• Safety and Health at Work
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• v.12 no.1
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• pp.133-135
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• 2021

The COVID-19 pandemic has resulted in movement restrictions being instituted globally and the cessation of work at many workplaces. However, during this period, essential services such as healthcare, law enforcement, and critical production and supply chain operations have been required to continue to function. In Singapore, measures were put in place to protect the workers from infection at the workplace, as well as to preserve the operational capability of the essential service in a COVID-19 pandemic environment. This paper critically analyses the measures that were implemented and discusses the extension to broader general industry.

• Korean Journal of Occupational Health Nursing
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• v.6 no.2
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• pp.156-167
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• 1997

In Korea, based on the Revised Law of Occupational Safety and Health a new entity of institution was set up in 1990 to provide occupational health services to SSE in which three sorts of personnel as a team have to be involved. These institutions, in charge of scores to hundreds of workplace area-wide, have been providing occupational health services without payment from employers or employees, and government reimburses through the Occupational Injury Prevention Insurance since 1993. As a service provider, a team is composed of doctors, nurses and industrial hygienists. Undergraduate and postgraduate educations for the SSE occupational health are not specified and the question on the performance of the personnel has been raised. This study was designed to analyze the facilitating factors of and barriers to the performance and its improvement of these personnel. In 1997, the survey was conducted with all 58 institutions. Structured questionnaires were mailed to 200 personnel who were providing the occupational health service for SSE. The response rate was 51.7% for doctors, 58.6% for nurses, and 60.3% for industrial hygienist, respectively. Results are as follows : 1) There is a guideline for occupational service mandated by the government. Under the guideline, the minimum frequency of visiting workplace is assured with six times of doctors, 17 times for nurse and industrial hygienist in a year. There are one doctor for every 200 factories, one nurse and one hygienist for every 100 factories. 2) All respondents have basic qualification for occupational health service. About 16.7%. of doctors are certified in industrial medicine or preventive medicine, and 64.7% of industrial hygienists had first grade certification. Totally 66.7% of personnel have been involved in occupational health for more than one year. 3) As a support system for the performance improvement, 66.3% respond that they have been provided with educational materials, advice related to industrial environment and guidance of MSDS from Korea Industrial Safety Corporation. Most respondents indicate the lack of concern of employers and employees as a main barrier to the improvement of the service. Also they are in the need of the training opportunity more focused on SSE. The Governments policy for SSE is a principal facilitating factor. Training program focused on SSE situation, manpower, technical support, etc. are areas to be improved to have a better occupational health service for SSE in Korea.

• Journal of Korean Physical Therapy Science
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• v.9 no.4
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• pp.131-139
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• 2002

The proportion of the aged people in Korea has increased rapidly by more than 7% in 2000. A survey says that the changing rate from the aging society to the aged is the highest among the OECD countries. The prevalence rate of the aged population is on the increase. Chronic diseases such as arthritis and strokes limits their body's functions and activities of daily living. It is necessary that functional training. ADL training and continuous treatment be provided by Physical or Occupational Therapists. Discontinuance of treatment can cause the aged people to be in a bed state. The aged people need a variety of home care services at their convenience. Occupational and Physical therapist should play a major role in providing the rehabilitation-base home care services. Further they are expected to contribute to the extension of health care services such as home care and nursing home programs.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Safety
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• v.29 no.4
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• pp.147-152
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• 2014

The purpose of this study, the overall occupational safety and health status and identify the characteristics of the workers engaged in the field of quick services, substitute driving services, home delivery, caregiver, film and television arts, to take appropriate measures to prevent industrial accidents, profession and working environment, safety recognition and education, and safety activities, accident experience and job stress survey. Survey using a structured questionnaire, 846 people directly interview research. Safety consciousness level of himself or herself was "fair level" of 3.19 points and those of colleagues and the general public were evaluated to be low as 2.84 points and 2.54 points, respectively. During the last 12 months, 21.3% of total workers in 5 job categories have received an industrial safety health education for job-related accident or disease and 87.6% of workers engaged in caregiver have received an industrial safety health education for job-related accident or disease. The proportions for delivery worker, substitute driving service and quick service/cultural art were 26.4%, 12.1% and below 10%, respectively. Frequency of having received an education was 5.7 days on average and education hour was 9.2. Regarding cases of having experienced job-related accident or having been exposed to job-related disease over the past 1 year, 17.0% of total respondents have experienced accident and 21.3% have experienced job-related disease. Preventive education for occupational safety is required to be expanded and strengthened. Except caregiver, the proportion of having received an information and education for safety rules and hazardous factors. Safety education is urgently required in order to prevent and reduce accident. Safety and health guideline is required to be developed and disseminated in order to prevent accident in advance.

• Safety and Health at Work
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• v.11 no.3
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• pp.314-321
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• 2020

Background: Occupational accidents occur for a variety of reasons, such as unsafe behaviors of workers and insufficient safety equipment at the workplace, but there are also various economic and social factors that can impact working conditions and working environment. This study analyzed the relationship between changes in economic factors and the occurrence of occupational accidents in Korea. Methods: Multilinear regression analysis was used as the analysis model. The general to specific method was also used, which consecutively removes statistically insignificant variables from a general model that includes dependent variables and lagged variables of dependent variables. Results: The frequency of occupational accidents was found to have a statistically significant relationship to economic indicators. The monthly number of cases of occupational injury and disease and fatal occupational injuries were found to be closely related to manufacturing capacity utilization, differences in the production index in the services sector, and commencements of building construction. The increase in equipment investment indicators was found to reduce fatal occupational injuries. Conclusion: The results of this study may be used to develop occupational accident trends or leading indicators, which in turn can be used by organizations that manage and monitor occupational accidents toward taking administrative action designed to reduce occupational accidents. The results also imply that short-term and mid- to long-term economic and social changes that can impact workers, workplaces and working conditions, and workplace organizations must be taken into account if more effective government policies are to be established and implemented toward further prevention of occupational accidents.

• Korean Journal of Occupational Health Nursing
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• v.19 no.1
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• pp.97-104
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• 2010

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to determine factors that affect satisfaction of the hospital services among injured workers. Methods: The subjects of this study were 532 injured workers. The questionnaires were selected as literature suggested for explaining satisfaction of the hospital services, general characteristics of injured workers, characteristics of the hospital services. The data were analyzed with descriptive statistics, t-test, ANOVA, multiple regression analysis by SPSS 19.0. Results: There were significant differences in satisfaction scores, depending on the types of disease, health status and possibility to return to work among the injured workers. Also, there were significant differences in satisfaction scores, in terms of medical facilities, food service, specialization of doctors and nurses, cleanliness of hospital, convenience of hospital teaching and counselling of doctors and nurses, supporting workers' compensation process, counselling of workers' compensation and unfair treatment. In the results of the standard multiple regression analysis, food service, medical facilities, specialization of doctors and nurses, health status and hospital cleanliness were significant factors for satisfaction scores of the hospital services. Conclusion: It is necessary to promote food service, medical facilities, specialization of doctors and nurses, hospital cleanliness, health status of injured workers for developing hospital services.

• Korean Journal of Occupational Health Nursing
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• v.7 no.1
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• pp.97-114
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• 1998

The occupational health services for the minor enterprises are poor comparing with that of large enterprises in Korea. In 1997, Korean government announced officially the law on joint employment system of occupational health practitioners to solve the problems. This study is to develop the model on the joint employment system of occupational nurse practitioners for minor enterprises in Korea based on the opinions of occupational health nurses (OH Ns). The data were collected by questionnares from October to November in 1997. The number of subjects was 210 occupational health nurses who had participated the mandatory nursing education program provided by the Korean Occupational Health Nurses Association(KOHNA). The response rate was 47.1%. The contents of questionnaires were general characteristics, occupational & job characteristics of OHNs, and the views on the joint employment system. The SAS-PC program was used for the statistical analysis. The results were as followed, (1) The proper number of industies was 3 and the appropriate number of workers was 448 for one joint employed occupational nurse practitioner (J EONP). (2) 44.7% of the OHNs wanted that the Ministry of Labor monitored the way and content of contraction b/w JEONP and minor emterprises, 82.6% of the OHNs wanted that KOHNA managed the employment informations. (3) The OHNs of occupational health agencies showed more positive attitude than the OHNs of private industries on the joint employment system. (4) 88.3% of the OHNs wanted the education training for JEONP. Especially in occupational hygiene and safety control. (5) The OHNs expected the role expansion of Occupational Health Nursing by JEONP system. At the same time they worried the adverse effects. For the successful execution of this system, it is necessary the cooperation among the Ministry of Labor, KOHNA, the minor enterprises, and the OHNs.

• Korean Journal of Occupational Health Nursing
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• v.8 no.2
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• pp.193-211
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• 1999

This study was carried out to investigate the management and support system affecting to the occupational health nursing services(OHNS) provided in group occupational health agencies(GOHA). Questionnaire was developed and distributed to 82 nurses who were working in GOHA and who agreed to participate in the survey. The results were as follow: 1. OH nurses responded were mostly in the age of twenty to thirties(89%), married(73.7%), technical college graduates(88.9%), worked in hospital(85.4%) and participated more than 1 year in group occupational health services (96.3%). 2. Fifty eight point four percent of the OH nurses worked in number of workplace more than 30 to less than 60 in the OHNS form. The figure of workplaces undertaken by nurses was ranged greatly from 9 to more than 100. Number of employees who cared by nurses were mostly under 5,000 peoples in 93.3%. The types of industry was mostly manufacturing and located in the order of factory complex area, suburban, urban and others. 3. Most OH nurses(87.8%) were fully involved in the OHNS for the SSE. Their working days to visit SSE was 5 days per week(77.8%) and one day in the GOHA at 41.3%. 4. The OH documents using by nurses were found in more than 23 different types. However, they were largely summarized in the types of 'Workplace Health Management Card', 'Personal Health Counselling Card', 'Daily Health Management Report', 'Visiting List of Workplace' and 'Sick Employee List'. 5. The items of laboratory test provided by GOHA were mostly achieved in the purpose of basic health examination. They were used to be the blood pressure check(98.8%), blood sugar test (98.8%), urine sugar and protein(91.4%), SGOT and SGPT(85.3% each), cholesterol (82.9%), hepa vaccine immunization(82.9%), r-GPT(81.7%), hemoglobin(79.3%) and triglyceride(75.5%). 6. The OH nurses(92.7%) followed the work pattern to visit the GOHA before and after small-scale enterprises(SSE) visit by car driven by nurses in 74.3%. They were payed by GOHA for transportation fees in certain amounts. However, nurse is the main person(75.0%) who covers up in case of traffic accident. If the GOHA has no transportation regulation for the formal workplace visit, data showed that nurses had been responsible to take charge(31.7%). 7. The personnel manager who takes in charge for nursing services was 'nurse' in 61.7% and 41.2% worked as the final decision maker related to nursing work. The OH nurses' opinions about factors affecting to the management were classified in the four areas such as 'Nature(Quality) of health professional'. 'Content of OHNS', 'Delivery system of the GOHS', and 'Others'. The factors were indicated highly in 'Authority as health professional', 'Level of perception of director on the OH' and 'Physical work condition for OHNS'. The things that this study suggests in the recommendation would be summarized in such as the management and supporting system working for SSE in the OHNS is necessary to reform thoroughly. The reconsidered aspects might be in the matters of number of workplaces undertaken by nurses, development of effectively practical health documents, preparation for guideline of the laboratory test in the workpleces, establishment of convenient and encouraging support system and cooperation between other health professionals with respect and skill.

• Safety and Health at Work
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• v.13 no.4
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• pp.379-386
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• 2022

Emergency medical services (EMS) personnel are at high risk for adverse mental health outcomes during disease outbreaks. To support the development of evidence-informed mitigation strategies, we conducted a scoping review to identify the extent of research pertaining to EMS personnel's mental health during disease outbreaks and summarized key factors associated with mental health outcomes. We systematically searched three databases for articles containing keywords within three concepts: EMS personnel, disease outbreaks, and mental health. We screened and retained original peer-reviewed articles that discussed, in English, EMS personnel's mental health during disease outbreaks. Where inferential statistics were reported, the associations between individual and work-related factors and mental health outcomes were synthesized. Twenty-five articles were eligible for data extraction. Our findings suggest that many of the contributing factors for adverse mental health outcomes are related to inadequacies in fulfilling EMS personnel's basic safety and informational needs. In preparation for future disease outbreaks, resources should be prioritized toward ensuring adequate provisions of personal protective equipment and infection prevention and control training. This scoping review serves as a launching pad for further research and intervention development.

• The Journal of Korean Academic Society of Nursing Education
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• v.6 no.1
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• pp.92-102
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• 2000

Social trends influence the need for inclusion of basic concepts of occupational health into generic nursing education. Several techniques have been used to incorporate occupational health into baccalaureate programme. These include clinical preceptorships in employee health services, lectures on occupational health issues into community health nursing courses and the integration of occupational health concepts throughout the nursing curriculum and organize an independent course of occupational health nursing for two semester hours. The purpose of this study was to examine the impact of this course to the role orientation of nursing students. In March 1998, pre-test was conducted with all 39 students. Post- test for the subjects and the survey for the other comparison group were conducted after the course in May. Structured questionnaires were distributed which were composed of 42 items related to the role of occupational health nurse and each item was measured on a scale of 1 to 5. Results are as follows: 1) The paired t-test supported the hypothesis that role orientation of students was improved through the occupational health nursing course (t=-3.93, p=.000), 2) As the result of t-test between the subject and the comparison group, the mean score of the role orientation in the case of subject was significantly higher than that of the comparison group(t=13.3449, p=.0005). The enlargement of occupational health nursing course must be a facilitating factor to the improvement of the role orientation of baccalaureate students. It is needed to measure occupational health nursing competence of them in the future.