• Korean Journal of Occupational Health Nursing
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• v.17 no.2
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• pp.191-201
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• 2008

Purpose: The purpose of this study were to investigate the health status and to identify the influencing factors on health status by gender among service workers. Method: Data were collected from the self-reported survey of 781 service workers in sales, food & lodging industry. The data were analyzed by descriptive statistics and multiple linear regression analysis using SPSS Win 10.0. Result: The influencing factors of male workers' health status were job satisfaction, standing hour during work time, physical work environment, job demand and family support. The influencing factors of female workers' health status were job satisfaction, emotional labor, physical work environment, regular exercise, standing hour during work time, social support and age. Conclusion: Gender specific occupational Health program for service workers should be developed in consideration of these influencing factors.

• Journal of Korean Society of Occupational and Environmental Hygiene
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• v.23 no.3
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• pp.250-260
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• 2013

Objectives: The aim of this study is to analyze the current status of the possession of measurement and analytical instruments among work environment monitoring organizations that have been designated by the Ministry of Employment and Labor (MoEL) in Korea. Methods: Data for measurement and analytical instruments were gathered by inspectors who had been assigned by the Korea Occupational Safety and Health Agency (KOSHA) and MoEL during the evaluation program for designated work environment monitoring service providers in 2012. Data for 11 monitoring instruments and nine analytical instruments were collected from 108 organizations. Basic data such as the type of service provides and the size of employment were also recorded by the inspector. Results: The total number of personal air samplers including high and low flow rates operated in Korea was 5,418, with average of 50.2. Average operation number of noise dosimeters was 35.0, while 3,780 dosimeters were used in 108 work environment monitoring organizations. There were 10,488 monitoring instruments in total. All service providers possessed at least one AAS and GC in their analytical laboratory. Total number of HPLC/MS was five, followed by ICP/MS of seven, with an average of 0.07. Conclusions: Based on the data, domestic work environment monitoring service providers possessed relatively reasonable measurement and analytical instruments. Nearly all instruments had been imported from advanced countries such as USA, UK and Japan. Periodic gathering of data on these instruments may help maintain good workplace monitoring results and the health of workers at the sites.

• Safety and Health at Work
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• v.11 no.3
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• pp.291-300
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• 2020

Background: The study aimed to determine the association of individual cognitive ability in late midlife with labor market participation among older workers. Methods: This prospective cohort study estimates the risk of long-term sickness absence, disability pension, early retirement, and unemployment from scores on the Intelligenz-Struktur-Test 2000R by combining data from 5076 workers from the Copenhagen Aging and Midlife Biobank with a register on social transfer payments. Analyses were stepwise adjusted for age, gender, physical and psychosocial work environment, health behaviors, occupational social class, education, and chronic diseases. Results: In the fully adjusted model, low cognitive ability (≥1 standard deviation below the mean for each gender) and high cognitive ability (≥1 standard deviation above the mean for each gender) were not associated with risk of any of the four labor market outcomes. Conclusion: Individual cognitive ability in late midlife was not associated with risk of long-term sickness absence, disability pension, early retirement, and unemployment in the fully adjusted model. Thus, no direct effect of individual cognitive ability in late midlife was observed on the risk of permanently or temporarily leaving the labor market.

• Safety and Health at Work
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• v.1 no.2
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• pp.192-200
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• 2010

Objectives: We have investigated the toxic effects of the inhalation of subchronic and acute levels of n-octane. Methods: The rats were exposed to n-octane of 0, 2.34, 11.68 and 23.36 mg/L (n = 5 rats/group/gender) in an acute inhalation test (Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) TG 403), or to 0, 0.93, 2.62 and 7.48 mg/L (n = 10 rats/group/gender) for a subchronic inhalation test (OECE TG 413), to establish a national chemical management system consistent with the Globally Harmonized Classification System (GHS). Results: Acutely-exposed rats became lethargic but recovered following discontinuation of inhalation. Other clinical symptoms such as change of body weight and autopsy finds were absent. The LC50 for the acute inhalation toxicity of n-octane was determined to exceed 23.36 mg/L and the GHS category was 'not grouping'. Subchronically-treated rats displayed no significant clinical and histopathological differences from untreated controls; also, target organs were affected hematologically, biochemically and pathologically. Therefore, the no observable adverse effect level was indicated as exceeding 7.48 mg/L and the GHS category was 'not grouping' for the specific target organ toxicity upon repeated exposure. Conclusion: However, n-octane exposure should be controlled to be below the American Conference of Industrial Hygienists recommendation (300 ppm) to prevent inhalation-related adverse health effects of workers.

• Korean Journal of Occupational Health Nursing
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• v.22 no.4
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• pp.275-284
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• 2013

Purpose: This study analyzed the characteristics of occupational injuries and illnesses of the nursing staff to reveal the prevalence of the major diseases and the predominant causes of the injuries in the nursing environment. Methods: Total 3,455 work-related compensation cases of nursing staff from January 1 2000 to December 31 2012, were selected. The specific types of the diseases, injuries, causes and the time of the incidence were analyzed. Results: Majority of the compensated cases were young women under 30 years old. The composition of the occupational injuries and illness was 74.5% and 25.5%, respectively. Occupational infection was the major part of the occupational illnesses (47.3%), and 74% of them were tuberculosis. Musculoskeletal disorder (12.6%) was followed the infectious disease, and 36.4% of them occurred while moving the patients. Slipping was the most frequent injury; most of them resulted in the lower extremities injury. Most of the injuries increased during shift change, except workplace violence, which increased later than 19:00. Conclusion: Occupational injuries and illnesses of nursing staff need the specific prevention strategy, and the prevention strategy should be suitable for the nursing workplace.

• Safety and Health at Work
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• v.15 no.1
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• pp.17-23
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• 2024

Background: The present study aimed to analyze several aspects of the working conditions and health status of platform workers in the Republic of Korea, such as ergonomic and emotional hazards. We also compared the health status of the platform workers with that of the general population. Methods: A total of 1,000 platform workers participated in this survey from August 7 to August 17, 2022. The participants included 400 designated drivers, 400 food-delivery drivers, and 200 housekeeping managers. A face-to-face survey with a structured questionnaire was conducted by researchers who had received specific instructions. The focus of the survey extended to the work environment, encompassing factors such as workplace violence, as well as physical, chemical, and ergonomic hazards. Health-related data for the previous year were also collected, covering a range of issues such as hearing problems, skin problems, musculoskeletal symptoms, headaches, injuries, mental health issues, and digestive problems. Subsequently, we compared the health symptom data of the responders with those of the general population in the Republic of Korea. Results: Platform workers, including designated drivers, food-delivery drivers, and housekeeping managers, existed in the blind spot of social insurance, facing frequent exposure to physical and chemical hazards, ergonomic risk factors, and direct or indirect violence. The prevalence of health problems, including musculoskeletal symptoms, general fatigue, and depressive symptoms, in each occupational group was statistically higher than that in the general population after standardization for age and gender. Conclusion: The results revealed unfavorable working environment and inferior occupational health of platform workers compared with those of the general population.

• Annals of Occupational and Environmental Medicine
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• v.35
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• pp.10.1-10.10
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• 2023

The purpose of this paper was to review the problems relating to Korea's occupational health services and suggest ways to improve them. Korea can be classified as a welfare state type of conservative corporatism partially interwoven with liberalism. While experiencing compressed economic growth, the economic sectors of developed (excess areas) and developing (deficient areas) countries are interwoven. Therefore, it is necessary to perfect conservative corporatism along with a complementary reinforcement of liberal contents and to apply a multilayered approach focusing on complementing the deficient areas. It is essential to form a national representative indicator related to occupational health, and a strategy for selection and concentration is needed. The proposed central indicator is the occupational health coverage rate (OHCR), which is the number of workers who have applied for mandatory occupational health services under the Occupational Safety and Health Act in the numerator with the total working population in the denominator. This paper proposes ways to raise the OHCR, which is currently at the level of 25%-40%, to 70%-80%, which is the level of Japan, Germany, and France. To achieve this target, it is necessary to focus on small businesses and vulnerable workers. This is an area of market failure and requires the active input of community-oriented public resources. For access to larger workplaces, the marketability of services should be strengthened and personal intervention using digital health resources should be actively attempted. Taking a national perspective, work environment improvement committees with tripartite (labor, management, and government) participation for improvement of the working environment need to be established at the center and in the regions. Through this, prevention funds linked to industrial accident compensation and prevention could be used efficiently. A national chemical substance management system must be established to monitor the health of workers and the general public.

• Journal of Korean Society of Occupational and Environmental Hygiene
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• v.20 no.4
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• pp.225-235
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• 2010

This study was aimed to assess the status of working environment, health care management status and cause of exposure in manufactories using dimethylformamide (DMF). For the purpose, airborne concentration of DMF in the workplaces and N-methylformamide (NMF) in worker's urine were measured with job type and process. In addition, management of local exhaust ventilation system (LEV) and personal protective equipment (PPE) was evaluated at 35 work places (107 workers) located in Busan and Gimhae area. Mean DMF concentrations in work places by job type and process were of high level measured in printing and record media reproduction (5.23 ppm) and flaking process (2.48 ppm). Workers in adhesive job were measured a large amount of urine NMF (21.59 mg/${\ell}$). 98.1% of DMF handling workers were provided respirators, but 67.3% of those workers used them. The main reasons for not using respirators were inconvenience and difficulty of breathing. Airborne concentrations of DMF were higher in the workplaces in which LEVs were working abnormally, but there was not statistically significant. In addition, the urine NMF levels were correlated with management of LEV within the workers who did not use the respirators (p<0.048). These results implied that LEV should be installed and maintained properly to protect the workers from the exposure to DMF. Management of PPE should be also necessary to protect the workers from chemical hazards.

• Journal of Preventive Medicine and Public Health
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• v.30 no.4 s.59
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• pp.840-851
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• 1997

To perform voluntary occupational health program in worksites, regulational supports are necessary. The regulational supports include assessment of current occupational health program and appropriate incentives. The purpose of this study is to find out the requirements of voluntary occupational health program and conditions to be improved. Study population was industrial health managers of both industries with less than 300 workers and over 300 workers, and the member of labor union who is responsible for safety and health in worksite. Two different questionnaire were used to find out the requirements and conditions to be improved respectively, The results were; 1. The category which prevalence rate of occupational injuries and occupational disease should be lower than national average was most important in health managers employed in industries over 300 workers and followed by reporting system, education, worksite policy, work environment assessment, protective equipment, consequently. But those employed in industries less than 300 workers showed high importance in prevalence rate of occupational injuries and disease, reporting system, worksite policy, work environment assessment, protective equipment, education, consequently 2. The members of labor union thought that worksite policy was most important and the next is education, reporting system, work environment assessment, protective equipment, prevalence rate of occupational injuries and disease. 3. There were difference in importance of education and worksite policy according to the size of industries. Reporting system, prevalence rate of occupational injuries and disease, and worksite policy had different importance between members of labor union and health managers. 4. In the results of quiestionnaire for conditions to be improved, the most important condition was top manager's willingness except personal protective equipments, and followed by financial support, legal support. The limitations of this study were the problems of representativeness of study population. but voluntary health program should be performed in worksites which have relatively good occupational health system. So, this selection bias could not disrupt our results.

• Journal of Korean Society of Occupational and Environmental Hygiene
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• v.31 no.2
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• pp.111-118
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• 2021

Objectives: The necessity of samples for analysis requested by working environment monitoring institutes (WMIs) has grown recently. The collection of samples of a few chemical substances requested by WMIs is allowed under the current occupational safety and health act in Korea, leading to an expansion of samples for analysis requested by institutes (SRIs). The objective of this study was to identify the number of institutes for analyzing requested samples (IARS), SRIs, and their participation in a non-mandatory proficiency test. Methods: Questionnaires were completed by all WMIs. The collected information was quantity of analysis equipment, sorting of chemicals from SRIs, and the number of SRIs. This was compared in terms of the participation in the non-mandatory proficiency test. Results: All WMIs in Korea responded to the survey, establishing a 100% response rate. There were 52 (29%) IARS among the 179 WMIs in Korea. The total number of samples of acid for ion chromatograph (IC) analysis requested by WMIs was 21,165, which is the most. Even the number of IARS for crystalline silicon oxide was less than other top-five IARS. The total amount of samples was 13,863, which was the second most. The calculated participation score for IARS was significantly higher than other WMIs (p<0.001). According to participation in the non-mandatory proficiency test by type of substance, such as crystalline silicon oxide and formaldehyde among IARS, the number of SRIs from those IARS was significantly higher than IARS that did not participate in the proficiency test (p<0.05). Conclusions: IARS had a high frequency of participation in the non-mandatory proficiency test and the number of SRIs at IARS participating in the proficiency test was higher among IARS. With the revision of the occupational health and safety act in Korea, the number of IARS participating in the non-mandatory proficiency test might increase.