• Safety and Health at Work
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• v.5 no.2
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• pp.66-72
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• 2014

Background: The purpose of this study was to enumerate the annual morbidity and mortality incidence and estimate the direct and indirect costs associated with occupational injuries and illnesses in Bangkok in 2008. In this study, data on workmen compensation claims and costs from the Thai Workmen Compensation Fund, Social Security Office of Ministry of Labor, were aggregated and analyzed. Methods: To assess costs, this study focuses on direct costs associated with the payment of workmen compensation claims for medical care and health services. Results: A total of 52,074 nonfatal cases of occupational injury were reported, with an overall incidence rate of 16.9 per 1,000. The incidence rate for male workers was four times higher than that for female workers. Out of a total direct cost of $13.87 million, $9.88 million were for medical services and related expenses and $3.98 million for compensable reimbursement. The estimated amount of noncompensated lost earnings was an additional $2.66 million. Conclusion: Occupational injuries and illnesses contributed to the total cost; it has been estimated that workers' compensation covers less than one-half to one-tenth of this cost.

• Journal of the Ergonomics Society of Korea
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• v.25 no.3
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• pp.97-103
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• 2006

Severities of musculoskeletal diseases (MSDs) have been recognized at the regular work such as manufacturing but incidence of MSDs are increasing also at the atypical work. The examples of those are health medical workers, office workers and service workers etc. Nurses among health medical workers are accomplishing to manage and recover the patients' health in the first place. Therefore, they are exposed to very stressful work conditions during caring the patients. This study was performed to analyze the musculoskeletal burdened work among nurses at a university hospital, in order to grasp the realities of the MSDs, analyze and prevent MSDs. We surveyed risk factors for ward, intensive care unit, delivery room, newborn room, operation room, function test room and central supply room at a university hospital in Seoul. It was executed for 2 months as the field study that was composed of simulation, real measurement, work motion assessment and subjective assessment. And the results were analyzed into ergonomics techniques. Works according to the criteria of musculoskeletal burdened work by the Ministry of Labor were scrub in operation room and heart ultrasonic function test. And a lot of works that need attention and management were also detected. So it should be required the education and systematic managements of MSDs for nurses.

• Journal of Korean Society of Occupational and Environmental Hygiene
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• v.22 no.1
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• pp.73-81
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• 2012

Object: The aim of this study is to suggest a list of priority chemicals for the Hazard & Risk Evaluation of Chemicals (HREC) controlled by the Industrial Safety and Health Act (ISHA). Method: Screening assessment was done for 642 chemicals whose exposure threshold limit values were set by the Ministry of Employment and Labor (MOEL). Hazard data were collected from Korea Occupational Safety & Health Agency (KOSHA) and/or other toxicity database. Exposure data were obtained from KOSHA internal database. The hazard and exposure scores of chemicals were listed by order of priority in accordance with GHS classification and exposure index data. Result: From the result of screening risk assessment for 642 chemicals, we extracted a list of 13 priority chemicals for HREC performed by the ISHA. A priority list of 27 chemicals which have carcinogen, mutagen and/or reproductive toxicity but not controlled by the ISHA was suggested for additional evaluation as "chemicals for special management".

• Journal of Korean Society of Occupational and Environmental Hygiene
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• v.22 no.1
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• pp.82-90
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• 2012

Objectives: This study was performed to provide workplaces with political guidelines that apply international CMRs (Carcinogens, Mutagens, Reproductive toxins) information to Public Notice of TLVs (Threshold Limit Values). We analyzed information supply status about CMRs of international agencies and compared substances for which TLVs are set in KMoEL (Ministry of Employment and Labor in Korea). Methods: We referred to the reliable literature about classification criteria of CMRs corresponding to UN GHS (Globally Harmonized System of classification and Labeling of chemicals) and Public Notice No. 2009-68 'Standard for Classification, Labeling of Chemical Substance and Material Safety Data Sheet' in KMoEL. The classification system of CMRs in professional organizations (IARC, NTP, ACGIH, EU ECHA, KMoEL, etc.) was investigated through the internet and literature. Conclusions: 191 chemical substances among total 650 substances with TLVs are classified as carcinogens. Also, 43 substances classified as mutagens, and 44 as reproductive toxicants. These results suggest that the information of CMRs in Public Notice of TLV will be reorganized to 191 carcinogens, 43 mutagens, and 44 reproductive toxicants.

• Educational Technology International
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• v.11 no.1
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• pp.47-68
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• 2010

The purpose of this study was to analyze majors trends and issues of e-Learning curriculum for human resource development in the corporate context. The e-Learning curriculum was chosen as the subject of research consists of 2,710 lectures that were given from 2007 to July 2009 for the recent three years by providing at Ministry of Labor and Korea Research Institute for Vocational Education & Training. In order to investigate trends and issues, it was employed theme analysis which is one of the types of document analysis that approach a qualitative research methodology. As a result of this research, 7 major trends and issues in e-Learning curriculum for HRD in the field of corporate education were drawn; ① Strengthening expertise through learning of job related professional knowledge, ② Cultivation of common & essential knowledge for a job to increase work performance efficiency ③ Organizational management strategy for improving performance, ④ Organizational management and operational strategy for actively responding to environmental changes, ⑤ Leadership as a strategy for cultivating core personnel and field-centered practical leadership. ⑥ Creating a happy workplace through the work-life balance, ⑦ Strengthening global communication skill. Based on these analysis, practicals and theoretical implications of e-Learning professionals and HR researchers for HRD were suggested.

• Transactions of the Korean Society for Noise and Vibration Engineering
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• v.23 no.9
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• pp.831-840
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• 2013

The noise levels of workers in tunnel sites are likely to be high because tunneling work places are confined space. However, research on the noise exposure levels of tunneling workers have not been performed intensively due to restricted accessibility to tunnel construction sites. The aim of this study is to evaluate the noise exposure levels for workers engaged in tunneling work sites. Noise dosimeters were used for monitoring workers' noise exposure level in 5 tunneling work sites in accordance with the Notification of the Ministry of Labor. Among 5 tunneling work sites, 4 of them used NATM tunneling method and 1 work site used shield TBM tunneling method. The average noise exposure levels of NATM tunneling workers was 81.1 dB(A) and 15.4 % of the workers' noise level were exposed more than 90 dB(A) which is the exposure limit value. In Shield TBM tunneling method, 4.3 % of the workers were exposed more than 90 dB(A) of noise level, the average noise exposure levels of TBM tunneling workers was 84.1 dB(A).

• Journal of the Korean Society of Safety
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• v.27 no.4
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• pp.96-100
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• 2012

Low back pain (LBP) is a major issue in modern industrialized society which is mainly caused by manual material handling (MMH) tasks. The objective of this study was to provide scientific data for establishing work standard for Korean workers throughout the laboratory experiment including some specific lifting tasks. Thirty male college students were recruited as participants. The maximum voluntary contraction (MVC), recommended weight limit (RWL), and psychophysical safety weight using Borg's CR-10 scale were studied. Results showed that the RWL was 8.4% MVC higher than the proposed psychophysical safety weight. Based on this result, it is suggested that the NIOSH lifting equation (NLE) should not be directly applied to Korean without reasonable modifications. The ratio of psychophysical safety weight to MVC was ranged from 20.1 to 26.4%. It is expected that use of the methodology in this study may provide better expectation of the work ability of Korean for reducing lower back pains caused by MMH.

• Journal of Environmental Health Sciences
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• v.34 no.2
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• pp.153-160
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• 2008

Personal noise exposure was assessed in railroad operators working in 40 operation units including the Gyeongbu line, Honam line, and Janghang line between 2004 and 2006. 8-hour TWA were assessed based on the MOL (Ministry of Labor) guideline on noise evaluation, and 17% of these measurements exceeded 85 dBA while 70% were over 80 dBA. When the ACGIH TLV is adopted, 40% of measurements were over TLV (85 dBA). The noise exposure risk of railroad operators was higher for diesel locomotive operation and longer operational distances; in addition, the risk was higher for passenger car operation compared to freight car driving. Given that in Korea, over the past 30 years diesel locomotives have provided most of the railway's motive power and that hearing protective equipment is not likely to be used by workers during operation, railroad operators are at a high risk of noise-induced hearing loss. The result of audiometric test among 568 railroad operators showed that 32.6% of those tested had a hearing threshold shift of more than 40 dB. In conclusion, this study calls for more fundamental measures including noise control countermeasures within the operation areas, development of equipment that generates less noise and adopting limitation on the operation distance for a work shift.

• Journal of Korean Society of Industrial and Systems Engineering
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• v.13 no.22
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• pp.99-111
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• 1990

The first national QC Circle Convention sponsored by Industry Advancement Administration in 1975 was the beginning of employees group activity from a national point view. Subsequently some events such as the first nationwide Factory Seamaul activity small Group Convention, which was supervised by the ministry of Trading and Industry and Factory Seamanulundong promotion Center, paved the way for proliferation of the group activity through all kinds of manufacturing. Although since November 1982 these two conventions has been united, many problem have been disclosed that are against the basic principle more or less. Worker's small group activity is, essentially, a trouble shooting oriented voluntary small group within their working place to improve the surroundings creatively. In practice, however, many groups are so typical and so impetuous of the material effect that it is worried to be inclined to outform rather than contents. Effective small group activities are presumed to he successful only with labor management cooperation on the basis of human-oriented management philosophy. The small group activities are also prevalent in service sector. More derivative methods have been developed and more members are willingly participating in training programs. The small group which is basically a horizontal organization unit, promotes communication within the whole organization. In consideration of the social circumstances and traditions, the flexible model of the small group activities suitable to the corporate environment, will contribute to industrial development.

• Journal of the Korea Safety Management & Science
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• v.9 no.6
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• pp.19-29
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• 2007

According to industrial disaster statistics by the Ministry of Labor in 2006, out of 11,688,797 people working at 1,292,696 business places that apply Industrial Disaster Indemnity Act, 89,910 workers were involved in an accident that more than 4 days of medical treatment requires. Among this figure 2,453 people lost their precious lives. "89,910 industrial disaster victims per annum" is showing the safety level of our industrial situation. To prevent such industrial disaster, the most typical and distinctive method is Accident-free Campaign. At the beginning, the movement arose with devotion through out the entire industry. But, the heartbreaking fact is that the fever is getting cool gown as times goes by. Therefore, opportunity for revitalization of this movement is required. The movement should be practically supporting principle of respect for human life and dignity. And it should be established with analysis on industrial disaster and systematize Accident-free Campaign totally in connected research.