• Safety and Health at Work
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• 제11권2호
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• pp.207-214
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• 2020

Background: Prolonged sitting at work can lead to adverse health outcomes. The health risk of office workers is an increasing concern for the society and industry, with prolonged sitting work becoming more prevalent. Objective: This study aimed to explore the variation in muscle activities during prolonged sitting work and found out when and how to take a break to mitigate the risk of muscle symptoms. Methods: A preliminary survey was conducted to find out the prevalence of muscle discomfort in sedentary work. Firstly, a 2-h sedentary computer work was designed based on the preliminary study to investigate the variation in muscle activities. Twenty-four participants took part in the electromyography (EMG) measurement study. The EMG variations in the trapezius muscle and latissimus dorsi were investigated. Then the intervention time was determined based on the EMG measurement study. Secondly, 48 participants were divided into six groups to compare the effectiveness of every break type (passive break, active break of changing their posture, and stand and stretch their body with 5 or 10 mins). Finally, data consisting of EMG amplitudes and spectra and subjective assessment of discomfort were analyzed. Results: In the EMG experiment, results from the joint analysis of the spectral and amplitude method showed muscle fatigue after about 40 mins of sedentary work. In the intervention experiment, the results showed that standing and stretching for 5 mins was the most effective break type, and this type of break could keep the muscles' state at a recovery level for about 30-45 mins. Conclusions: This study offers the possibility of being applied to office workers and provides preliminary data support and theoretical exploration for a follow-up early muscle fatigue detection system.

• 한국실내디자인학회:학술대회논문집
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• 한국실내디자인학회 2007년도 춘계학술대회 논문집
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• pp.255-259
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• 2007

Contemporary society is a digital and information-oriented society and a change by digital and information-oriented has made a new society principle and creature. The principle and creature has made society changed having influence on office space. The 21st century business space attachs great importance to the public space as the value of work place, namely, the place of gathering and client meeting which is society space and a thing which grants it with the biggest investment worth is a new order. This kind of society change has been making an appearance in contemporary office space as features of Narrative, Nodal, Neighbourly, Nomadic. These kinds of trends which are not exclusive mutually are stipulated as new trials to business space holding a lot of overriding features in common. These kinds of features brought into relief according to society change can be seen as key words speaking for contemporary office space and have a significance to contemplate and study for the office space of a new concept made an appearance together with society change. It is expected to contribute to revitalization programs with the far-reaching effect of understanding about ideal office work circumstances and work shape which the 21st century wants standing on the features of these new concepts.

• Journal of Preventive Medicine and Public Health
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• 제24권3호
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• pp.279-286
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• 1991

Much of the working population in developing countries are engaged in shift work now and the number of shift workers is not expected to decrease in the future mostly because the need for continuity of production is increasing. Therefore, the possible effects of shift work on health are of particular interest, and in fact, there have been many epidemiological studies on shift work since the first world war. However, no studies on health effects of shift work have been reported in Korea, and the existing studies in western world have arrived at quite different conclusions mainly because the conditions of work other than shift work, such as age and selection of workers, work environment, and labor conditions also influence the health of workers. This study was firstly carried out in Korea to investigate the health risks related to shift work with 2,093 female workers randomly selected from three major manufacturing industries in proportion to total number of female workers in those industries. Differences of work conditions other than shift work in this study were adjusted by multivariate analysis. Ma findings obtained from this study are as follows : 1. There were significant differences between shift and day workers in the distribution of age, type of industry, condition of noise and dust, regularity of mealtime, working position, and working duration. Shift workers tended to be younger, to have shorter working duration, to have more irregular mealtime, to work in standing position, and to work under more noisy and dusty environment than day workers. 2. Univariate analysis showed that shift work increased the Todai Health Index (THI) scores of digestive tract, respiratory tract, and mental instability symptom categories. Shift work also increased days of sickness absence and number of industrial accident per 100 workers per month. 3. Multivariate analysis that adjusted the differences of demographic, occupational and non-occupational health-related working conditions showed that digestive tract symptom and mental instability symptom scores were significantly higher in shift workers than those in day workers. Based on these study results, it is concluded that the shift work has significant effects on some psychophysiological conditions of the workers and the effects are also influenced by several other personal and working conditions.

• 지역사회간호학회지
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• 제24권2호
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• pp.185-194
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• 2013

Purpose: This study was to explore situations that might put the middle-aged Korean-Chinese female migrant workers at risk for work-related musculoskeletal diseases (WMSDs). At the development phase of a continuing health project, the study aimed to clarify health promotion program needs of the migrant population. Methods: A qualitative description research design was used with three focus groups of 23 Korean-Chinese female migrant workers. Each focus group interview was conducted for 70-minutes using semi-structured interview guidelines. The data were analyzed using directed qualitative content analysis techniques. Results: The majority of the participants were household workers and their work included heavy material handling, standing for a long time, and working in awkward postures. They experienced discrimination from employers, lack of control at work, limitations in open-communication, job insecurity, and acculturation. They had needs to have health promotion programs for preventing and managing chronic diseases, depression and menopause as well as WMSDs. Conclusion: The participants were situated in work environments with physical demanding tasks, acculturative and job-related stress and lack of opportunities to participate in health promotion programs. It is suggested to develop a comprehensive program to better meet the needs of middle-aged Korean-Chinese female migrant workers rather than targeting the reduction of WMSDs.

• 한국치위생학회지
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• 제12권6호
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• pp.1128-1137
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• 2012

Objectives : The purpose of this study was to identify the factors that affect working environment related musculoskeletal subjective symptoms among dental hygienists. Methods : The subjects in this study were 232 dental hygienists working at dental clinics and general hospitals in Daegu. The data has collected through the self-questionnaire survey from July 9th 2012 to July 31th. Results : 1. Musculoskeletal subjective symptoms were 85.3% in shoulder(right), 81.9% in neck, 74.6% in shoulder(left), 65.5% in wrist(right), 56.5% in lower leg(right). 2. Pain frequency of musculoskeletal subjective symptoms were the highest 24.7% in neck. Seeing the severity pain was the highest 9.0% in foot(left). The investigation of work interference related to substantially pain showed the highest 18.5% in wrist(right). 3. Musculoskeletal subjective symptoms correlated with general characteristics such as age, marital status, regular exercise and medical check-up(p<.05). 4. Musculoskeletal subjective symptoms correlated with working environments such as working career, the night treatment, the average daily number of patients handled, the average daily standing work hours, the regular rest, the major job in work place and physical burden(p<.05). Conclusions : The education or program on wrong working habits and bad postures of dental hygienists is needed to prevent musculoskeletal disorder.

• Safety and Health at Work
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• 제1권2호
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• pp.149-157
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• 2010

Objectives: To quantify disability level in salespeople with concurrent low back pain (LBP) and to determine the relative associations between demographic, occupational, psychosocial and clinical factors and back disability. LBP is the most common cause of work-related disability in people under 45 years of age and the most expensive cause of work-related disability, in terms of workers' compensation and medical expenses. Evidence suggests high prevalence of LBP in salespeople. Methods: A cross-sectional survey was conducted in which 184 saleswomen with a current episode of self-reported LBP working in a large up-scale department store filled out a battery of 6 self-administered questionnaires and received a standardised physical examination. Results: Saleswomen with concurrent LBP had low disability levels. Factors significantly associated with disability were pain intensity, measured by a visual analogue scale, in the past week (p < 0.001), physical and mental health status (p < 0.001, p = 0.003, respectively), fear avoidance scores for both work and physical activities (p = 0.031, p = 0.014, respectively), past history of LBP (p = 0.019), and self-reported frequency of pushing or pulling objects placed in high positions during work (p = 0.047). A significant level (45%) of the variance in disability status was explained by these variables. Conclusion: In clinical management of LBP workers who required prolonged standing, such as salespeople, clinicians should look for modifiable risk factors associated with disability. Specific measures need to be taken to prevent disability due to LBP among salespeople.

• 한국직업건강간호학회지
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• 제14권2호
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• pp.93-107
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• 2005

Purpose: The purpose of this study is to identify the trends of studies on work-related musculoskeletal disorder and to suggest the direction of future research. Method: 144 research thesis for a degree on work-related musculoskeletal disorder were systematic reviewed and published from Jan. 1990 to Mar. 2005. The analyzed using descriptive statistics, an actual number, percentage. Result: As its result the work-related musculoskeletal disorder research which is announced from domestic the doctorate dissertation at the 2004 year 42 the most many 144 dissertation middle most to be 129 in master degree dissertation was 15 in Ph D degree. Dissertation contents character the contents against the result relation that it analyzes especially and a condition and an obstacle was many most at 84. Research plan in most description investigation research 121 the dissertation field to be the especially public health (hygiene, industry and environment) at this 57 most many research object person distribution manufacturing industry in the research object one dissertation was many most at the 40. The tools which are used in each measurement in the question tool which it uses most the question price of land which uses the condition investigation ticket which it made from the NIOSH and the ANSI most many 33, the hazard which analyzes a work attitude in the tool which it uses the RULA was many most at 14. In the stress test tool social psychological healthy measurement PWI (Psychological Wellbeing Index) the dissertation which uses the Job Strain of the Karasek Model to be many most at 19 PWI (Psychological Wellbeing Index) 7 easy use. Work-related musculoskeletal disorder measurement hazard in physiological index and the machinery and tools which it uses there were 9 researches to use an electromyogram most plentifully. With the effect goes to a work-related musculoskeletal disorder they are 33 where the age is many most from general quality. From healthy act with the relation of smoking the year to be many from 16 dissertations. Work of the corpse an attitude (the attitude which is inappropriate) with 5 and the work market the work burglar is many most at 9, the society-support of 36 where the stress is many psychologically most, the stress and service also the most many duty discretion (authority and autonomy) is 6 at the duty demand boat song 9. The service career to be many is 22 of extraordinarily with relation of service. Conclusion: It is recommended the research which it sees being limited in only domestic thesis for a degree the international comparative study to become accomplished. It comes to think with the fact that it will be necessary to make the protocol which it conforms in the civil official guide the test researches for the protocol or arbitration program which is standardized are necessary. Prevention and the civil official of work relation bones and sinews standing total disease hazard scientific base one program is necessary with base.

• 산업공학
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• 제24권4호
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• pp.387-395
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• 2011

This study was aiming to examine work time, frequency, work environment, and postures of retail grocery store workers to evaluate the risk of musculoskeletal disorders. An ergonomic evaluation was conducted using job analysis and posture analysis. The four most time-consuming tasks were inspecting (27.4%), arranging (21.4%), cutting (17.6%), and displaying (15.6%). The height and length of the shelves evaluated in the field was inappropriate for workers. The most common posture was a standing posture with neutral back, and bent head, right upper arm, lower arms, and hands. Finally, this paper concluded that 'arranging,' 'cutting,' and 'displaying' seemed more stressful than other operations. The result of the ergonomic evaluation would contribute to design a better workspace in ergonomics.

• 한국직업건강간호학회지
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• 제3권호
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• pp.21-30
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• 1993

For the purpose of disclosing the magnitude of low back pain problems of hospital nursing personnel and its possible causes, a questionaire survey was carried out on 418 nurses and nurse aides if a university hospital in Seoul. The results were as follows : 1. Of 418 nurse and nurse aides, 268 persons(64.1%) have experienced 1,145 spells of low back pain during 6-month period. 2. The pain and/or discomfort was mostly limited to the back, although 19% of the episodes accompanied radiating pain to the low extremities. 3. Of those with low back pain, 23 persons(8.6%) were medically diagnosed and 17 persons(6.3%)-underwent medical treatment. Those who sick leave amounted to 8 persons(3.0%). 4. The occurrence of low back pain showed significant association with assignment of duties(wards) and work shifts, while the association was not significant in terms of ranks, careers and overtimes. 5. The occurrence of low back pain was closely associated with lifting and carrying of loads, standing and twisting postures as well as the amount of work. 6. Among the nonoccupational factors, drinking showed statistically significant association with the occurrence of low back pain.

• 대한안전경영과학회지
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• 제16권2호
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• pp.81-90
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• 2014

Flexible production system has been expanded to all sectors of economy with the change of labor market and diversification of employment. The unstable employment with irregular work has replaced stable employment with regular work. This study has investigate the impact pathway of the type of employment on health status especially ill-health symptoms experiences. Among the first Korean Working Conditions Survey data, the employee's response data was used to analyze the path way with multiple regression analysis. The result has shown the direct effect of the type of employment on ill-health symptoms experience. Indirect effect of the type of employment was found the pathway via the exposure to noise, high temperature, low temperature, dust, skin contact to chemicals, painful posture, heavy material handling, standing position, repetitive movement of hands. However the exposure to the other hazardous factors such as organic solvent, wholebody vibration, radiation, lifting people, infectious materials were not influenced by the type of employment.