• Safety and Health at Work
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• v.9 no.4
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• pp.421-426
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• 2018

Background: The purpose of this study was to investigate the effect of shift work on occupational safety in various industrial sectors. The study analyzes the effects of shift work on the health of workers by considering factors such as the workplace environment and welfare. Methods: Focusing on the $4^{th}$ Korean Working Conditions Survey, this study used an ordinary least-square multiple regression analysis. The dependent variable was the annual frequency of injuries reported by workers. Independent variables were categorized as demographic, shift work, workplace environment, and welfare variables. The analysis was conducted on two levels: 1) Shift work and nonshift work groups were compared, and 2) Shift work was compared with fixed and rotating shifts. Results: For the entire group, age, a low level of education, work hours, and daily and dispatch work negatively impacted the frequency of injuries. Shift work was negatively affected by workplace environment and welfare factors. In the shift group, the frequency of injuries was lower than that of regular workers, and the higher the autonomy in the choice of work hours, the lower the frequency of injuries. Furthermore, shift workers in Korea have more extended work hours (49.25 h/week) than other workers (46.34 h/week). Conclusion: Overall, welfare factors such as workplace satisfaction and worke-life balance reduced the frequency of injuries. The effect of shift work was limited, but it was confirmed that shift worker autonomy could reduce the frequency of injuries.

• Korean Management Science Review
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• v.14 no.2
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• pp.161-184
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• 1997

This research examines the importance of IT training/education, present situation and possible suggestion for the successful training/education. The research method adopts a comparative analytical approach based on questionnaire survey responses from three work groups - managers, employees, and union representatives - drawn from five sample Korean banks. The evidence indicates that all three groups agree that IT improves banking efficiency and reduces job repetitiveness, but their job satisfaction level with IT-based work is surprisingly very low. The main reasons are mainly lack of training/education and poor user manuals. Also the research shows that most respondents would like to get further training/education to more adequately fit them for their jobs. Those from banks which invested in continuing training/education revealed more positive work attitudes and higher job satisfaction.

• Journal of the Korean Operations Research and Management Science Society
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• v.14 no.2
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• pp.161-161
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• 1989

This research examines the importance of IT training/education, present situation and possible suggestion for the successful training/education. The research method adopts a comparative analytical approach based on questionnaire survey responses from three work groups - managers, employees, and union representatives - drawn from five sample Korean banks. The evidence indicates that all three groups agree that IT improves banking efficiency and reduces job repetitiveness, but their job satisfaction level with IT-based work is surprisingly very low. The main reasons are mainly lack of training/education and poor user manuals. Also the research shows that most respondents would like to get further training/education to more adequately fit them for their jobs. Those from banks which invested in continuing training/education revealed more positive work attitudes and higher job satisfaction.

• The Journal of Korean Physical Therapy
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• v.13 no.1
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• pp.19-31
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• 2001

The twenty one individuals with total knee replacement who were admitted to Kang-Dong Hospital for comprehensive physical therapy were studied in order to demonstrate the effectiveness of an isokinetic test program using the Cybex 6000 machine. The subjects were divided into three groups with the isometric exercise group receiving isometric exercise. the isokinetic eccentric exercise group, and isokinetic eccentric exorcise group receiving isokinetic exercise(eccentric. concentric) to knee flexors and extensors muscles for a six weeks period using the Cybex 6000. The results were follow :1 . The peak torque was increased significantly in the flexors and extensors of the isokinetic conccentric exorcise among three groups(p<.05). 2. The progress of peak torque was increased significantly in the flexors and extensors of the isokinetic conccentric exercise among three groups(p<.05). 3. The total work was more increased significantly in the flexors and extensors of the isokinetic conccentric exercise among three groups(p<.05). 4. The progress of total work was more increased significantly in the flexors and extensors of the isokinetic conccentric exercise among three groups(p<;.05). 5. The ratio of endurance was not increased significantly in all three groups. 6. The extensors in the peak torque was likely to recover rapidly than the flexors. 7.The average R.O.M in the pre-exercise and post-exercise was not different significantly in all three groups. According to the above results, In the muscle strength recovery for total knee replacement patients, isokinetic concentric exercise group was significantly greater than the isokinetic eccentric and isometric exercise groups after a six weeks training.

• Journal of Korean Society of Occupational and Environmental Hygiene
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• v.18 no.3
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• pp.216-223
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• 2008

Objectives : To investigate the effect of overtime work on fatigue symptoms among Korean female workers. Methods : A total of 1,875 subjects were analyzed using the structured questionnaire, which was composed of overtime work, fatigue symptom, and background characteristics. Data analysis included multiple regression to test for a relationship of overtime work with fatigue symptom while statistically controlling for demographic and occupational variables. Results : Overtime work was more common in those with shorter work years of 3 or less than in those with longer work years. Overtime work was more popular in day workers than in shift workers. No significant difference of smoking and drinking state was observed between two groups. Subjective fatigue symptoms were significantly higher in overtime workers than in workers without overtime work. In a multiple regression analysis with significant control variables, overtime work was associated with 0.31 more fatigue symptom(p<0.001). Conclusion : Our findings suggest that overtime work may increase risks for fatigue symptom. Therefore, preventive strategies will be needed to control the negative effect of overtime work on health status of female workers.

• The Journal of Korean Academy of Orthopedic Manual Physical Therapy
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• v.8 no.1
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• pp.5-14
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• 2002

Objectives : In order to investigate industrial fatigue due to visual display terminal (VDT) work of post office. Methods : The questionnaire survey for subjective symptoms of fatigue was carried out on 39 post office clerks who had been engaged in VDT work for various length of work hours. The questionnaire comprised three groups of 10 items each, representing dullness and sleepiness, difficulty in concentration and bodily projection of fatigue. Results : The scores of dullness and sleepiness was 16.62, scores of concentration difficulty was 16.35, those of bodily fatigue was 16.23, and total scores was 49.21. Fatigue scores was significantly associated with age and work duration, VDT of work hours, ventilation, illumination, nosie. Conclusions : Data from this study support a statistically significant association between age and scores of dullness, scores of concentration difficulty, between work duration and scores of dullness, scores of bodily fatigue, between VDT of work hours and scores of bodily fatigue.

• Journal of Technologic Dentistry
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• v.22 no.1
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• pp.89-112
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• 2000

Although dental laboratory technicians are prone to be exposed to various work-related health hazardous materials such as dusts, chemicals, etc., the prevalence and nature of work-related health problems of them have not been a matter of great concern in the field of occupational health service in Korea. The purpose of the present investigation was to describe a collected profile of subjective health symptoms and their attributable factors in Korean dental laboratory technicians. A questionnaire listing five groups of health symptoms and five health symptom-related factors was mailed to randomly selected 1,900 dental laboratory technicians. Among them, 1,344 dental laboratory technicians filled out the questionnaires and returnde them. Five groups of health symptoms included musculoskeletal symptom, dermal symptoms, respiratory symptoms, eys symptoms, and ear symptoms. Five health symptom-related factors were occupational environment-related health risk factors, work history, health related habits and status, use of personal protective equipment and general characteristics. Detailed parameters of health risk factors were work posture, vibration, and chemical or physical hazards such as dust, fume, vapor, solvent, light, and noise for occupational environment-related factors; work place, area, number of employees, work hours, career, work part, and work load for work history; Broca's index, hours of sleep, eating, smoking, alcohol, exercise, health examination, and self assessed health status for health habits and status; face masks, goggles, and so on for use of personal protective equipment, and; age, sex, marital status, and education for general characteristics. Before the start of main survey, a pilot survey was carried out for validity and reliability tests of the questionnaire. All the data obtained were coded and analyzed with PC/SAS 6.12 program. The prevalence of health symptoms was the highest in musculoskelton (87.3%), and followde by eyes (78.9%), respiratory organs (64.3%), ears (57.8%), and skin (52.2%) in descending order. Statistically significant risk factors by multiple logistic regression analyses were sex, health examination, self assessed health status, and hand/finger posture in musculoskeletal symptoms; sex, self assessed health status, career, acid gas, and hand contact with resin mixture in deraml symptoms; Broka's smoking, exercise, self assessed health status, and face mask in respiratory symptoms; sex, hours of sleep, self assessed health status, work hours, work load, plaster dust, inadequate lighting, and goggle in eys symptoms, and eating, smoking, self assessed health status, and work load in ear symptoms. With the above considerations in mind, prevalence of subjective symptoms among Korean dental laboratory technicians was relatively high, and they were attributable to most of the occupational environment-related factors, work history, use of personal protective equipment, health habits and status, and general characteristics. Particularly, it is suggested that health promotion programs for promoting self- assessed health status and smoking cessation, preventive measures for protection of the female technicians’health, and reducing work load be necessary, since those factors were associated with more than one subjective symptom.

• Safety and Health at Work
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• v.8 no.1
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• pp.1-10
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• 2017

Considerable effort has been made to address the issue of occupational health and environmental exposure to mercury. This review reports on the current literature of mercury exposure and health impacts on dental personnel. Citations were searched using four comprehensive electronic databases for articles published between 2002 and 2015. All original articles that evaluated an association between the use of dental amalgam and occupational mercury exposure in dental personnel were included. Fifteen publications from nine different countries met the selection criteria. The design and quality of the studies showed significant variation, particularly in the choice of biomarkers as an indicator of mercury exposure. In several countries, dental personnel had higher mercury levels in biological fluids and tissues than in control groups; some work practices increased mercury exposure but the exposure levels remained below recommended guidelines. Dental personnel reported more health conditions, often involving the central nervous system, than the control groups. Clinical symptoms reported by dental professionals may be associated with low-level, long-term exposure to occupational mercury, but may also be due to the effects of aging, occupational overuse, and stress. It is important that dental personnel, researchers, and educators continue to encourage and monitor good work practices by dental professionals.

• Safety and Health at Work
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• v.5 no.4
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• pp.175-180
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• 2014

Wet-work can be defined as activities where workers have to immerse their hands in liquids for >2 hours per shift, or wear waterproof (occlusive) gloves for a corresponding amount of time, or wash their hands >20 times per shift. This review considers the recent literature on wet-work exposure, and examines wet-work as a main risk factor for developing irritant contact dermatitis of the hands. The aim of this paper is to provide a detailed description of wet-work exposure among specific occupational groups who extensively deal with water and other liquids in their occupations. Furthermore, it highlights the extent and importance of the subsequent adverse health effects caused by exposure to wet-work.

• Safety and Health at Work
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• v.9 no.4
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• pp.462-467
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• 2018

Background: This study was conducted to investigate the effects of work on medical expenditures by the elderly. Methods: Data pertaining to individuals aged 65 or older collected by the Korean Health Panel 2008-2013 were used. The effects of work on medical expenditures were analyzed in a panel tobit model adjusted for several variables of demographic factors, socioeconomic factors, and health factors for health care. Data were also analyzed based on age groups (65-74, $75{\leq}$), type of work (waged or self-employed), and working time (daytime work or night time work). Results: Among the elderly older than 65 years, 34-37% were workers. Work among the elderly reduced medical expenditures relative to nonworking elderly. Specifically, medical expenditures were lower in individuals older than 75 years, as well as among those who were self-employed insured and had medical aid insurance and those who exercised. However, medical expenditures were higher among females, married individuals, those with a higher household income, and those with a chronic disease. Elderly wageworkers showed reduced medical expenditures than nonworking elderly and elderly daytime workers did. Conclusion: The elderly population's work, especially wage work and daytime work, reduced medical expenditures relative to no work. These results provide valuable information for policymakers by indicating that work was associated with lower medical expenditures than no work. If elderly work is to be encouraged, it is necessary to provide a variety of high-quality wage work.