• Safety and Health at Work
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• v.9 no.1
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• pp.10-16
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• 2018

Background: A detailed evaluation of the underground mine climate requires extensive measurements to be performed coupled to climatic modeling work. This can be labor-intensive and time-consuming, and consequently impractical for daily work comfort assessments. Therefore, a simple indicator like a heat stress index is needed to enable a quick, valid, and acceptable evaluation of underground climatic conditions on a regular basis. This can be explained by the unending quest to develop a "universal index," which has led to the proliferation of many proposed heat stress indices. Methods: The aim of this research study is to discuss the challenges in identifying and selecting an appropriate heat stress index for thermal planning and management purposes in underground mines. A method is proposed coupled to a defined strategy for selecting and recommending heat stress indices to be used in underground metal mines in the United States and worldwide based on a thermal comfort model. Results: The performance of current heat stress indices used in underground mines varies based on the climatic conditions and the level of activities. Therefore, carefully selecting or establishing an appropriate heat stress index is of paramount importance to ensure the safety, health, and increasing productivity of the underground workers. Conclusion: This method presents an important tool to assess and select the most appropriate index for certain climatic conditions to protect the underground workers from heat-related illnesses. Although complex, the method presents results that are easy to interpret and understand than any of the currently available evaluation methods.

• Journal of Korean Clinical Health Science
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• v.10 no.1
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• pp.1559-1568
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• 2022

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to identify Happiness index according to job satisfaction and interpersonal problems of dental hygienists in some regions Methods: The subjects of this study were dental hygienists working in dental hospitals in Busan and Gyeongnam. from 1 July 2021 to 30 August 2021 a number of total 198. The structured questionnaire was surveyed and analyzed by self- entry. The collected data were analyzed using an IBM SPSS ver. 20.0. Results: The interpersonal problem were higher in the group under 25 years of age, with, less than 1 year of experience and less than 2-4 year of experience. Happiness index were higher over than 31 year of age. the happiness index was higher in the age group 31 years or older, with more than 5 years of experience, more than 7 days of vacation, work intensity that was tolerable and difficult, and the group with an annual salary of 30 million won or more. the higher the job satisfaction, the lower the interpersonal problems, the happiness index of dental hygienists was high. Conclusions: In order to increase the happiness index of dental hygienists working at dental medical institutions, it is necessary to develop a program that can form amicable interpersonal relationships in the workplace of dental hygienists with little experience. In addition, increase the job satisfaction of dental hygienists, it is necessary to adjust the intensity of work to fit the individual's abilities and aptitudes, and to develop a work system so that dental hygienists can increase their pride in their profession by signing a reasonable salary.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Safety
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• v.29 no.2
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• pp.62-67
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• 2014

The purpose of this study is to analyze the degree of risk of the working unit of nuclear power plants construction. In order to do this, and the risk index by type and source of risk judgment derived in the previous study were utilized. Further, to derive a risk index of unit work in nuclear power plant construction, a survey targeting safety professionals was conducted. The analytic hierarchy process (AHP) was used for analysis of the survey. The following results were obtained. Firstly, the results of AHP showed that main building work is the most dangerous work, and base excavation work is the second dangerous work among 21 unit works. Secondly, so, it is required to invest more and to take a increasing interest in unit works of civil and architecture as compared to other unit works. Further, the results could be used to reduce the degree of risk in construction of the nuclear power plant.

• Korea Journal of Hospital Management
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• v.9 no.4
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• pp.1-20
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• 2004

This study was aimed at examining the determinants of organizational creativity at nursing care units of university hospitals. Using some items of the Creative Nursing Practice Index(CNPI), the Nursing Work Index-Revised(NWI-R), and the Work Preference Inventory(WPI), an empirical study was conducted with a sample of 543 nurses at 49 nursing care units in two university hospitals in Korea. Data collected from the individual respondents were aggregated and transformed into the secondary data at organizational level. The data were analyzed, using Pearson correlation and hierarchical multiple regression method. The results of the study showed that organizational creativity has positive relationships to task motivation, including enjoyment and challenge to work, and work environment supporting nurses' autonomy and collaboration. Task motivation of the units and autonomous work environment explained 16.3% and 7.9% respectively in the variance of the organizational creativity. Organizational creativity was found to be significantly influenced by challenge and autonomous environment. This result implies that nursing managers should make an efforts to enhance the organizational creativity of nursing units by motivating their staff to challenge to a novel way of doing at work and making the work environment more autonomous.

• Journal of the Korea Safety Management & Science
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• v.10 no.1
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• pp.59-65
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• 2008

Recently, obesity that is increasingly becoming a major cause of various diseases and safety accidents in work places is emerging as a serious social problem. It is due to economic growth and improvement of living environments. Many researches are trying to find the root cause of obesity. Thus, the main objective of this study is to analyze obesity index of citizens in Seoul which is a metropolis of Korea and a densely populated district. The data used in this study included 179 men and 152 woman subjects who are living in Seoul. Somatotype using $R\ddot{o}hrer$ Index can be classified by 3 types (thin, standard, obesity). In order to analyze a detailed somatotype of citizens, age groups are divided into $30{\sim}34,\;35{\sim}39,\;40{\sim}49,\;and\;50{\sim}59$ years according to gender, respectively. In order to compare and analyze data, Coefficient of Variance, Cronbach's Alpha, $R\ddot{o}hrer$ Idex and Drop Value were used in this study. The results of this study can be applied to the comfortable and safe work environments for workers.

• Journal of the Ergonomics Society of Korea
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• v.24 no.2
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• pp.65-70
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• 2005

Evaluation of repetitiveness for upper extremity intensive tasks is essential to determine the level of risk for upper extremity musculoskeletal disorders at the workplace. However, experimental data available to establish the acceptable levels of repetitiveness for various postures and forces is lacking. The present study examined the maximum acceptable frequencies(MAFs; motions/min.) of shoulder, elbow, wrist, and index finger motions at different forces(1kgf and 4kgf for shoulder, elbow, and wrist; 0.25kgf and 1 kgf for index finger) in sitting. Seventeen right-handed males in 20s without having any history musculoskeletal disorders participated in the MAF experiment. The participants determined their MAFs for the upper extremity motions by using the self-adjustment method and their work pulse(increase in heart rate; beats/min.) and rating of perceived exertion(RPE) were measured when working at MAF. The MAFs of elbow, wrist, and index finger motions for each force level were about 2, 3, and 6 times the corresponding MAF(9 at the high force and 24 at the low force) of shoulder motion and the MAFs at the low force increased about 2 times those at the high force. The work pulses of elbow, wrist, and index finger motions for each force level were 70%, 50%, and 30% of the corresponding work pulse(17 at the high force and 12 at the low force) of shoulder motion and the work pulses at the low force were about 70 % of those at the high force. Lastly, the RPEs of the upper extremity regions were about level 3(moderate) or below.

• Journal of Technologic Dentistry
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• v.17 no.1
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• pp.58-71
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• 1995

This study was carried out in order to examine demographic variables and personal and working conditions affecting to self-esteem, self-efficacy and work autonomy and mental health of the dental technicians. For this study, questionnaires composed of 50 items for the measurement of psychiatric symptom, work autonomy, self-esteem and self-efficacy index and 14 items related with demographic variables and personal and working conditions were distributed to 400 dental technicians and the 304 of them were statistically analyzed the results were as the following ; 1. Self-esteem and self- efficacy in dental technicians appeared to be interacted. 2. Score of self-efficacy index was higher in dental technicians of young age, or high or professional education than in otherwise dental technicians. 3. Score of self-efficacy index was higher in dental technicians of young age or professional education than in otherwise dental technicians. 4. All of self-esteem, self-efficacy and work autonomy in dental technicians affected directly their psychiatric symptom. 5. Promotion, and communication with fellows and senior workers of dental technicians affected directly their psychiatric symptom. 6. Each of anxiety, anger, depression and cognitive disturbance appeared to be interacted.

• Geomechanics and Engineering
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• v.12 no.2
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• pp.313-326
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• 2017

Based on the reliability theory and limit analysis method, the roof stability of a shallow tunnel is investigated under the condition of surface settlement. Nonlinear Hoek-Brown failure criterion is adopted in the present analysis. With the consideration of surface settlement, the internal energy and external work are calculated. Equating the rate of energy dissipation to the external rate of work, the expression of support pressure is derived. With the help of variational approach, a performance function is proposed to reliability analysis. Improved response surface method is used to calculate the Hasofer-Lind reliability index and the failure probability. In order to assess the validity of the present results, Monte-Carlo simulation is performed to examine the correctness. Sensitivity analysis is used to estimate the influence of different variables on reliability index. Among random variables, the unit weight significantly affects the reliability index. It is found that the greater coefficient of variation of variables lead to the higher failure probability. On the basis of the discussions, the reliability-based design is achieved to calculate the required tunnel support pressure under different situations when the target reliability index is obtained.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Safety
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• v.23 no.6
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• pp.144-149
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• 2008

The purpose of this study is to present the standard risk index according to work type in the bridge construction without regard to the bridge type. The bridge construction cases were researched on the actual condition. construction accidents were investigated from 1998 to 2005. In this paper, we developed a standard risk index for efficient bridge construction safety system.

• Journal of the Ergonomics Society of Korea
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• v.34 no.4
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• pp.327-334
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• 2015

Objective: The purpose of this study was to evaluate Korean workers' work ability and to identify its contributing factors. Background: In order for Korea to overcome the phenomena of becoming an aged society, older adults must participate in the workforce to balance out the population; workers' work ability must also be maintained. In addition, influential factors in employees' capabilities and degrees of importance thereof should be identified in advance to maintain work ability. Method: The Work Ability Index (WAI) questionnaire was completed by 5,708 Korean workers. Survey questionnaire consisted items of current work ability, physical and mental demands of the job, numbers of diseases, work impairment due to diseases, sick leaves, work ability in 2 years and mental resources. Results: Results indicated that work ability and length of service increased with age. It was also found that employees in administrative positions had greater work ability than site workers, workers directly managed by a supervisor had greater work ability than workers in cooperative firms, and workers who performed intellectual tasks had greater work ability than workers who performed physical labor. Job stress was additionally observed to contribute towards overall work ability. And musculoskeletal disorders (MSDs) were found to negatively affect work ability. Conclusion: The strongest determining factors in the work ability of Korean workers were stress level and mental state. Therefore, when the WAI is used to assess Korean workers, the weighting of WAI items pertaining to physical and mental abilities should be adjusted accordingly to account for these factors. Application: The result is expected to suggest that workers maintain work ability in an aged society.