• Journal of the Korea Safety Management & Science
• /
• v.13 no.4
• /
• pp.1-7
• /
• 2011

Korea enacted the occupational safety and health law in order to prevent industrial accidents in 1981. Led by ministry of labor, occupational safety and health support services policy has been built through government-affiliated organizations, research institutions and academic research. Korea's accident rate has remained at 0.7% for last 10 years despite continuous efforts over the last 30 years. These results means that the occupational safety and health support services policy conducted by the government have reached their limits. Therefore, the necessity of assessment about occupational safety and health support services policy is proposed. The main objective of this study, through the IPA analysis, is to grasp the point of worker's needs about occupational safety and health support services policy and to help formulate the efficient policy.

• Journal of the Korea Safety Management & Science
• /
• v.5 no.4
• /
• pp.1-12
• /
• 2003

This study conducted the questionnaire on present condition of certification, background, purpose, effect and promotion of an occupational health & safety management system which introduced in domestic from 1999'. The questionnaire was conducted with 136 companies which replied in questionnaire distributed to 193 companies which received the certification. Also, recognition improvement of managers and participation of workers are demanded, the support to subcontract companies is demanded because the disaster prevention effect of the companies which possess the support program on subcontract companies is good, and reduction in the insurance rate to companies which received certification is demanded to activate an occupational health & safety management system.

• Journal of Korean Society of Occupational and Environmental Hygiene
• /
• v.31 no.4
• /
• pp.494-502
• /
• 2021

Objectives: The purpose of this study is to identify the general characteristics of manufacturing workplaces and the characteristics of safety and health organizations, and to determine the impact of safety and health-related communication within these organizations mediated by supervisory safety and health management personnel. Methods: This study is based on the Korea Occupational Safety and Health Agency's 2018 Occupational Safety and Health data targeting 1,486 manufacturing sites. Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics, t-test and ANOVA, and mediator variable regression analysis using SPSS 25.0. Results: The average score on communication levels related to safety and health was 11.20 out of 15. The average score of the safety and health management level was 31.04 out of 40. As a result of mediation regression analysis, it was found that safety and health-related communication had an effect on the safety and health management level (𝛽=0.434), and the number of safety and health supervisors was found to mediate the effect of this variable (𝛽=0.069). Conclusions: The level of safety and health-related communication affects the level of health and safety management, and the number of supervisors mediates this influence. Therefore, the role of the supervisor is important in safety and health communication. It is expected that the level of safety and health management can be improved through management and supervisors.

• Journal of the Korea Safety Management & Science
• /
• v.24 no.4
• /
• pp.41-47
• /
• 2022

A reliable prediction model of national occupational accident fatality rate can be used to evaluate level of safety and health protection for workers in a country. Moreover, the socio-economic aspects of occupational accidents can be identified through interpretation of a well-organized prediction model. In this paper, we propose a machine learning based relative comparison methods to predict and interpret a national occupational accident fatality rate based on socio-economic indicators. First, we collected 29 years of the relevant data from 11 developed countries. Second, we applied 4 types of machine learning regression models and evaluate their performance. Third, we interpret the contribution of each input variable using Shapley Additive Explanations(SHAP). As a result, Gradient Boosting Regressor showed the best predictive performance. We found that different patterns exist across countries in accordance with different socio-economic variables and occupational accident fatality rate.

• Safety and Health at Work
• /
• v.5 no.3
• /
• pp.125-130
• /
• 2014

Background: Construction industry is among the most hazardous industries, and needs a comprehensive and simple-to-administer tool to continuously assess and promote its health and safety performance. Methods: Through the study of various standard systems (mainly Health, Safety, and Environment Management System; Occupational Health and Safety Assessment Series 180001; and British Standard, occupational health and safety management systems-Guide 8800), seven main elements were determined for the desired framework, and then, by reviewing literature, factors affecting these main elements were determined. The relative importance of each element and its related factors was calculated at organizational and project levels. The provided framework was then implemented in three construction companies, and results were compared together. Results: The results of the study show that the relative importance of the main elements and their related factors differ between organizational and project levels: leadership and commitment are the most important elements at the organization level, whereas risk assessment and management are most important at the project level. Conclusion: The present study demonstrated that the framework is easy to administer, and by interpreting the results, the main factors leading to the present condition of companies can be determined.

• Journal of the Korea Safety Management & Science
• /
• v.25 no.4
• /
• pp.35-43
• /
• 2023

In recent years, there has been a growing trend of occupational accidents involving foreign workers. As the number of foreign workers continues to increase, the risk of occupational accidents is also on the rise. Therefore, it is crucial to take proactive measures to prevent occupational accidents among foreign workers. To establish a common safety culture among foreign workers with varied backgrounds and educational experiences, and which is harmonized with Korean workplace. Safety communication, which includes culture respect and participation in the workplace, plays a significant role in shaping and developing the safety culture of foreign workers. Therefore, this study aims to assess the level of safety culture in workplace employing foreign workers by analyzing the reliability and validity of factors such as 'occupational accident awareness' and 'safety communication,' which constitute the safety culture at these workplace. Additionally, the mediating effect of 'work proficiency' on the relationship between 'safety communication' and the level of improvement in 'occupational accident awareness' using the validation method proposed by Baron & Kenny(1986). As a result of statistical analysis, The influence of'safety communication'on'occupational accident awareness'is 𝛽=0.339, and it has been found that this influence decreases to 𝛽=0.113 when'work proficiency'is introduced, indicating partial mediation.

• Safety and Health at Work
• /
• v.1 no.1
• /
• pp.19-28
• /
• 2010

Industrial Safety and Health Law (ISH Law) of Japan requires abnormalities identified in evaluations of worker health and working environments are reported to occupational physicians, and employers are advised of measures to ensure appropriate accommodations in working environments and work procedures. Since the 1980s, notions of a risk assessment and occupational safety and health management system were expected to further prevent industrial accidents. In 2005, ISH Law stipulated workplace risk assessment using the wording "employers shall endeavor." Following the amendment, multiple documents and guidelines for risk assessment for different work procedures were developed. They require ISH Laws to be implemented fully and workplaces to plan and execute measures to reduce risks, ranking them from those addressing potential hazards to those requiring workers to wear protective articles. A governmental survey in 2005 found the performance of risk assessment was 20.4% and common reasons for not implementing risk assessments were lack of adequate personnel or knowledge. ISH Law specifies criminal penalties for both individuals and organizations. Moreover, under the Labor Contract Law promulgated in 2007, employers are obliged to make reasonable efforts to ensure employee health for foreseeable and avoidable risks. Therefore, enterprises neglecting even the non-binding provisions of guidelines are likely to suffer significant business impact if judged to be responsible for industrial accidents or occupational disease. To promote risk assessment, we must strengthen technical, financial, and physical support from public-service organizations, encourage the dissemination of good practices to reduce risks, and consider additional employer incentives, including relaxed mandatory regulations.

• Safety and Health at Work
• /
• v.15 no.2
• /
• pp.213-219
• /
• 2024

Background: The design, implementation, and evaluation are three important stages of occupational safety and health (OSH) interventions. Historically, there has been a tendency to prioritize implementation, often neglecting detailed design and rigorous outcome evaluation. Currently, much has changed, and contemporary approaches recognize the interdependence of these stages, considering them integral to the success of any intervention. This work presents a comprehensive procedure for implementing interventions, not only to ensure short-term effectiveness but also their long-term sustainability through continuous monitoring. The focus is on a national OSH project introducing a near-miss management system (NMS) in Italy. Methods: Initial meetings were convened among project partners, complemented by interviews with diverse stakeholders, to plan implementation steps and test the NMS. Tailored questionnaires were designed for diverse stakeholder groups - initial promoters, company managers and employers, and employees - facilitating targeted implementation, and three case studies were started in Italian regions to assess the structured implementation, involving intervention promoters and collaborating companies. Results: The primary outcome is the development of practical tools, specifically three questionnaires, which are considered valuable for establishing an effective human-centered implementation strategy, meticulously designed to facilitate ongoing monitoring of processes and continual enhancement of instruments intended for NMS integration within companies. Conclusions: This work lays the foundation for successful NMS implementation in Italy and, although the outlined procedure had specific objectives, it also provides valuable insights applicable in enhancing the effectiveness and sustainability of interventions across diverse contexts. It underscores the importance of comprehensive planning, stakeholder engagement, and continuous evaluation in achieving lasting OSH interventions.

• New & Renewable Energy
• /
• v.19 no.3
• /
• pp.22-33
• /
• 2023

The number of fire and explosion accidents caused by pyrolysis oil and gas at waste plastic pyrolysis plants is increasing, but accident status and safety conditions have not been clearly identified. Therefore, the aim of the study was to identify the risks of the waste plastic pyrolysis process and suggest appropriate safety management measures. We collected information on 19 cases of fire and explosion accidents that occurred between 2010 and 2021 at 26 waste plastic pyrolysis plants using the Korea Occupational Safety and Health Agency (KOSHA) database and media reports. The mechanical, managerial, personnel-related, and environmental problems within a plant and problems related to government agencies and the design, manufacturing, and installation companies involved with pyrolysis equipment were analyzed using the 4Ms of Machines, Management, Man, and Media, as well as the System-Theoretic Accident Model and Processes (STAMP) methodology for seven accident cases with accident investigation reports. Study findings indicate the need for establishing legal and institutional support measures for waste plastic pyrolysis plants in order to prevent fire and explosion accidents in the pyrolysis process. In addition, ensuring safety from the design and manufacturing stages of facilities is essential, as are measures that ensure systematic operations after the installation of safety devices.

• Journal of the Korea Safety Management & Science
• /
• v.16 no.3
• /
• pp.295-304
• /
• 2014

The purpuse of this study is to find factors on the recognition by people involved in occupational safety and health of KOSHA 18001, the need of KOSHA 18001 certification, and the compliance by each medical institution with KOSHA 18001 review standards to help medical institutions introduce and use OSHMS. There was a survey of people involved in occupational safety and health at 300 local general hospitals with 100 or more beds that were registered with the Korean Hospital Association in 2012. The survey included the recognition of KOSHA 18001, the need of certification and the compliance by medical institutions of the occupational safety and health. A total of 132 people responded, of which an analysis of 126 cases was conducted except 6 cases poor in information.