All subjects were assigned to the vinylhouse farmers group (N=58) and the non-vinylhouse farmers group (N=60) according to main agricultural work type. All respondents were interviewed by means of a structured questionnaire. WMSDs symptoms were measured by a self- assessed questionnaire on symptoms of musculoskeletal disorders, and HRQoL was measured by SF-36. Vinylhouse farmers had significant more symptoms of WMSDs in each regional parts of musculoskeletal system, and had significant poor total health status in SF-36. Symptoms of WMSDs were most reliable risk factor for HRQoL. Various health promotion interventions are needed to prevent WMSDs in all farmers and especially vinylhouse workers.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Safety
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• v.21 no.4 s.76
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• pp.108-113
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• 2006

The Work-Related Musculoskeletal Disorders(WMSDs) have been an rising issue since the 1970s. So many manufacturing companies have been tried to improve the work environments for the control and the prevention of the WMSDs. Specific risk factors associated with WMSDs include repetitive motion, heavy lifting, forceful exertion, contact stress, vibration, awkward posture and rapid hand and wrist movement. But recently it has reported that besides working conditions, job stress is the important hazard causes which lead to WMSDs. This study investigates the relation between WMSDs and Job stress from 1426 workers in Heavy Industry. Job stress was evaluated by Karasek's model. Job stress was associated with job satisfaction. Job demand was associated with the WMSDs, but job control was not associated with the WMSDs. The results can be used to design the management program for the WMSDs and the job stress.

• Journal of the Ergonomics Society of Korea
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• v.29 no.4
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• pp.513-519
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• 2010

Since 2003 when the prevention of work-related musculoskeletal disorders (WMSDs) became a responsibility of management in workplaces, the effectiveness of the Korean WMSDs law has been concern for many stakeholders of this measure including workers, workers' union, researchers, professionals, and managers as well as officials in governments. WMSDs are known to be resulted from overburden on workers' body due to tasks required at their workplaces. Korean government enacted a law to require management of companies to take measures to prevent musculoskeletal disorders at work. The objectives of this paper is to review activities and actions taken to comply with this WMSDs law and problems encountered in last 7 years since the law came intoforce and suggest resolutions for problems so that this law can contribute to fulfill the real purpose of the law and make better workplaces in Korea.

• Safety and Health at Work
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• v.14 no.3
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• pp.243-249
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• 2023

Background: Southeast Asia has many people who work in the agriculture sector. Not many stakeholders pay special attention to the health of farmers, even though they are exposed to various types of hazards. One of the most common health complaints among farmers is related to work-related musculoskeletal disorders (WMSDs). This study aims to assess the prevalence of WMSDs and factors associated with them among farmers in Southeast Asia. Methods: A literature search on PubMed, ScienceDirect, Scopus, and EBSCO was conducted. Articles were included if they studied ergonomic problems among farmers from 11 countries in the Southeast Asia region and were published during 2015-2022. The Critical Appraisal Skills Program was used to evaluate the quality of the articles. The search process and retrieval process reflected PRISMA's recommendation. Result: There were 14 studies found from 3 countries that had published articles in PubMed and ScienceDirect, including Thailand [8], Indonesia [4], and Malaysia [2]. The prevalence of WMSDs in Thailand, Indonesia, and Malaysia was 78,31%, 81,27%, and 88,39%, respectively. Common factors associated with WMSDs include age, sex, smoking habits, drinking alcohol habits, working period (years), type of work, awkward position, non-ergonomic equipment, repetitive movements, and lifting heavy loads. Conclusion: The prevalence of WMSDs among farmers in Southeast Asia is considerably high. Effective intervention is essential for reducing the prevalence and protecting workers' health and well-being.

• Journal of the Ergonomics Society of Korea
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• v.24 no.1
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• pp.37-41
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• 2005

Work related musculoskeletal disorders became a hot issue in Korea since many workers reported musculoskeletal disorder problems. Korean government enacted a law to require companies to take measures to prevent musculoskeletal disorders at work. This study found workers' WMSDs symptoms in squatting work posture which the rate of the occurrence was relatively high among work types to bring about WMSDs in railroad cars maintenance works and analyzed to compare the hazardous jobs in the industrial safety health law in South Korea with the caution jobs in Washington State in U.S. The hazardous jobs in South Korea were more effective in squatting work posture from this study result and this study data will be a great help to plan and carry out an effective prevention program about WMSDs.

• Journal of Korean Physical Therapy Science
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• v.10 no.2
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• pp.163-172
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• 2003

Background and Purpose. Physical therapists are at risk for work-related musculoskeletal disorders (WMSDs). Little understand the characteristics of work in physical therapist or the effort they take to prevent injury. The purpose of this study was to investigate the characteristics of work in physical therapist and the efforts for prevent injury Subjects. Standardized questionnaire was administered to 103 physical therapist in Pusan association. Methods. An questionnaire was given to each subject. Questions investigated the characteristics of work in physical therapist, efforts and caring of injury prevention. Chi-square Test used to assess the association of general characteristics with the characteristics of work in physical therapist. AVONA and T-test used to assess the association of efforts of prevent injury in independent variable Results. Physical therapist was reported a higher prevalence of WMSDs in most body areas. These attributes sometimes resulted in behaviors that contributed to the development of their WMSDs.

• Journal of the Ergonomics Society of Korea
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• v.22 no.4
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• pp.15-25
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• 2003

Recent studies indicate potential links between various psychosocial factors and work-related musculoskeletal disorders (WMSDs). In this research, the effects of job stressors on the WMSDs symptoms were investigated using questionnaire in the largest automotive company in Korea. It was found that perception of workload, over time and shift work, and working using powered hand tools were significant factors for the symptoms of WMSDs, along with smoking habit, periodic exercise, and interpersonal relationship. Practical applications of this research include practitioners taking into account psychosocial work factors and job stress in their efforts to reduce and control WMSDs.

• Journal of Korean Society of Occupational and Environmental Hygiene
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• v.16 no.3
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• pp.276-283
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• 2006

Work-related musculoskeletal disorders (WMSDs) were a major source of disability and lost work time after 'Foreign Currency Crisis(1998-2000)' in Korea. There is considerable evidence documenting the association between psychosocial risk factors and work disability due to WMSDs. But, there is not much in Korea. The present study aimed to explore the predictive association between the changed working conditions and WMSDs after 'Foreign Currency Crisis' in Korea. A study sample of 8,670 automobile assembly workers were recruited for this study. A structured-questionnaire was used to assess general characteristics, working conditions, and information concerning medical treatment of WMSDs. After adjustment for sociodemographic factors, increased overtime work(OR=1.22), daily work time(OR=1.20), work speed (OR=1.32), number of workers(OR=0.83), supervisory control(OR=1.39), physical load(OR=1.39), and mental load (OR=1.25) were all founded to be significantly associated with WMSDs. This study has shown the importance of changed working conditions in the occurrence of WMSDs. Therefore, it will be necessary to reduce WMSDs with controlling both physical and psychosocial factors.