• Journal of the Korea Safety Management & Science
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• v.11 no.4
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• pp.57-67
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• 2009

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. As a result, as for body part(neck), (waist) and (arms) the degree of risk of work posture measured with the use of job stress(KOSS), psycho-social stress(PWI-SF) and REBA is significantly more affected by fatigue than muscular skeletal disease related consciousness symptom. However, regarding bod(wrist), the degree of risk of work posture measured with the use of job stress(KOSS) and REBA is directly affected by muscular skeletal disease related consciousness symptom. This study is meaningful in that the study clarified the causal relations of the degree of risk of work posture, degree of fatigue, and muscular skeletal disease related consciousness symptoms by each body part measured with the use of work stress(KOSS), psycho-social stress(PWI-SF) and REBA.

• Proceedings of the Korean Institute of Building Construction Conference
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• 2016.05a
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• pp.72-73
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• 2016

Working Posture is an important factor directly connected with quality and productivity of the construction project. In particular, High-rise building construction is required to manage the working posture due to the repetitive task and unfavorable working condition such as high place work, limited space. However existing construction planning of high-rise building construction has a negative effect on the labor's productivity because it is not insufficiently considered for working posture. Therefore the purpose of this study is to suggest a work that needs improvement by analyzing labor's working posture quantitatively using OWAS method. These results would provide the basic information to improve the productivity of the construction project by supporting the construction plan considering the working posture in high-rise building.

• Proceedings of the Korean Institute of Building Construction Conference
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• 2019.05a
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• pp.123-124
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• 2019

In the labor-intensive construction site, potential threats of the musculoskeletal diseases mainly caused by various repetitive physical tasks, vulnerable environment, and the aging of the labor worker exist. However, quantitative measuring method of construction labor worker's work posture has not been improved yet. This study proposed musculoskeletal measuring method by using wearable motion recognition sensor for quantitative evaluation and analysis of working posture of construction workers. This method is expected to be used as a basic data for posture analysis and prevention construction safety accidents, as well as physical workload and labor productivity analysis by labor work type.

• Journal of Korean Society of Occupational and Environmental Hygiene
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• v.19 no.4
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• pp.412-422
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• 2009

This study was conducted to assess exposure to musculoskeletal disorder(MSD) risk factors in hospital personnel who performed non-routinized work tasks. A tool ("PATH-KOSHA" version) was newly revised from PATH(Posture, Activity, Tools and Handling) method and uploaded into a personal digital assistant(PDA). The version was used, on a basis of direct-observation, to collect PATH data at the 2 hospital settings in different regions. Job analysis was performed to get various information (e.g., work and rest time, task type) as well. The data collected were visually checked for data cleaning and stored for future data analysis. A total of 1,992 PATH observations were made for 37 hospital workers. Exposure levels varied across 18 items of the MSD risk factors. The highest percent time spent on non-neutral postures was 53% for wrist deviation, followed by 47%(pinch grip), 35%(trunk posture), 23%(neck posture), and 20%(shoulder/arm posture). The highest percent time spent among hand activity level(HAL) variables was 55% for HAL-cat2 (HAL: 3.3 - <6.7). The percent time of items with respect to both loads with more than 5kg and contact stress was less than 4%. Vibration was not exposed in the study workers. Different aspects were discussed for findings. The study results showed that wrist deviation was highest in percent time spent on awkward posture while HAL-cat2 was highest in hand repetition. The study suggests that distal upper extremity posture and HAL should be primarily addressed and controlled in non-routinized work including the hospital settings.

• Safety and Health at Work
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• v.1 no.2
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• pp.124-133
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• 2010

Objectives: This study was conducted to develop a model describing the interaction between lifestyle, job, and postural factors and parts of the upper extremities in shipyard workers. Methods: A questionnaire survey was given to 2,140 workers at a shipyard in Ulsan City. The questionnaire consisted of questions regarding the subjects' general characteristics, lifestyle, tenure, physical burden, job control, posture and musculoskeletal symptoms. The overall relationship between variables was analyzed by a structural equation model (SEM). Results: The positive rate of upper extremity musculoskeletal symptoms increased in employees who worked longer hours, had severe physical burden, and did not have any control over their job. Work with a more frequent unstable posture and for longer hours was also associated with an increased positive rate of musculoskeletal symptoms. Multiple logistic regression analysis showed that unstable posture and physical burden were closely related to the positive rate of musculoskeletal symptoms after controlling for age, smoking, drinking, exercise, tenure, and job control. In SEM analysis, work-related musculoskeletal disease was influenced directly and indirectly by physical and job stress factors, lifestyle, age, and tenure (p < 0.05). The strongest correlations were found between physical factors and work-related musculoskeletal disease. Conclusion: The model in this study provides a better approximation of the complexity of the actual relationship between risk factors and work-related musculoskeletal disorders. Among the variables evaluated in this study, physical factors (work posture) had the strongest association with musculoskeletal disorders.

• Physical Therapy Korea
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• v.13 no.1
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• pp.9-15
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• 2006

Work-related musculoskeletal disorder has been associated with long hours of computer work and prolonged periods of static posture. In clinical settings, postural correction is a common treatment approach for individuals with neck, shoulder, and back pain. This study was designed to identify the effect of Forward Head Posture Correctional Device during computer work. Twelve healthy adults (mean age, 27.4 yrs; mean height, 165.0cm mean weight, 65.8 kg) participated in the study. They had no medical history of neurological or surgical problems with their upper extremity. The subjects were asked to perform Head Forward Posture under the guidance of physical therapists and the measured angles were analyzed using a 3-D motion analysis system. Markers were placed on the C7 spinous process, tragus of the ear and forward head angle was between the line from the tragus to the C7 line and the Y-axis at the C7. The statistical significance of difference between, "without" and "with" correctional device was tested by paired t-test. A level of significance was set at ${\alpha}$=.05. In comparison of the computer work between "without" and "with" correctional device, Forward Head Angle was showed significant difference (p<.05). In conclusion, the range of Forward Head Angle was significantly decreased during computer work with the correctional device. Further research is needed to understand the nature of motor control problems in deep muscles in patients with neck, shoulder, and back pain.

• Journal of Ocean Engineering and Technology
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• v.22 no.5
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• pp.119-125
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• 2008

Musculoskeletal disorders(MSDs) are one of the major issues in shipbuilding industry. Main risk factors of MSDs include manual handling of heavy weight, awkward posture, repetitive tasks, prolonged static muscle contraction, and so on. in this study, Using the three-dimensional digital human modeling and simulation method we made up a worker and work posture on a virtual environment. To verify this simulation we compared both traditional ergonomic analysis on a real worker and digital program analysis on a digital human. And this paper shows that it is possible to reduce the rate of MSDs in the shipbuilding industry because it means we can change poor posture mid surroundings into better ones.

• Journal of the Ergonomics Society of Korea
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• v.35 no.5
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• pp.307-317
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• 2016

Objective: This study looks into biomechanical variables occurring when one moves in a sitting posture, and presents objective references to make improvements in work environments of farm workers. Background: The farmers have more common musculoskeletal disorders compared to other professions, because they are much more exposed to biomechanical risk factors. The sitting posture that is the representative form of the squatted, can cause typical knee joint diseases, such as osteoarthritis or patellofemoral pain syndrome of the knee joint. Therefore, a quantitative study of knee load upon the movement in a squatting posture is required. Method: In order to proceed with its investigation, the study examined movements in a sitting posture with and without a lower body supporter through a threedimensional image analysis and by using Surface EMG. The study compared and analyzed the average muscle activity and the maximum muscle activity as well. Results: Every movement in a sitting posture is related to loads onto the knee joints and, when the farm workers move to sides, the study observed a high level of bowlegged moment. The study also noticed differences in muscle activity of medial gastrocnemius with and without the lower body supporter. Conclusion and Application: The study argues that what has been discussed so far is evidence to prove how the farm working environments should be improved in consideration of these movements observed when the farm workers move in a sitting posture.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Safety
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• v.14 no.4
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• pp.192-198
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• 1999

Work-related musculoskeletal disorders constitute a major source of employee disability and lost wages. Cumulative Trauma Disorders(CTD) refers to a category of physical conditions which result from chronic musculoskeletal injury. Assessment of CTD risk in industry at early stage allows for early control, a safe environment, and a healthier workforce. In this study, the physical load of the shipping work in the cold storage warehouse were especially investigated. Employees were working with almost unnatural posture in a very restricted work space. The questionnaire and biomechanical analysis were used to evaluate the physical load. Results from analyses showed that they were sufficiently exposed to CTD due to repetition and unnatural posture. Based on the analysis, ways for improving working conditions are proposed. The analysis and proposals in this paper will serve as a basic tool for designing/redesigning working environment such as improvement of tools and equipments, design of times for work/rest cycle.

• Journal of the Ergonomics Society of Korea
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• v.30 no.3
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• pp.427-435
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• 2011

Objective: The objective of this study was to evaluate a work of building cleaners using the ergonomic methods. Background: Previous studies about cleaning worker describe typical physical demands of this work. They found that the most significant risk factors associated with the physical work of cleaners are static loads and repetitive movements and high output of force. Method: A head of ergonomics estimation was work analysis(define of combined task, work tool, work time and frequency of combined task) and posture analysis of worker. Results: The results showed that combined task of building cleaners was classification sweeping, mopping(wet), mopping(oil), moving barrels/carts, dumping trash bags, scrubbing, arrangement of cleaning tool, arrangement of circumferential, moving of cleaning tool, and waiting. The work time of combined task such as mopping(wet) and scrubbing indicated high ratio. The posture analysis of building cleaners indicated high value in bending of the head, lower arm, and hands. Conclusion: The findings appear to indicate that building cleaner were related to high risk of work-related musculoskeletal disorders. So, building cleaner would be required an interventional strategy, improvement of cleaning tools and working environment. Application: If ergonomics rule can be integrated into existing cleaning tools and work environments, the risk of occupational injuries will be reduced.