• Safety and Health at Work
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• v.10 no.2
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• pp.213-218
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• 2019

Background: Motorcycles are one of the important members of commercial transportation because of the convenient use during congested traffic conditions and the ease of parking in narrow streets. This study investigates the characteristics of crashes and traffic signal violations caused by motorcycle couriers. Methods: From the national compensation data, this study analyzed the traffic crashes caused by 671 motorcycle couriers. Results: Among 671 injured couriers, 50.6% were aged less than 40 years, 49.2% run in a small business of <5 employees, and 47.2% had work experience of <6 months. Motorcycle crashes occurred mainly due to "rider overturned alone" (67.5%), in the daytime (73.5%), or on cloudy or clear days (77.2%). However, the violation rate caused by motorcycle couriers was high in couriers in a small business of <5 employees (13.9%), with work experience of <6 months (13.9%), on cloudy or clear days (12.4%), on an intersection (29.8%), in the type of "crash with a vehicle" (31.2%), or in a death accident (35.7%) Conclusion: The findings of this study can be used as a baseline in devising policies for preventing crashes of motorcycle couriers.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Safety
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• v.27 no.5
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• pp.77-87
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• 2012

Compared to a batch reactor, where all reactants are initially charged to the reactor, the semi-batch reactor presents serious advantages. The feed of at least one of the reactants provides an additional way of controlling the reaction course, which represents a safety factor and increases the constancy of the product quality. The aim of this study was to investigate the characteristics of thermal hazard such as a feed time, catalysis concentration and solvent concentration in methylthioisocyanate(MTI) synthesis reaction process. The experiments were carried out by the Multimax reactor system and Accelerating rate calorimeter(ARC). The MTI synthesis reaction process has many reaction factors and complicated reaction mechanism of multiphase reaction. Through this study, we can use as a tool for assessment of thermal hazard of other reaction processes by applying experiment method provided.

• Journal of Korean Society of Occupational and Environmental Hygiene
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• v.19 no.3
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• pp.182-194
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• 2009

This study was conducted to evaluate health status and to propose health protection measures of irregular plant construction workers in Yoesu National Industrial Complex (YNIC). The status of safety and health management was examined in five areas including safety and health education, work environment monitoring, health examination, health management record, and personal protective equipment (PPE) for plant construction workers. The safety training rate for plant construction workers was reached high at 91%, The training was mostly consisted of safety accident related things, but training on hazardous materials was found to be insufficient. Workplace monitoring results showed that the compliance rate for work environment for irregular construction workers was 54% and workplace monitoring during turnaround (TA) period with high risk of exposure to hazardous agents has not been implemented. While 61.4% of irregular workers received the general health examination but only 36.8% received the special health examination. The special health examination was found to be conducted only upon welders from 2-3 years ago. The issue of health management record upon irregular construction workers was not being implemented. In case of PPE, basic safety protective equipments such as safety shoes, safety belt, safety helmet were being supplied well while the supply rate of respirator for organic vapor was relatively low at 40%. Based on this study, two suggestions to maximize the utilization of the current safety and health program were made while boosting its effectiveness in protecting workers' health. First, the role of owners (petrochemical plant) related to safety and health should be strengthened. Second, in consideration of the characteristics of construction workers who usually engage in short term employment and frequent movement, community based health management organization is suggested that can overcome such structural problem and carry out the implementation of health examination and sustained health management.

• Journal of Korean Society of Occupational and Environmental Hygiene
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• v.19 no.4
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• pp.390-402
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• 2009

This study aimed to examine the general characteristics of individual workers, psychosocial working environment, and ergonomic risk factors which affect the status of musculoskeletal disorders. Self-report was carried out for musculoskeletal symptoms and ergonomic risks in working environment in 856 production workers in 16 small to medium sized manufacturing companies. Musculoskeletal symptoms were examined with a standardized questionnaire, and ergonomic risks were evaluated with a qualitative self-administered instrument for the tasks related to musculoskeletal disorders. Major findings were as follows: 1) Complaint rate for musculoskeletal symptoms was higher in female, aged, married workers with longer working hours, less leisure/hobby activity, longer household working hours and history of disease or accident. 2) Complaint rate for musculoskeletal symptoms was significantly higher in workers with dissatisfaction, difficult tasks, and no self-control at work. 3) Complaint rate for musculoskeletal symptoms was significantly higher in workers involved in tasks with major ergonomic risk factors, and handling heavy equipment. 4) Explanatory power increased the model with the musculoskeletal symptoms as dependent variable and demographic variables, psychosocial working environment and ergonomic risk factors included, and total explanatory power of 18.6% revealed the significant effect. Based on the results, we can conclude that musculoskeletal symptoms in manufacturing workers are associated with individual demographic characteristics, psychosocial working environment and ergonomic risk factors.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Safety
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• v.37 no.1
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• pp.30-40
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• 2022

The death rate in the construction industry, which is more than twice that of other industries, increases the need to solve chronic safety problems. In a situation in which the safety management measures that have been maintained thus far are unable to reduce construction accidents, the introduction of smart construction safety technology (SCST) that reflects the 4th industrial technology is required for the safety management of workers. Large corporations or public institutions have introduced SCST and are operating pilot sites, but SCST is still in its infancy and there have yet to exist field data regarding necessity and effectiveness. In this study, the concept of SCST, which has still to be established, is defined, and the actual condition of SCST was analyzed through a survey. Through the analysis of the necessity of SCST introduction, convenience, and effectiveness before and after its application, problems such as problems from the field point of view as well as other factors hindering the introduction of such technology are derived in detail. In addition, an effective combination of technologies for safety management at the current level is determined and an activation plan is presented.

• Journal of the Ergonomics Society of Korea
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• v.35 no.4
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• pp.193-204
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• 2016

Objective: This study carried out base research to build an agricultural safety monitoring system through ICT convergence to reduce safety accidents and enhance welfare in life in the agricultural field. Background: The functions and values of rural villages as the space of living are recognized anew, but occupational accident rate due to farm work accidents is on the rise each year. Therefore, the seriousness of such a problem emerges. The convergence technology combining ICT is recently applied to industries overall, and therefore better services are offered. However, studies on ICT convergence has not yet been applied to the agricultural safety field. Method: This study identified ICT convergence service technology trends and representative serious accident types mainly occurring in agricultural activities. This study defined the major factors of farm work accidents and ICT to solve those accident factors including the sensor technology, wired/wireless communication technology and location information service, and applied them to prototype PCB for the development of an agricultural safety monitoring system. Results: This study proposed an emergency monitoring system for farmers and a harmful environment monitoring system. The ICT technology to prevent farm work accidents can be summarized as sensing technology, ICT and network technology and user interface technology. This study also designed PCB module configuration and situation judgment algorithm as basic research for proposed monitoring system development. Conclusion: The ICT-based agricultural safety monitoring research proposed in this study is expected to become the basis to build a future real time monitoring system, and also is expected to contribute to social safety and welfare service improvement for farmers. Application: The ICT convergence farmer accident prevention system will make contributions to the prevention of serious farm work accidents.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Industry Convergence
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• v.22 no.6
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• pp.665-671
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• 2019

The estimated on-site accident rate in Forestry is relatively high. According to statistics of the accident, in the recent 5 years, from 2014 to 2018, forestry accidents have resulted in 98% of injuries and 87% of fatalities. Especially, there are significant geographical constraints to access to the scene in case of an accident. Even though the capacity of first aid capacity is notably emphasized its importance to minimize the scale of damages, the relevant employees have been educated only basic first aid, which is not considered circumstances or geographic limitations, by Occupation Safety and Health Acts. Therefore, the purpose of this study is to derive a direction for a forest emergency service system to increase forestry workers' survival and prevent secondary injury through securing 'Golden Time.' This study conducts analyzing relevant laws and regulations in domestic and international settings as well as looking at several concerned accident cases. The outcome of analysis presents an issue regarding the implementation of onsite first aid in forestry and existing risk factors depending on the working process. Finally, we suggest two ways to improve the forest emergency service that are 1) an appropriate curriculum and kit for forest first aid; and 2) a system for emergency transfer through sharing information between National Fire Agency (NFA) and emergency medical service center, and emergency and rescue mission using helicopter from NFA and Korea Forest Service.

• Safety and Health at Work
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• v.6 no.3
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• pp.227-232
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• 2015

Background: In comparison with other industries, the construction industry still has a higher rate of fatal injuries, and thus, there is a need to apply new and innovative approaches for preventing accidents and promoting safe conditions at construction sites. Methods: In this study, the effectiveness of a new incentive system-the surprising incentive system-was assessed. One year after the implementation of this new incentive system, behavioral changes of employees with respect to seven types of activities were observed. Results: The results of this study showed that there is a significant relationship between the new incentive system and the safety performance of frontline employees. The new incentive system had a greater positive impact in the first 6 months since its implementation. In the long term, however, safety performance experienced a gradual reduction. Based on previous studies, all activities selected in this study are important indicators of the safety conditions at workplaces. However, there is a need for a comprehensive and simple-to-apply tool for assessing frontline employees' safety performance. Shortening the intervals between incentives is more effective in promoting safety performance. Conclusion: The results of this study proved that the surprising incentive would improve the employees' safety performance just in the short term because the surprising value of the incentives dwindle over time. For this reason and to maintain the surprising value of the incentive system, the amount and types of incentives need to be evaluated and modified annually or biannually.

• Korean Journal of Construction Engineering and Management
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• v.15 no.4
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• pp.3-10
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• 2014

As the income level of a country gets improved, people's social, economic, and cultural expectation will grow at the same time. Although the income level of Korea has been remarkably improved, her work-related fatality rate is the highest among OECD countries. Moreover, the rate hasn't been reduced for more than 10 years. This study aims to provide appropriate measures for work-related fatality reduction by comparing the income levels and the work-related fatality rates of countries and by analysing the problems of our worker-oriented accident prevention policy. For the comparison of income level and work-related fatalities, this study suggests income-level incorporated fatality rate, and it turned out that the rate of Korea is the highest among the countries. In order to find out the causes of that result, this study has found that our law enforcement is much weaker than that of UK, which implicates more strict law enforcement policy is needed to improve our work-related safety.

• Journal of the Korea Safety Management & Science
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• v.16 no.3
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• pp.89-100
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• 2014

Construction victims have increased year by year. Disaster proportion is also increasing continuously. Looking over the causes of disasters by each type of work, fall from working platform indicate the highest rate above all so that it is urgently required to set up safety measures. This study is to grasp the present status of construction accidents, to identify areal characteristics of the top 20% accidents on the basis of working platforms with the highest accident rate, to grasp the causes of accidents after their analyses, and to present methods to reduce casualties related to working platforms. As measures to reduce construction disasters, this study proposes to improve safety management and training on working platforms, to complement safety regulations, and to better performance including the development and expansion of certified products suitable for safety regulations.