• Journal of the Ergonomics Society of Korea
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• v.34 no.2
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• pp.125-134
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• 2015

Objective: In this review we discuss the health effects among office workers. Background: Even if office workers are not exposed hazardous or harmful environment frequently, some problems could be happened to the office workers. Although serious occupational diseases rarely occur to the office workers, it is important to consider occupational risk factors for the office worker because the portion of the office workers is relatively high in all industries. Method: We divided possible health effects for the office workers into three categories; musculoskeletal disorders, indoor environment, and cerebro-cardiovascular diseases. We reviewed related articles, textbooks, and statistical materials non-systematically and described risk factors, related illnesses, and prevention strategies on each category. Results: Office workers have various musculoskeletal disorders to be intervened. By medical treatment, improving working environment, and ergonomic intervention, office workers can be prevented from musculoskeletal injuries. Poor indoor environment can cause many building-related illnesses or sick building syndrome. Although the etiology of some problems by poor indoor environment is not clear, it helps to maintain adequate humidity, temperature, and clarity of indoor air. Cerebro-cardiovascular diseases are a rising issue because office workers in Korea tend to work for a lot of time. To prevent the diseases, it is needed to work for adequate time, lengthen activity level, and manage other medical risk factors for the diseases. Conclusion: There is no distinct occupational disease for office workers. However, there are some aspects to consider the health effects of office workers and it is important to prevent the possible health problems. Application: A strategy against occupational diseases among office workers can be established by reviewing this article.

• Journal of the Ergonomics Society of Korea
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• v.34 no.3
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• pp.223-234
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• 2015

Objective:This study aims to investigate the correlation between office environment satisfaction levels and workers' subjective symptoms by conducting surveys asking office workers to state their subjective symptoms and office satisfaction levels. Background: The increased number of office workers and their work hours have led to new understandings of the importance of office environments including its temperature, humidity, noise levels, lighting, space arrangements, and quality of air. Method: Specific details on office work, office environment, office space satisfaction levels, workplace related symptoms, absence from work, due to workplace-related symptoms, were analyzed based on the survey answers given by 451 office workers who were the subjects of this research. Results: Office workers showed different characteristics of subjective symptoms depending on their gender, age, work experience, and time spent resting and on computers. Also, differences in symptoms were found for workers with different satisfaction levels for office environment (temperature, humidity, noise levels, quality of air, lighting) and office space arrangements (location of monitors, area and display of office space, chairs and desks). Conclusion and Application: Relationship between workers' satisfaction levels with the office environment and their subjective symptoms is expected to be serve as essential data for systematic management of the workplace.

• The Journal of Industrial Distribution & Business
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• v.12 no.9
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• pp.7-18
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• 2021

Purpose: This study aims to investigate whether there is a difference in the prevalence of hypertension according to gender, occupational group, and occupational group according to gender. Research design, data, and methodology: This study classified the occupational groups according to the gender of men and women between the ages of 20 and 49 into office workers and non-office workers from the 7th 2017 National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey. A total of 2,691 people were surveyed, including 1,394 office workers and 1,297 non-office workers. Frequency analysis, chi-square, and Independent T-test for distribution difference analysis of categorical variables analysis for occupation and hypertension were applied. Statistical significance was verified at 0.001 to determine the validity analysis. All statistical analyses were performed using the IBM SPSS 24.0 program. Results: The main risk factors for hypertension were gender, age, education, obesity, smoking, drinking, family history, and chronic diseases. There were differences in the prevalence of hypertension among office workers and non-office workers. Conclusions: Men had a higher prevalence of hypertension than women, while non-office workers had a higher prevalence than office workers. In the case of women, non-office workers have a higher prevalence of hypertension than white-collar workers.

• Journal of the Ergonomics Society of Korea
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• v.34 no.6
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• pp.609-622
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• 2015

Objective: This study aims to investigate the correlation between office and work environment satisfaction levels and workers' musculoskeletal symptoms by conducting surveys asking office workers to state their musculoskeletal symptoms and office and work environment satisfaction levels. Background: The increased number of office workers and their indoor work hours using computers have led to new understandings of the importance of office environment including its temperature, humidity, noise levels, lighting and quality of air, and work environment including monitor arrangement, space arrangement and the functions of desks and chairs. Method: Specific details on office work, office environment satisfaction levels, work environment satisfaction levels, musculoskeletal symptoms, absence from work and treatment due to musculoskeletal related symptoms were analyzed based on the survey answers given by 397 office workers who were the subjects of this research. Results: Office workers showed different characteristics of musculoskeletal symptoms depending on their gender, age, work experience, office hours, break time and time spent on computers. Also, differences in symptoms were found for workers'with different satisfaction levels for office environment (temperature, humidity, noise levels, quality of air, lighting) and work environment (location of monitors, area and display of office space, chairs and desks). ANOVA shows the differences between groups of subjects classified by the experience of work-absences and treatments or pain complaints. Conclusion and Application: Relationship between workers' satisfaction levels with the office and work environment and their musculoskeletal symptoms is expected to be served as essential data for systematic management of the workplace.

• The Korean Journal of Food And Nutrition
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• v.25 no.4
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• pp.1047-1054
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• 2012

The purpose of this study was to compare the anthropometry, serum lipid levels, dietary behavior and health-related behaviors of shipbuilding workers. The education level was significantly higher in office workers than laborers, while age, monthly income and working years were not significantly different between both groups. The serum triglyceride, glucose concentration and AI were significantly higher in office workers than in laborers, but the serum LDL-cholesterol and HDL-cholesterol concentrations were significantly higher in laborers than in office workers. The frequency of breakfast and coffee intake was significantly higher in office workers than in laborers. In the office workers, age was positively correlated with systolic blood pressure but was negatively correlated with hemoglobin and hematocrit concentration In the laborers, working year was negatively correlated with hemoglobin, total cholesterol and serum LDL-cholesterol concentrations. Exercise was negatively correlated with total cholesterol concentration, triglyceride and LDL-cholesterol concentration and AI in the office workers. The results of this study showed that office workers are more prone to related chronic degenerative diseases. Therefore, nutritional education for the provention of chronic degenerative diseases of shipbuilding workers needs to be more focused on improving the health status of office workers.

• Korean Institute of Interior Design Journal
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• no.14
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• pp.55-62
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• 1998

One of the major changes in the information era is that the concept of workplace is changing, Therefore this research is to provide basic data for future home office design by surveying office workers's opinions about preferred design for home office. This research is based on a survey of 215 office workers in Seoul. The major findings are ; Office workers prefer an isolated type of workplace that is arranged by U-shped workstation at home. Office workers preferred ivory color of walls and ceiling in home office, Brown color for the floor and brown ivory beige green and grey colors are preferred for the furniture. For home office furniture office workers put to an importance on desk chair computer table cabinet filbox sofa mobil lack credenza, and tea table.

• Journal of the Korea Safety Management & Science
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• v.10 no.2
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• pp.15-24
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• 2008

This study was to investigate the relationship of VDT(visual display terminal) work condition and fatigue severity in the financial office workers. Questionnaires were completed by 662 persons in VDT workers of Post Office from January to May 2006. Multidimensional Fatigue Scale(MFS) that was developed in Korea Occupational Safety &Health Agency to estimate the degree of fatigue was used for study. In results, 149 persons(22.5%) in VDT workers were felt low fatigue severity, 351 workers(53.0%) were middle, and 162 workers (24.5%) were high. So it was appeared that one in four VDT workers felt the high fatigue severity. And woman VDT workers felt more fatigue severity than man. Also, fatigue severity was increased with increasing work time. Our findings suggest that VDT workers in financial office need proper health program to prevent occupational fatigue and disease.

• Journal of Technologic Dentistry
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• v.17 no.1
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• pp.26-40
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• 1995

A survey has been performed for the dental technicians and office workers in small cities of Julla buk-do on theis problem of cough, phlegm, wheezing, nasal cattarrh & cold, and breathlessness by using SUN-81-AL survey form which is a guletionaire on respiratory symptons The results of the analysis are as follaus. 1. The complaint on cough was made by 15 dental technicians(21.4% and by 10 office workerr(16.7%). Dental technicians showed higher complaint on cough than office workers. The predietor variable for cough was the working hours for dental technicians and the period of smoking for the office sorkess. 2. The complaints on phelgm was made by 34 dental technicians(48.6%) and by 9 office workers(15.0%). The predictor variable on phelgm was the working hour for dental techniume and the period of smoking for the office workers. There was no statistically significant difference between two group on their complaint level. 3. The complaint on the breathlessnesr was made by 24 dental technicians(34.3%) and by 22 office workers(36.7%). The predictor variable on breathlessness was the period of smoking for dental technicians and the working hour for office workers. 4. The wmplaing on nasal catarrh & cold wax made by 29 dental technicians(41.4%) and 22 office workers(36.7%). The predictr variable on nasal catarrh & cold was the working hour for dental workerr, and the perird of smoking for the office workers. 5. The complaint on wheezing was made by 9 dental technicians(12.9%) and 8 office workers(13.3%). The primary predictor variable on wheezing was the working hour for both groups, and the secondary predictor variable was the period of smoking. 6. The complaint on the chest and lung dislase was made by 12 dental technicians(17.1%) and 4 office workers(6.7%) dental technicians showed bigher complaint. on chest and lung disease than the office workers. Bronchitis was the higher frequency illuess reported from both of the groups among chest and lung disease. 7. In conclusion, the predictor variable on respiratory illness was the working hour for dental techniciane, and the period of smoking for the office workers 8. 25 dental technicians(35.7%) and 9 office workers(15.0%) selected air pllution as the most urgent problem that working environment, has had. There was statistically significant difference between two groups(P<0.001)

• Korean Institute of Interior Design Journal
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• v.14 no.5 s.52
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• pp.35-43
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• 2005

This study aims to explore the relationship between the spontaneous interactions of office workers and their workspace layout. The spontaneous interactions are captured by the measures regarding the 'visual interaction' between workers in their desk layouts. The measures of visual interaction then are examined by means of the office layout or desk arrangement and the properties of work patterns according to the departments, such as general affairs, sales, research and development, and planning. The study finds four types of office layout ; Type 1 with low visual interaction between workers and high intensity of visual interaction, Type 2 with high visual interaction between workers and high intensity of visual interaction, Type 3 with low visual interaction between workers and low intensity of visual interaction, and Type 4 with high visual interaction between workers and high intensity of visual interaction. The study shows that the patterns of unintentional interaction between workers varies according to the property of work and office arrangement and it also argues that the patterns of office layout are different according to properties of work.

• Journal of the Ergonomics Society of Korea
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• v.33 no.2
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• pp.167-174
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• 2014

Objective: This research focuses on the working environment of office workers and aims to propose an ideal seating posture and chair design. Background: Generally, office workers having to seat in a fixed posture for long periods of time tend to suffer from an increased rate of musculoskeletal disorders. Method: The measurement and survey of 123 office workers on their working conditions and literature survey will lead to a suggestion of an ideal seating posture and workstation design theory. Results: Work environment satisfaction appeared low for chair and desks. Work-related pain over the last year was experienced among 47.2% of the respondents in shoulder (34.2%), neck (30.9%). Observation of working posture revealed that only 27.6% of workers utilize backrest during work. Conclusion: Office work embodies many situations where risks of musculoskeletal disorders may be high. Thus, the seated workplace must be set up to allow proper seating posture for workers. Application: The results of this study can be applied as baseline data for preventing musculoskeletal disorders of office workers.