• Annals of Occupational and Environmental Medicine
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• v.35
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• pp.17.1-17.6
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• 2023

The current 52-hour workweek in South Korea consists of 40 hours of regular work and 12 hours of overtime. Although the average working hours in South Korea is declining, it is still 199 hours longer than the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development average of 1,716 hours per year. In view to this, the South Korean government has now proposed to reform the workweek, mainly intending to increase the workweek to 69 hours when the workload is heavy. This reform, by increasing the labor intensity due to long working hours, goes against the global trend of reducing work hours for a safe and healthy working environment. Long working hours can lead to increased cerebrovascular and cardiovascular diseases, industrial accidents, mental health problems, and safety accidents due to lack of concentration. In conclusion, the Korean government's working hour reform plan can have a negative impact on workers' health, and therefore it should be thoroughly reviewed and modified.

• Proceedings of the KWS Conference
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• 2002.10a
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• pp.412-417
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• 2002

In manufacturing of ships, problems to be solved are improvement of productivity and stabilization of quality due to the shortage of skilled workers. Working environment, in particular welding environment, is also to be improved. One solution among these problems is to rationalize and automate these working. This paper is focused on the welding automation technologies in shipbuilding industry. The features of shipbuilding in the aspect of automation are described, and the main welding robot systems to be developed by SRI are introduced in each working stages.

• Journal of Korean Society of Occupational and Environmental Hygiene
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• v.15 no.2
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• pp.90-103
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• 2005

Objective: This study was carried out to assess the status of working environments, to improve the working environments, and to be helpful to prevent occupational disease. Methods: The authors measured the noise level, concentration of dust, heavy metals, organic solvents, and other chemicals at 95 industries (22 working processes) by type of working process in manufacturing industry of parts and accessories for motor vehicles and its engines from January to December 2003. Samples were measured and analyzed by regulations of Korea Ministry of Labor, manuals of National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) and Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA). Results: Results are as follows. 1. Major processes exceeding mean noise levels provided the American Conference of Governmental Industrial Hygienists (ACGIH) Threshold Limit Value (TLV) were shakeout [97.5 dB(A)]. shot-blast [94.2 dB(A)], pressing [92.9 dB(A)], crushing [91.2 dB(A)], and cleaning [90.6 dB(A)]. 2. Mean concentrations of dusts were not exceeded to the TLV. But concentration on some points of processes as like welding (6.50 mg/m3), foundry (5.24 mg/m3) were exceeded. 3. Mean concentrations of heavy metals were not exceeded to the TLV. 4. Mean concentrations of organic solvents and chemicals were not exceeded to the TLV. 5. Improving rate for working environment were significantly higher in industries with health manager than without (p<0.05), and by increasing the year of working environmental measurement (p<0.01). Conclusions: The results suggest that working processes of exceeding to the TLV will be needed rapid improvement of the working environment, and also the others will be needed positive management of the working environment. Health managers must be recommended to employ in the workplace, and further studies for relationship between working environment and health effects for the workers must be carried out.

• Journal of the Korea Safety Management & Science
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• v.7 no.4
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• pp.73-83
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• 2005

The goal of this study is to propose the improved scheme that prevents the workers against musculoskeletal disorders at a fishcake manufacturing company, A questionnaire and an ergonomic assessment method were adopted to analyze the symptoms of workers' musculoskeletal disorders, and an analysis of working postures and a quantitative assessment on various processes were performed to find out harmful factors of workplace. Based on the result of the evaluation, to enhance the working environment, improvement of worktable, working space, tools, and outfit was suggested, and induction of mechanical system was also suggested. Suggested improvement plan was applied to the workplace step by step and it is confirmed that improvement plan can removes the injurious factors of musculoskeletal diseases effectively.

• The Korean Journal of Health Service Management
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• v.6 no.4
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• pp.191-204
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• 2012

The purpose of this study was to provide basic data necessary for improvement by closely examining factors of having influence upon dental technicians' turnover. Questionnaire survey was conducted of 204 dental technicians who work at dental hospitals, clinics and dental laboratory rooms in Daegu area. The following conclusions were obtained. The satisfaction with job was high in job position in more than co-representative, in the whole and other task, and in less than 9 hours as for working hours. In the satisfaction with working environment, dissatisfaction was high in women, in the working career with 7~9 years, in chief level as for the job position in charge, in being responsible for porcelain in case of the duty field, and in more than 10 people as for the number of employees. The higher satisfaction with job satisfaction and working environment led to the lower turnover intention. Turnover intention was low in case of having ventilation fan & dust collector desk and in case of being well ventilated inside the workshop. As the above results, it is considered to be necessary for arranging institutional device of protecting dental technicians' health and reducing turnover through improving working environment such as forming comfortable environment of using the dust-collecting facilities and the ventilation facilities, wearing suitable individual protective gear and arranging the rest space.

• Journal of the Korea Safety Management & Science
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• v.9 no.2
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• pp.33-48
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• 2007

The goal of this study is to propose the effective method of investigating the injurious factors and making improved plans that prevents the workers against musculoskeletal disorders at an autopart company and the same business field with similar working conditions and process. A questionnaire were adopted to analyze the symptoms of workers' musculoskeletal disorders, and an ergonomic assessment method such as QEC, RULA, S.I were performed to find out harmful factors of workplace and working posture. Based on the result of the evaluation, to enhance the working environment, improvement of worktable, working space, tools, and outfit was suggested, and induction of mechanical system was also suggested. It can be concluded that the method and process described in this paper could be helpful for diagnosing the musculoskeletal disorders and making improvement plans to the autopart company and the same business field with similar working conditions and process.

• Fire Science and Engineering
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• v.28 no.1
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• pp.58-63
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• 2014

This study was performed to propose measures to improve and secure safety in the scene activities of firefighters. First, the majority of firefighters thought that working environment and equipment in fire station were inadequate for perforeming work tasks safely. Second, influential factors threatening safe scene activities mainly arose externally such as insecure working conditions of firefighting or emergency scene. Third, improvement in working environments was pointed out as the most urgent issue to secure safety. Firefighters recognized the expansion of field workforce in system, personnel management and the foundation of hospitals for firefighters hospital in working environment, and the development and distribution of safe equipment and change and inspection of air respirator facepiece on regular basis in equipment as urgent issues to be improved.

• The Korean Journal of Nuclear Medicine Technology
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• v.14 no.1
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• pp.61-66
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• 2010

Purpose: Recently, Department of Nuclear Medicine have an interest in Video Display Terminals (VDT) syndrome including musculoskeletal disorders, ophthalmologic disorders, trouble of electromagnetic waves and stress disorders occur to VDT workers as the growing number of users and rapid pace of service period supply in large amount. This study research on the actual condition for VDT syndrome in Nuclear Medicine, Seoul National University Hospital (SNUH), discover the problem and draw a plan of upcoming improvement. The aim of this study establish awareness about VDT syndrome and is to prevent for it in the long run. Materials and Methods: Department of Nuclear Medicine, SNUH is composed Principle part, Pediatric part and PET center. We estimated risk factors visit in each part directly. Estimation method use "Check list for VDT work" of Wonjin working environment health laboratory and check list is condition of VDT work, condition of work tables, condition of chairs, condition of keyboards, condition of monitors, working position, character of health management and other working environment. Analysis result is verified in Department of Occupational and Environment, Hallym University Sacred Heard Hospital. Results: As a result of analysis, VDT condition of Department of Nuclear Medicine, SNUH is rule good. In case of work tables, recent of things are suitable to users upon the ergonomical planning, but 15% of existing work tables are below the standard value. In case of chairs are suitable, but 5% of theirs lost optimum capacity become superannuated. The keyboards are suitable for 98% of standard value. In case of monitors, angle control of screen is possible of all, but positioning control is impossible for 38%. In case of working position, 10% is fixed positioning for long time and some of the items researched unsuitable things for standard. At health management point, needed capable of improvement. Also, other working condition as lighting, temperature, noise and ventilation, discovered the problem, but is sufficient to advice value. Conclusion: VDT syndrome is occurrences of possibility continuously, come economical expensive about improvement, is inherent in various causes and originate without your knowledge. So, there is need systematic management system. In Nuclear Medicine, VDT syndrome make it better that constant interest and effort as improvement of ergonomical working environment, improvement of working procedure, regular exercise and steady stretching, and can be prevented fairly. This promote physical and mental condition of worker in top form in comfortable working environment, so this is judged by enlargement of operations efficiency and rising of satisfaction ratings of the inside client.

• Journal of the Korea Safety Management & Science
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• v.8 no.6
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• pp.13-27
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• 2006

The goal of this study is to propose the effective way of finding injurious factors and making improved plan that prevents the workers against musculoskeletal disorders at a semi-finished medical product fabricating company A questionnaire and an ergonomic assessment method were adopted to analyze the symptoms of workers' musculoskeletal disorders, and an analysis of working postures and a quantitative assessment on various processes were performed to find out harmful factors of workplace. Based on the result of the evaluation, to enhance the working environment, improvement of worktable, working space, tools, and outfit was suggested, and induction of mechanical system was also suggested. It can be concluded that the method and process described in this paper could be helpful for diagnosing the musculoskeletal disorders and making improvement plans to the company with similar working conditions and process.

• Proceedings of the Safety Management and Science Conference
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• 2009.04a
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• pp.69-78
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• 2009

The goal of this study is to propose the effective method of investigating the injurious factors and making improved plans that prevents the workers against musculoskeletal disorders at an autoparts company and the same business field with similar working conditions and process. A questionnaire were adopted to analyze the symptoms of workers' musculoskeletal disorders, and an ergonomic assessment method such as RULA, OWAS were performed to find out harmful factors of workplace and working posture. Based on the result of the evaluation, to enhance the working environment, improvement of worktable, working space, tools, and outfit was suggested, and induction of mechanical system was also suggested. It can be concluded that the method and process described in this paper could be helpful for diagnosing the musculoskeletal disorders and making improvement plans to the autopart company and the same business field with similar working conditions and process.