• Journal of the Ergonomics Society of Korea
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• v.30 no.4
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• pp.443-450
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• 2011

Objective: The aim of this paper is to introduce ergonomic guidelines and intervention procedures for farm workers. Background: It is necessary to ameliorate the conditions of risky and hazardous work for farm workers. Method: Various references and books have been reviewed to assess ergonomic guidelines and intervention procedures for farm workers. Results: Human centered intervention has become an important approach not only to prevent musculoskeletal disorders but also to enhance the efficiency of work for farm workers. Conclusion: Farm work should be improved by active cooperation with researchers in field of ergonomics. Application: These results can be used to provide baseline information for more effective improvements of farm work.

• Journal of Korean Society of Occupational and Environmental Hygiene
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• v.22 no.4
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• pp.309-315
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• 2012

Objectives: Animal husbandry workers could be exposed to various work hazards including toxic gases, chemicals such as pesticides or organic dust. Immunological evaluation focusing on respiratory allergic hypersensitivity occurrence was under-taken for swine farm workers as a part of the study on immunologic status of dairy barn, swine confinement, and poultry farm workers. Materials and Methods: Peripheral bloods were collected from 25 workers at the year of 2001 and 12 workers at the year of 2012 from swine farms located at Gyeonggi province, Korea. Seven adults not involved with animal husbandry were recruited at the year of 2001 from the same residential area as the swine farm workers'. Level of plasma IgE and 20 respiratory allergen-specific IgE were evaluated using commercially available ELISA kit. Results: Plasma IgE level was approximately five-fold higher in the swine farm workers regardless of the sampling year than the control subjects. Plant allergens from outdoor environments such as golden rod, pigweed, Russian thistle, or ragweed were the major allergens with positive reaction(allergen specific IgE${\geq}$0.7 IU/mL) for the swine farm workers at 2001 year. Meanwhile, house dust mite(Dermatophagoides farinae, D. pteronyssinus) and cockroach, typical indoor allergens in Korea, were the major respiratory allergens for the swine farm workers at 2012 year. Conclusions: Overall, even though our results are primitive, the results suggest that immunological function of swine farm workers could be modulated toward type-2 reactivity.

• Research in Community and Public Health Nursing
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• v.18 no.4
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• pp.643-650
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• 2007

Purpose: This study was to obtain information regarding to agricultural accidents in farm workers in the Kyungpook area. Methods: A questionnaire survey was carried out for 528 workers from the 1st to 31st of March, 2007. Frequency, percentage, mean and chi-square test with the SPSS program were used to analyze the data. Results: The causes of agricultural accidents include falling(29.0%), overseeing(18.9%), traffic accident(17.4%), putting between machinery(11.7%), crashing(5.3%), fire (0.6%) in the order of frequency. Injuries from agricultural accidents include fracture(44.7%) cerebral bleeding (10.4%), amputation(7.0%), airway obstruction (2.3%) burn(1.9%), drug addiction(1.9%) in the order of frequency. The largest proportion of the subjects of hospital treatment were in their 50s and belonged to the group of high-level economic state. Agricultural machinery collision was the most frequent cause among the subjects of hospital treatment. Conclusion: These results suggest that carelessness can be a potential risk factor for agricultural accidents in farm workers. These findings may give useful information for developing agricultural accident prevention programs for farm workers.

• Journal of Agricultural Extension & Community Development
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• v.29 no.4
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• pp.203-224
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• 2022

This study aims to examine the educational needs of migrant farm workers and farmers in Korea. For developing survey instruments, content analysis of migrant workers & employer training programs, in-depth interviews with farmers and expert reviews had been conducted. Therefore, eight parts and twenty nine educational contents for migrant workers, five parts and twenty educational contents for farmers have been constructed. For data analysis, Borich analysis and The Locus for Focus Model were hired to analyze the educational needs assessment. Results showed that migrant workers' educational priorities were 'basic korean for farming, working attitude in farming, safety guidelines and first aid skills for rural life, safe use of pesticides and protective equipment, driving skills, safe use of agricultural machinery, operation & maintenance of agricultural machinery, pest control by crop', and for the farmers' were 'communication with migrant workers, trouble controls with employment, farming guidance, industrial accident cases and countermeasures, preventing disease and promoting mental health of migrant workers'.

• Food Science of Animal Resources
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• v.43 no.5
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• pp.792-804
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• 2023

Non-aureus staphylococci (NAS), particularly antimicrobial-resistant NAS, have a substantial impact on human and animal health. In the current study, we investigated (1) the species profiles of NAS isolates collected from healthy broilers, farm environments, and farm workers in Korea, (2) the occurrence of antimicrobial-resistant NAS isolates, especially methicillin resistance, and (3) the genetic factors involved in the methicillin and fluoroquinolone resistance. In total, 216 NAS isolates of 16 different species were collected from healthy broilers (n=178), broiler farm environments (n=18), and farm workers (n=20) of 20 different broiler farms. The two most dominant broiler-associated NAS species were Staphylococcus agnetis (23.6%) and Staphylococcus xylosus (22.9%). Six NAS isolates were mecA-positive carrying staphylococcal cassette chromosome mec (SCCmec) II (n=1), SCCmec IV (n=1), SCCmec V (n=2), or nontypeable SCCmec element (n=2). While two mecA-positive Staphylococcus epidermidis isolates from farm workers had SCCmec II and IV, a mecA-positive S. epidermidis isolate from broiler and a Staphylococcus haemolyticus isolate farm environment carried SCCmec V. The occurrence of multidrug resistance was observed in 48.1% (104/216 isolates) of NAS isolates with high resistance rates to β-lactams (>40%) and fusidic acid (59.7%). Fluoroquinolone resistance was confirmed in 59 NAS isolates (27.3%), and diverse mutations in the quinolone resistance determining regions of gyrA, gyrB, parC, and parE were identified. These findings suggest that NAS in broiler farms may have a potential role in the acquisition, amplification, and transmission of antimicrobial resistance.

• 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 Agricultural Extension & Community Development
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• v.28 no.1
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• pp.41-52
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• 2021

It is important to understand the factors that affect the business performance of insect farm for continuous insect farm management. The purpose of this study is to investigate factors influencing the business performance of insect farm. For this study, 1,577 questionnaires were collected through a telephone survey targeting insect farm owner. As a result of analysis using linear multiple regression analysis, the factors affecting total sales were gender, age, business experience, number of workers, and national and local government support projects. The factors affecting the net profit rate were age, business experience, number of workers, national and local government support projects, and education. When the gender of the business operator is male, it only affected the increase in total sales, and it was found that both the total sales amount and the net profit margin increased with the younger the business operator's age.

• Journal of the Korea Society of Computer and Information
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• v.24 no.8
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• pp.37-43
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• 2019

The existing smart farm technology has been systematized for the mass production rather than the consumer. There are many problems such as economical aspect to apply to actual rural environment due to aging. The purpose of this study is to apply smart farm technology based on the applicability of population aged in rural areas. Due to the heat wave, the crops in general greenhouse cultivation facilities suffered from damage such as sunlight damage. To minimize such damage, adjust the temperature and humidity environment or install a light-shielding film. However, the workers in the rural areas are aging and the elderly who are farming alone have a lot of difficulties in doing so. In the case of people with weak physical strength, there is a danger that they may lead to safety accidents when carrying heavy loads. In this paper, we propose 'Smart Palm capable of automatic transportation function', applying small smart vehicles that follow workers to existing smart farms to improve and prevent these problems. It is a smart farm that performs the control functions of the existing smart greenhouse environment, installs the rail for each trough, and has a vehicle that follows the worker. The smart app can directly control the greenhouse and the vehicle remotely manually.

• Safety and Health at Work
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• v.11 no.1
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• pp.118-124
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• 2020

Background: The poultry industry in Pakistan has flourished since the 1960s; however, there are scarce data regarding the impact of occupational exposure on the pulmonary health of farm workers in terms of years working in the industry. The objective of the present study was to assess the effect of poultry environment on the health of occupationally exposed poultry farmers in countries of warm climatic regions, such as Pakistan. This study will also show the effect of exposure to poultry facilities on the health of poultry farmers in the context of low-income countries with a relatively inadequate occupational exposure risk management. Materials and methods: The lung function capacity of 79 poultry workers was measured using a spirometer. Along with spirometry, a structured questionnaire was also administrated to obtain information about age, height, weight, smokers/nonsmokers, years of working experience, and pulmonary health of farm workers. The workers who were directly involved in the care and handling of birds in these intensive facilities were considered and divided into four groups based on their years of working experience: Group I (3-10 months), Group II (1-5 years), Group III (6-10 years), and Group IV (more than 11 years). The forced vital capacity (FVC), forced expiratory volume in one second (FEV1) and the FEV1/FVC ratio were considered to identify lung function abnormalities. Statistical analysis was carried out using independent sample t test, Chi-square test, Pearson's correlation, and linear regression. Results: Based on the performed spirometry, 68 (86 %) of workers were found normal and healthy, whereas 11 (14 %) had a mild obstruction. Of the 11 workers with mild obstruction, the highest number with respect to the total was in Group IV (more than 11 years of working experience) followed by Group III and Group II. Most of the workers were found healthy, which seems to be because of the healthy survivor effect. For the independent sample t test, a significant difference was noticed between healthy and nonhealthy farmers, whereas Chi-square test showed a significant association with height, drugs, and working experience. Linear regression that was stratified by respiratory symptoms showed for workers with symptoms, regression models for all spirometric parameters (FVC, FEV1, and FEV1/FVC) have better predictive power or R square value than those of workers without symptoms. Conclusion: These findings suggest that lung function capacity was directly related to years of working experience. With increasing number of working years, symptoms of various respiratory problems enhanced in the poultry workers. It should be noted that most of the poultry workers were healthy and young, the rationale being that there is a high turnover rate in this profession. The mobility in this job and our finding of 86% of the healthy workers in the present study also proposed healthy worker survivor effect.

• The Research Journal of the Costume Culture
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• v.7 no.3
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• pp.142-153
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• 1999

The objective of this study was to analysis the pesticide chemical-using of farm workers and working clothes for diminishing the possible damage by their improper chemicals usages. For the data Questionairs were collected 340 from the farm families of the 3 different districts in Yeoju, Kyonggido, and also inquired of the persons in charge of the chemicals and of the laundry in each family. Among the replies, 233 was classified as useful, and analyzed the frequency, the percentage and correlation. The results were as follows : 1. 64.3% of the farmers were using the chemicals for 5∼20 years, of whom 33.6% experienced stopping of chemicals-using for health. 2. The applicators experienced poisoning symptoms such as habitual fatigue, hadache, dizziness, chest discomfort, eye irritation, skin irritation, blurred vision, vomiting, nausea etc. after chemical work. 3. 74.7% answered they did not obtained educational information for the care of chemicals contaminated clothes. 69.1% said they need to obtain educational information about safety awareness of agricultural chemicals.