• Journal of the Korean Society of Safety
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• v.21 no.4 s.76
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• pp.108-113
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• 2006

The Work-Related Musculoskeletal Disorders(WMSDs) have been an rising issue since the 1970s. So many manufacturing companies have been tried to improve the work environments for the control and the prevention of the WMSDs. Specific risk factors associated with WMSDs include repetitive motion, heavy lifting, forceful exertion, contact stress, vibration, awkward posture and rapid hand and wrist movement. But recently it has reported that besides working conditions, job stress is the important hazard causes which lead to WMSDs. This study investigates the relation between WMSDs and Job stress from 1426 workers in Heavy Industry. Job stress was evaluated by Karasek's model. Job stress was associated with job satisfaction. Job demand was associated with the WMSDs, but job control was not associated with the WMSDs. The results can be used to design the management program for the WMSDs and the job stress.

• Journal of the Ergonomics Society of Korea
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• v.22 no.4
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• pp.79-90
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• 2003

The purposes of this study are to compare data for work-related musculoskeletal disorders(WMSDs) between Korea and USA, and to investigate status of WMSDs for industrial safety managers. The first part of this study was based on statistical data annually published by Minister of Labor of Korea and Bureau of Labor Statistics of USA. The latter was performed by using questionnaire survey for industrial safety managers in two regions. The results showed that the WMSDs incidence rate was significantly lower in Korea than in USA, and that there is big difference in the distribution of occupational illness by category of illness between Korea and USA. The questionnaire survey revealed that knowledge level about WMSDs was significantly affected depending upon corresponding companies' location and size, and that the low back pain was the most prevalent illness among varying WMSDs symptoms, followed by tendonitis/tenosynovitis, carpal tunnel syndrome, and tennis elbow. Based on this study, it is recommended that the future education/training for WMSDs focus on their preventative measures, methods/tools for identifying their risk factors, and diagnostic criteria for judging suspicious symptoms for industrial accidents, and that the governmental policy for WMSDs be changed towards financial supporting for preventive facilities, establishing objective diagnostic criteria and training for WMSDs.

• Journal of Korean Society of Occupational and Environmental Hygiene
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• v.20 no.2
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• pp.79-87
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• 2010

Objectives: The purpose of this study was to investigate the symptoms of work-related musculoskeletal disorders (WMSDs), the influence of the WMSDs on the health-related quality of life (HRQoL), and to identify the differences of WMSDs and HRQoL between greenhouse farmers and paddy farmers. Methods: Subjects were 34 greenhouse farmers and 56 paddy farmers who were living in a rural community. The sociodemographic characteristics, health-related behavior, working characteristics, WMSDs and HRQoL were investigated. WMSDs symptoms were measured by a selfassessed questionnaire on musculoskeletal disorders symptoms and HRQoL was measured by the Euro Quality of Life (Euroqol) EQ-5D index. The differences on the WMSDs, EQ-5D and it's related factors between the groups were assessed with t-test and ${\chi}^2$-test. Results: Greenhouse farmers were longer the working hours per day and working duration than paddy farmers. The level of prevalence of the WMSDs in greenhouse farmers is higher than in paddy farmers. The EQ-5D index of greenhouse farmers and paddy farmers were 0.819 and 0.874, respectively. Overall, the mean value of EQ-5D index was significantly lower greenhouse farmers than paddy farmers. Conclusions: These results showed that the HRQoL for farmers are strongly influenced by WMSDs and agicultural type in that we are aware of the need to comply with regulations of WMSDs, especially greenhouse farmers.

• Safety and Health at Work
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• v.10 no.1
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• pp.61-66
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• 2019

Background: Emergency workers such as firefighters are cataloged within the most demanding and injurious professions globally. Considering the health and safety implications in firefighting, a lot of research needs to be conducted to examine how firefighters' task characteristics and their work demand influence the development of work-related musculoskeletal disorders (WMSDs). This study therefore examines how the task characteristics of firefighters moderates the relationship between their work demand and the development of WMSDs. Methods: Convenient sampling was employed to select 320 firefighters in the Greater Accra region of Ghana. Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics, correlation, and regression. Results: The findings revealed that work demand and task characteristics have significant positive effects on WMSDs. Again, the task characteristics of firefighters moderates the relationship between their work demand and WMSDs. Conclusion: Since the study shows that task characteristics influences the relationship between work demand and WMSDs, it is vital for managers to constantly modify the nature of tasks performed by and work demand of emergency workers to minimize the development of WMSDs and other industrial health complications.

• Journal of the Korea Safety Management & Science
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• v.16 no.1
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• pp.119-127
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• 2014

This study tried to develop a basis for quantitative index of working postures associated with WMSDs (Work-related Musculoskeletal Disorders) that could overcome realistic restriction during application of typical checklists for WMSDs evaluation. The baseline data(for a total of 603 jbs) for this study was obtained from automobile manufacturing company. Specifically, data for back posture was analyzed in this study to have a better and more objective method in terms of job relevance than typical methods such as OWAS, RULA, and REBA. Major statistical tools were clustering, logistic regression and so on. The main results in this study could be summarized as follows; 1) The relationship between working posture and WMSDs symptom at back was statistically significant based on the results from logistic regression, 2) Based on clustering analysis, three levels for WMSDs risk at back were produced for flexion as follows: low risk(< $18.5^{\circ}$), medium risk($18.5^{\circ}{\sim}36.0^{\circ}$), high risk(> $36.0^{\circ}$), 3) The sensitivities on risk levels of back flexion was 93.8% while the specificities on risk levels of back flexion was 99.1%. The results showed that the data associated with back postures in this study could provide a good basis for job evaluation of WMSDs at back. Specifically, this evaluation methodology was different from the methods usually used at WMSDs study since it tried to be based on direct job relevance from real working situation. Further evaluation for other body parts as well as back would provide more stability and reliability in WMSDs evaluation study.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Safety
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• v.28 no.1
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• pp.95-101
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• 2013

This study tried to develop a basis for quantitative index of working postures associated with WMSDs(Work-related Musculoskeletal Disorders) that could overcome realistic restriction during application of typical checklists for WMSDs evaluation. The baseline data for this study was obtained from automobile manufacturing company(A total of 603 jobs were observed). Specifically, data for shoulder postures was analyzed to have a better and more objective method in terms of job relevance than typical methods such as OWAS, RULA, and REBA. Major statistical tools were Clustering, Logistic regression and so on. The main results in this study could be summarized as follows; 1) The relationships between working postures and WMSDs symptoms at shoulder were statistically significant based on the results from logistic regression. 2) Based on clustering analysis, three levels for WMSDs risk at shoulder were produced for both flexion and abduction were statistically significant. Specific results were as follows; Shoulder flexion: low risk(< $37.7^{\circ}$), medium risk($37.7^{\circ}{\sim}70.0^{\circ}$), high risk(> $70.0^{\circ}$) Shoulder abduction: low risk(< $26.5^{\circ}$), medium risk($26.5^{\circ}{\sim}56.8^{\circ}$), high risk(> $56.8^{\circ}$). 3) The sensitivities on risk levels of shoulder flexion and abduction were 64.0% and 20.6% respectively while the specificities on risk levels of shoulder flexion and abduction were 99.1% and 99.3% respectively. The results showed that the data associated with shoulder postures in this study could provide a good basis for job evaluation of WMSDs at shoulder. Specifically, this evaluation methodology was different from the methods usually used at WMSDs study since it tried to be based on direct job relevance from real working situation. Further evaluation for other body parts as well as shoulder would provide more stability and reliability in WMSDs evaluation study.

• Journal of Korean Society of Occupational and Environmental Hygiene
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• v.16 no.3
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• pp.276-283
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• 2006

Work-related musculoskeletal disorders (WMSDs) were a major source of disability and lost work time after 'Foreign Currency Crisis(1998-2000)' in Korea. There is considerable evidence documenting the association between psychosocial risk factors and work disability due to WMSDs. But, there is not much in Korea. The present study aimed to explore the predictive association between the changed working conditions and WMSDs after 'Foreign Currency Crisis' in Korea. A study sample of 8,670 automobile assembly workers were recruited for this study. A structured-questionnaire was used to assess general characteristics, working conditions, and information concerning medical treatment of WMSDs. After adjustment for sociodemographic factors, increased overtime work(OR=1.22), daily work time(OR=1.20), work speed (OR=1.32), number of workers(OR=0.83), supervisory control(OR=1.39), physical load(OR=1.39), and mental load (OR=1.25) were all founded to be significantly associated with WMSDs. This study has shown the importance of changed working conditions in the occurrence of WMSDs. Therefore, it will be necessary to reduce WMSDs with controlling both physical and psychosocial factors.

• Journal of the Ergonomics Society of Korea
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• v.30 no.4
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• pp.535-540
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• 2011

Objective: The aim of this paper is to survey the gender differences Work-related musculoskeletal disorders among agriculture workers. Background: The number of occupational injuries has been decreasing trend in Korea, but it has been increasing in agriculture. The ratio of women worker shows steady increasing trend among the agricultural worker in Korea. Method: This study investigated through the questionnaire to 358 agricultural workers who are working for agriculture located in Gyeongnam, Gyeongbuk and Jeju. Results: The task types occurring frequently and the weight of a heavy object handled according to the sex were showed statistically significant difference. The estimation of WMSDs patients by sex appeared statistically very significant difference. Conclusion: The prevalence rate of WMSDs in female was about 21 percent higher than the prevalence rate of WMSDs in male. Application: The result of this study will help improvement of work environment and prevention of WMSDs in agricultural work.

• IE interfaces
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• v.16 no.2
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• pp.222-228
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• 2003

Computer-dominated jobs and industrial automation have rapidly created work-related musculoskeletal disorders(WMSDs) and WMSDs are also founded in employees of other general industries. WMSDs has been growing problems for Korean industries with higher incidence rate every year. The objective of this paper is to analyze the effects of the neck muscle workload according to postures(joint angle) and load weights. Seven male students participated in this study. Neck workload was rated on each person using a Borg's CR-10 scale. ANOVA showed that the CR-10 ratings were statistically significant according to postures and load weights. To reduce the large number and severity of WMSDs, which employees have been experiencing, we need to redesign the job in workplace so that we can control hazards that are reasonably likely to be causing or contributing to the WMSDs. The results of this study can be used to establish the safety criteria of joint angle and weight of neck workload.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Safety
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• v.18 no.3
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• pp.149-153
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• 2003

Recently, work-related musculoskeletal disorders(WMSDs) are one of major issues in occupational safety and health in Korea. Main risk factors of WMSDs include manual handling of heavy weight loads, awkward posture, repetitive tasks, Prolonged static muscle contraction, and so on. The number of injured workers has rapidly increased and the related regulation was amended to improve the work conditions and environments. And demands for workers' compensation and improvement of work conditions and environment to prevent WMSDs have increasingly been raised. This study focused on managerial system to prevent WMSDs. Literal survey and questionnaire survey were accomplished to propose a management system in Korea for preventing WMSDs.