• Safety and Health at Work
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• v.13 no.3
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• pp.286-293
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• 2022

Background: The death rate of workers due to industrial accidents in South Korea (3.61 persons in 2017) is higher than the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development average (2.43) and the fifth highest among Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development member countries. Although the pandemic of novel coronavirus (COVID-19) has changed, the socioeconomic aspects of Korean society, the number of Koreans suffering accidents and the number of deaths in 2020 have increased. It is necessary to take measures to prevent accidents and make comprehensive efforts to return to work. This study proposes research questions about the effect of workers' positive perception on whether to work after accidents and the impact of the experience of rehabilitation services on the return to work. Methods: This research performed a panel logistic regression analysis using data on workers' compensation insurance in Korea for two years (2018-2019). Results: This research finds that workers' positive perceptions of workability and life satisfaction contributed affirmatively to their re-employment. Several factors related to employment (e.g., work period, the number of job qualifications) also positively affect their return to work. However, the experience of rehabilitation services did not have a significant effect on re-employment. The variables of their health conditions (e.g., disability grade, feelings of health problems, age) negatively influenced their return to jobs. Conclusion: These results suggest the importance of workers' mental recovery and the need to innovate rehabilitation services for their employment. Positive thinking and self-rehabilitation could be critical for workers, parallel with social welfare policies.

• Safety and Health at Work
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• v.11 no.3
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• pp.284-290
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• 2020

Background: Prevalence rates of smokeless tobacco (SLT) use among firefighters are remarkably high and substantially higher than similar occupational groups and the general U.S. population. The purpose of this study was to explore the perspectives of fire service personnel regarding cancer and its associations with tobacco and SLT use. Methods: This descriptive study used a qualitative approach. Key informant interviews were conducted in 39 career firefighters and fire service administration from across the U.S. Discussion were recorded, transcribed verbatim and transferred to NVivo software for narrative analysis. Topics explored included cancer perceptions, attitudes and beliefs, and cultural factors related to SLT use behaviors. Results: Major themes that emerged among fire service personnel included concerns about cancer and its risk factors including firefighting tasks, such as fire overhaul operations, and from their lifestyle behaviors, such as alcohol and tobacco use. Firefighters also suggested a number of reasons for their increased SLT use, such as fire department tobacco-free policy and fire service culture. Conclusion: The current study provides a rich foundation for future research, prevention, and intervention efforts for the fire service and research communities regarding tobacco and SLT use and cancer risk. Additional research on firefighters' cancer beliefs deserves future research in order to improve messaging about the risks of cancer due to firefighting.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Safety
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• v.37 no.4
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• pp.51-57
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• 2022

In recent years, the government's urban housing expansion policy has resulted in increased construction and remodeling work of residential houses and apartments, causing more industrial accidents at elevator installation sites. Typically, accidents occur during the installation and dismantling of work scaffolds inside the hoistways or using non-standardized work scaffolds due to their structural instability. In view of this, the present study deals with the development of a standardized elevator system scaffolding that can be safely installed outside the hoistway, securing the work platform inside the hoistway. An improved version of the scaffolding system eliminates the need to enter the hoistway for the scaffolding installation, thereby preventing accidents.

• 대한예방의학회:학술대회논문집
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• 2000.10a
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• pp.203-204
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• 2000

• Safety and Health at Work
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• v.12 no.2
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• pp.261-267
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• 2021

Background: The series of serious industrial accidents in recent years at contractors to large companies has highlighted risk outsourcing as a real and urgent problem. This study aims to review the difference in the degree of risk exposure and the occurrence of industrial accidents depending on the type of company relations. Among in-house contractors, the focus will be on those handling hazardous chemicals that include companies for which outsourcing requires approval. Methods: This study uses the 9th wave of the Industrial Safety and Health Survey (2018). For determining the degree of risk exposure, the occurrence of industrial accidents, and industrial accident rate, multivariate, logistic, and fractional logit, regression analyses were used, respectively. Results: First, In-house contractors' degree of risk exposure is higher than that of the client companies. In particular, this gap is even greater for companies dealing with chemicals. Second, among only those that handle hazardous chemicals, in-house contractors do show a significantly higher rate of industrial accident occurrence. Third, In-house contractors have a significantly higher rate of industrial accidents from diseases than client companies. Conclusion: The analysis supports the intent of the legal amendment that strengthens the protection of in-house contracted workers who handle hazardous chemicals. Second, the results of this study suggest that safety and health management must go beyond legal compliance and ensure that it has substance and effectiveness. Last, there should be policy consideration is necessary to reduce attempts to hide industrial accidents.

• Safety and Health at Work
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• v.14 no.1
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• pp.59-65
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• 2023

Objectives: Epidemiological evidence linking long working hours and shift work to metabolic syndrome remains inadequate. We sought to evaluate the impact of reducing working hours on metabolic syndrome. Methods: We compared the prevalence of metabolic syndrome among male manual workers in a manufacturing company (N = 371) before and after the introduction of policy to reduce daily work hours from 10 to 8 hours. Components of metabolic syndrome were measured in periodic health examinations before the intervention, 6-9 months after, and 1.5-2 years after the intervention. Generalized estimating equation models were used to estimate changes in the prevalence of metabolic syndrome. Analyses were stratified by day work versus shift work. Results: The results showed a significantly decreased prevalence of metabolic syndrome 6-9 months following the intervention in day workers (risk ratio = 0.68, 95% confidence interval 0.52-0.88), but the benefit disappeared after 1.5-2 years. Shift workers showed a decreased prevalence of metabolic syndrome for the whole follow-up duration after the intervention, although the change was not statistically significant. Conclusion: Reducing working hours was associated with short-term improvement in metabolic syndrome in male manual workers.

• Journal of Korean Society of Occupational and Environmental Hygiene
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• v.32 no.2
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• pp.182-194
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• 2022

Objectives: This study evaluates and recommends the priority of policy implementation to improve the fire protection clothing management system used by firefighters and the reduction of cross-contamination from contaminated clothing at the scene of a fire. Methods: It consisted of 7 experts and conducted three interviews and two modified Delphi surveys. Through the results of previous research and interviews with experts, a plan to reduce cross-contamination of fire suits and improve the management system was first derived. An improvement plan was presented in the four areas including resources, management, fire protection related work, and laws and regulations, and the priority of policy implementation was derived by analyzing the importance and practicality of the policy at the same time. Results: As a result of the analysis, the first priority was education on the health effects of pollutants at the disaster scene for firefighters, and the second priority was the addition of SOP for the primary decontamination of on-scene personal protective equipment in preparation for the health effects of the disaster scene, and education for fire suppression and rescue workers. The next step was to improve the management system of personal protective equipment such as fire suits and develop a training course for systematic operation. Conclusions: This findings could be used in the implementation of mid- to long-term firefighting policies for the systematic operation and establishment of a systematic management system for personal protective equipment such as fire protective suits.

• Korean Journal of Construction Engineering and Management
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• v.14 no.4
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• pp.97-107
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• 2013

Occupational safety and health management expense in construction industry means the monetary amount that the purchaser appropriates to prevent various disaster from happening during the construction period by setting aside a certain amount from subcontract based on the construction type and scale. The current appropriation standard of the Ministry of Employment and Labor has been enforced since its stipulation in 1988 although various policy changes for the safety in construction industry, e.g. the development of occupational safety management techniques in construction industry, changes in construction field site environment, cost depreciation, etc., are happening in Korea and overseas. Therefore, it is required at this point to examine whether the current occupational safety and health management expense appropriation is proper or not on the basis of time trend and the changes in the construction industry environment. Accordingly, this study aims at investigating the appropriation of occupational safety and health management expense for construction industry by the construction type and target expense in response to current construction industry environment and proposing the proper appropriation. The above research result proposes the calibration of the appropriation as specified and stipulated by the Ministry of Employment and Labor by the construction type and target expense, which is necessary to reflect the actual condition of the current construction industry environment.

• Health Policy and Management
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• v.20 no.2
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• pp.69-88
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• 2010

The effective administration of hospital with innovation and human resource practices is a matter of grave concern because hospitals are becoming bigger and more specialized. Biomedical engineers who manage medical machineries and tools used to deliver healthcare services in a hospital setting play an important role in providing customers good quality services. Maintaining job satisfaction of biomedical engineers is, thus, important in the delivery of quality care. This is a descriptive cross-sectional study aiming to determine factors affecting job satisfaction of biomedical engineers working in general hospitals. The study population consisted of biomedical engineers at 79 general hospitals of 26 regions based on the registry of the Korea Medical Engineering Association (KMEA). The data were collected using a self-administerd questionnaire between May and July of 2009. Job satisfaction was assessed with 19 items covering 3 dimensions of work-external, work-internal, and organizational aspects (Cronbach's ${\alpha}=0.884$), resulting in an average summary score. Statistical analysis was conducted with SPSS for Windows version 15.0. The mean score of job satisfaction was 3.50 (${\pm}0.04$). There were statistically significant differences in job satisfaction according to age, health status, job position, duration of work as a biomedical engineer, years in the current workplace, difficulty at work, intent to change job, and the amount of support from superiors and colleagues. In multiple regression analysis, the factors affecting job satisfaction of biomedical engineers were salary, health status, and support of superiors and colleagues ($r^2=0.512$). Effective motivation-plans, taking into account organizational characteristics and the working environment of the hospital, may help to improve the job satisfaction of biomedical engineers.

• Journal of Korean Society of Occupational and Environmental Hygiene
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• v.6 no.2
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• pp.281-291
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• 1996

458 female workers working in the small and medium scaled industries in Inchon area were surveyed to study their general characteristics, health behavior, working and environmental conditions, awareness of exposure at hazardous materials, current health status, and degree of working satisfaction. Self-administered questionnaire was distributed to the female workers with the explanation by trained interviewer on the purpose of survey and the method how to answer. The results were as follows : (1) 75.5% of the respondents are living with their families and others are living in domitary or rent house for herself. Age distribution ranges from teenagers to warren in their forties. In marital status 69.0% of workers are single and 31.0% of them have ever married. 69.4% of workers are high school graduate. The size of factory is 48.3% with less than 300 workers, 42.1% with 300~500 workers. (2) Most of the workers(86.7%) are full time workers, 52% of the respondents have working experiences in other factories. More than 65% have fewer than 5 years working experience. (3) The awareness of exposure at noise was 33% of respondents, it was significantly different by skilled status. The awareness of exposure at dust, other hazardous material was each 13.3%, 12.4% of respondents. (4) 26% of them are unsatisfied with their working cognitions and 43.7% of them are unsatisfied with their welfare in occupational system unsatisfactory rate of promotion is higher in the unmarried workers(45.6%), skilled workers(47.2%), full time workers(47.4%), long term workers(50%), and awareness group of exposure hazardous material(51.3%), compared to married women workers, unskilled workers, part-time workers, short term workers and unawareness group of exposure at hazardous materials. (5) The index of working satisfaction is rated on a scale of 1 to 10 with the higher point indicating higher satisfaction. Among the selected variables, marital status, working status, the awareness of exposure at hazardous materials, were statistically significant with the index of working satisfaction. (6) By multiple regression analysis showed that the determinant factors of index of working condition were health index, the awareness of exposure at dust, the awareness of exposure other hazardous materials, marital status and working period. In conclusion, there is a significant relationship between the awareness of exposure at hazardous material the index of working satisfaction. Therefore if the workers are less exposed to the hazardous material and are educated properly they will be more satisfied with their work thus improving their health and productivity. Finally, with the result of this study, there is a great need for the development of a health promotion program and a welfare policy for small-scale factories.