• Journal of Korean Dental Hygiene Science
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• v.5 no.2
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• pp.1-11
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• 2022

Background: This study was aimed at investigating the type of work of dental hygienists and identifying factors affecting the subjective health status according to hazardous risk factors in the working environment. Methods: From May 15 to 31, 2019, we surveyed 411 dental hygienists working at dental hospitals in the metropolitan area. SPSS 25.0 was used to perform the frequency analysis, t-test, one-way analysis of variance, Pearson's correlation analysis, and multiple regression analysis. Results: Regarding factors related to the degree of exposure to hazardous risk factors in the work environment and subjective health status, the more exposed the ergonomic (p<0.05) and psychological (p< 0.001)factors, the worse is the subjective health status. Conclusion: The results of this study suggest that the working environment should be improved for dental hygienists such that they can perform their duties in a safe environment.

• Journal of the Korea Society of Computer and Information
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• v.28 no.8
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• pp.165-174
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• 2023

This study used Korean work environment surveys data to confirm the relationship between exposure to harmful and risk factors and absenteeism of manufacturing workers according to the survey period. Accordingly, 8,318 workers in the manufacturing industry were analyzed for the same questions of harmful and risk factors in 2011 (3rd), 2017 (5th), and 2020 (6th). Work-related hazards and risks, vibration, noise, high temperature, dust inhalation, vapor inhalation, chemical handling, and infectious material handling were found to affect absenteeism more than 3/4 of the time of exposure in 2020 compared to 2011. In conclusion, it was found that non-exposure to work-related hazards and risk factors increased one survey after another, and that the time of exposure to work-related hazards and risk factors affected absenteeism.

• Proceedings of the KSR Conference
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• 2005.11a
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• pp.246-251
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• 2005

Accident scenarios analysis is a course to understand, analyze, and describe a process of an accident and behavior pattern of the parties to an accident. The method of accident scenarios is that we described patterns represented between accidents and hazardous conditions, and then provide data to prevent the accident. We have carried out scenarios analysis in various fields so far, but it was not taking account of system. In this research, we made a study on technology of accident scenarios analysis using QFD (Quality Function Deployment) to analyze systematically and evaluate quantitatively types of hazards and scenarios of railway accident. And we analyses accident scenarios of a subject of work-related fatality accident to railway employee and conducted risk assessment for different scenarios. Also we defined relation between unsafe events and hazardous conditions caused to work-related fatality accident, and attempted to quantitatively assess work-related fatality accident and the parties to accidents. The results of this research will be used in analyzing for important causes and contributing factors of work-related fatality accidents at the step of risk assessment of railway system, and quantitatively assessing frequency of work-related accidents and risk.

• 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.

• Journal of the Korea Safety Management & Science
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• v.7 no.1
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• pp.57-76
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• 2005

A standardized ergonomics kit is suggested to evaluate and reduce musculoskeletal hazards that yield large socioeconomic burdens in the work system. This kit comprises basic and detailed analysis tools with proper tool selection rules. The basic tool includes a checklist for various risk factors to screen potentially hazardous jobs among manual works. Selective detailed analysis tools can then be applied to the screened job lists for more quantitative and precise evaluation. The tool selection rules are devised for using the basic and detailed analysis tools in a mutually supplemental way. To validate the standardized ergonomics kit, it was applied to evaluate jobs related to the musculoskeletal hazards in a paper-making industry. Among 101 manual jobs investigated, 44 potential hazardous jobs were screened during basic investigation phase and finally 16 hazardous jobs were identified by the detailed analysis phase. The result provided fairly promising ideas of ergonomic interventions for the hazardous jobs.

• Journal of Korean Society of Occupational and Environmental Hygiene
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• v.32 no.4
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• pp.287-301
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• 2022

Objectives: This study compared the characteristics of the work environment between agricultural and general workers and analyzed the effects of agricultural working characteristics on work-related health problems. Methods: The participants of this study were 2,347 agricultural workers and 48,042 general workers who were selected by applying standardized weights to the raw data of 50,538 respondents from the 6th Korean Working Condition Survey (KWCS). Variables applicable to both worker groups and related to exposure to hazardous risk factors in the working environment, working hours and intensity of work, health problems and work-related status, and satisfaction with the work environment were selected. Chi-square tests and independent sample t-tests were performed to evaluate the differences in the variables between the two groups. Multivariate logistic regression analysis was conducted to analyze the effects of work environment characteristics on work-related health problems. Results: Compared to general workers, agricultural workers were more exposed to hazardous environments, irregular work patterns such as working on Saturday/Sunday, and short repetitive tasks. They reported more work-related and general health problems, including back pain, upper extremity muscle pain, lower extremity muscle pain, and general fatigue. Agricultural workers showed lower satisfaction with their work environment than general workers. Factors affecting one or more work-related health problems included gender, working years, hazardous factors, irregular work pattern, working hours, and labor intensity. Conclusions: Our findings showed that agricultural workers were relatively more vulnerable to safety issues compared to other occupational groups. Therefore, it is necessary to establish standardized safety and health standards and strengthen systematic safety and health management policies and services for agriculture.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Safety
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• v.20 no.1 s.69
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• pp.148-152
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• 2005

The purpose of this paper is to investigate risk factors and ergonomically improve the manufacturing lines of compressors for prevention of work-related musculoskeletal disorders, enhancement of productivity, and workers satisfaction We executed questionnaire survey, ergonomic risk factors investigation of manufacturing lines and ergonomic intervention of work methods, workplace and hand tools. The results of the questionnaire showed that $7.9\%$ of respondents were positive in WMSDs symptom survey. In ergonomic evaluation, the analysis methods such as RULA and NIOSH lifting equation were used and 28 processes in the lines were evaluated to be potentially hazardous. We ergonomically improved the processes to reduce potential WMSDs hazards : manual material handling, carts, work tables, transport methods, working posture and hand tools.

• Safety and Health at Work
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• v.13 no.2
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• pp.135-140
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• 2022

Background: Coal mining is a hazardous industry. The purpose of the study is to identify the nature of occupational injuries and diseases among coal miners and to determine the factors that affect the rate of injury and duration of time loss from work. Methods: A retrospective cohort study was conducted using accepted workers' compensation claims data of 30,390 Australian coal miners between July 2003 and June 2017. Results: Musculoskeletal and fracture conditions accounted for approximately 60% of claims in all occupational groups. Cox regression analysis showed that older age and female gender were significant predictors of longer time off work. Injury types and occupations were associated with work time loss: mental health conditions, and machine operators and drivers had significantly longer durations of time off work. Conclusion: Future research can further address how these factors led to longer time off work so that coal industry regulators, employers, and healthcare providers can target interventions more effectively to these at-risk workers.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Safety
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• v.37 no.4
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• pp.120-128
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• 2022

Printed circuit boards (PCBs) are a basic component in the electronics industry and are widely used in nearly all electronic products, such as mobile phones, tablet computers, and digital cameras, as well as in electric equipment. PCB manufacturing involves the use of many chemicals and chemical processes and therefore has more risks than other manufacturing sectors. This study aims to identify the causes of possible accidents during PCB manufacturing through risk assessment, develop and implement safety measures, and evaluate the effectiveness of these measures. Note that the safety measures developed to mitigate the risks of a certain process were also implemented for other similar processes. The risk assessments conducted over seven years, from 2015 to 2021, at a PCB manufacturing company identified 361 hazardous processes. Between 2016 and 2019, 41-56 hazardous processes were identified per year; such processes decreased to fewer than 20 per year after 2020. Application of the risk assessment results to the improvement of the hazardous processes with the similar characteristics seems to be effective in decreasing the risks. Equipment-related factors such as lack of appropriate maintenance, low work standards, and defective protection devices were responsible for 59.8% of all possible accidents. Because PCB manufacturing involves many chemicals, skin contact with hazardous substances, electric shock, fire, and explosion were the most common types of possible accidents (81.7%). In total, 505 safety measures were implemented, including 157 related to purchase and improvement of equipment and devices for safety (31.1%), 147 related to the installation/modification of fire prevention facilities (29.1%), and 69 related to the use of standard electrical appliances (13.7%). Risk assessment conducted after implementing the safety measures showed that these measures significantly decreased risk; 247 processes (68.4%) had a risk level of 3, corresponding to "very low," and 114 processes (31.6%) showed a risk level of 4, corresponding to "low." In particular, risk assessment of 104 processes with risk scores of 12 and 10 other processes with risk score of 16 showed that the risk decreased to 4 after implementing the safety measures. Thus, implementing these measures in similar manufacturing sectors that involve chemical processes can mitigate risk.

• Safety and Health at Work
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• v.7 no.3
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• pp.185-193
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• 2016

Background: Management and workers in small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) often find it hard to comprehend the requirements related to controlling risks due to exposure to substances. An intervention study was set up in order to support 45 SMEs in improving the management of the risks of occupational exposure to chemicals, and in using the control banding tool and exposure model Stoffenmanager in this process. Methods: A 2-year intervention study was carried out, in which a mix of individual and collective training and support was offered, and baseline and effect measurements were carried out by means of structured interviews, in order to measure progress made. A seven-phase implementation evolutionary ladder was used for this purpose. Success and failure factors were identified by means of company visits and structured interviews. Results: Most companies clearly moved upwards on the implementation evolutionary ladder; 76% of the companies by at least one phase, and 62% by at least two phases. Success and failure factors were described. Conclusion: Active training and coaching helped the participating companies to improve their chemical risk management, and to avoid making mistakes when using and applying Stoffenmanager. The use of validated tools embedded in a community platform appears to support companies to organize and structure their chemical risk management in a business-wise manner, but much depends upon motivated occupational health and safety (OHS) professionals, management support, and willingness to invest time and means.