• Journal of Environmental Health Sciences
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• v.4 no.1
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• pp.13-22
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• 1977

In an attempt to evaluate working conditions and hazardous environmental factors, a survey on health problems was conducted for 721 employees from 18 industrial plants in Young Dung Po and Sung Dong districts of Seoul in the period from May 1975 to Feb, 1976. The questionnaire and survey was inclusive of all illnesses known as most common to industrial workers (according to the report by Korea Industrial Health Association) of this country and envi ronmental factors pointed out by the workers. The results were as following. 1. The over whelming majority of complaints were psychiatric, ear,eye, and digestive disorders. 2. Those whose work time is the longest have a propotionately higer incidence of complaints especially in eye,ear, neuromusculoskeletal, and neurosensory systems. 3. In females whose occupational history is relatively short, a higher incidence of digestive and skin section disorders was noted and this is especially true among those working in night shift. 4. Among machinery industry workers, most complaints were of eye, ear, and neuro musculoskeletal disturbances, and this fact seems to be closely related to physical over works. 5. Dust and noise were pointed out by the largest number of workers as undisirable conditions in work environment. 6. Distribution of complaints are closely related to the type of industry, and in comparison with the result reported by Korea Industrial Health Association in 1972, the prevalence rates of occupational disorder were similar in our study,

• Journal of the Ergonomics Society of Korea
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• v.36 no.5
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• pp.545-557
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• 2017

Objective: The aim of this study was to find risk factors in cultivating ginseng based on risk assessments and suggest safety measures for main risks. Background: Safety education and training is one of the practical and effective methods to prevent occupational accidents and injuries. In agricultural sector, there are few contents of safety education as compared to other industries. Especially, farm work has different cultivation characteristics according to the crops, so it needs special education materials for each crop. Among the various types of crops, ginseng contains various risk factors due to its long cultivating period and unique environment. Therefore, safety education material specified for ginseng is necessary to improve ginseng farmers' safety. Method: Risk assessment for cultivating tasks of ginseng was carried out through data obtained from various methods (site survey, interview, literature survey). To improve objectivity, the risk assessment was applied with 3-criteria (researcher estimate, interview, previous research results). Finally, the three high-risk tasks were selected and safety measures for those tasks were provided. Results: Three tasks, such as 'Mounting, maintenance and removing supports', 'Pest control' and 'Harvest', were selected as risky tasks among total tasks. (1) In 'Mounting' and maintenance and removing supports', the farmers found to be exposed to the risks of musculoskeletal disorders and accidents related to operating the tablet machine. (2) In 'Pest control', agrichemical poisoning, musculoskeletal disorders and hyperthermia were main risks. Finally, (3) In 'Harvest', the farmers are mainly exposed to the possibility of accidents of agricultural machines and risks of musculoskeletal disorders. Thus, it needs to apply appropriate safety measures to those risky tasks, such as safety guidelines, convenience equipment, protective kit, and so on. Conclusion: This study can be used as basic data for agricultural safety and expected that it would be useful for further study. In addition, the results of the research will be produced in the form of animation, which will enhance the safety consciousness for aged farmers. Application: The result of this study can be used in developing safety education materials for ginseng farmers which is essential to prevent occupational accidents and injuries among ginseng farmers.

• Journal of Environmental Health Sciences
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• v.36 no.3
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• pp.247-253
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• 2010

Recycling is a main issue in protection of the environment and waste collection and sorting have much higher value in current recycling policies than they did previously. Waste collectors, like firefighters and policemen, are working for the public benefit, however, waste collection is more dangerous than either police or firefighting work. In the USA, waste collectors are 10 times more likely than the average worker to die on the job. Waste collectors also suffer from musculoskeletal disorders, infectious diseases and various injuries. If we truly appreciate the worth of waste collectors, we need to improve their working environment and personal hygiene. Furthermore, abolishing discrimination will be a very important step towards greater protection for waste collectors.

• Journal of muscle and joint health
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• v.21 no.1
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• pp.65-74
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• 2014

Purpose: This study examined gender differences on Musculoskeletal disease (MSD) medical status, the characteristics of the approved patients in workers, and the factors affected approval. Methods: Claim data for the MSD to the Korea Worker's Compensation & Welfare Services (2011) were employed. The medical status by gender was analyzed using t-test, chi square-test and multivariate logistic regression models. Results: The number of claims for MSD has continuously increased in females but not in males since 2006. The severity measured by the care duration, surgery experience and disability grade has been substantially higher in males than in females. Age, size of company, types of occupation, work duration and the weight of materials handled daily were associated with the approval. When males were considered, the work duration, the weight of materials handled daily and parts of the body were statistically significant predictors of approval in males. In case of female, there were meaningful predictors in types of industry and parts of the body. Conclusion: These findings suggest that gender-specific risk factors of MSD should be measured and the management program for MSD should be developed.

• Journal of the Ergonomics Society of Korea
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• v.32 no.4
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• pp.297-301
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• 2013

Objective: The purpose of this study is to review the hazards of whole body vibration(WBV) and prevent human injuries due to WBV. Background: Vibrations that shake the whole body in vehicles and vessels is WBV. Vibration at a specific frequency, and intensity in the human body can act as a hazard. But, it has not yet done enough research about effects of WBV. Method: We analyzed and reviewed occupational or ergonomic papers published past 30 years. Results: Exposure to whole body vibration can cause permanent physical injury or damage of the nervous system. In addition, it may cause problem in the cardiovascular system, digestive system, musculoskeletal system, endocrine system, reproductive system, and psychological system. The effect of vibration depends on its acceleration, duration, frequency, and direction. Conclusion: WBV-exposed human body experience a high risk of some illnesses such as lumbar spinal disorders. Some workers(bus drivers, truck drivers and heavy equipment operators) are the high risk population exposed to WBV. Application: The results of this study might help to judge and prevent occupational disease caused by WBV.

• Safety and Health at Work
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• v.1 no.2
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• pp.158-166
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• 2010

Objectives: This study aimed to find gender distinctions in terms of the sociology of the population; to determine work-related factors; to analyze gender differences in daily living, work, sports, and art performances; and to identify gender-related factors that limited performance of daily living and work activities. Methods: A questionnaire was designed that included disabilities of the arm, shoulder, and hand (DASH), accident history, disease history, work duration at current workplace, marital status, job satisfaction, job autonomy, and physical demands of the job. Out of 1,853 workers surveyed, 1,173 questionnaires (63.3%; 987 males, 186 females) included responses to DASH disability and DASH optional work and were judged acceptable for analysis. Results: Upper extremity functional limitation during work and daily living was higher for females than males. The limitations for males increased according to their household work time, accident history, work duration, job satisfaction, physical demand, and job autonomy. Meanwhile, female workers' upper extremity discomfort was influenced by their disease history, job satisfaction, and physical demands. In addition, the size of the company affected male workers' upper extremity function, while marriage and hobbies influenced that of female workers. Conclusion: This study addressed sociodemographic factors and work-related factors that affect each gender's upper extremity function during daily living and working activities. Each factor had a different influence. Further studies are needed to identify the effect that role changes, not being influenced by risks at work, have on musculoskeletal disorders.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Safety
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• v.26 no.5
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• pp.81-88
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• 2011

The goal of this study was to determine whether food industry workers are exposed to musculoskeletal loads due to the work time, frequency, awkward postures and inappropriate workspace design. Three catering workers were evaluated based on job analysis and posture analysis. The results showed that the four most time-consuming tasks were arranging(17%), cooking(16%), handling before cooking(15%) and cutting(15%), and the four most frequent tasks were arranging(21%), cooking(18%), handling after cooking(16%) and handling before cooking(13%). The most common posture was a standing posture(73%) with neutral back(73%), and bent head(50%), left lower arm(71%), right lower arm(78%) and right hand(60%). The comparative analysis of subtasks for the risk levels of musculoskeletal disorders was conducted using the work time, frequency and cumulative time of the postures. The 'displaying' and 'handling after cooking' showed higher risk levels than other subtasks. In addition, the height and length of the tables were evaluated to be inadequate for the workers. It can be concluded that the working environments for catering workers of restaurants should be improved due to the high cumulative time of awkward postures of upper extremities.

• Korean Journal of Childcare and Education
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• v.16 no.4
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• pp.73-92
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• 2020

Objective: The purpose of this study is to examine occupational safety accidents of child care teacher and to suggest preventive measure in occupational safety health and safety for child-care teacher. Methods: We investigated laws, policy, and previous studies related occupational safety and health for child care teacher. Especially, we reviewed the legal definition of child-care teacher to identify whether Occupational Safety and Health acts cover child-care teacher. Also cross tabulation and a qualitative analysis were conducted for occupational accidents in child care centers from 2013-2018. Results: Safety and health related policies to protect child care centers have been carried out by child care Center Safety and Insurance Association and the Child Care Support Center, but it has mainly been functioned to protect children excluding child care teacher. The most occupational accidents occur in worker aged 40s. The most type of occupational accident were falling down on the floor and surface. Also we could find that there is a high risk of falls, and musculoskeletal disorders through qualitative analysis on occupational accidents cases of child-care teacher. Conclusion/Implications: We suggest to improve the system for protecting child care workers including strengthening occupational safety and health education for child care workers, expanding coverage of national project to prevent occupational accidents.

• The Journal of the Convergence on Culture Technology
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• v.7 no.3
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• pp.155-161
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• 2021

We surveyed 27 workplaces and 1897 workers and analyzed the correlation between Personal characteristics of workers and Musculoskeletal Symptoms. The presence or absence of Symptoms of Musculoskeletal Disease in workers was based on The Management Target or higher in accordance with the guidelines for The Investigation of Harmful Factors in Musculoskeletal Burdened Work of the Korea Occupational Safety and Health Agency. Personal characteristics were divided into age, work load, housework burden, work experience, leisure type, gender, and marital status. In the survey, correlations were investigated through binominal logistic regression analysis for rank variables of work load, household burden, and work experience, and the significance of the results was confirmed by crosstabulation and chi-square analysis for other nominal variables. And in the case of other variables, there was a slight trend, but it was confirmed that it was not statistically significant. As a result, We confirmed that the incidence rate of Musculoskeletal Disease Symptoms increased as the age of the workers was lower, the higher the workload and housework, if they were women, if they did not engage in leisure activities. However, considering that the results of this study are slightly different as a result of comparing the results of other studies, the data of this study can be used as rough indicators for the prevention of musculoskeletal disorders, but additional research is needed before using it as quantitative indicators.

• Journal of the Ergonomics Society of Korea
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• v.30 no.3
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• pp.419-426
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• 2011

Objective: The objective of this study was to evaluate a work of guards, using an ergonomic method(work analysis and posture analysis). Background: Most studies about guards were conducted in the field of medical, problems of shift, and the physical problems of old workers and social problems. But, guards consist of vulnerability group so it needs an ergonomic research in musculoskeletal disorders. Method: A head of an ergonomic estimation was work analysis(determination of combined task, work tool, work time and frequency of combined task) and posture analysis(upper body and lower body) of workers based on the video. Results: The result showed that combined task of guards was classification of patrolling, security, cleaning and waiting. The security indicated the highest ratio in the work time of combined tasks. The results of posture analysis for guards indicated high value in neutral. But, lower arm indicated high value in bending(left: 59%, right: 50%). Conclusion: The results of ergonomic methods indicated that guards' physical work load was not high during work, but comfortable work environment would be required for old guards. Application: If an ergonomic rule can be integrated into existing work environments, the risk of occupational injuries and stress will be reduced.