• Safety and Health at Work
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• 제7권2호
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• pp.138-142
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• 2016

Background: Household waste collectors (HWCs) are exposed to hazardous conditions. This study investigates the patterns of workplace injuries and work-related illnesses of HWCs. Methods: This study uses cases of workplace injuries and work-related illnesses of HWCs that occurred between 2010 and 2011. We analyzed 325 cases of injuries and 36 cases of illnesses according to the workers' age, length of employment, size of workplace, injured part of body, day and month of injury, type of accident, agency of accident, and collection process. Results: There were significant differences in the effect of workers' length of employment, injured part of body, type of accident, agency of accident, and collection process. Results show that most injuries occur in workers in their 50s and older. This study also shows that 51.4% of injuries occur at businesses with 49 employees or fewer. Injuries to waste collectors happen most often when workers are electrocuted after slipping on the ground. The second most prevalent form of injury is falling, which usually happens when workers hang from the rear of the truck during transportation or otherwise slip and fall from the truck. Work-related illnesses amongst waste collectors are mostly musculoskeletal conditions due to damaging postures. Conclusion: These findings will be instructive in devising policies and guidelines for preventing workplace injuries and work-related illnesses of HWCs.

• 한국유기농업학회지
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• 제11권3호
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• pp.1-19
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• 2003

The operation of a five day workweek seems to be increased continuously, Many city-workers will make good use of their spare time and search after a lot of devices that can seek for the maximum value of leisure utility. The demand of potential customers that want to enjoy weekend in farming villages is coming out greatly. That is, the condition of users that will travel the farming villages is getting better. But the actual states of farming villages are not ready in many parts yet. Therefore we must activate the tourist attraction in farming villages that can be satisfied the city-workers' expectation. And after making the sightseeing environment infrastructure, we must develop the programs intimate with environment, improve the sightseeing agricultural management and consolidate various systems as soon as possible. So in this study, after investigating the demand preference degree of city-workers, I tried to grope an activation plan with the base which will reach. Being more urgent what more, not the simple sightseeing agriculture that the farming experience was the focus of, but it is very important to develop the program of environment sightseeing agriculture. It will lay the stress on playing and education culture which city-workers can enjoy and experience. And with constructing the base facility like a city form, we must develop cheap and various goods and the execution of modernized weekend farms. For this, first the consciousness conversion against the customer management of farmers must precede and the change of government policy and the support polity is important. I hope that this study with the five-day workweek has the chance to contribute in the economic growth of farming villages and efficient use and management of the natural environment resources through the activation of sightseeing agriculture.

• Journal of Preventive Medicine and Public Health
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• 제26권1호
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• pp.37-48
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• 1993

This study was conducted to investigate the prevalence rate of low back pain during past one year and its risk factors. The data were collected from 1,384 manufacturing factory workers from March 1, 1992 to August 30, 1992. The results obtained were as follows: 1. The one year prevalence rate of low back pain by manufacturing company was 38.4% in textile manufacturing, 35.2% in concrete reenforcement, 31.0% in cigarette and 26.1% in metal part(P<0.01). 2. In textile manufacturing, age groups with high prevalence rate of low back pain were 30's(36.8%) and 40's(36.4%) (P<0.05), and the one year prevelence rates of low back pain by marital state were 34.9% in married workers and 28.5% in unmarried(P=0.0511). 3. The one year prevelence rates of low back pain by job part are 35.0% in labor workers and 26.1% in clerical(P<0.05), and by work hour per day it was 34.9% in 9 or more and 28.9% in 8 or less(P<0.05). 4. The highest group of low back pain by work posture was 43.5% in 'lifting and transfering materials', and it by fitness of chair was 56.0% in uncomfortable one, and by height of working board was 33.6% in low working one. 5. In logistic regression analysis, significant determinants with low back pain were marital state(p<0.05), work hour per day(P<0.05), height of working board(P<0.01), and work posture(P<0.01).

• 융합정보논문지
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• 제11권3호
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• pp.46-53
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• 2021

본 연구는 주간근무 및 교대근무 여성 근로자의 일반적 요인 및 여성건강관련 요인들의 차이를 비교하는 것을 목적으로 한다. 보건복지부 질병관리본부에서 실시한 제7기 2차년도 국민건강영양조사 자료를 기초로 하였으며 설문 조사에 참여한 조사자는 모두 10,430명이었다. 그 중 1,995명 근로자의 건강관련 변수와 건강관련 삶의 질 차이를 분석하였다. 여성 근로자의 연령, 결혼여부, 교육수준, 종사상지위, 출산경험은 주간근무 근로자와 교대근무 근로자 간의 유의한 차이를 나타냈다. 반면 소득이나 주관적 건강인식, 스트레스 인지, 우울경험, 초경연령, 폐경연령, 수유기간과 건강관련 삶의 질은 유의한 차이를 나타내지 못하였다. 교대근무는 산업의 발전과 탄력 근로제를 위하여 불가피하게 시행되고 있는 실정이다. 따라서 교대근무로 인한 부작용을 줄이기 위해서는 근로자 개인뿐만 아니라 사회적, 국가적인 관심과 대책이 요구된다.

• Journal of Preventive Medicine and Public Health
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• 제25권3호
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• pp.247-268
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• 1992

영상단말기 (VDT)작업이 시력과 안증상에 미치는 영향을 알아보기 위해 1991년 7월에서 10월 사이에 구미시의 1개 TV생산업체에 종사하는 근로자들 가운데 채용 당시 안과적으로 문제가 없었고, 나안시력이 1.0 이상인 40세 미만 남자 338명을 대상으로 일일 평균 화면작업시간이 4시간 미만인 근로자(I군, 60명)와 4시간 이상인 근로자(II군, 204명)를 폭로군으로 하고 유사한 작업환경에서 근무하는 비화면작업자(74명)를 비폭로군으로 나누어 연령, 작업경력, 교대근무형태, 확대경 사용유무, 1일 평균 TV시청 시간 및 수면시간과 그리고 안자각증상에 대한 설문조사를 실시한 후, 안과적검사를 시행하였다. 조사시 원거리시력 (양안의 평균시력)이 채용시에 비해 0.15 이상 저하된 비율은 II군이 20.6%로 비화면작업군의 14.9 %, I군의 15.0 % 보다 다소 높았으나 통계적으로 유의한 차는 아니었다. 연령, 작업경력, 확대경 사용유무, 교대근무형태 등에 따라 층화하여 원거리시력 저하율을 비교해 본 결과 세 군간에 통계적으로 유의한 차가 없었다. 근거리시력 저하율도 비화면작업군이 28.4 %, I군이 18.3 %, II군이 27.5 %로 통계적으로 유의한 차이가 없었으며, 연령 등 4가지 독립변수를 층화하여 비교해 보아도 유의한 차이가 없었다. 안자각증상 호소율은 안피로를 포함한 7가지 항목에서 눈물이 나는 것을 제외한 모든 항목에서 비화면작업군에 비해 I군이, I군 보다는 II군이 통계적으로 유의하게 높았다(P<0.01). 화면작업자 264명 가운데 조명이 나쁜 장소에서 일하는 근로자들의 원거리시력 저하율과 안자각증상 호소율이 조명이 좋은 작업장에서 일하는 근로자보다 더 높았다(P<0.05). 7가지 안자각증상을 각 증상 마다 늘 느끼는 경우는 2, 가끔 느끼면 1, 느끼지 않으면 0으로 점수화하여 개인별 총 안증상 점수를 구해 세 군간에 원거리시력 차이 유무별로 비교해 본 결과, 시력차 유무에 따른 평균 안자각증상 점수의 차는 없었으나 시력차 유무에 관계없이 II군의 평균 안자각증상 점수가 6.13 으로 I군(3.53) 또는 비화면작업군(3.30) 보다 훨씬 더 높았다(P<0.01). 안자각증상 점수와 유의한 상관관계를 보인 독립변수들은 화면작업시간, 확대경 사용유무, 교대근무형태 등이었고, 채용시와 조사시 원거리시력 차이, 원거리시력과 근거리시력 차이, 누액분비기능, 안압, 굴절력 등과 유의한 상관관계를 보인 독립 변수는 하나도 없었다. 안자각증상 점수를 종속변수로 하는 중선형 회귀분석 결과에서는 화면작업시간이 길수록, 단부제나 2교대 근무자보다 3교대 근무자에서 유의한 선형관계를 나타내었다(P<0.01). 본 조사에서는 1일 장시간 VDT작업으로 시력이 저하되는 것은 관찰할 수 없었고 안자각증상은 유발되는 것으로 나타났다. 안자각증상의 예방을 위해 VDT 작업장의 조명을 적절하게 유지하고 장시간 연속해서 작업하지 않도록 작업관리를 해야 할 것이다.

• Safety and Health at Work
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• 제3권4호
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• pp.268-277
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• 2012

Objectives: 1) To determine mercury levels in urine samples from garbage workers in Southern Thailand, and 2) to describe the association between work characteristics, work positions, behavioral factors, and acute symptoms; and levels of mercury in urine samples. Methods: A case-control study was conducted by interviewing 60 workers in 5 hazardous-waste-management factories, and 60 matched non-exposed persons living in the same area of Southern Thailand. Urine samples were collected to determine mercury levels by cold-vapor atomic absorption spectrometer mercury analyzer. Results: The hazardous-waste workers' urinary mercury levels (10.07 ${\mu}g/g$ creatinine) were significantly higher than the control group (1.33 ${\mu}g/g$ creatinine) (p < 0.001). Work position, duration of work, personal protective equipment (PPE), and personal hygiene, were significantly associated with urinary mercury level (p < 0.001). The workers developed acute symptoms - of head-aches, nausea, chest tightness, fatigue, and loss of consciousness at least once a week - and those who developed symptoms had significantly higher urinary mercury levels than those who did not, at p < 0.05. A multiple regression model was constructed. Significant predictors of urinary mercury levels included hours worked per day, days worked per week, duration of work (years), work position, use of PPE (mask, trousers, and gloves), and personal hygiene behavior (ate snacks or drank water at work, washed hands before lunch, and washed hands after work). Conclusion: Changing garbage workers' hygiene habits can reduce urinary mercury levels. Personal hygiene is important, and should be stressed in education programs. Employers should institute engineering controls to reduce urinary mercury levels among garbage workers.

• Safety and Health at Work
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• 제5권2호
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• pp.86-90
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• 2014

Background: Urinary 1-hydroxypyrene (1-OHP) was selected as a biomarker of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) to explore the accumulation level in the bodies of workers at rubber smoke sheet factories in southern Thailand. Methods: Spot urine samples were taken from four groups of workers from June 2006 to November 2007. The nonexposure or control groups included habitual cigarette smokers and nonsmokers. The other two groups were workers exposed to particle-bound PAHs from rubber wood smoke and they were nonsmokers. All spot urine samples were analyzed for 1-OHP and creatinine levels. Results: The mean${\pm}$standard deviation urinary 1-OHP in the control group of habitual smokers and the nonsmokers was $0.24{\pm}0.16{\mu}mol/mol$ creatinine and not-detected to $0.14{\mu}mol/mol$ creatinine, respectively. In the workers, the 1-OHP levels on workdays had no significant difference from the 1-OHP levels on the days off. The yearly average 1-OHP level was $0.76{\pm}0.41{\mu}mol/mol$ creatinine whereas the average 1-OHP level during 10 consecutive workdays was $1.06{\pm}0.29{\mu}mol/mol$ creatinine (p > 0.05). Conclusion: The urinary 1-OHP levels of workers exposed to PAHs were high. The accumulation of 1-OHP in the body was not clear although the workers had long working hours with few days off during their working experience. Therefore, a regular day off schedule and rotation shift work during high productive RSS should be set for RSS workers.

• Safety and Health at Work
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• 제8권1호
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• pp.84-88
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• 2017

Background: Workers in slaughterhouses are exposed to a wide range of biological contaminants, such as bacteria and fungi, due to their working environment. This study aimed to assess the prevalence of respiratory disorders among workers in slaughterhouses. Methods: This study was conducted on 81 workers in slaughterhouses and 81 healthy office workers as a reference group. The American Thoracic Society standard respiratory symptoms questionnaire was used to determine the prevalence of respiratory disorders. Besides, lung function tests were conducted using a calibrated spirometer at the beginning (preshift) and at the end (postshift) of the $1^{st}$ working day. Single-stage Anderson sampler was used to measure the concentration of bioaerosols in different parts of slaughterhouses. Results: The prevalence of respiratory disorders, such as cough, productive cough, breathlessness, phlegm, and wheezing, was 3.17, 4.02, 3.07, 4.66, and 3.94 times, respectively, higher among workers in slaughterhouses compared with the reference group. Conclusion: The prevalence of respiratory disorders was significantly higher among workers in slaughterhouses. Thus, the significant reduction in the percentage predicted lung function among workers in slaughterhouses might be associated with exposure to bioaerosols in their work environment.

• Safety and Health at Work
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• 제9권1호
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• pp.101-108
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• 2018

Background: Work and work environment have a critical influence on adolescent workers' health. They are subjected to more risks than adults. The aim of this study is to examine psychological health outcomes in adolescent workers in the areas of depression, somatization, anxiety, hostility, and negative self-concept, and to investigate any related factors. Methods: This is a descriptive and cross-sectional study. Research samples were collected from adolescent workers between 15 and 18 years old attending a 1-day mandatory education course at vocational training centers, working 5 days per week in small enterprises. Data were collected using the following instruments: Brief Symptom Inventory, Multidimensional Scale of Perceived Social Support, and Descriptive Characteristics of Children's Assessment Form. Results: The investigation covers 837 young workers, of whom 675 were males and 162 were females. The majority of the families had low incomes (68.1%). Overall, 33.5% of the adolescents had been hospitalized because of health problems. Their average weekly working hours were $78.1{\pm}10.7$. Almost 50% of adolescent workers scored above the mean average in the Brief Symptom Inventory, indicating serious pschological health symptoms. Those who scored high for hostility, depression, negative self-concept, anxiety, and somatization were between 45.4% and 48.9% of the sample. Logistic regression analysis was conducted to determine the underlying factors: a perception of "feeling very bad" health conditions was 2.07-fold whereas the rate of "no annual leave" was 0.73-fold, and both were found to be effective on psychological problems. Conclusion: In this study, it seems likely that psychological health problems are the result of multiple adverse factors including working conditions, annual leave, and health considerations.

• Safety and Health at Work
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• 제14권3호
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• pp.287-294
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• 2023

Background: Fruit and vegetable market is an abundant source of bioaerosols. Exposure to organic and inorganic waste and long-term inhalation of bioaerosols during working hours leads to chronic respiratory symptoms. Hence, this study aimed to determine the prevalence of chronic respiratory symptoms and related factors among fruit and vegetable workers compared with the control group in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. Methods and materials: A comparative cross-sectional study was conducted from 2020 to 2021. Data were entered in EpiData 3.1 and exported to Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS) version 25. Logistic regressions were computed to depict the data and related factors. The culture method was done to count and compare bacterial and fungal concentrations between fruit and vegetable workers and office workers. Results: In this study, the prevalence of chronic respiratory symptoms (PR = 2.87, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.772-4.66) was significantly higher among fruit and vegetable workers (46.7%) than controls (23.4%). Sex (adjusted odds ratio [AOR] = 2.11, 95% CI = 1.12-3.98), educational status (AOR = 1.34, 95% CI = 0.78-2.32), working hours per day (AOR = 3.91, 95% CI = 1.586-9.65), and working department (AOR = 3.20, 95% CI = 0.90-11.40) were associated with chronic respiratory symptoms. Bacterial and fungal concentrations were significantly higher in the air of the vegetable market (276 colony-forming unit) than the air in the workplace of controls (7 colony-forming unit). Conclusion: The fruit and vegetable market workers (greengrocers) had a higher prevalence of chronic respiratory symptoms relative to office workers. Respiratory protective devices should be given to deliver preventive measures.