• Journal of the Korean Society of Safety
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• v.38 no.6
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• pp.26-35
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• 2023

Sparks cause most fire and explosion accidents in the manufacturing industry during hot work, which ignites surrounding combustible materials. Such incidents lead to high casualties due to suffocation from toxic gases and lack of evacuation. Therefore, the government recently enacted and revised 'The Occupational Safety and Health Act' to prevent fires and explosions at work sites, incorporating legal standards for fire observers, which are important in preventing accidents and the spread of fire during hot work. However, there are notable shortcomings in conducting professional cause analysis of these accidents and in aligning them with advanced foreign legal standards. Additionally, there is a lack of literature review reflecting the manufacturing industry characteristics. Despite the recent enactment and revision of legal standards, gathering sufficient opinions and professional reviews remains insufficient. To address these gaps, interviews were conducted with safety and health workers, analyzing recent fire and explosion causes in domestic manufacturing industries, and reviewing both domestic and international legal standards. Conclusively, proposed improvement measures were centered on the professionalization of fire observer education, enhancing their roles and authority realistically, and improving fire observer placement and operation standards. Consequently, additional 'Occupational Safety and Health Act' standards are necessary for fire observer education and defining the government's role. Second, precise legal standards outlining the role and authority of fire observers are required. Third tailored fire observer arrangements and management standards appropriate for varying work characteristics and company sizes are required. This study emphasizes the importance of supplementing relevant legal standards to prevent fire accidents in the manufacturing industry.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Safety
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• v.30 no.1
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• pp.137-143
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• 2015

Fire fighter are exposed to the situations which are hard to predict due to continuous and accidental changes which hinder their fire fighting activity. As these threats of safety accident act as fear factors, they are doing insecure fire fighting activities. Therefore, as unclear and abnormal risks of working environment such as the riskiness of expansion of disaster, instability, obstacles of activities, abnormality, urgency, etc. increase, safety accidents are caused. This study analyzes the actual condition of safety and health and awareness of fire fighter who are exposed safety accidents during their fire fighting activities and utilize such result as the basis data to secure safety of fire fighter, keep efficient safety control and prevent accidents. The results of analysis are as follows. As rescue works among all fire-fighting works shows the highest emotional stabilization and the highest post-traumatic stress disorder is shown in fire sergeant level positions, and fire fighters whose working period is 10-15 years, reinforcing safety training to long-term workers is necessary. As the result of survey regarding safety awareness, the highest awareness level was shown in fire sergeant level positions, and fire fighters whose working period is over 20 years, and when it comes to operation of fire fighting equipments, fire-fighting workers and workers having 1-4 years of working period showed high safety awareness. The more serious injury in a fire fighter experienced as the first injury after working as a fire-fighter, the more cause-and-effect relationship was shown between personal physical condition and work, and it is shown as obstacles of fire fighting activities and affects to post-traumatic stress disorder. Moreover, as after-work off duty activities also affect to official disaster, systematic improvement of working environment is required. Occupational medical work compatibility evaluation considering the distinct characteristics of works to secure fire-fighter' health care together with fire-fighting capability is shown to be necessary.

• Safety and Health at Work
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• v.9 no.3
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• pp.314-318
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• 2018

Background: Musculoskeletal disorders (MSDs) in the health industry are quite common, however, there have only been a few studies regarding physiotherapists, while in Greece, there is an apparent lack of research and data. The aim of this study is to investigate MSDs experienced by physiotherapists in Greece, their causes and specific measures, and good practices followed. Additional emerging risk factors will be examined. Methods: A questionnaire of MSDs followed by individual and workplace characteristics was completed by 252 physiotherapists. It covered the major workplace categories such as public hospitals, private rehabilitation centers, and private practices. Results: Analysis indicated that 89% of the respondents had experienced a work-related MSD; 32.2% of those injuries occurred within the first 5 years of working. The most lumbered physiotherapists were those working as private practitioners and almost half of the injured respondents chose to work while injured. The most common measure taken to tackle work related MSDs was found to be physical therapy sessions. Job satisfaction and psychosocial issues were also identified as side-effects of the economic slowdown. Conclusion: Physiotherapists in Greece were found to suffer from MSDs; workplace musculoskeletal injuries were quite common but under-reported. The body parts most affected were the lower back, the upper back, the shoulders, and the neck. There was a strong correlation between the workplace setting and the number of MSDs. A well-defined occupational safety and health management system and strict administration steering were found to reduce MSDs. The economic slowdown experienced in Greece during the execution of this study placed additional pressure on physiotherapists.

• Safety and Health at Work
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• v.12 no.3
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• pp.304-310
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• 2021

Background: Healthcare settings have been recognized among the most hazardous places to work. Based on the five categories of occupational hazards that were identified by the ILO and WHO, this study aimed to analyze policy framework relevant to occupational health protection of health workers (HWs) in public health service in China, then discussed how to share the experience of the National Health Service (NHS) England for improvement. Methods: Based on policy learning theories, policy analysis and qualitative interview were used in this study. Results: In the Chinese public health service, at least five laws related to the regulation of occupational health protection for HWs; however, enforcement of relevant laws was separated and multi-centered; the national monitoring system, which targeted to occupational hazards and health outcome for HWs in China, had yet to be developed; the top three priorities were workplace violence, bloodborne pathogens, and musculoskeletal disorders; national strategies included Security Hospital, and Healthy China 2030. In NHS England, three laws were fundamental; several monitoring systems had been set up, including NHS Staff Survey, Commissioning for Quality and Innovation incentive scheme; mental health, musculoskeletal problem, and nutrition disorder and overweight were raised great concern; Health and Safety, and NHS Healthy Workforce Program were critical nationwide strategies. Conclusion: There were several similarities as well as differences between the Chinese public health system and NHS England, which laid foundation of learning by China. Recommendations of improving occupational health policies in China were provided, based on the lessons learned from the NHS England.

• Safety and Health at Work
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• v.7 no.3
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• pp.225-230
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• 2016

Background: This study seeks to examine the relationship and impact of occupational health and safety on employees' organizational commitment in Ghana's mining industry. The study explores occupational health and safety and the different dimensions of organizational commitment. Methods: A cross-sectional survey design was used for this study. The respondents were selected based on simple random sampling. Out of 400 questionnaires administered, 370 were returned (77.3% male and 22.7% female) and used for the study. Correlation and multiple regression analysis were used to determine the relationship and impact between the variables. Results: The findings of this study revealed positive and significant relationship between occupational health and safety management, and affective, normative, and continuance commitment. Additionally, the results revealed the significant impact of occupational health and safety on affective, normative, and continuance commitment. Conclusion: Management within the mining sector of Ghana must recognize the fact that workers who feel healthy and safe in the performance of their duties, develop emotional attachment and have a sense of obligation to their organization and are most likely committed to the organization. Employees do not just become committed to the organization; rather, they expect management to first think about their health and safety needs by instituting good and sound policy measures. Thus, management should invest in the protection of employees' health and safety in organizations.

• Safety and Health at Work
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• v.10 no.4
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• pp.409-419
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• 2019

Although the rare earth elements (REEs) recycling industry is expected to increase worldwide in hightech industry, regulations for worker safety have yet to be established. This study was conducted to understand the potential hazard/risk of REE recycling and to support the establishment of regulations or standards. We review the extensive literature on the toxicology, occupational safety, and health issues, and epidemiological surveys related to the REEs, and propose suitable management measures. REE recycling has four key steps such as collection, dismantling, separation, and processing. In these processes, hazardous substances, such as REEs-containing dust, metals, and chemicals, were used or occurred, including the risk of ignition and explosion, and the workers can be easily exposed to them. In addition, skin irritation and toxicities for respiratory, nervous, and cardiovascular systems with the liver toxicity were reported; however, more supplementary data are needed, owing to incompleteness. Therefore, monitoring systems concerning health, environmental impacts, and safety need to be established, based on additional research studies. It is also necessary to develop innovative and environment-friendly recycling technologies, analytical methods, and biomarkers with government support. Through these efforts, the occupational safety and health status will be improved, along with the establishment of advanced REE recycling industry.

• Safety and Health at Work
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• v.9 no.1
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• pp.30-41
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• 2018

Background: The purpose of the work is to develop a system that allows processing of information for analysis and industrial risk management, to monitor the level of industrial safety and to perform necessary measures aimed at the prevention of accidents, casualties, and development of professional diseases for effective management of industrial safety at hazardous industrial sites. Methods: Risk assessment of accidents and incidents is based on expert evaluations. Based on the lists of criteria parameters and their possible values, provided by the experts, a unified information and analytical database is compiled, which is included in the final interrogation questionnaires. Risk assessment of industrial injuries and occupational diseases is based on statistical methods. Results: The result of the research is the creation of Guidelines for risk management on hazardous industrial sites of the Republic of Kazakhstan. The Guidelines determine the directions and methods of complex assessment of the state of industrial safety and labor protection and they could be applied as methodological basis at the development of preventive measures for emergencies, casualties, and incidents at hazardous industrial sites. Conclusion: Implementation of the information-analytical system of risk level assessment allows to analyze the state of risk of a possible accident at industrial sites, make valid management decisions aimed at the prevention of emergencies, and monitor the effectiveness of accident prevention measures.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Safety
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• v.39 no.2
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• pp.44-53
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• 2024

In addition to being used for ascending and descending to work locations, portable ladders are widely used as a substitute for work platforms when working at heights in homes and industrial sites. However, accidents continue to occur in industrial sites owing to structural instabilities of ladders and the negligence of safety measures by users. To prevent accidents involving workers using portable ladders, it is important to encourage workers to use them correctly through laws and regulations; however, establishing effective preventive measures that go beyond regulations can increase acceptance in industrial sites and maximize the effect of reducing industrial accidents. Therefore, this study conducts a fact-finding survey and portable safety ladder product analysis and collects stakeholder opinions to develop a Korean-style safety ladder that can replace step ladders with a high risk of accidents.

• Journal of Yeungnam Medical Science
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• v.40 no.1
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• pp.58-64
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• 2023

Background: A group health service is a system that delegates workplace health management to an entrusted institution. There have been various studies on group health services to date, but recent changes, such as an increase in foreign workers, are rapidly changing industry characteristics. Methods: Satisfaction was assessed using a 27-question survey distributed among 203 workplaces employing health professionals. The survey items consisted of general characteristics, comprehensive satisfaction, requirements for health professionals' work, and satisfaction with work environment management, ergonomic management, and healthcare management. Multiple regression and frequency analyses were performed. Results: The comprehensive satisfaction was 4.08 points on average, out of 5. The comprehensive satisfaction of health professionals in the industry was positively correlated with each factor. Hazardous materials and chemical management (material safety data sheets, MSDSs) were the most common requirements. Conclusion: A low level of satisfaction with work environment management indicates high demand for healthcare management. The working environment should be improved by identifying characteristics of the workplace, examining harmful substances, inspecting equipment, and enhancing worker methods. The shorter the work experience of health professionals, the more dependent they are on group health services. The variables affecting comprehensive satisfaction were the period of work, healthcare management satisfaction, and work environment management satisfaction. Most of the requirements of health professionals in the workplace were practical improvement case presentations, MSDSs, and legal document management.

• Journal of Korean Society of Occupational and Environmental Hygiene
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• v.34 no.1
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• pp.18-25
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• 2024

Objectives: The primary aim of this study is to create an Occupational Safety and Health (OSH) guide for high-risk maintenance tasks, specifically one designed for maintenance work (MW) in the electronics industry. Methods: The methodology involved a literature review, field investigations, and discussions. An initial draft of the OSH guide was created and then refined through consultations with experts possessing extensive experience in MW for electronic processes. Results: Specific MW tasks within electronics processing facilities identified as high-risk by the research were selected. A comprehensive OSH guide for these tasks was developed consisting of approximately 11 to 12 components and encompassing about 20-25 pages. Implementing safety and health measures before, during, and after MW is crucial for the protection of maintenance personnel. The guide is enriched with real-case scenarios of industrial accidents and occupational diseases to enhance maintenance workers' comprehension of the OSH principles. For a clearer understanding of and adherence to the safety protocols, the guide incorporates visual aids, including cartoons and photographs. Conclusions: This OSH guide is designed to ensure the protection of workers involved in maintenance activities in the electronics industry. It aligns with global standards set by the International Organization for Standardization (ISO) and Semiconductor Equipment and Material International (SEMI) to ensure a high level of safety and compliance.