• Safety and Health at Work
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• 제9권2호
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• pp.192-202
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• 2018

Background: Work-related musculoskeletal disorders are accumulative disorders that are most frequently found in agricultural farmers. The purpose of this study was to investigate factors that affect symptoms resulting from work-related musculoskeletal disorders among Cambodian farm workers working in fruit plantations in the eastern region of Thailand. Methods: The Nordic Musculoskeletal Questionnaire, Rapid Upper Limb Assessment, and Hazard Zone Jobs Checklist techniques were used to interview 861 farmers who participated in the study. Results: The data showed that men who had been working for >10 years were more at risk of neck pain than those working for <1 year with adjusted odds ratio (aOR) 1.66, 95% confidence interval (CI) (1.90, 14.5). Among women those who had been working for >10 years experienced lower back pain with aOR 8.13, 95% CI (1.04, 63.74), compared with those who had been working for <1 year. Men whose tasks required raising the arms above shoulder height had a risk factor contributing to neck pain of aOR 1.68, 95% CI (1.08, 2.61) when compared with those who did not work with this posture, and women had aOR 1.82, 95% CI (1.07, 3.12) when compared with those who did not work with this posture. Conclusion: Based on the results of this study, it is recommended that work-related health conditions are monitored in migrant plantation workers to reduce the risks of musculoskeletal disorders.

• 복식문화연구
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• 제7권3호
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• pp.142-153
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• 1999

The objective of this study was to analysis the pesticide chemical-using of farm workers and working clothes for diminishing the possible damage by their improper chemicals usages. For the data Questionairs were collected 340 from the farm families of the 3 different districts in Yeoju, Kyonggido, and also inquired of the persons in charge of the chemicals and of the laundry in each family. Among the replies, 233 was classified as useful, and analyzed the frequency, the percentage and correlation. The results were as follows : 1. 64.3% of the farmers were using the chemicals for 5∼20 years, of whom 33.6% experienced stopping of chemicals-using for health. 2. The applicators experienced poisoning symptoms such as habitual fatigue, hadache, dizziness, chest discomfort, eye irritation, skin irritation, blurred vision, vomiting, nausea etc. after chemical work. 3. 74.7% answered they did not obtained educational information for the care of chemicals contaminated clothes. 69.1% said they need to obtain educational information about safety awareness of agricultural chemicals.

• 한국농공학회논문집
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• 제64권4호
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• pp.21-30
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• 2022

Renewable energy systems aim to achieve carbon neutrality and replace fossil fuels. Photovoltaic technologies are the most widely used renewable energy. However, they require a large operating area, thereby decreasing available farmland. Accordingly, agrivoltaic systems (AVSs)-innovative smart farm technologies that utilize solar energy for crop growth and electricity production-are attracting attention. Although several empirical studies on these systems have been conducted, comprehensive research on their design is lacking, and no standard model suitable for South Korea has been developed. Therefore, this study created an integral design of AVS reflecting domestic crop cultivation conditions and conducted a structural analysis for safety assessment. The shading ratio, planting distance, and agricultural machinery work of the system were determined. In addition, national construction standards were applied to evaluate their structural safety using a finite element analysis. Through this, the safety of this system was ensured, and structural considerations were put forward. It is expected that the AVS model will allow for a stable utilization of renewable energy and smart farm technologies in rural areas.

• 대한인간공학회지
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• 제30권4호
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• pp.517-523
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• 2011

Objective: The purpose were understanding the epidemiological characteristics of work related injuries of the farmer and establishing injury prevention and control activity. Background: Agriculture is one of the most hazardous industry and job in Korea. Method: We reviewed previous reports regarding the agricultural injury, injury prevention and control. Results: In the agricultural total injury, there were 45,342 hospitalized injury to farmers, injury rate was 35.8/1,000 farmers/years. Of these injuries, 52.6 percent were classed as work related injury. The farm-related injury rate was 17.5/1,000 farmers/years by analysis of Safety Aid System of Farm Workers. There were 2.4 times as incidence rate for farmers compared to non-farmers. Conclusion: Several strategies are available for injury prevention and control. They are as follows; social concern, survey of farm related injury, injury prevention, injury surveillance system and injury compensation.

• 한국지역사회생활과학회지
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• 제26권4호
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• pp.749-760
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• 2015

This study establishes a safe and healthy farm certification system for Korean farmers and presents the certification system and assessment items. Existing certification systems for safety and health were compared through a review of local and international studies as well as an examination of advanced examples. Then the certification system and assessment items were objectively verified through an expert evaluation process. As a result, four domains of certification participation, implementation, certification evaluation, and post management were identified as components of the certification system. For assessment measures, 6 categories, 21 factors, and 96 items were derived. The results are expected to be used as basic data in establishing a foundation for the implementation and operation of a certification system appropriate for distinct characteristics of the Korean agricultural sector.

• 대한인간공학회지
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• 제30권4호
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• pp.503-507
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• 2011

Objective: This paper presents the factors influencing the effectiveness of materials handling equipments in agriculture. Background: Agriculture is one of the job categories where work-related musculoskeletal disorders(MSDs) are the most common. Statistics shows that majority of farm workers is exposed to repetitive and forceful body movements, lifting, lowering, pushing, pulling, or carrying heavy materials. In such a working environment, materials handling equipments are required and introduced to assist in the prevention of MSDs and other farm injuries. Method: Examples of materials handling equipments are rail carts, portable lifts, and bale handlers. Contributing factors influencing the effectiveness of materials handling equipments supplied in agriculture were identified based on the lessons learned from previous government-funded ergonomic projects. Results: Contributing factors identified include: (1) forward-looking attitude for the standardization of farming, its environments, and handling equipments, (2) participation of farm members in the process and evaluation of project, (3) leadership of project manager, (4) reinforcement of safety education and training, and (5) project selection and priority of handling equipment. Conclusion: Government-funded research planners, farmers, ergonomists, and farm machine experts are recommended to consider the factors identified when implementing materials handling equipments in agriculture. Application: Actual or potential application of this research includes recommendation for the effective implementation of material materials handling equipments in agricultural sectors.

• 한국환경보건학회지
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• 제40권5호
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• pp.413-424
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• 2014

Objectives: The purpose of this study was to seek measures for improvement and management of farm work safety and health by conducting questionnaire surveys and on-site investigations to ascertain the present state of occurrence of safety accidents and safety and health management levels among swine farmers. In particular, the purpose of this study is to provide basic data for the establishment of measures for the management of safety and health suitable to the characteristics of related working environments. Methods: Questionnaire surveys were conducted among 223 farmers engaged in swine farming in 14 regions, and 10 farms were visited in order to implement multilateral methods, including in-depth interviews, along with field surveys. Results: The surveys indicated that 26.2% of all respondents experienced farm-work related safety accidents and body-reaction related accidents showed a high ratio at 31.1% of all respondents. With regard to cause materials of safety accidents, work other than that directly related to swine raising showed high ratios of safety accidents, with pigsty facility related accidents at 26.6%. Although most workers recognized the dangers latent in the working environments, their behavior and responses to the prevention of safety accidents were still insufficient due to a lack of understanding of safety and health management. In the survey on the present state of personal hygiene and wearing of protective equipment, workers were found to have been exposed to dangerous and harmful environments both inside and outside pigsties, but the actual states of their wearing protective safety equipment were very poor. Conclusion: Given the results of this study, swine farmers well recognize problems in their control of safety accidents and management of safety and health, but their knowledge about safety and health education and management guidelines was insufficient. Therefore, safety and health education, public relations, and customized personal protective equipment suitable for swine raising work should be developed in order to address the foregoing problem.

• 대한인간공학회지
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• 제30권4호
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• pp.541-550
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• 2011

Objective: The objective of this study is to present varying cases of ergonomic improvements in equipments for agricultural work. Background: In Korean agricultural sector, many older people and females, who may be more vulnerable to musculoskeletal diseases than young males, are doing high stressful tasks such as manual materials tasks, harvesting, etc. For reducing the work stress of the farmers, the Korean government has been performing support projects to provide the farmers with agricultural implements specified for their crops. In the projects, ergonomics experts have participated and helped modify the equipments. Method: Fifty cases of equipment improvements, which were carried out in 33 farming organizations cultivating 13 different crops, were reviewed and presented by equipments and their parts. Results: In total, 283 cases of improvements for 12 equipments including 4-wheel, 1-wheel, and 3-wheel powered carts, grass cutter, conveyer, pest control machine, and so on, were presented. The improvements were also classified according to the ergonomic principles like compatibility, ease of use, safety and fitting to the anthropometry, etc. Frequencies of improvements by equipment and its part were the highest in carts and controls, respectively. Principles of safety and ease of use were adopted more frequently in improving equipments than others. Conclusion: The tables of examples of improvements of agricultural implements are main results of this study and the systematical summaries are expected to be widely used in the development of more improved agricultural implements. Application: The results could be used as practical guidelines in ergonomically developing and modifying agricultural implements by both the experts and non-experts in ergonomics. The improvements would contribute to reduction of stress in farm work, which result in increasing the level of safety and health of Korean agricultural society.

• 한국지역사회생활과학회지
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• 제26권4호
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• pp.647-659
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• 2015

This study analyzes current technologies in personal protective equipment (PPE) and mechanisms that can be used in the agricultural field to provide data for research and development on PPE for farmers. There is growing awareness of the importance of PPE as part of efforts to reduce agricultural accidents, but data remain rare for developing PPE tailored to the farm work environment. In this regard, patent data on PPE can provide useful insights for facilitating relevant technologies and research. This study examines patents and utility models classified under the IPC code in Korea and other countries to analyze patented technologies and recent trends for the period from January 2003 to October 2014. Here Korea, the U.S., Japan, and Europe were considered. The results show that the number of patent applications for PPE remained steady without any sharp fluctuations. KIPO applications accounted for 43.5% of all cases, reflecting the highest proportion among the countries considered. Domestic applicants accounted for 94% of all cases. In Korea, patent applications were concentrated in safety gear for the face and eyes, indicating a high level of technology. The highest level of competition was observed for safety goggles in all countries. Some PPE technologies were dominated by a particular manufacturer. The analysis results for farming-related technologies show the current state of technologies and areas lacking technological development. This study analyzes patented technologies for PPE in Korea and other countries and recent research trends as part of the effort to develop PPE for workers in the farming and livestock industry. This study represents an early-stage effort to develop PPE for workers in the farming and livestock industry, and the results are expected to be useful for tailoring PPE to Korea's farming and livestock environment.

• Safety and Health at Work
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• 제11권1호
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• pp.109-117
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• 2020

Background: Ammonia and hydrogen sulfide are harmful gases generated during aerobic/anaerobic bacterial decomposition of livestock manure. We evaluated ammonia and hydrogen sulfide concentrations generated from workplaces at livestock farms and determined environmental factors influencing the gas concentrations. Methods: Five commercial swine farms and five poultry farms were selected for monitoring. Real-time monitors were used to measure the ammonia and hydrogen sulfide concentrations and environmental conditions during the manure-handling processes. Monitoring was conducted in the manure storage facility and composting facility. Information on the farm conditions was also collected through interview and walk-through survey. Results: The ammonia concentrations were significantly higher at the swine composting facilities (9.5-43.2 ppm) than at other manure-handling facilities at the swine and poultry farms, and high concentrations of hydrogen sulfide were identified during the manure agitation and mixing process at the swine manure storage facilities (6.9-19.5 ppm). At the poultry manure-handling facilities, the ammonia concentration was higher during the manure-handling processes (2.6-57.9 ppm), and very low hydrogen sulfide concentrations (0-3.4 ppm) were detected. The air temperature and relative humidity, volume of the facility, duration of manure storage, and the number of animals influenced the gas concentrations. Conclusion: A high level of hazardous gases was generated during manure handling, and some levels increased up to risk levels that can threaten workers' health and safety. Some of the farm operational factors were also found to influence the gas levels. By controlling and improving these factors, it would be possible to protect workers' safety and health from occupational risks.