• Annals of Occupational and Environmental Medicine
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• v.35
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• pp.8.1-8.12
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• 2023

Background: Prolonged use of visual display terminal (VDT) can cause eyestrain, dry eyes, blurred vision, double vision, headache and musculoskeletal symptoms (neck, shoulder, and wrist pain). VDT working hours among workers have greatly increased during the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic. Therefore, this study aimed to investigate the relationship between VDT working hours and headache/eyestrain in wage workers using data from the sixth Korean Working Conditions Survey (KWCS) (2020-2021) conducted during the COVID-19 pandemic. Methods: We analyzed the sixth KWCS data of 28,442 wage workers aged 15 years or older. The headache/eyestrain that occurred in the last year was assessed. The VDT work group included workers who use VDT always, almost always, and three-fourth of the working hours, while the non-VDT work group included workers who use VDT half of the working hours, one-fourth of the working hours, almost never, and never. To analyze the relationship between VDT working hours and headache/eyestrain, the odds ratios (ORs) and 95% confidence interval (CI) were calculated using logistic regression analysis. Results: Among the non-VDT work group, 14.4% workers experienced headache/eyestrain, whereas 27.5% workers of the VDT work group experienced these symptoms. For headache/eyestrain, the VDT work group showed adjusted OR of 1.94 (95% CI: 1.80-2.09), compared with the non-VDT work group, and the group that always used VDT showed adjusted OR of 2.54 (95% CI: 2.26-2.86), compared with the group that never used VDT. Conclusions: This study suggests that during the COVID-19 pandemic, as VDT working hours increased, the risk of headache/eyestrain increased for Korean wage workers.

• Journal of the Korea Safety Management & Science
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• v.16 no.3
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• pp.219-229
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• 2014

Employees used computer significantly(IT employee) is increased by technological development in workplace. This study tried to find the magnitude of IT employees and the profile of their working conditions and ill health experiences in South Korea. Korean Working Conditions Survey was used with descriptive and mean difference test in order to find the difference working conditions and ill health status among the groups classified by the degree of using computer during work. Some of working conditions was positively correlated with the density of computer use such as work autonomy, the exposure of repetitive movement of hand and arms. The pain of upper extreme was also more frequently found in the highest user group of computer than lower user groups. Based on the result of hierarchical regression analysis, the effect of computer using on the experience of work-related symptoms after controlling other factors was shown as U shape. This study as heuristic one suggest that some of depth analysis with hypothesis will be done to identify the causes and pathway of impact of computer use.

• Journal of Labour Economics
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• v.44 no.2
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• pp.71-90
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• 2021

This paper examines the effects of COVID-19 on the working hours and wages by employment types of wage workers. Using the Economically Active Population Survey-Supplementary Survey by Employment Types(2017-2020), I found that due to COVID-19, non-regular workers reduced their working hours more than regular workers, shrinking their opportunities to generate wage income. During the same period, the working hours and wage gap between new regular and non-regular workers widened, this was largely in part-time and short-term workers. As the working conditions change based on the initial level, these results show that efforts to improve their(new and short term workers) working conditions can contribute to mitigating labor market inequality.

• Proceedings of the Korean Institute of Building Construction Conference
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• 2018.05a
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• pp.124-125
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• 2018

The objective of this study is analyzing of requirements for improvement of the work-life balance of construction managers working in Korean construction companies. A survey has been conducted to analyze the requirements for improvement of construction managers. The survey was conducted on construction managers working in the field of architectural construction. 59 field managers working in 18 Korean construction companies responded to the survey. Upon analysis of the survey, the working hours were excessive and recreational time was very poor for the construction managers. There were differences in the answers regarding the areas that require improvement in the working conditions based on the age groups of the construction managers. A majority of young technicians selected that the recreational time and content of work require improvement, and technicians with a lot of experience selected that the stability of occupation and wage require improvement.

• Safety and Health at Work
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• v.2 no.4
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• pp.313-320
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• 2011

Objectives: To analyze the association between changes in perceived physical and psychosocial working conditions and change of sickness absence days in younger and older (< 50 and ${\geq}50$ years) food industry employees. Methods: This was a follow up study of 679 employees, who completed working conditions survey questionnaires in 2005 and 2009 and for whom the requisite sickness absence data were available for the years 2004 and 2008. Results: Sickness absence increased and working conditions improved during follow-up. However, the change of increased sickness absence days were associated with the change of increased poor working postures and the change of deteriorated team spirit and reactivity (especially among < 50 years). No other changes in working conditions were associated with the changes in sickness absence. Conclusion: Sickness absence is affected by many factors other than working conditions. Nevertheless, according to this study improving team spirit and reactivity and preventing poor working postures are important in decreasing sickness absence.

• Korean Journal of Childcare and Education
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• v.15 no.3
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• pp.21-38
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• 2019

Objective: The goal of this study was to investigate the effects of early childhood teachers' current working conditions such as welfare and wages, working hours, ECEC center's environmental characteristics, and parental involvement and community engagement on the professionalism of teachers. Method: A total of 988 respondents participated in the nationwide online survey. The data were analyzed by correlation analysis and structual equation modeling. Results: First, there were no statistically significant direct effects of ECEC teachers' working conditions on teacher professionalism. Second, there were significant direct effects of teacher efficacy and well-being on teacher professionalism. Third, there were significant indirect effects of teachers' working conditions on their professionalism, via efficacy and well-being, linking the impact of working conditions and the professionalism of teachers. Conclusion/Implication: The results of this structural model imply that policy input for teacher welfare, wage increases, and the enhancement of teachers' well-being and efficacy are valid and significant for the professional development of ECEC teachers. These results provide the data-driven evidence for the importance of welfare and socio-cognitive approaches for teachers.

• The Korean Journal of Health Service Management
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• v.9 no.1
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• pp.41-55
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• 2015

Working the night-shift and long working hours may be linked to insomnia. The purpose of this study is to determine the association between night-shift work and long working-hours with regard to subjective insomnia in Korean workers. This study was based on the Third Korean Working Condition Survey (KWCS) conducted on workers in 2011. The total number of individuals included in the analysis was 34,708 workers. Adjusted odd ratios showed statistically effective associations to insomnia. For night-shift work, the results were 2.71 (1.53 - 4.82) for night shift work by experts and managers, 2.95 (2.11 - 4.11) for night-shift work by officers, and 3.90 (2.05 - 7.42) for night-shift work by engineers compared with day duty. For long working hours, the scores were 2.43 (1.68-3.51) for >52 working hours by officers, 1.72 (1.15 - 2.58) for those in sales and service compared to ${\leq}40$ working hours. We suggest the need for Korean workers to target specific groups when creating policies related to reasonable environmental conditions.

• Journal of Applied Reliability
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• v.15 no.3
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• pp.181-191
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• 2015

Change in labor time is affecting occupational safety and health. Recently reduction in labor time brought innovational operation method, investment in plant and equipment, and flexible labor time in some companies, thereby affecting working conditions for labourers. However, working conditions for some vulnerable social groups have deteriorated. As a result, they are becoming more exposed to risk factors such as injury and emotional stress. In this study we use 2014 KWCS data in order to find the social and demographic characteristics in Korean working conditions. To this end, we use exploratory data analysis approach to find the relationship between some of the important variables in the KWCS data. We also use Press-State-Response model to find which group of people are vulnerable to Press and State. We find that women, people over age 50 and business owners are more vulnerable to Press and State than men, people below age 50 and wage workers.

• Korean Journal of Occupational Health Nursing
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• v.33 no.1
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• pp.1-11
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• 2024

Purpose: This study aimed to analyze the factors influencing the well-being of middle-aged non-shift female workers using health-determinant models. Methods: This study analyzed data from the fifth Korean Working Conditions Survey (KWCS), involving 5,449 participants. A hierarchical multiple regression analysis was employed to examine the relationships between various factors and well-being. Results: The analysis identified key factors affecting well-being in middle-aged female non-shift workers, including supervisor support, presenteeism, satisfaction with the working environment, autonomy in working hours, support from coworkers, workplace discrimination, occupation, work-life balance, sleep problems, workplace size, weekly work hours, and sickness absence. This study confirms that the well-being of middle-aged non-shift female workers is influenced by factors at the individual, social, and community levels as well as by conditions related to love. Conclusion: To enhance the well-being of middle-aged female non-shift workers, it is essential to reinforce positive factors such as support from coworkers and superiors. Additionally, addressing and mitigating negatively influencing factors such as workplace discrimination and sleep problems is crucial in promoting well-being. By implementing measures to improve these aspects, organizations and policymakers can contribute to a healthier and more supportive work environment for middle-aged, non-shift female workers.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Clothing and Textiles
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• v.37 no.3
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• pp.292-305
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• 2013

This study reported present state of clothing technical designers' work duties and working conditions, so as to suggest effective ways to develop professional training methods for them. Technical designers working for vendors and agents were surveyed as they represent the majority of technical designers in Korean clothing industries. Survey participants were 62 technical designers working for 6 clothing vendors and 2 clothing agents, and the survey closely inspected their work qualifications, duties and responsibilities, working conditions and training conditions. Survey was conducted from June $27^{th}$ to July $17^{th}$, 2012. The questionnaire examined frequency analysis and multiple response analysis using SPSS 19.0 Windows after investigating documents and work fields through personal experiences and interviews from technical designers for data collection and analysis. A chi-square test analyzed the preferred type of fitting for technical designers of vendors and agents. The results showed that 32.3% of those surveyed have more than 7 years of work experience and the highest level of education is predominantly a bachelor's degree (57 people, 91.9%). Among the work responsibilities, respondents did sample measuring more than four times a day. Also, the results showed that technical designers needed to qualify: first 'Fitting Technic', second 'Pattern Correction Capability', and third 'English Skills to Communicate with Buyers'; subsequently, education on several technics (such as measuring, grading, and fitting) were required for the job. Current technical designers answered that they need more various work-related education. However, the analyzed results showed that pre work-related training was insufficient. The data shows that technical designers require re-education in 'Pattern Correction Method' (61.3%) and 'Sewing Education' (64.5%).