• Korean Journal of Agricultural Science
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• v.40 no.3
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• pp.209-214
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• 2013

This study examined the work time, work posture, and work intensity for the actual measurement step in forest road the design work that was being carried out. The measurement of the forest road was being carried by a team of three workers and a team of four workers. The examination of work time found that the measurement of 1km took about 8 hours for the four-worker team and 12 hours for the three-worker team. The examination of work intensity found that the energy metabolic rates of the three-worker team were lower than four-worker team. Because their energy consumption per minute decreased as their work time and rest time increased. Furthermore, when appropriate rest time was applied according to work time, the energy metabolic rate decreased and the work intensity became lower. The four-worker team was more advantageous from the time and cost aspects of the forest road measurement work. Furthermore, as the rest time was very low compared to the work time, more efficient forest road measurement work would be possible if the work intensity was lowered by considering the rest time when calculating the standard work time.

• Journal of the Ergonomics Society of Korea
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• v.29 no.3
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• pp.321-329
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• 2010

Unlike production line works, construction work is non-repetitive in nature. In this study, a checklist was developed to characterize the ergonomic hazards of construction work. Eight existing checklists including OWAS, RULA, and REBA were integrated, and a new version was designed to include more postures of lower extremities. The analysis results obtained using the new checklist showed that manual materials handling (MMH) is the most common risk factor. About 62% of the MMH was done below the knee level or above the elbow level, and 22% was carried out with the trunk twisted more than $60^{\circ}$. The next risk factors were the works done with the knee bent or squatted, or with the shoulders abducted. It can be concluded that the new checklist is successful as a quick and easy tool for screening risk factors of construction works, although it is not capable of determining action levels. Further studies on validation of the checklist are expected.

• Journal of Korean Institute of Industrial Engineers
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• v.41 no.6
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• pp.551-558
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• 2015

The purpose of this paper is to investigate the development of mechanical projectile transfer system to prevent musculoskeletal problems in the firing test range. Prior to 2010, the projectile has been transferred from the worktable to the loading device of 155mm K9 fixed-type artillery by manual. Because the amount of firing test has been increased drastically since 2010, two types of mechanical projectile transfer system were developed to prevent musculoskeletal problems. The NIOSH lift equation and the working posture assessment system such as OWAS, RULA and REBA were used to evaluate the appropriacy of working weight and posture by manual transfer of projectile. The configuration and operation procedure of projectile transfer systems which were developed to improve work efficacy and to reduce the burden of manual transferring were described. The improvements were assessed by the number of processes, the tact time and the working posture assessment for operation of this system by comparing to the manual transfer of projectile.

• Journal of the Ergonomics Society of Korea
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• v.30 no.2
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• pp.349-356
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• 2011

Objective: The purpose of this study was to analyze the risk factors of the musculoskeletal workload of mid-old-age female caregivers by identifying work postures and subjective symptoms. Method: This study was carried out on a total of 206 subjects 206 mid-old-age caregivers(45~65 years old) from November 2009 to April 2010: 206 mid-old-age caregivers (45~65 years old) at the long-term hospital. A questionnaires survey on general factors and subjective symptoms of subjects was conducted. The risk factors of the musculoskeletal workload evaluation method is based on OWAS, RULA, REBA according to occupation properties. Results: The analysis of the rates of the subjective symptoms showed that 78.6% subjects experience low back pain. The analysis of the work type showed that transfer is the highest rate(36.3%) and position change is the second(18.2%). The analysis of the work postures showed that the thrusted back with twisting position over $20^{\circ}$ is highest rate(37.4%), the bended back forward with twisting position is the second(27.5%). Conclusion: This study suggested that the need of preventive education for caregivers and workload improve. It is hoped that subsequent study on the difference of subjective symptoms between educated caregivers and non educated caregivers will be conducted.

• The Research Journal of the Costume Culture
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• v.19 no.5
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• pp.1019-1030
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• 2011

The aim of this study was to develop a pattern of flight attendant uniform shirts to provide better comfort for their work postures. Flight attendants' work postures were evaluated to determine the problems of clothing and mobility during their work. The pattern of the flight attendants' uniform shirt was altered by applying dynamic wearing ease(DWE). DWE was calculated from four standardized dynamic postures and a static posture. An experimental garment was made with the altered postures. The researcher redesigned the pattern of the uniform shirts, which minimizes physical limitations in movements. The fit and mobility of the shirts were evaluated. Results of this study are as follows. First, the five representative work postures were selected by "clothing stress" and "repetitiveness." These postures included raised arms, twisting midriff and shoulder postures. Five representative postures were selected by using the ergonomic posture assessment device index(OWAS). Second, the experimental garment was developed by applying DWE across the back and at armhole depth, back length, and side length. Third, the fit and mobility of the experimental garments and the original uniform shirts were compared at the flight working environment set and 5 dynamic body postures of raising arms. The experimental garments made with an altered pattern provided better fit and mobility than the original sample shirts.

• Journal of the Ergonomics Society of Korea
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• v.26 no.1
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• pp.39-46
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• 2007

The purpose of this study was to develop a comprehensive posture classification scheme considering the effects of external load and motion repetition as well as those of working posture. The scheme was developed based on a series of existing empirical studies dealing with postural classification scheme, effects of external load and motion repetition. Ranges of joint motions, external load and motion repetition were divided into the groups with the same degree of discomforts. Each group was assigned a numerical relative discomfort score of code on the basis of discomfort values for the neutral position of elbow flexion. The criteria for evaluating stress of working postures were proposed based on the four distinct action categories, in order to enable practitioners to apply appropriate corrective actions. The proposed scheme was compared with OWAS, RULA and REBA. The comparison revealed that while the proposed scheme and RULA showed similar results for the working postures with light external load and non-repetitive postures, the former overestimated postural load for postures with moderate or heavy external load and repetitive postures than the latter.

• Journal of Korean Institute of Industrial Engineers
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• v.28 no.2
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• pp.223-231
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• 2002

Recently, work-related musculoskeletal disorders(WMSDs) have rapidly increased and have been a major issue in the field of industrial safety. Of several physical risk factors for WMSDs, which include postures, vibration, repetitive work, speed or acceleration of movements, etc., awkward postures have been known as one of the major causes of WMSDs. For reducing the potential for injury as a result of postures, cost effective quantification of the magnitude for physical exposure to poor working postures is important and needed. To do this, several postural classification schemes have been developed and used in industrial sites. It is known that perceived discomfort for joint motions and muscle strength for females were much less than those for males. However, the existing postural classification schemes were developed without considering these gender effects. This study aims to develop a new postural classification scheme for female workers, based on the perceived discomfort for joint motions. The result showed that there was significant difference between the schemes for female and male. It was also found that when compared with OWAS, RULA and REBA, postural load was quantified more precisely with the developed scheme. It is recommended that different schemes according to gender of workers involved in work be used in order to accurately evaluate postural load of work postures.

• IE interfaces
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• v.17 no.2
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• pp.218-225
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• 2004

This study aims to investigate effect of external load and motion repetitiveness on perceived discomfort. An experiment was performed for measuring discomfort scores at varying conditions, in which external load, motion repetitiveness and arm posture were employed as experimental variables. The arm posture was controlled by shoulder flexion and abduction, and by elbow flexion. Fifteen healthy college-age students without history of musculoskeletal disorders voluntarily participated in the experiment. The results showed that the effect of external load, motion repetitiveness and shoulder posture on discomfort were statistically significant, but that elbow posture did not significantly affect discomfort ratings. The effect of external load was much larger than that of any other variables, and that of repetitiveness was second only to external load. Discomfort scores significantly increased linearly as the levels of external load and motion repetitiveness increased. This implies that although they were not fully reflected in the existing posture classification scheme such as OWAS, RULA, etc., the effect of external load and motion repetitiveness should be taken into consideration for precisely quantifying work load in industry. Based on regression analysis, equivalent values of external load and motion repetitiveness in terms of discomfort scores were provided, which would be useful for better understanding the degree of their effect on work load.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Safety
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• v.19 no.4 s.68
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• pp.123-128
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• 2004

This study investigated effect of arm posture, repetition of wrist motion and external load on perceived discomfort. The arm postures were controlled by shoulder flexion, elbow flexion, and ist motions such as flexion, extension, radial deviation and ulnar deviation. An experiment was conducted to measure discomfort scores for experimental treatments using the magnitude estimation, in which the L16 orthogonal array was adopted for reducing the size of experiment. The results showed that while the effect of the shoulder flexion, repetition of wrist motion and external load was statistically significant at $\alpha=0.05$or 0.10, that of the elbow and wrist motions was not. Discomfor ratings increased linearly as levels of wrist repetition and external load increased. This implies that the existing posture classification schemes such as OWAS, RULA, which do not properly consider effect of motion repetition and external load, may underestimate postural load. Based on the regression equation for wrist repetition and external load, isocomfort region indicating the region within which discomfort scores were expected to be the same was proposed. It is recommended that when assessing risk of postures or developing new posture classification schemes, motion repetition and external load as well as posture itself be fully taken into consideration for precisely evaluating postural stress.

• Journal of the Korea Safety Management & Science
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• v.11 no.2
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• pp.51-57
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• 2009

The goal of this study is to propose the effective method of investigating the injurious factors and make improvement plans that prevents the workers against musculoskeletal disorders at plastic product companies and the same business field with similar working conditions and process. A questionnaire are adopted to analyze the symptoms of workers' musculoskeletal disorders, and ergonomic assessment methods such as RULA, OWAS are performed to find out harmful factors of workplace and working posture. Based on the result of the evaluation, to enhance the working environment, improvement of worktable, working space, tools, and outfit was suggested, and induction of mechanical system was also suggested. It can be concluded that the method and process described in this paper could be helpful for diagnosing the musculoskeletal disorders risk factors and making improvement plans to the plastic product companies and the same business field with similar working conditions and process.