• Title/Summary/Keyword: Workers compensation

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Factors Affecting the Level of Self-Perceived Health Recovery among Injured Workers (산재근로자의 주관적 건강회복 수준에 영향을 미치는 요인 분석)

  • Ko, Min-Seok
    • The Korean Journal of Health Service Management
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    • v.9 no.4
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    • pp.183-196
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    • 2015
  • Objectives : The purpose of this study was to analyze the factors affecting the level of subjective health recovery among injured workers. The aim in this study was to find an efficient worker's compensation service for subjective health recovery among injured workers. Methods : From the 1st panel study of worker's compensation insurance, data for 2,000 injured workers was analyzed with SPSS 22.0 and AMOS 22.0. Results : There was a statistically significant difference in the level of self-perceived health recovery depending on socio-demographic characteristics, disability characteristics and medical care services. Factors such as gender, education level, socio-economic level, disability level, claim duration, and treatment duration appropriacy affected the level of self-perceived health recovery. Conclusions : Worker's compensation services should take into consideration the factors that affect the health recovery of injured workers.

Work-Related Stress Risk Assessment in Italy: A Methodological Proposal Adapted to Regulatory Guidelines

  • Persechino, Benedetta;Valenti, Antonio;Ronchetti, Matteo;Rondinone, Bruna Maria;Tecco, Cristina Di;Vitali, Sara;Iavicoli, Sergio
    • Safety and Health at Work
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    • v.4 no.2
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    • pp.95-99
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    • 2013
  • Background: Work-related stress is one of the major causes of occupational ill health. In line with the regulatory framework on occupational health and safety (OSH), adequate models for assessing and managing risk need to be identified so as to minimize the impact of this stress not only on workers' health, but also on productivity. Methods: After close analysis of the Italian and European reference regulatory framework and workrelated stress assessment and management models used in some European countries, we adopted the UK Health and Safety Executive's (HSE) Management Standards (MS) approach, adapting it to the Italian context in order to provide a suitable methodological proposal for Italy. Results: We have developed a work-related stress risk assessment strategy, meeting regulatory requirements, now available on a specific web platform that includes software, tutorials, and other tools to assist companies in their assessments. Conclusion: This methodological proposal is new on the Italian work-related stress risk assessment scene. Besides providing an evaluation approach using scientifically validated instruments, it ensures the active participation of occupational health professionals in each company. The assessment tools provided enable companies not only to comply with the law, but also to contribute to a database for monitoring and assessment and give access to a reserved area for data analysis and comparisons.

The Comprehensive Management Indexes and Their Application Strategies for Appropriate Medical Care in Primary Care Clinics Under Workers' Compensation Insurance (산재보험지정의원 요양급여적정성 종합관리지표 산출 및 적용방안)

  • Bang, Eun Ju;Choi, Eun Sook;Ko, Young
    • Korean Journal of Occupational Health Nursing
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    • v.17 no.1
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    • pp.86-95
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    • 2008
  • Purpose: The objectives for this study are to produce the comprehensive management indexes and find their application strategies for appropriate medical care in primary care clinics under workers' compensation insurance. Method: Data of this study was workers' compensation insurance medical fees claim's data from July 2006 to June 2007. Data were analyzed using SAS 9.1 version by applying descriptive statistics and Pearson's correlation. The indexes such as costliness index(CI), standard medical fee were calculated based on the fourth revision of korean classification of diseases(KCD-4.). Results: The CI, visiting index(VI), outliers index(OI), and medical review adjustment percentage were positively correlated in the both inpatient and outpatient medical fees in primary care clinics under workers' compensation insurance. The major medical specialities were neurological surgery, general medicine, general surgery, rehabitational medicine, and orthopedic surgery. The CIs were slightly high in rehabitational medicine among major medical specialities. The CIs were mostly high in diagnosis, test, anesthesia, and rehabitational assistive device fees among major medical specialities. The CIs were slightly high in Kwangju, Daegu, Daejeon, and Busan districts among district management centers of Korea Workers' Compensation and Welfare Service. Conclusions: We suggest the continuous development of appropriate disease classification system and medical care quality indicators to successfully take root the comprehensive management for appropriate medical care under workers' compensation.

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Assessing Dust and Crystalline Silica Exposures among Workers in Some Quarries in Korea (국내 일부 채석장 작업자들의 분진 및 결정형 유리규산 노출평가 사례)

  • Won-Seok Cha;Eun-Young Kim;Sung-Won Choi;Mi-Yeon Kim
    • Journal of Korean Society of Occupational and Environmental Hygiene
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    • v.33 no.3
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    • pp.284-290
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    • 2023
  • Objectives: Work environment assessments were conducted to investigate epidemiologically several cases of lung cancer and COPD (chronic obstructive pulmonary disease) among workers in domestic quarries. Methods: We visited three quarries in South Korea where an epidemiological investigation was requested and measured total dust, respirable dust, and crystalline silica on rock drilling workers (4 people) and rock chipping workers (13 people). Measurement and analysis were conducted according to NIOSH (National Institute for Occupational Safety & Health) method 0500, NIOSH method 0600 for respirable dust, and NIOSH method 7500 for crystalline silica. Results: Among rock drilling workers the AMs (arithmetic mean) of total dust concentrations, respirable dust concentrations, and crystalline silica concentrations were 3.462 mg/m3 (range: 0.764~6.085 mg/m3), 0.613 mg/m3 (range: 0.153~1.251 mg/m3), and 0.105 mg/m3 (range: 0.012~0.228 mg/m3), respectively. Among rock chipping workers, the AMs of total dust concentrations, respirable dust concentrations, and crystalline silica concentrations were 2.446 mg/m3 (range: 0.156~8.494 mg/m3), 0.488 mg/m3 (range: 0.028~1.536 mg/m3), and 0.099 mg/m3 (range: 0.004~0.274 mg/m3), respectively. Conclusions: Although it cannot be said that the dust concentrations were high for both rock drilling workers and rock chipping workers, the concentrations of crystalline silica were found to be high. If such work is performed for a long period of time, diseases such as lung cancer and COPD may occur, so the work environment needs to be improved.

Job Stress and Job Satisfaction of Workers' Compensation Case Managers (산재보험 사례관리자의 직무스트레스와 직무만족도)

  • Kim, Hee-Gerl;Nam, Hye-Kyung
    • Korean Journal of Occupational Health Nursing
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    • v.18 no.2
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    • pp.262-269
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    • 2009
  • Purpose: The purpose of this study was to explore job stress, job satisfaction and their relationship among Workers' Compensation Case Managers. Method: 137 Workers' Compensation Case Managers (89 case workers and 48 nurses) responded to a self-administered questionnaire. The data were collected in october, 2006 and analyzed using t-test and Pearson's Correlation Coefficient with SPSS WIN 14.0 program. Result: The mean score of job stress of nurses was 2.60 which was higher than that of the Korean female workers'. The mean score of job satisfaction was 2.30. The significant inverse correlation between job stress and job satisfaction was found (P<.01). In regard to the 7 items, the significant inverse correlations were found in lack of reward, interpersonal conflict, organizational system, insufficient job control, and occupational environment. Conclusion: The result indicated that the Workers' Compensation Case Managers have higher occupational stress and lower job satisfaction. To improve their job satisfaction, it is necessary to reinforce reward, organizational system, job autonomy, and cooperative occupational environment.

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Factors Affecting the Satisfaction of the Hospital Services among Injured Workers (산재근로자의 의료기관 서비스 만족에 영향을 미치는 요인)

  • Lee, Hyun-Joo
    • Korean Journal of Occupational Health Nursing
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    • v.19 no.1
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    • pp.97-104
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    • 2010
  • Purpose: The purpose of this study was to determine factors that affect satisfaction of the hospital services among injured workers. Methods: The subjects of this study were 532 injured workers. The questionnaires were selected as literature suggested for explaining satisfaction of the hospital services, general characteristics of injured workers, characteristics of the hospital services. The data were analyzed with descriptive statistics, t-test, ANOVA, multiple regression analysis by SPSS 19.0. Results: There were significant differences in satisfaction scores, depending on the types of disease, health status and possibility to return to work among the injured workers. Also, there were significant differences in satisfaction scores, in terms of medical facilities, food service, specialization of doctors and nurses, cleanliness of hospital, convenience of hospital teaching and counselling of doctors and nurses, supporting workers' compensation process, counselling of workers' compensation and unfair treatment. In the results of the standard multiple regression analysis, food service, medical facilities, specialization of doctors and nurses, health status and hospital cleanliness were significant factors for satisfaction scores of the hospital services. Conclusion: It is necessary to promote food service, medical facilities, specialization of doctors and nurses, hospital cleanliness, health status of injured workers for developing hospital services.

A Case Study on Workers' Compensation Approval for a Hospital Nurse's Suicide (병원 간호사 자살에 대한 산업재해 승인 사례연구)

  • Yi, Kyunghee;Choi, Seonim;Park, Bohyun
    • Korean Journal of Occupational Health Nursing
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    • v.28 no.4
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    • pp.271-284
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    • 2019
  • Purpose: This study aimed to examine the process from occurrence of a hospital nurse's suicide to workers' compensation approval, responses of the parties involved, issues debated during approval deliberations, and significant policy changes resulting from the incident. Methods: We conducted in-depth interviews with involved parties and collected various documents, including newspaper articles, forum proceedings, and the agency report on determination of workers' compensation. Content analysis was performed on the collected data. Results: A Joint Task Force continuously reported its progress and findings through mass media such as newspaper, radio, and TV. These activities exerted pressure on a government agency to conduct an occupational disease review and significantly impacted the workers' compensation approval. The agency recognized associations between the hospital's inadequate nurse training and the suicide but did not confirm the excessive overtime and workplace harassment experienced by the nurse as causes of the suicide. This case's media coverage and impact resulted in a law prohibiting workplace harassment and a hospital system dedicating at least one nurse to training activities. Conclusions: This incident had a significant social impact as the first case of workers' compensation approval for a hospital nurse's suicide. However, the case produced no structural changes in nurses' working conditions such as heavy workloads.

Global Policy Responses to the COVID-19 Pandemic: Results of the ICOH Survey

  • Rondinone, Bruna M.;Valenti, Antonio;Boccuni, Valeria;Cannone, Erika;Boccuni, Fabio;Gagliardi, Diana;Dionisi, Pierluca;Barillari, Caterina;Iavicoli, Sergio
    • Safety and Health at Work
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    • v.13 no.2
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    • pp.141-147
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    • 2022
  • Background: On the basis of its role for the development of occupational health research, information, good practices, the International Commission on Occupational Health (ICOH) launched the present survey to collect information on public health and prevention policies put in place by the governments of the countries in the world to contain the pandemic. Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted through an online questionnaire focused on COVID-19 data, public health policies, prevention measures, support measures for economy, work, and education, personal protective equipment, intensive care units, contact tracing, return to work, and the role of ICOH against COVID-19. The questionnaire was administered to 113 ICOH National Secretaries and senior OSH experts. Collected data refer to the period ranging from the beginning of the pandemic in each country to June 30, 2020. Results: A total of 73 questionnaires from 73 countries around the world were considered valid, with a 64.6% response rate. Most of the respondents (71.2%) reported that the state of emergency was declared in their country, and 86.1% reported lockdown measures. Most of the respondents (66.7%) affirmed that the use of face masks was compulsory in their country. As for containment measures, 97.2% indicated that mass gatherings (meetings) were limited. Regarding workplace closing, the most affected sector was entertainment (90.1%). Conclusion: The results of this survey are useful to gain a global view on COVID-19 policy responses at country level.

Biological Monitoring of Workers Exposed to Diisocyanates using Urinary Diamines (소변 중 디아민을 이용한 디이소시아네이트 노출 근로자의 생물학적 모니터링)

  • Lee, Jong Seong;Kim, Boowook;Shin, Jungah;Baek, JinEe;Shin, Jae Hoon;Kim, Ji-hye
    • Journal of Korean Society of Occupational and Environmental Hygiene
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    • v.26 no.2
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    • pp.178-187
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    • 2016
  • Objectives: Diisocyanates are a potent inducer of diseases of the airways, especially asthma. In this study, toluenediamine(TDA) and methylenedianiline(MDA) in urine were evaluated as biomarkers of exposure to tolunenediisocyanate(TDI) and methylenediphenyl diisocyanate(MDI), respectively. Methods: Workers exposed to TDI and MDI, as well as non-occupationally exposed subjects, were studied and pre- and post-shift urine samples were collected from 8 control subjects and 8 workers from a factory which manufactures polyurethane products for reducing noise and vibration in automobiles. Airborne TDI and MDI(n=8) were sampled on solvent-free glass filters impregnated with n-butylamine and detected by liquid chromatography atmospheric pressure ionization tandem mass spectrometry. Urinary TDA and MDA were detected as pentafluoropropionic acid anhydride(PFPA) derivatives by liquid chromatography electrospray ionization tandem mass spectrometry. Results: The median levels of urinary 2,6-TDA(p<0.001), 2,4-TDA(p=0.001), and MDA(p<0.001) of workers in post-shift samples were significantly higher than those of controls. The median levels of urinary 2,6-0TDA($0.63{\mu}g/g$ creatinine vs $0.34{\mu}g/g$ creatinine, p=0.017) and MDA($4.21{\mu}g/g$ creatinine vs $3.18{\mu}g/g$ creatinine, p=0.017) of workers in post-shift samples were significantly higher than those of the pre-shift samples. There were significant correlations between the urinary 2,6-TDA, 2,4-TDA, and MDA of workers in post-shift samples and the airborne 2,6-TDI(rho=0.952, p<0.001), 2,4-TDI(rho=0.833, p=0.001), and MDI(rho=0.952, p<0.001). Conclusions: These urinary diamines, metabolites of diisocyanates, in post-shift samples were useful biomarkers to assess occupational exposure to diisocyanates.

A Study on Job Stress of Workers at Distribution Industry (유통업 종사자의 직무 스트레스에 관한 연구)

  • Yoon, Hoon-Yong;Park, Jung-Ju
    • Journal of Korean Society of Industrial and Systems Engineering
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    • v.31 no.4
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    • pp.41-48
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    • 2008
  • The purpose of this study was to investigate the job stress factors that were related to the general characteristics, work characteristics, and health characteristics of the workers at distribution industry. The survey of job stress measurement scale for Korean employee which was developed by KOSHA and OSHRI in 2003 was used for this study. Three hundred and fifty workers at distribution industry participated in this study, and among them 326 responses were analyzed for this study due to the unreliability and insincerity of responses. Eight job stress factors like physical environment, self-control for the job, job unsecure, organization system, workplace culture, compensation for the job, relationship to the superior, and job requirement were analyzed. The results showed that the stress because of self control for the job was relatively higher than that of other industry workers. However, the stress because of physical environment, job requirement, job unsecure, organization system and compensation for the job was relatively lower than that of other industry workers. The female workers felt more stress than male workers in compensation for the job and workplace culture factors at distribution industry. The delivery and carrying job workers were more stressful than those of other jobs at distribution industry because of physical environments and self-control for the job. The non-regular job workers were more stressful than regular job workers in many stress factors like self-control for the job, job unsecure, organization system and compensation for the job.