• Journal of the Ergonomics Society of Korea
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• v.25 no.4
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• pp.153-157
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• 2006

The objective of this study was to establish a systematic ergonomic program for the prevention and control of work-related musculoskeletal disorders(WMSDs) in a machinery manufacturing company. The steps such as looking for the signs of WMSDs problems, setting the stage for action, training-building in-house expertise, gathering and examining the evidence of WMSDS, developing controls of health care management, and proactive ergonomic interventions were applied. The primary success factors were management commitment and encouragement, and harmonious union-management relations.

• Journal of the Ergonomics Society of Korea
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• v.31 no.1
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• pp.191-196
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• 2012

Objective: The Work-related musculoskeletal disorders(WMSDs) have been a problem on industrial occupational safety and health in Korean shipyard industry. It has been a big social problem. Background: As a result, Korean government enacted a law to prevent musculoskeletal disorders at work and some major companies have already implemented an ergonomics program. Method: This paper presents a study on the effect of an ergonomics program in a Korean shipbuilding company during the last ten years. Conclusion: The Incidence of WMSDs, the worker's compensation cost and the lost time were decreased after implementation of the ergonomics program. Application: The results of the publishing will help efficient operation of MSDs prevention activity in other companies.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Safety
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• v.21 no.6 s.78
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• pp.101-105
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• 2006

Importance of the work-related musculoskeletal disorders(WMSDs) has been increasing in the manufacturing industry such as the domestic shipbuilding industry and car industry. Recently, companies have implemented the risk factor investigation due to the amendment of the industrial safety and health law in 2003. At the same time, some large companies have introduced and implemented an ergonomics program for WMSDs. Yet, until now a study of the effect and management of the ergonomics program has not been conducted. In 2005, we audited an ergonomics program in a domestic shipbuilding company four times for 9-month period. The company implemented an ergonomics program from 2003 to 2005. From the investigation, this paper reveals the effects and problems of the ergonomics program implemented by the company and presents methods for its improvement. The findings described in this paper will help the companies to implement their ergonomics program for WMSDs in the future.

• Fire Science and Engineering
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• v.28 no.4
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• pp.81-88
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• 2014

This study identified the complaint ratio of musculoskeletal symptom by 119 EMTs and investigated the work risk extent through ergonomics evaluation about the patient transport works, which cause work-related musculoskeletal disorders (WMSDs) to 119 EMTs. For this, the complaint ratio of musculoskeletal symptom utilized questionnaire tool based on KOSHA Code H-30-2008 and the risk extent about the patient transport work evaluated by using ergonomics evaluation tools such as OWAS, RULA and REBA. According to the study result, 60.9% of 119 EMTs experienced musculoskeletal symptom. Among them, the symptom on back was the most common (36.1%). The work, which mostly causes WMSDs, has been found as patient transport work (48.4%). Among the patient transport motion, loading/unloading of ambulance cot to/from ambulance and the lifting of patient by stretcher were OWAS risk-level 3 and RULA/REBA risk-level 3 to 4. Among the patient transport environment, carrying patient on stairway using emergency mini-stretcher, moving patient in vehicle using spine board and piggy-back carrying or cradle carrying patient on stairway or slope way were OWAS, RULA, REBA risk level 3 to 4. It is suggested that immediate improvement in work postures for these works should contribute to prevention against WMSDs to 119 EMTs.

• Journal of the Ergonomics Society of Korea
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• v.29 no.4
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• pp.487-493
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• 2010

Work related musculoskeletal disorders (WMSDs) became a major problem since 2000 in shipbuilding industry. WMSDs are known to be resulted from awkward postures, high repetitive motions, excessive forces, mechanical stress and vibration. Korean government enacted a law to require companies to take measures to prevent musculoskeletal disorders at work. If there are more than 10 incidences of WMSDs or 5 incidences which are more than 10 percent of all workers in a company, this law requires a company to implement an ergonomics program. A few large companies in shipbuilding industry have already implemented or are in the process of implementing an ergonomics program. This paper presents a case study of an implementation of an ergonomics program in a Korean shipbuilding company. We audited the process of the ergonomics program in this shipbuilding company four times for 3 years. Based on the findings, this paper presents effects and problems of an ergonomics program and improvement measures of them. These findings will help companies which want to implement an ergonomics program in the future.

• Journal of Korean Society of Occupational and Environmental Hygiene
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• v.19 no.1
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• pp.51-63
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• 2009

In the field of ergonomics, it is evident that participatory action research methodology could contribute to reduce risk factors of work related musculoskeletal disorders(WMSDs). The objective of this study was to evaluate the effectiveness of a participatory ergonomics in reducing the incidence rate and severity of WMSDs in the tire manufacturing company. In this study, an action committee comprising 13 members was organized in the tire manufacturing company. The action group participated at every research process, education and training, assessment and intervention of risk factors, and early detection and management of WMSDs during the 3 years(2004-2006). The prevention programs contributed to an overall reduction in incidence rate by approximately 37.2%, and lost workdays and workers' compensation costs by approximately 55.1%. But, the incidence rate increased 29.0%, and compensation costs increased 59.0% in the first-year setting programs, and both the incidence rate and compensation costs decreased after the second-year managing programs. And, the reduction rates(63.2%) of insurance cases is higher than that(9.7%) of non-insurance cases. The results showed that participatory ergonomics programs may be effective in reducing the incidence and severity rate of WMSDs.

• Journal of the Korea Safety Management & Science
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• v.16 no.1
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• pp.119-127
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• 2014

This study tried to develop a basis for quantitative index of working postures associated with WMSDs (Work-related Musculoskeletal Disorders) that could overcome realistic restriction during application of typical checklists for WMSDs evaluation. The baseline data(for a total of 603 jbs) for this study was obtained from automobile manufacturing company. Specifically, data for back posture was analyzed in this study to have a better and more objective method in terms of job relevance than typical methods such as OWAS, RULA, and REBA. Major statistical tools were clustering, logistic regression and so on. The main results in this study could be summarized as follows; 1) The relationship between working posture and WMSDs symptom at back was statistically significant based on the results from logistic regression, 2) Based on clustering analysis, three levels for WMSDs risk at back were produced for flexion as follows: low risk(< $18.5^{\circ}$), medium risk($18.5^{\circ}{\sim}36.0^{\circ}$), high risk(> $36.0^{\circ}$), 3) The sensitivities on risk levels of back flexion was 93.8% while the specificities on risk levels of back flexion was 99.1%. The results showed that the data associated with back postures in this study could provide a good basis for job evaluation of WMSDs at back. Specifically, this evaluation methodology was different from the methods usually used at WMSDs study since it tried to be based on direct job relevance from real working situation. Further evaluation for other body parts as well as back would provide more stability and reliability in WMSDs evaluation study.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Safety
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• v.28 no.1
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• pp.95-101
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• 2013

This study tried to develop a basis for quantitative index of working postures associated with WMSDs(Work-related Musculoskeletal Disorders) that could overcome realistic restriction during application of typical checklists for WMSDs evaluation. The baseline data for this study was obtained from automobile manufacturing company(A total of 603 jobs were observed). Specifically, data for shoulder postures was analyzed to have a better and more objective method in terms of job relevance than typical methods such as OWAS, RULA, and REBA. Major statistical tools were Clustering, Logistic regression and so on. The main results in this study could be summarized as follows; 1) The relationships between working postures and WMSDs symptoms at shoulder were statistically significant based on the results from logistic regression. 2) Based on clustering analysis, three levels for WMSDs risk at shoulder were produced for both flexion and abduction were statistically significant. Specific results were as follows; Shoulder flexion: low risk(< $37.7^{\circ}$), medium risk($37.7^{\circ}{\sim}70.0^{\circ}$), high risk(> $70.0^{\circ}$) Shoulder abduction: low risk(< $26.5^{\circ}$), medium risk($26.5^{\circ}{\sim}56.8^{\circ}$), high risk(> $56.8^{\circ}$). 3) The sensitivities on risk levels of shoulder flexion and abduction were 64.0% and 20.6% respectively while the specificities on risk levels of shoulder flexion and abduction were 99.1% and 99.3% respectively. The results showed that the data associated with shoulder postures in this study could provide a good basis for job evaluation of WMSDs at shoulder. Specifically, this evaluation methodology was different from the methods usually used at WMSDs study since it tried to be based on direct job relevance from real working situation. Further evaluation for other body parts as well as shoulder would provide more stability and reliability in WMSDs evaluation study.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Safety
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• v.21 no.4 s.76
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• pp.114-118
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• 2006

Recently, work-related musculoskeletal disorders(WMSDs) is one of the major issues in the shipbuilding industry. The number of injured workers has rapidly increased and demands for workers compensation, improvement of work condition and environment to prevent WMSDs become larger. To protect and reduce WMSDs in the shipbuilding industry, simulation technique which showed it's ability of increasing the manufacturing productivity will be applied, because simulation technique has the evaluation ability for a worker's danger level of production process by human activity analysis. In our research, we modeled worker's attitude and simulated worker's action. We evaluated the caution level, compared and analyzed the difference point of digital human which made on computer and actual worker's attitude to check feasibility of human modeling and simulation in the shipbuilding industry.

• Korean Journal of Occupational Health Nursing
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• v.14 no.1
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• pp.5-15
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• 2005

Purpose: The purpose of this study are to identify the influencing factors on work-related musculoskeletal disorders of women workers. Method: Data were collected by questionnaires from 616 women workers from in such industries as electronics, food product, garment product and analyzed using descriptive statistics, multiple logistic regression. Result: As its result, 71.3% of female manufacturing workers had musculoskeletal symptom. When Multiple logistic regression analysis on factors relating to musculoskeletal symptoms was carried out, age, work posture, job demand, type of industry, working hour, type of work, family support were statistically significant variables. Conclusion: In conclusion, this study identifies that age, work posture, job demand, type of industry, working hour, type of work, family support are important factors affecting WMSDs.