• Title/Summary/Keyword: Workplace accidents

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An Empirical Analysis on Labor Unions and Occupational Safety and Health Committees' Activity, and Their Relation to the Changes in Occupational Injury and Illness Rate

  • Yi, Kwan-Hyung;Cho, Hm-Hak;Kim, Ji-Yun
    • Safety and Health at Work
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    • v.2 no.4
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    • pp.321-327
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    • 2011
  • Objectives: To find out from an analysis of empirical data the levels of influence, which a labor union (LU) and Occupational Safety and Health Committee (OSHC) have in reducing the occupational injury and illness rate (OIIR) through their accident prevention activities in manufacturing industries with five or more employees. Methods: The empirical data used in this study are the Occupational Safety and Health Tendency survey data, Occupational Accident Compensation data and labor productivity and sales data for the years 2003 to 2007. By matching these three sources of data, a final data set (n = 280) was developed and analyzed using SPSS version 18 (SPSS Inc., Chicago, IL, USA). Results: It was found that a workplace with a LU has a lower OIIR than one without a LU. In manufacturing industries with five or more employees in 2007, the OIIR of the workplaces without a LU was 0.87%, while that of workplaces with a LU was much lower at 0.45%. In addition, workplaces with an established OSHC had a lower OIIR than those without an OSHC. Conclusion: It was found that the OIIR of workplaces with a LU is lower than those without a LU. Moreover, those with the OSHC usually had a lower OIIR than those without. The workplace OIIR may have an impact on management performance because the rate is negatively correlated with labor productivity and sales. In the long run, the OIIR of workplaces will be reduced when workers and employers join forces and recognize that the safety and health activities of the workplace are necessary, not only for securing the health rights of the workers, but also for raising labor productivity.

Analysis of the Work-related Accidents and Diseases in Gunsan, Buan, and Gochang Areas from 2002~2011 (군산시, 부안군 및 고창군의 2002~2011년의 산업재해 분석)

  • Hwang, Gyuseok;Yang, Dosik;Lee, Jinhee;Lee, Hwan;Song, Miyoung
    • Journal of Korean Society of Occupational and Environmental Hygiene
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    • v.22 no.4
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    • pp.337-344
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    • 2012
  • Objectives: This study was conducted to assess the trend of work-related accident rate in the past 10 years (2002~2011) in Gusan district, Ministry of Employment and Labor, Korea. Methods: To analyze the change of work-related accident rate in the past 10 years in Gunsan District, we analyzed the work-related accident and disease by the type of business, business scale and analyzing the victim's age and job period using workplace information management system(PKMS) in the Ministry of Employment and Labor. Results: The average rate of work-related accidents in Gunsan district was 0.96% in the past 10 years and it was a little higher than that of national average 0.75%. The rates of work-related accidents tended to decrease from 1.11% in 2002, to 1.09% in 2006, and to 0.79% in 2011. Mortality (per 10,000) rates also tended to decrease in the years 2002, 2006, and 2011 as 3.07, 2.46, and 1.53. By the type of business, the average rate of work-related accidents in the past 10 years was the highest in agriculture as 1.77%, followed by forestry farming at 1.76%. By the business scale, the average rate of work-related accidents was the highest in the group of under 5 employees as 2.05% and it was the lowest in the group of more than 300 employees as 0.50%. The ratio of work-related accidents in the 30's age group was decreased from 41.7% in 2002 to 25.2% in 2011 and the ratio for the 50's age group was increased from 28.6% in 2002 to 49.5% in 2011. Conclusions: Although the rate of work-related accident was decreased in the past 10 years, the polarization of work-related accidents rated by the business scale and age groups show a significant difference. So it is needed that the planning and implementing of work-related accidents prevention policies.

Safety Climate and Occupational Stress According to Occupational Accidents Experience and Employment Type in Shipbuilding Industry of Korea

  • Kim, Kyung Woo;Park, Sung Jin;Lim, Hae Sun;Cho, Hm Hak
    • Safety and Health at Work
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    • v.8 no.3
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    • pp.290-295
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    • 2017
  • Background: Safety climate and occupational stress are related with occupational accident. The present study tried to identify the differences in safety climate and occupational stress according to occupational accidents experience and employment type (e.g., direct workers and subcontract workers). Methods: In this study, we conducted a survey using safety climate scale and Korean Occupational Stress Scale and classified the participants into four groups: direct workers working for accident-free departments, direct workers working for accident departments, subcontract workers working for accident-free departments, and subcontract workers working for accident departments for 2 years within the same workplace in the shipbuilding industry. Results: The direct workers and subcontract workers showed diverse results in subscales of safety climate and occupational stress. This result is supported by existing studies; however, further study is necessary for more supporting evidence and elaborative methodological approach. Conclusion: The necessity of management for safety climate and psychosocial factor such as occupational stress for both direct workers and subcontract workers as a whole is suggested by this study.

Development of Korean Stress Model for the Unmarried Workers in Korea (한국에서 미혼 근로자를 위한 한국형 스트레스 모형 개발)

  • Gang, Yeong-Sik;Yang, Seong-Hwan;An, Gwang-Hyeok;Jeong, Yu-Na;Lee, Seul;Nam, Geon-U;Park, Min-A;Gwon, Yong-O;Lee, Won-Gi;Kim, Seong-Hyeon;Park, Seon-Yeong
    • Proceedings of the Safety Management and Science Conference
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    • 2012.04a
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    • pp.35-41
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    • 2012
  • The unsafe act and unsafe condition is induced by the fundamental cause factors of industrial accidents. In this paper, stress is classified into job, life and workplace stress. Therefore, the purpose of this paper is to develop a Korean stress model focused on the unmarried workers in order to prevent fundamental industrial accidents. The results of this paper are followed. First, the oriental culture and idea in Korea is directly connected to the central axis of all life. Accordingly, concrete and systematic safety management methods should be proposed from the point of Korean culture. Finally, the industrial accident questionnaire needs an item that reports the mental and physical condition of workers in order to prevent occupational diseases.

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Psychological Intervention for Post-traumatic Stress Disorder among Witnesses of a Fatal Industrial Accident in a Workers' Health Center

  • Kang, Dong-Mug;Kim, Se-Yeong;Kim, Yoon-Ji;Kim, Jung-Ann
    • Safety and Health at Work
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    • v.8 no.4
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    • pp.410-412
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    • 2017
  • Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is a serious problem not only among workers who experience industrial accidents but also among workers who witness such accidents. Early intervention is needed to prevent prolonged psychological problems. There has been no study conducted regarding the psychological problems of and interventions for bystander workers in Korea. This study introduces the experience of intervention on psychological problems at the Busan Workers' Health Center workers who witnessed their colleagues' death. An investigation and an intervention were conducted according to the Korean Occupational Safety and Health Agency (KOSHA) Guide. In total, 21 individuals including indirect observers showed statistical differences on scores of the Impact Event Scale Revised and the Patient Health Questionnaire 9 after the intervention. Future interventions and research involving a larger sample size over a longer period are needed. The KOSHA Guide could be a useful tool for urgent psychological intervention in the event of major workplace disasters.

Identification and Structuring of the Workplace Risk Factors Regarding Power Press Machines

  • Kuk, Kang-Hur;Park, Dong-Hyun
    • Journal of Korean Society of Industrial and Systems Engineering
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    • v.23 no.56
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    • pp.65-85
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    • 2000
  • Industrial accidents have been consistently increased in terms of medical costs, lost work days, and incidence rates every year in Korea. Since the infrastructure of the industry changed shifts rapidly from 1980s in the developing countries such as South Korea, the nature and magnitude of the industrial accidents have also undergone a major shift. The situation is especially severe in small-to-medium sized industry(SMI). This article reports the development of a systematic evaluation system of risk factors specifically for the SMIs. The new approach introduced by this article is geared to the systematic identification and evaluation of the injuries from power press machines using the Analytic Hierarchy Process with the key evaluation data generated and evaluated by the employees on site. A total of 21 companies was studied and surveyed using the hierarchical structures of the cause-effect relationship of the mechanical injuries and their countermeasures. For the relative weighting of each risk factor, separate questionnaire survey was conducted for the selected workers from each company who had worked for more than 10 years in press work. Most participants (48 out of 62) replied that human attributes were the most significant factors for mechanical injuries fellowed by administration, machine, and work environment factors. The result also showed that the self-motivated risk assessment and safety enhancement activities would be an effective and efficient way of managing the risk factors in the SMIs.

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Characteristics of Replacement of Labor following Accidents in Agriculture (농작업 재해 발생에 따른 대체인력 고용 특성)

  • Lee, Yun Keun;Park, Hee Sok;Kim, Hyo Cher;Kim, Gyung Ran;Lee, Kyung Suk
    • Journal of Korean Society of Occupational and Environmental Hygiene
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    • v.28 no.4
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    • pp.346-351
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    • 2018
  • Objective: This study aims to provide information needed to determine the wages paid for replacement labor for work lost following accidents in agricultural operations. Methods: Visits and interviews were conducted with 171 farmers who experienced a loss of at least one day of work due to an agricultural workplace accident. Results: It was found that only 35.1% of the study participants hired replacement labor, and more replacement labor was hired in greenhouse and fruit workplaces than in open field work. The mean number of days of hiring replacement labor was 14.6 days, and no significant differences were found between the national average wage and the surveyed value, while female workers were paid less than their male counterparts. Conclusions: The results from this study would be of help in determining a reasonable level of compensation for lost work.

Analysis and Experimental Study of Strength Change according to Fixed Knot Method of Fiber Rope for High Altitude Work (고소 작업용 섬유로프의 고정 매듭법에 따른 강도 변화의 해석 및 실험적 연구)

  • Song, S.M.;Kim, M.S.;Shin, D.Y.;Lim, S.H.;Kwon, O.H.;Park, W.R.
    • Journal of the Korean Society of Safety
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    • v.37 no.3
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    • pp.1-8
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    • 2022
  • Workplace accidents are common while working at elevations. Thus, various safety measures such as safety handrails and horizontal safety nets are implemented to prevent falls. The minimum safety measure is the lifeline installation. However, because its standards have not been clearly established, it is often misused, resulting in inappropriate knot methods that increase the chance of accidents while working at elevations. Therefore, clarifying the appropriate usage methods or criteria for the various lifelines is required in the field. This study proposed an appropriate installation method by experimentally and numerically evaluating the change in strength according to the fixed knot lifeline method. In addition, three knot methods were specified for each material. The results obtained are expected to contribute to lessening falls through the establishment of lifeline installation standards and the development of appropriate parts.

An Application of the Analytical Hierarchy Process (AHP) for Safety measurement in Malaysian Construction Industry

  • Samad Doostdar;Zubaidah Ismail
    • International conference on construction engineering and project management
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    • 2013.01a
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    • pp.66-73
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    • 2013
  • Analytical Hierarchy Process (AHP) is a famous method amongst Multi Criteria Decision Making (MCDM), set up by Saaty in 1980. AHP can be determined as a methodology of hierarchical analysis following reasonable decision making with make simpler a difficult crisis. Decision making in systems of Safety management concerned multipart challenges. AHP is process for get better the composite decisions understanding with analyzes of the problem in a structure of hierarchy. The integration all of applicable decision criteria, their pair wise judgment permits the decision maker to establish the trade-offs amongst objectives. In recent years, Malaysian's economy and infrastructure development have significantly and rapidly risen. The construction industry continues to play a major role in this development as many construction activities have been carried out to meet the high demands of the expansive market. However, the construction industry has faced a wide range of challenges, one of which is the frequent occurrences of accidents at the workplace. An effective safety program can substantially reduce accidents because it can help management to build up safer means of operations and create safe working environments for the workers. Furthermore, by having an effective safety programs, good safety culture can be embedded in organization because it can encourage mutual cooperation between management and workers in the operations of the programs and decisions that affect their safety and health. The focus of this research is development methodology of Analytics Hierarchy Process (AHP) in construction safety factors and investigates the levels of some effective elements in SMS in Malaysian construction industries.

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A Study on the Improvement of Safety Training of Shipbuilding Industry by Analysis of Serious Accidents in Shipbuilding Industry (조선업 중대재해 분석을 통한 조선업 안전교육 개선에 관한 연구)

  • Lee, Jin-Woo;Han, Cheol-Ho;Lee, Young-Ho
    • Journal of the Korean Society of Marine Environment & Safety
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    • v.23 no.7
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    • pp.858-868
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    • 2017
  • Korea's shipbuilding industry has led the world in the technical area over the last century. Despite this commendable performance, around 2,000 workers experience accidents almost every year with 40 being killed. This raises a question of whether the safety level of our shipbuilding industry, in particular the safety of workers, is actually at the world-class level. Accordingly, this research has analyzed several types of safety training currently provided in the field through investigating statistical data of serious accidents occurring from 2006 to 2015 in the domestic shipbuilding industry, analyzing its occurrence and causes, and conducting a survey targeting employees in the shipbuilding industry. Based on this, it has investigated problems of safety training in the shipbuilding industry and suggested improvements. First, it is essential to create a standard system for safety training in the shipbuilding industry to address problems of different kinds and levels of safety training provided by each shipyard and low quality of training, and operate more organized and systemized training. Second, safety training curriculum specializing in the shipbuilding industry should continue to be developed and standardized based on a standard system for safe training to prevent serious accidents and improve safety awareness of workers. Lastly, both employers and employees should actively provide and participate in safety training to secure safety of workers through preventing serious accidents and ultimately create safety-first culture in workplace.