• Safety and Health at Work
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• 제10권1호
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• pp.3-20
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• 2019

This review aimed to identify risk factors for occupational accidents and illnesses among young workers in the Nordic countries and to attain knowledge on specific vulnerable groups within the young working force that may need special attention. We conducted a systematic review from 1994 to 2014 using five online databases. Of the 12,528 retrieved articles, 54 met the review criteria and were quality assessed, in which data were extracted focusing on identifying occupational safety, health risk factors, and vulnerable groups among the young workers. The review shows that mechanical factors such as heavy lifting, psychosocial factors such as low control over work pace, and organizational factors such as safety climate are all associated with increased injury risk for young Nordic workers. Results show that exposures to chemical substances were associated with skin reactions, e.g., hand eczema. Heavy lifting and awkward postures were risk factors for low back pain, and high job demands were risk factors for mental health outcomes. The review identified young unskilled workers including school drop-out workers as particularly vulnerable groups when it comes to occupational accidents. In addition, apprentices and young skilled workers were found to be vulnerable to work-related illnesses. It is essential to avoid stereotyping young Nordic workers into one group using only age as a factor, as young workers are a heterogeneous group and their vulnerabilities to occupational safety and health risks are contextual. Politicians, researchers, and practitioners should account for this complexity in the education, training and organization of work, and workplace health and safety culture.

• Safety and Health at Work
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• 제14권4호
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• pp.375-383
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• 2023

Background: Working despite feeling ill - presenteeism - is a widespread behavioral phenomenon. Previous research has shown that presenteeism is influenced by various work-related and personal factors. It's an illness behavior leading to a range of negative but also positive consequences. Due to coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic, remote work has become the "new normal" for many employees. But so far, little is known about presenteeism in remote work. This study aims to investigate presenteeism in remote work by looking at the extent of remote presenteeism, differences to presenteeism in on-site work, and associated factors. Methods: A nationwide cross-sectional online survey was conducted in Germany with N = 233 participants. Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics, t-tests, and correlation analysis. Results: The results reveal that presenteeism is prevalent in remote work x = 4.13 days (Md = 3; D = 2; s = 4.95). A low ability to detach from work (r = -.17; p = .005) and low supervisor support (r = -.14; p = .02) is associated with more remote presenteeism days. Remote working conditions seem to facilitate presenteeism. Conclusion: This study provides empirical insights into a subject area of great societal relevance. The results show that awareness should be raised for presenteeism in remote work. It should be regarded as a behavior that can be functional or dysfunctional, depending on the individual situation. Supervisor support and detachment should be fostered to help reduce dysfunctional presenteeism. Promotion of health literacy might help remote workers to decide on a health-oriented illness behavior. Further research is vital to analyze to what extent and under which circumstances presenteeism in remote work is (dys)functional and to derive clear recommendations.

• 한국환경보건학회지
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• 제42권2호
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• pp.85-91
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• 2016

Objectives: The objective of this study was to assess heat stress, compare heat stress indices, and evaluate the usefulness of wet bulb globe temperature (WBGT) among outdoor workers exposed to heat during the summer season. Methods: WBGT, dry temperature, and heat index were measured using WBGT measurers (QUESTemp 32 model and QUESTemp 34 model, QUEST, WI, USA) by industrial hygienists from August 27 to September 16, 2015. Heat stress indices were measured at the workplaces of a shipbuilder in Ulsan and a construction site in Daegu. The dry temperature observed by the Automated Synoptic Observing System (ASOS) of the Korea Meteorological Administration was also compared. Results: Dry temperature measured by WBGT is different from that by ASOS. The temperature obtained from ASOS was less than $33^{\circ}C$, above which point a heat wave is forecast by the Korea Meteorological Administration. A heat index above $32.8^{\circ}C$ as a moderate risk was not observed during measurement. WBGT was consistently higher than $22^{\circ}C$, above which the risk of heat-related illness is increased in unacclimated workers involved in work with a high metabolic rate. WBGT was sometimes higher than $28^{\circ}C$, above which the risk of heat-related illness is increased in acclimated workers involved in work with a moderate metabolic rate in September. Conclusion: According to the measurement of heat stress indices, WBGT was more sensitive than heat index and temperature. Thus, general measures to prevent heat-related diseases should be implemented in workplaces during the summer season according to WBGT.

• Annals of Occupational and Environmental Medicine
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• 제35권
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• pp.32.1-32.10
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• 2023

Background: Although many studies have been conducted on worker fatigue and sickness absence, the association between fatigue and sickness absence is unclear in Korean workers. This study was conducted to investigate the effect of worker fatigue on future sickness absence. Methods: The study was conducted on workers who received medical check-ups at a university hospital for two consecutive years (2014-2015). During check-ups in the first year, the Fatigue Severity Scale (FSS) was used to assess fatigue levels, and during check-ups in the second year, sickness absence was surveyed to determine whether they had been absent from work due to physical or mental illness during previous 12 months. The χ² test was used to analyze relationships between sociodemographic and occupational characteristics, fatigue levels, and sickness absence. Odds ratios (ORs) were calculated by logistic regression analysis controlled for confounding factors. Results: A total of 12,250 workers were included in the study, and 396 (3.2%) workers experienced more than one day of sickness absence during the study period. Adjusted ORs for sickness absence were 3.35 (95% confidence interval [CI]: 2.64-4.28) in the moderate-fatigue group and 6.87 (95% CI: 4.93-9.57) in the high-fatigue group versus the low-fatigue group. For men in the moderate- and high-fatigue groups, adjusted ORs for sickness absence were 3.40 (95% CI: 2.58-4.48) and 8.94 (95% CI: 6.12-13.07), and for women in the moderate- and high-fatigue groups, adjusted ORs for sickness absence were 2.93 (95% CI: 1.68-5.10) and 3.71 (95% CI: 1.84-7.49), respectively. Conclusions: Worker fatigue is associated with sickness absence during the following 12 months, and this association appears to be stronger for men than women. These results support the notion that sickness absence can be reduced by evaluating and managing work-related fatigue.

• Safety and Health at Work
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• 제9권2호
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• pp.125-132
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• 2018

Background: According to the US Bureau of Labor Statistics, musculoskeletal disorders (MSDs) accounted for 32% of all nonfatal injury and illness cases in 2014 among full-time workers. Our objective was to review and summarize the evidence linking occupational exposures to vibration and awkward posture with MSDs of the shoulder and neck. Methods: A literature search was conducted using the terms musculoskeletal disorders, vibration, and awkward posture. All types of observational epidemiologic studies, with the exception of case reports, published during 1998-2015 were included. Databases searched were MEDLINE (Ovid), Embase (Ovid), Scopus, Ergonomic Abstracts, NIOSHTIC-2, and Health and Safety Science Abstracts. Results: Occupational exposures to whole-body or hand-arm vibration were significantly associated with or resulted in MSDs of the shoulder and neck. Awkward postures while working were also associated with MSDs in these locations. These findings were consistent across study designs, populations, and countries. Conclusion: Occupational exposure to vibration and awkward posture are associated with shoulder and neck MSDs. Longitudinal studies are required to elucidate the mechanisms responsible for these associations, and intervention studies are warranted.

• 한국안전학회지
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• 제28권5호
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• pp.78-82
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• 2013

The purpose of this study is to review the labor force partitpation rate and work environment characteristics of female workers to provide basic information for establishment and implementation of effective policies related to accident prevention and workers health protection for female workers. It was analyzed employment status, work environment and injuries and illnesses based on economic activity census results, compensation of industrial injury and the second working condition survey. According to economic activity census results, female labor force participation rate has been steadily increased, whereas male labor force participation rate has been decreased since 1970. Industrial accident rate has been declined in male workers but that in female workers has been steadily increased even though male workers were higher accident rate than female workers. It was evaluated that female workers are vulnerable to industrial injuries and illnesses in the aspect of their working environment and employment status. Also, Substantial differences between female and male workers in occupational exposure patterns, occupational disease and occupational environments were observed. Therefore it was recommended that special care programs for female workers such as a specialized monitoring and management program should be introduced in the near future.

• Safety and Health at Work
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• 제8권1호
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• pp.89-93
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• 2017

Background: Rates of overweight and obese Australians are high and continue to rise, putting a large proportion of the population at risk of chronic illness. Examining characteristics associated with preference for a work-based weight-loss program will enable employers to better target programs to increase enrolment and benefit employees' health and fitness for work. Methods: A cross-sectional survey was undertaken at two Australian mining sites. The survey collected information on employee demographics, health characteristics, work characteristics, stages of behavior change, and preference for workplace assistance with reaching a healthy weight. Results: A total of 897 employees participated; 73.7% were male, and 68% had a body mass index in the overweight or obese range. Employees at risk of developing obesity-related chronic illnesses (based on high body mass index) were more likely to report preference for weight management assistance than lower risk employees. This indicates that, even in the absence of workplace promotion for weight management, some at risk employees want workplace assistance. Employees who were not aware of a need to change their current nutrition or physical activity behaviors were less likely to seek assistance. This indicates that practitioners need to communicate the negative effects of excess weight and promote the benefits of a healthy lifestyle to increase the likelihood of weight management. Conclusion: Weight management programs should provide information, motivation. and trouble-shooting assistance to meet the needs of at-risk mining employees, including those who are attempting to change and maintain behaviors to achieve a healthy weight and be suitably fit for work.

• Safety and Health at Work
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• 제2권4호
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• pp.375-379
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• 2011

Control Banding (CB) strategies to prevent work-related illness and injury for 2.5 billion workers without access to health and safety professionals has grown exponentially this last decade. CB originates from the pharmaceutical industry to control active pharmaceutical ingredients without a complete toxicological basis and therefore no occupational exposure limits. CB applications have broadened into chemicals in general - including new emerging risks like nanomaterials and recently into ergonomics and injury prevention. CB is an action-oriented qualitative risk assessment strategy offering solutions and control measures to users through "toolkits". Chemical CB toolkits are user-friendly approaches used to achieve workplace controls in the absence of firm toxicological and quantitative exposure information. The model (technical) validation of these toolkits is well described, however firm operational analyses (implementation aspects) are lacking. Consequentially, it is often not known if toolkit use leads to successful interventions at individual workplaces. This might lead to virtual safe workplaces without knowing if workers are truly protected. Upcoming international strategies from the World Health Organization Collaborating Centers request assistance in developing and evaluating action-oriented procedures for workplace risk assessment and control. It is expected that to fulfill this strategy's goals, CB approaches will continue its important growth in protecting workers.

• 한국산업보건학회지
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• 제10권1호
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• pp.147-159
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• 2000

The NIOSH health hazard evaluation program (HHE program) was created in response to the mandate to determine the toxic effect and potential health hazard of workplace exposure, which is found in Occupational Safety and Health Act of 1970 and the Federal Mine Safety and Health Act of 1977, A primary benefit of HHE program is its ability to provide current health hazard data to employers and employees, which assists them in identifying solutions to occupational health and safety problems in their workplaces, The HHE program also stimulates research in the development and review of sampling methods and diagnostic tests and may prompt additional exposure assesment efforts and toxicological and epidemiological studies. HHE projects also provide human exposure-toxicity data that are used to asses the validity of existing occupational health standards and to support criteria for new standards of recommendation, The HHE request is classified into four categories: 1) category 1: As a administratively invalid, 2) category 2: These are valid requests for which a site visit is not essential to an appropriate response, 3) Category 3 : These are valid requests for which a site visit is necessary for an adequate evaluation, 4) These are valid request which present a complex problem or an opportunity for research, To carry out HHE program one or methods of investigation might be used: 1) direct observation and evaluation of production processes and employee work practices 2) employees exposure level and air contamination level 3) medical test or physical examinations of employees 4) private, confidential interviews with employees 5) review of employer's record of injuries and illness, employee exposure data, medical tests and job histories. After investigation and analysing the data, NIOSH issues a final report, giving finding and recommendation.

• 한국임상보건과학회지
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• 제2권2호
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• pp.126-132
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• 2014

Purpose. Because traditional statistics approach had limitations in learning future forecasting and major factors causing occupational injuries in each industry, this paper develops a model forecasting and evaluating occupational injury rate by using a system dynamics model through the analysis of the industry injury statistics and the project for industry injury prevention. Method. The model of this paper consists of 12 total models such as a model of employees, of industrial disaster victims, of injury rate, etc.; In the analysis of firm size, it is classified and developed according to 12 groups on the basis of the number of employees, and in the analysis of industrial classification, it is done according to 10 total business fields such as manufacturing business, construction one, etc. Results. This paper suggests the methodology which forecasts industry injury rate by business field and size on the basis of developed model, and evaluates an industry injury prevention project from various angles. Conclusions. This paper deduced problem through the analysis of an industry injury by business fields and a comparative analysis of foreign cases, and analyzed to affect industry injury prevention by industry. And it also analyzed actual condition of industry injury, and did a difference in the level of safety consciousness according to the general characteristics of workers and occupational safety and health education related characteristics. In result, this paper suggests that analyzing occupational injury related factors, a safety budgetary allocation, and industry injury related factors can reduce illness costs such as employees' injury and medical care, and also assist cost for a disability.