• Tuberculosis and Respiratory Diseases
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• v.62 no.3
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• pp.223-226
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• 2007

Tetrafluoroethylene is a colorless gas that can be used to synthesize a variety of fluoride compounds by polymerization (e.g., Teflon). Fluoride compounds have many applications in industry. There are several reports of inhalation injury from the pyrolytic product of fluoride compounds. When the polymer is heated under the conditions of inadequate ventilation, the fumes can cause polymer fume fever or pulmonary edema which manifested as symptoms such as fever, chill, profuse sweating, cough and dyspnea. However there are no reports of a direct lung injury caused by tetrafluoroethylene. We report a case of a 27-year-old male presented with acute lung injury after inhaling concentrated tetrafluoroethylene. He complained of cough and dyspnea after the accidental inhalation of tetrfluoroethylene at his workplace. The symptoms improved without any complications after conservative treatment with oxygen and steroid.

• Safety and Health at Work
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• v.11 no.3
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• pp.314-321
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• 2020

Background: Occupational accidents occur for a variety of reasons, such as unsafe behaviors of workers and insufficient safety equipment at the workplace, but there are also various economic and social factors that can impact working conditions and working environment. This study analyzed the relationship between changes in economic factors and the occurrence of occupational accidents in Korea. Methods: Multilinear regression analysis was used as the analysis model. The general to specific method was also used, which consecutively removes statistically insignificant variables from a general model that includes dependent variables and lagged variables of dependent variables. Results: The frequency of occupational accidents was found to have a statistically significant relationship to economic indicators. The monthly number of cases of occupational injury and disease and fatal occupational injuries were found to be closely related to manufacturing capacity utilization, differences in the production index in the services sector, and commencements of building construction. The increase in equipment investment indicators was found to reduce fatal occupational injuries. Conclusion: The results of this study may be used to develop occupational accident trends or leading indicators, which in turn can be used by organizations that manage and monitor occupational accidents toward taking administrative action designed to reduce occupational accidents. The results also imply that short-term and mid- to long-term economic and social changes that can impact workers, workplaces and working conditions, and workplace organizations must be taken into account if more effective government policies are to be established and implemented toward further prevention of occupational accidents.

• Safety and Health at Work
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• v.6 no.2
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• pp.128-133
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• 2015

Background: To investigate the relationship between musculoskeletal disorders and comorbid health problems, including depression/anxiety disorder, insomnia/sleep disorder, fatigue, and injury by accident, and to determine whether certain physical and psychological factors reduce comorbid health problems. Methods: In total, 29,711 employees were selected from respondents of the Third Korean Working Conditions Survey and categorized into two groups: Musculoskeletal Complaints or Musculoskeletal Sickness Absence. Four self-reported health indicators (overall fatigue, depression/anxiety, insomnia/sleep disorder, and injury by accident) were selected as outcomes, based on their high prevalence in Korea. We used multiple logistic regression analysis to determine the relationship between comorbid health problems, musculoskeletal complaints, and sickness absence. Results: The prevalence of musculoskeletal complaints and musculoskeletal sickness absence due to muscular pain was 32.26% and 0.59%, respectively. Compared to the reference group, depression/anxiety disorder and overall fatigue were 5.2-6.1 times more prevalent in the Musculoskeletal Complaints Group and insomnia/sleep disorder and injury by accident were 7.6-11.0 times more prevalent in the Sickness Absence Group. When adjusted for individual and work-related physical factors, prevalence of all four comorbid health problems were slightly decreased in both groups. Conclusion: Increases in overall fatigue and depression/anxiety disorder were observed in the Musculoskeletal Complaints Group, while increases in insomnia/sleep disorder and injury by accident were observed in the Sickness Absence Group. For management of musculoskeletal complaints and sickness absence in the workplace, differences in health problems between employees with musculoskeletal complaints and those with sickness absence as well as the physical and psychological risk factors should be considered.

• Korean Journal of Culture and Social Issue
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• v.9 no.spc
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• pp.123-147
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• 2003

This paper provides a comparative analysis of the probabilistic versus deterministic view of accident and safety using the indigenous and cultural perspectives. Death and injury due to accidents is the leading cause of preventable death in most countries, including Korea. The first part of this paper delineates the limitation of the linear, deterministic model that has been adopted in social and applied sciences. The transactional model, advocated by indigenous psychology, is provided to understand the probabilistic nature of accident and safety at home, in the workplace and in society. Second, factors related to accidents and safety are reviewed. Third, application of the probabilistic model for preventing accidents and promoting safety in Korea is outlined.

• Safety and Health at Work
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• v.7 no.3
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• pp.213-217
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• 2016

Background: The objective of this study is to identify high-risk groups for industrial accidents by setting up 2003 as the base year and conducting an in-depth analysis of the trends of major industrial accident indexes the index of industrial accident rate, the index of occupational injury rate, the index of occupational illness and disease rate per 10,000 people, and the index of occupational injury fatality rate per 10,000 people for the past 10 years. Methods: This study selected industrial accident victims, who died or received more than 4 days of medical care benefits, due to occupational accidents and diseases occurring at workplaces, subject to the Industrial Accident Compensation Insurance Act, as the study population. Results: According to the trends of four major indexes by workplace characteristics, the whole industry has shown a decreasing tendency in all four major indexes since the base year (2003); as of 2012, the index of industrial accident rate was 67, while the index of occupational injury fatality rate per 10,000 people was 59. Conclusion: The manufacturing industry, age over 50 years and workplaces with more than 50 employees showed a high severity level of occupational accidents. Male workers showed a higher severity level of occupational accidents than female workers. The employment period of < 3 years and newly hired workers with a relatively shorter working period are likely to have more occupational accidents than others. Overall, an industrial accident prevention policy must be established by concentrating all available resources and capacities of these high-risk groups.

• Journal of Preventive Medicine and Public Health
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• v.38 no.3
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• pp.241-251
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• 2005

There has been an enormous increasing trend of widening gap of social inequalities since economic crisis at the end of 1997 in Korea. Since then, Korean society has deteriorated in economic and social conditions; the unemployment rate, temporary or casual workers and absolute poverty have increased. This paper presents the origin of inequalities in work and health in Korea. The origin of inequalities in work begins with the relationship between the capitalist and labourers in the capitalist mode of production. The conception and execution are dissolved in the work process in the capitalist mode of production. Thus, captitalists become control over ther labour process from workers. An alienation of the work process from the workers. The distribution of work is the majour source if inequalities in many countries as well as Korea. This paper presents the increasing tendency of unhealthy states such as mortality, early death, morbidity, physical work load, workplace injury amongst the under-privileged: ordinary workers, unemployed people, casual workers and socially deprived people in Korea.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Safety
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• v.29 no.5
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• pp.136-145
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• 2014

This article has compared the level of activities of occupational safety and health in workplace among sub-sectors of manufacturing industry in order to set the priority for policy intervention. Data of manufacturing industry in the survey on the current status of occupational safety and health was used with factor analysis and radar graphic method. Authors have categorized sub-sectors of manufacturing industry into four categories, attained group, active group, neglected group, and passive group based on injury rate, level of safety and health activities. The neglected group may be the first target group for occupational safety and health policy guiding some detailed occupational safety and health activities. Limitation of this study is that cross sectional data was analyzed. The long term effect could not be analyzed.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Safety
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• v.35 no.2
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• pp.61-66
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• 2020

As asbestos-containing buildings are getting older, asbestos deconstruction works are increasing. As a result, accident risks such as falls, cuts, electric shocks, and suffocation are increasing. Existing studies are mostly about health management and institutional policy research and there is little research on work risk. So workplace risk assessments that are easily applicable in the field are required to be applied. Sealing is the first process of asbestos deconstruction and is the first step to ensure worker's safety. Job Safety Analysis(JSA) and Checklist were used to identify the risk factors and to calculate the level of the risk. By comparing the two risk assessment tools, it was figured out that the JSA is appropriate for the initial process and change of work procedure while Checklist is appropriate for repetitive work. Because the sealing process is sort and simple, it is unlikely to cause serious injury. But since the risk of falling and cuts are exist, safety education and supervision are necessary to maintain a safe working environment.

• Proceedings of the ESK Conference
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• 1997.10a
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• pp.160-167
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• 1997

The statistics of work related Low Back Pains(LBPs) in Korea and outside the countires have erviewed. Despite improved working enviroment with increased automation in industry, the LBPs hve been gradually increased and the workers compensation of such injuries has increased drama- tically. An epidemiological study indicated tha tthe LBPs is te major cause of injury, lost time and medical costs in many industrial workplace especially, a high occurrence rate of LBPs among construction and manufacturing workers. The objective of this study is to investigate problems involved with LBPs in Korea and outside the country for identifying its possible causal factors and characteristics. This study will thus contribute as a basic reference to the industries and ergonomic practitioners for preventing and managing LBPs.

• IE interfaces
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• v.14 no.1
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• pp.106-110
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• 2001

The importance of development of occupational safety index is truly great. It will contribute to the wise direction of safety program. In present, frequency and severity ratios were the standard measure. These terms express the incidence of major injuries and severity of the major injuries experience, each with relation to the employee-hours of work exposure during the period that is measured. But these measure don't expressed the dangerous feeling degree of worker. In this study, Effective Industrial Safety Index(EISI) was developed using dangerous feeling degree of worker, frequency of injuries, and severity of injury. EISI can be used as an aid for effective safety management in workplace.