• 대한안전경영과학회지
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• 제11권2호
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• pp.69-75
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• 2009

This paper was proposed to show the comprehensive review of laws and regulations on the musculoskeletal disorders (MSDs) that are being established and carried out in various countries. Ten countries including USA, Canada, Australia, Japan, and 6 European countries which were regarded as the leaders in the prevention of MSDs were selected for review. Comparative analysis were performed on the laws, regulations, and guidelines of MSDs among different countries. The purpose of this study was to investigate the status of the various efforts of the advanced countries concerning on preventing MSDs and suggest the improvement factors that might be introducible to Korean policies. Some recommendations were made to improve the appropriateness and efficiency of our MSDs prevention policies based on the comprehensive review and comparative analysis. It is expected that the results of this study would be used as valuable information when revising relevant legal system.

• 대한안전경영과학회:학술대회논문집
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• 대한안전경영과학회 2008년도 추계학술대회
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• pp.329-341
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• 2008

The psychosocial stress and musculoskeletal disorders(MSDs) have been one of major health problems for hospital workers. This study tried to understand the relationship between symptoms associated with MSDs and risk factors such as working posture, job stress, psychosocial stress and fatigue. A total number of 655 hospital workers participated in this study. Specifically, REBA was applied for evaluating working posture and a checklist prepared by KOSHA(Korean Occupational Safety and Health Agency) was used for symptom survey. A questionnaire from KOSHA was also used for collecting data associated with job stress, psychosocial stress and fatigue. All these data were formulated and modeled by path analysis which was one of major statistical tools in this study. Specifically, path analysis for the data we collected came up with several major findings. The risk scores from working posture based on REBA had indirect effects via fatigue factor(MFS) as well as direct effects on symptoms. The factors associated with job stress(KOSS) and psychosocial stress(PWI-SF) had significant effects on symptoms. Specifically, indirect effect of job stress factors via fatigue factors(MFS) had bigger than that of direct effect of job stress on symptom.

• 한국응급구조학회지
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• 제27권3호
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• pp.33-46
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• 2023

Purpose: This study aims to evaluate the risk of work-related musculoskeletal disorders (WMSDs) in 119 EMT during patient-carrying tasks using a long backboard (LBB) and a variable stretcher. Methods: Manikins were used as patients, and 45 new 119 EMT from K Fire Academy were filmed performing patient-carrying tasks on stairs. The tasks were analyzed using Ovako working posture analysis system (OWAS) and Rapid entire body assessment (REBA). Results: In using LBB, the OWAS score was Mode 3(Mean 2.37, Maximum 3), requiring as soon as possible corrective action, the REBA score was Mode 11(Mean 9.16, Maximum 11), requiring immediate improvement. In using variable stretcher, the OWAS score was Mode 1(Mean 2.33, Maximum 3), non-necessity for corrective action, the REBA score was Mode 9(Mean 8.0, Maximum 11), requiring as soon as possible. Conclusion: In conclusion, improvement was needed in one task (carrying a patient using a LBB) in the OWAS and in two tasks (carrying a patient using a LBB, carrying a patient using a variable stretcher) in the REBA. Thereby, required attention and management of WMSDs during training. In addition, it is essential to carry out objective and quantitative assessments through ergonomic analysis by occupational health professionals when designing future training programs to prevent WMSDs.

• 한국직업건강간호학회지
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• 제15권1호
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• pp.14-29
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• 2006

Purpose: The purposes of this study were to survey the extent of pain and discomfort in the musculoskeletal system among visiting housekeepers, above all concerning neck, shoulder, back, wrist, knee, and arm pain and to find possible relations between symptoms and various working conditions. Method: A questionnaire was answered by 174 woman visiting housekeepers living in Kyeonggi-do and Seoul from December 1, 2003 to February 30, 2004. The symptoms of musculoskeletal system were coded by the pain index which illustrates the extent of the symptoms, and analyzed in view of NIOSH guideline and Kim, et. al.'s notion. Result: 1. As to the complaint rate of subjective musculoskeletal symptoms by body region, the figure was the highest for shoulder with 78.2%, followed by back with 66.7%, knee 53.6%, neck 56.3%, wrist 40.2%, and arm 29.2%, respectively. The logistic analysis showed shoulder pain and arm pain have no relation with working and health conditions, and back pain was significantly related to current health condition. In same way, knee pain and wrist pain were found to be mainly related to marital status. 2. Following the NIOSH guideline, the positive rate of subjective musculoskeletal symptoms was found out in following order: shoulder 69.5%, back 59.2%, knee 54%, neck 46%, wrist 32.8%, and arm 25.3%. To investigate the main cause of each disease, the symptoms were classified by pain index, where the value of more than 3 comes to the NIOSH case, and analyzed in term of complaint rate using discrete logistical method : shoulder pain was highly related to the housekeeping time after work, back pain was to current health condition and the heavy weight carrying and neck, wrist, arm pain were commonly related to the ordinary health condition. For knee pain, working speed was a main cause. 3. In view of Kim et. al.'s standard, where the pain index is over 7, the positive rate was showed in order slightly different from previous analyses : shoulder 33.3%. knee 29.9%, back 28.2%, neck 17.2%, wrist 17.2%, and 16.7%. From the logistical analysis, insufficient rest was shown as the main cause of shoulder, back, arm and wrist pain. For neck pain, ordinary health condition was mainly related. In case of knee pain, any apparent relation is not found. Conclusion: According to the logistic regression analysis of musculoskeletal system, there was strong suggestion that the less insufficient physical rest, the more significant disorder complaint. This means that the most musculoskeletal symptom among the visiting housekeepers can be prevented and cured by sufficient physical resting.

• Safety and Health at Work
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• 제3권1호
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• pp.67-70
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• 2012

The surveillance programme of work-related diseases (WRD) is based on a network of occupational physicians who notify all WRD diagnosed during a two-week observation period. The aims are mainly to estimate the prevalence of non-compensated WRD in the working population according to socio economic factors; to determine new indicators of occupational health; to update the lists of compensable occupational diseases; to understand and assess under-compensation and under-notification. The participation rate for occupational physicians is around 33% in 2008. The main WRD are the musculoskeletal disorders, followed by the mental disorders. This 2-week protocol, repeated regularly, provides useful data on frequency of pathologies linked to employment as well as an estimate of unreported WRD subject to compensation or non-compensated WRDs, and the trends of WRDs over the time.

• 한국직업건강간호학회지
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• 제29권4호
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• pp.342-353
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• 2020

Purpose: This study aimed to systematically review literature and conduct a meta-analysis to comprehensively identify and evaluate the effects of workplace risk assessment-based ergonomic intervention on work-related muscular-skeletal disorders in workers. Methods: We searched the Ovid-Medline, EMBASE, and Cochrane library and up to 2018 using search terms such as muscular-skeletal, disorder, impairment, work-related muscular-skeletal disorders, ergonomic, intervention, management with no language limitations; screened reference lists; and contacted experts in the field. Results: We identified 545 references and included 13 randomized controlled tests (3,368 workers). We judged nine studies to have a low risk of bias, while the other four studies have a high risk of bias. Conclusion: Ergonomic intervention based on risk assessment in the workplace did not significantly differ in terms of the intensity of pain or duration of workers in the workplace, but low-quality evidence decreased the frequency of musculoskeletal disorder pain in three to six months moderate-quality evidence and in six to nine months low-quality evidence. Besides, low-quality evidence to reduce discomfort and moderate-quality evidence to improve worker posture. Therefore, ergonomic intervention based on the assessment of risk factors in the workplace should be applied to reduce pain frequency and discomfort and improve workers posture among musculoskeletal disorders.

• Physical Therapy Rehabilitation Science
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• 제6권2호
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• pp.71-76
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• 2017

Objective: The purpose of this study was to investigate the musculoskeletal diseases (MSDs) that occur in heavy industrial workers according to the occupational category, prevalence, environment, and number of physical therapy visits. Design: Retrospective cohort study. Methods: For this study, data was collected of workers who were engaged in heavy industry in Korea and who visited the company physicians and received physical therapy in 2016. Data was collected from 855 subjects and was analyzed. With the data collected, analysis of the type and prevalence of MSDs and the number of physical therapy visits that have occurred according to the occupational category and environment was performed. Results: The most common MSDs were lumbar sprains and spasms (31.1%), and shoulder sprain and spasm (19.4%). In addition, the most common type of MSDs according to the occupational category and environment (occupational type) were lumbar sprain and spasms in 11 occupations, including white collar workers, and in milling, inspection, crane operation, and finishing jobs, shoulder muscle sprain and strain were the most common disorders. Also, the prevalence of MSDs according to occupational category and environment (occupational type) was the highest in workers involved with welding, which was 29.7%. Conclusions: Through this study, the type and prevalence of MSDs according to the occupational category and environment of heavy industrial workers have been confirmed. Further studies are necessary to study the future types of the work patterns of industrial workers and to develop a system for preventing and managing MSDs that may occur.

• Safety and Health at Work
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• 제11권1호
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• pp.80-87
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• 2020

Background: Residential and commercial cleaning is a part of our daily routine to maintain sanitation around the environment. Health care of professionals involved in such cleaning activities has become a major concern all over the world. The present study investigates the risk of musculoskeletal disorders in professional cleaners involved in floor mopping tasks. Methods: A cross-sectional study was performed on 132 mopping professionals using a modified Nordic questionnaire. The Pearson correlation test was implemented to study the association of perceived pain with work experience. The muscle strain and postural risk were evaluated by means of three-channel electromyography and real-time motion capture respectively of 15 professionals during floor mopping. Results: Regarding musculoskeletal injuries, risk was reported majorly in the right hand, lower back, left wrist, right shoulder, left biceps, and right wrist of the workers. Work experience had a low negative association with MSDs in the left wrist, right wrist, right elbow, lower back, and right lower arm (p < 0.01). Surface EMG showed occurrence of higher muscle activity in upper trapezius and biceps brachii (BB) muscles of the dominant hand and flexor carpi radialis and BB muscles of the nondominant hand positioned at the upper and lower portion of the mop rod, respectively. Conclusion: Ergonomic mediations should be executed to lessen the observed risk of musculoskeletal injuries in this professional group of workers.

• Safety and Health at Work
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• 제7권1호
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• pp.86-87
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• 2016

• 한국산업보건학회지
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• 제16권2호
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• pp.81-90
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• 2006

The Strain Index(SI) has been commonly used to evaluate the musculoskeletal disorders(MSDs) of upper extremities. Recently, the American Conference of Governmental Industrial Hygienists(ACGIH) adopted the Threshold Limit Value for hand activity level (HAL TLV) focused on the hand, wrist, and forearm. The MSDs risks of 37 repetitive works conducted at an automobile climate control system manufacturing factory were evaluated using both the HAL TLV and the SI, and the results by two methods were compared. Also, measured repetitive frequencies of upper limbs joint were mesured using electromyogram and electrogoniometer. The evaluation results of the HAL were related with the repetitive frequency data of upper limbs joint by electrogoniometer, and the NPF was related with %MVC of ECU. The evaluation result of HAL TLV was highly related with the SI score(r=0.66, p<0.01). Of total 37 tasks, 25 tasks(67.6%) were exceeded the TLV and 34 tasks(91.9%) exceeded the SI limit. Although there was a high relationship between the HAL TLV and SI score, the HAL TLV underestimated the risk in comparison with the SI. The correlation coefficients(r) between the HAL TLV data and the repetitive frequency of upper limbs joint were 0.45~0.55(p<0.01). The MSD symptoms was significantly different between high risk groups and low risk groups evaluated by HAL TLV(p<0.01), but was not different between two groups by SI. In conclusion, the HAL TLV is a proper tool for repetitive works.