• Safety and Health at Work
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• v.6 no.1
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• pp.1-8
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• 2015

Time-loss injuries are still a major occurrence in Canada, injuring thousands of Canadian workers each year. With obesity rates on the rise across the country, as well as around the world, it is important that the possible effects of obesity in the workplace be fully understood, especially those effects linked to lost-time injuries. The aim of this paper was to evaluate predictors of workplace lost-time injuries and how they may be related to obesity or high body mass index by examining factors associated with lost-time injuries in the health care sector, a well-studied industry with the highest number of reported time loss injuries in Canada. A literature review focusing on lost-time injuries in Registered Nurses (RNs) was conducted using the keywords and terms: lost time injury, workers' compensation, occupational injury, workplace injury, injury, injuries, work, workplace, occupational, nurse, registered nurse, RN, health care, predictors, risk factors, risk, risks, cause, causes, obese, obesity, and body mass index. Data on predictors or factors associated with lost-time injuries in RNs were gathered and organized using Loisel's Work Disability Prevention Management Model and extrapolated upon using existing literature surrounding obesity in the Canadian workplace.

• Proceedings of the Korean Institute of Building Construction Conference
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• 2023.11a
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• pp.49-50
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• 2023

Asbestos is a building material that has been actively used because of its excellent durability and heat resistance until 2009, when it was found to be a first-class carcinogen and prohibited in Korea. Currently, asbestos dismantling is an essential process in demolition of old buildings. Workers are likely to be exposed to asbestos in the process of dismantling and removing them, which causes various occupational diseases, suggesting related laws and work standards to ensure the safety of asbestos dismantling process. Accordingly, prior studies have been conducted to analyze the level of asbestos exposure and influencing factors occurring during work, but most of them are mainly concerning health issue while research on process risks considering field characteristics and safety aspects of the work processes is still insufficient. Therefore, this study aims to derive the process risks affecting the safety of workers based on the survey results of asbestos dismantling companies, and further proposed a cost calculation model taking those risks into account.

• Journal of the Korea Institute of Building Construction
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• v.9 no.6
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• pp.91-98
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• 2009

One role of waterproofing work is to block external moisture and water. Defects in waterproofing work in building construction brings on huge repair costs for related construction work as well as for the waterproofing layer itself. However, we don't have a quantitative probabilistic management method for waterproofing work to successfully anticipate and prevent defects. From an analysis of the literature and prior research, defects in the waterproofing work in the underground parts of buildings occur frequently. We selected Fluid-Applied Membrane waterproofing work as representing waterproofing work in the underground parts of a building, and researched the general types and causes of defects. In this study, we developed the Relative-FMEA (Failure Mode and Effect Analysis) approach that merges the Matrix method and FMEA. From a survey of experts, we deduced the most important management factors for Fluid-Applied Membrane waterproofing work for the underground parts of buildings.

• International conference on construction engineering and project management
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• 2013.01a
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• pp.74-79
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• 2013

Aiming at reducing deaths and injuries involving construction crane operations, OSHA has recently updated its 40-year-old crane safety standards with new rules addressing the use of cranes and derricks in construction. The goal of this change in rule is to deal with the leading causes of fatalities related to crane and derrick operations. Employers in the construction industry are mandated to ensure that employees in the work zone are trained to recognize hazards associated with the use of the equipment and any related duties that they are assigned to perform. However, those responsible at construction sites for the supervision and management of safe crane operations often lack the integrated knowledge of the standards, regulations and best practices for conducting or supervising daily, monthly, or quarterly inspection of cranes. As such, proper planning, management and implementation of crane operations, including inspections are just as paramount to reducing accidents on the construction site. It is important that engineers responsible for the management and planning of crane operations understand the latest OSHA crane and hoisting standards to ensure a safer work environment is maintained. Many on site engineers overseeing crane operations do not have adequate training, experience, and knowledge of the inspection requirements to assess safe crane operation and too often rely on the crane operator's judgement. This paper highlights recent research effort in defining significant changes in new crane and hoisting standards and provides basis for safety construction operations.

• Journal of the East Asian Society of Dietary Life
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• v.18 no.3
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• pp.405-414
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• 2008

The purpose of this study was to understand the relationship between a chef's physical pain complaints and occupational circumstances. Cause-and-effect analysis of employees whose work was related to cooking was analyzed in relation to, - factor of cooking circumstances (kitchen condition, cooking operation, cooking allocation and distance of movement, cooking facilities) in order to ascertain possible links to physical pain. Cooking operations appeared to causes pain, especially in neck, shoulders, and legs. Cooking allocation and distance of movement, affected backache, eye-tiredness, and change of body-weight. Cooking space and facilities was related to, pain in waist, neck, shoulders, legs, arms, wrists, and back. Because cooking operations require extended concentrations and intensive effort, inappropriate occupational circumstances can lead to employees who usually suffer from accumulated.

• Annals of Occupational and Environmental Medicine
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• v.34
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• pp.33.1-33.13
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• 2022

Background: Circadian rhythm disturbance caused by shift work has adverse effects on the metabolic homeostasis of the liver. Disruption of the metabolic homeostasis of the liver causes fat accumulation in the liver. The aim of this study was to investigate the correlation between shift work and non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) among male workers in the steel manufacturing industry of Korea. Methods: Based on medical examination data collected in June 2020, 2,511 male subjects from one steel manufacturing company in Korea were selected in total. NAFLD was evaluated using abdominal ultrasound, which was performed by two experienced radiologists. The multinomial logistic regression analysis was performed by adjusting for age, physical activity, smoking history, alcohol consumption, body mass index, waist circumference, blood pressure, blood glucose, lipidemia, liver function test, employment duration, and hepatotoxic materials exposure status. Results: Compared to daytime workers, the odds ratio (OR) of moderate-severe NAFLD in shift workers was 1.449 (95% confidence interval [CI], 1.028-2.043). Compared to daytime workers, the ORs of moderate-severe NAFLD were significantly higher for the group that engaged in total shift work for more than 20 years (OR, 2.285; 95% CI, 1.051-4.970), the group that was not allowed to sleep during night shift work (OR, 1.463; 95% CI, 1.030-2.078), and the group that consumed food during night shift work (OR, 1.580; 95% CI, 1.093-2.284). Conclusions: There was a correlation between shift work and moderate-severe NAFLD in male steel manufacturing workers. There will be a need for more research related to the correlation of shift work with steatohepatitis and cirrhosis in the future.

• Safety and Health at Work
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• v.9 no.3
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• pp.314-318
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• 2018

Background: Musculoskeletal disorders (MSDs) in the health industry are quite common, however, there have only been a few studies regarding physiotherapists, while in Greece, there is an apparent lack of research and data. The aim of this study is to investigate MSDs experienced by physiotherapists in Greece, their causes and specific measures, and good practices followed. Additional emerging risk factors will be examined. Methods: A questionnaire of MSDs followed by individual and workplace characteristics was completed by 252 physiotherapists. It covered the major workplace categories such as public hospitals, private rehabilitation centers, and private practices. Results: Analysis indicated that 89% of the respondents had experienced a work-related MSD; 32.2% of those injuries occurred within the first 5 years of working. The most lumbered physiotherapists were those working as private practitioners and almost half of the injured respondents chose to work while injured. The most common measure taken to tackle work related MSDs was found to be physical therapy sessions. Job satisfaction and psychosocial issues were also identified as side-effects of the economic slowdown. Conclusion: Physiotherapists in Greece were found to suffer from MSDs; workplace musculoskeletal injuries were quite common but under-reported. The body parts most affected were the lower back, the upper back, the shoulders, and the neck. There was a strong correlation between the workplace setting and the number of MSDs. A well-defined occupational safety and health management system and strict administration steering were found to reduce MSDs. The economic slowdown experienced in Greece during the execution of this study placed additional pressure on physiotherapists.

• 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.

• Korean Journal of Labor Studies
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• v.24 no.3
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• pp.35-71
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• 2018

The purpose of this study is to examine which job-related factors are associated with presenteeism, which is defined as attending work while ill. Although presenteeism is a relatively new concept in academic research, it should be regarded as an important social issue in that presenteeism threatens employees' job prospects and quality of life as well as it causes loss of work productivity. I analyzed a cross-sectional survey of 24,571 wage workers over 15 from the fourth wave of the Korean Working Conditions Survey in 2014. Five logistic regression models were analyzed on experience of presenteeism, and work hours and private life, occupational environment, job insecurity, rewards and welfare were assessed as key predictors of presenteeism. I found that 1) work hours with bad fit with private life, 2) high level of work time-pressure, and low job satisfaction 3) job insecurity, and 4) low benefits are associated with experience of presenteeism. The findings are fairly consistent with the theory of job-person mismatch, which explains that workers tend to preserve their personal resources by going to work while ill (presenteeism) when job demands or work conditions do not match with their level of personal expectation and, thus, workers are afraid of loss of personal resources. Presenteeism influences worker's long-term health and quality of life negatively as well as causes serious social costs. Therefore, we need organizational efforts to prevent the negative effects of presenteeism on society as well as workers.

• Korean Journal of Health Education and Promotion
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• v.19 no.2
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• pp.139-154
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• 2002

This study was conducted to examine to causes and symptoms of stress and factors influencing stress management of workers in beauty shops. 811 people who were working in the shops located in Daegu City and Kyungbuk Province were selected as subjects of this study. Data were collected from April 10, 2000 to July 10, 2000. The results of this study can be summarized as follows. According to general characteristics of the respondents, female was 90.8%. 42.1 % of them was in their twenties and 73.7% of them did not marry. 57.5% of the respondents grew up in big cities and 41.1% had no religion. 63.6% was graduated from junior colleges. 44.6% of them worked for below I year and 33.9% earned below four hundred and ninety thousand won per month. 55.8% of them was satisfied with their work aptitude, while 34.2% was not satisfied with it. In the case of satisfaction level with working environment, ‘common level’ was 46.3%, while 12.8% of them was unsatisfied with it. In the case of stress level by factors of stress related to working, male was higher (9.34 $\pm$ 2.38 points). Those who grew up in towns or villages and those who belonged to the middle class showed high stress level. Those who married and those who graduated from high school also displayed high stress level. It also appeared that monthly income influenced the stress level related to working.. The extent of stress level influencing physical causes appeared in order of health condition, education level, sex, satisfaction level with work aptitude, economic status, and working hours. The extent of stress level influencing whole organizational level appeared in order of satisfaction level with work aptitude, working hours, education level, health condition, and sex. The extent of stress factors influencing depressed feeling of stress symptom appeared in order of working hours, sex, amount of smoking, absence due to stress, age, health condition, and education level. The extent of influencing factors on active stress management appeared in order of satisfaction level with work aptitude, health condition, size of the shop, drinking, sex, and the number of day off. The extent of influencing factors on avoidable stress management appeared in order of age, absence due to stress, drinking, health condition, and sex.