• Safety and Health at Work
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• v.9 no.2
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• pp.125-132
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• 2018

Background: According to the US Bureau of Labor Statistics, musculoskeletal disorders (MSDs) accounted for 32% of all nonfatal injury and illness cases in 2014 among full-time workers. Our objective was to review and summarize the evidence linking occupational exposures to vibration and awkward posture with MSDs of the shoulder and neck. Methods: A literature search was conducted using the terms musculoskeletal disorders, vibration, and awkward posture. All types of observational epidemiologic studies, with the exception of case reports, published during 1998-2015 were included. Databases searched were MEDLINE (Ovid), Embase (Ovid), Scopus, Ergonomic Abstracts, NIOSHTIC-2, and Health and Safety Science Abstracts. Results: Occupational exposures to whole-body or hand-arm vibration were significantly associated with or resulted in MSDs of the shoulder and neck. Awkward postures while working were also associated with MSDs in these locations. These findings were consistent across study designs, populations, and countries. Conclusion: Occupational exposure to vibration and awkward posture are associated with shoulder and neck MSDs. Longitudinal studies are required to elucidate the mechanisms responsible for these associations, and intervention studies are warranted.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Safety
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• v.38 no.2
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• pp.60-67
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• 2023

This study identified hazard exposures, health problems, and job satisfaction among elderly agricultural workers. A total of 1,340 agricultural workers (1,079 males and 261 females) were extracted from the 6^th Korean Working Conditions Survey data. Three age groups (A: 40s or below, B: 50s, and C: 60s or above) were statistically compared in hazard exposures, health problems, and job satisfaction. Elderly agricultural workers (60s or above) had significantly more exposure to ergonomic hazards, severe health problems, and lower job satisfaction than young agricultural workers. The study findings may help understand the characteristics of hazard exposures, health problems, and job satisfaction of elderly agricultural workers and will be useful for improving these conditions.

• Korean Journal of Occupational Health Nursing
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• v.29 no.1
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• pp.58-68
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• 2020

Purpose: Workers with chronic health problems find it difficult to maintain their work because of socioeconomic difficulties. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the relationships between physical, ergonomic, and mental health hazards in the workplace and chronic health problems of Korean workers. Methods: A total of 28,807 wage workers participated in the study and were selected using the Fifth Korean Working Conditions Survey (2017). Multiple logistic regression analysis was used to determine the associations between physical, ergonomic, and mental health hazards and chronic health problems. Results: Of the participants, 1,220 (4.23%) had chronic health problems. Even after adjusting the general characteristics, vibration, noise, high temperature, low temperature, dust, chemical and cigarette smoke, fatigue and painful posture, dragging or pushing or moving of heavy objects, repetitive hand or arm movements, working with a computer or smartphone, use of internet or e-mail, and anxiety situations increased the risk of chronic health problems. Conclusion: The study reaffirms that exposure of physical, ergonomic, and mental health hazards in the workplace significantly increases the risk of chronic health problems.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• v.15 no.2
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• pp.501-516
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• 2014

Background: Our aim was to identify gaps and limitations in the current literature and to make recommendations for future research required to address these. Materials and Methods: We reviewed occupational exposures and related factors associated with the risk of prostate cancer between 2000 and 2012. These included chemical, ergonomic, physical or environmental, and psychosocial factors which have been reported by epidemiological studies across a range of industries. Results: The results are inconsistent from study to study and generally this is due to the reliance upon the retrospectivity of case-control studies and prevalence (ecological) studies. Exposure assessment bias is a recurring limitation of many of the studies in this review. Conclusions: We consider there is insufficient evidence to implicate prostate cancer risk for ergonomic, physical, environmental or psychosocial factors, but there is sufficient evidence to implicate toxic metals, polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs). More research is required to identify specific pesticides that may be associated with risk of prostate cancer.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Safety
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• v.25 no.6
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• pp.169-179
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• 2010

The aim of this study was to investigate occupational and individual risk factors and working conditions in relation to musculoskeletal symptoms in street cleaners. Investigation was conducted through a survey of 395 male street cleaners employed by the government office in Seoul, Gyeonggi and Chung-Nam from July to August of 2009. The control group was comprised of 143 male drivers and security guards. Risk factors for musculoskeletal symptoms in street cleaners were investigated by multiple logistic regression analysis and also evaluated ergonomic risk factors by assessing working conditions of 4 street cleaners. As a result of symptom questionnaires, all of the prevalent rates of musculoskeletal symptoms in street cleaners had significantly higher results than those of the control group(p<0.05). On binary logistic regression analysis of musculoskeletal symptoms, street cleaners showed significant higher odds ratio as 18.84(95%CI: 6.56-54.12) in the arm/elbow, 10.49(95%CI: 4.29-25.65) in the hand/wrist compared to the control group. Both absence of rest breaks and exposure to ergonomic risk factors showed to be important internal risk factors of musculoskeletal symptoms among street cleaners. The exposure levels of QEC(Quick exposures checklist) in street cleaners were revealed to be higher on the shoulder/arm, wrist/hand, and neck than back, or from stress. The findings appear to show that street cleaners were high-risk group of work-related musculoskeletal disorders. Therefore street cleaners require a holistic interventional strategy, including adequate arrangement of rest breaks, improvement of working tools and control of individual risk factors such as obesity and smoking.

• Journal of the Ergonomics Society of Korea
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• v.30 no.3
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• pp.395-401
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• 2011

Objective: This study examined the effects of working chair that was developed for farmers who work in grapevine's cluster thinning. Background: Agricultural work involves some of the nation's highest occupational risk exposures. Fruit cultivation has been recognized as one of the most hazardous crops in which to work. Grapevine cluster thinning task involve activities related to the main risk factors associated with upper limb work-related musculoskeletal disorders. Method: An experiment was designed to test the working chair. Six healthy male($25.8{\pm}4.9years$) were selected as the subjects for this study. Electromyography(EMG) was used to monitor the muscles activity, and Electro-goniometer was used to measure the ranges of motions of the elbow, trunk and knee. Subjective test was also carried out to examine discomfort body parts and their pain intensity. A grapevine's working space was built for the experiment and working chair was installed on it. In order to examine the muscle activity and range of motion, subjects used to the working chair for 30 minutes for each experimental condition. Another test without working chair was also performed for comparison. %MVC was used to quantify the level of muscle activity. Results: Decreases of muscle activity was found in all leg muscles and significant decrease of muscle activity was found in left Gastrocnemius. The range of motion of the trunk and knee also decreased when working chair used. Discomfort in lower back, thigh and shank region were reduced significantly. However, in upper limbs muscle activity tended to increase in working chair compared with conventional task. Conclusion: Improvement for cushion in seat back and pan required to reduce discomfort in buttocks. Application: Overall findings verified that the working chair might help to prevent upper limb and lower back MSDs based on the current study. These results can be practically used for work improvement for the grapevine growers to prevent MSDs.

• Psychiatry investigation
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• v.15 no.12
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• pp.1188-1202
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• 2018

Objective This study protocol aims to determine, using a rigorous approach in patients with bipolar disorder (BD) and non-seasonal major depressive episode (MDE), the characteristics of bright light therapy (BLT) administration (duration, escalation, morning and mid-day exposures) depending on the tolerance (hypomanic symptoms). Methods Patients with BD I or II and treated by a mood stabilizer are eligible. After 1 week of placebo, patients are randomized between either morning or mid-day exposure for 10 weeks of active BLT with glasses using a dose escalation at 7.5, 10, 15, 30 and 45 minutes/day. A further follow-up visit is planned 6 months after inclusion. Patients will be included by cohorts of 3, with at least 3 days of delay between them, and 1 week between cohorts. If none meet a dose limiting toxicity (DLT; i.e hypomanic symptoms), the initiation dose of the next cohort will be increased. If one patient meet a DLT, an additionnal cohort will start at the same dose. If 2 or 3 patients meet a DLT, from the same cohort or from two cohorts at the same dose initiation, the maximum tolerated dose is defined. This dose escalation will also take into account DLTs observed during the intra-subject escalation on previous cohorts, with a "Target Ceiling Dose" defined if 2 DLTs occured at a dose. Discussion Using an innovative and more ergonomic device in the form of glasses, this study aims to better codify the use of BLT in BD to ensure a good initiation and tolerance.