• Journal of Korean Society of Occupational and Environmental Hygiene
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• v.21 no.4
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• pp.227-235
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• 2011

The objective of this study was to analyze 157 processes of 145 industries that exceeded Korean Occupational Exposure Limits (KOEL) for carcinogen during the 11 year period from 1999 to 2009. The data included number of industry and workers exposed, type of carcinogen and their exceeded ratio, type and size of industry in each year. These data were collected by 46 regional employment & labor offices in Korea using work environment monitoring reports. The result showed that, in each year, about 10 industries exceed their carcinogen exposure limit. The most common carcinogen exceeding KOEL were found to be formaldehyde, benzene, ethylene oxide and chromium VI. The carcinogen with the highest level of over-exposure were in the order of formaldehyde, benzene, ethylene oxide and asbestos. Fabricated metal product manufacturing industry were found to be most vulnerable against carcinogen with 11.1% of them exceeding carcinogen KOEL followed by electronic components manufacturing industry (8.3%), chemical products manufacturing industry (6.3%), and electrical equipments manufacturing industry (4.9%). The industry employing less than 50 workers had the highest percentage of exceeding carcinogen KOEL with 52.8%. The result also showed that strengthening KOEL for benzene and asbestos helped reduce the level of carcinogen over-exposure. Based on these results, strengthening the KOEL or new regulation turned out to help reduce the carcinogen over-exposure level. Benzene, ethylene oxide and chromium VI were the most frequently over-exposed carcinogen with the highest level. Therefore, these chemicals need to be regulated with a highest priority to improve the workplace environment. The results also show that the small-sized industries employing less than 50 workers was the most vulnerable against carcinogen exposures. Therefore, more government support are needed for these small-sized industries to help them to improve their workplace environment.

• Korean Journal of Occupational Health Nursing
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• v.17 no.2
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• pp.216-223
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• 2008

Purpose: This study was performed to evaluate the worker's job stress status in the workplace of a local area. Method: Data were collected from October to December, 2007. The subjects were 208 workers at 2 work sites in Busan Metropolitan area, who were examined using Job-Strain-Model Questionnaire. Data were analyzed by SPSS 12.0 Win Program to get the percentage, mean, standard deviation, t-test, ${\chi}^2$-test, ANOVA. Results: The results of this study were as follows: In the mean sub-factors job stress level, the mean of job demand was $28.7{\pm}4.4$(median 29.0), the mean of job discretion was $54.7{\pm}8.2$(median 54.0), the mean of social support was $21.8{\pm}2.9$(range:8-32). This study's subjects were appeared as active group with relatively higher score of job demand and job discretion than the average value of those. There was no statistically significant difference of general characteristics among the different job strain groups. There was statistically significant difference with of social supports among the different job strain groups. Conclusion: In conclusion, the subjects of this study's were active group. Thus, it is suggested that it is be necessary to repeated the education of the job task work for active group with high score of job demand and job discretion.

• Journal of Korean Society of Occupational and Environmental Hygiene
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• v.19 no.3
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• pp.182-194
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• 2009

This study was conducted to evaluate health status and to propose health protection measures of irregular plant construction workers in Yoesu National Industrial Complex (YNIC). The status of safety and health management was examined in five areas including safety and health education, work environment monitoring, health examination, health management record, and personal protective equipment (PPE) for plant construction workers. The safety training rate for plant construction workers was reached high at 91%, The training was mostly consisted of safety accident related things, but training on hazardous materials was found to be insufficient. Workplace monitoring results showed that the compliance rate for work environment for irregular construction workers was 54% and workplace monitoring during turnaround (TA) period with high risk of exposure to hazardous agents has not been implemented. While 61.4% of irregular workers received the general health examination but only 36.8% received the special health examination. The special health examination was found to be conducted only upon welders from 2-3 years ago. The issue of health management record upon irregular construction workers was not being implemented. In case of PPE, basic safety protective equipments such as safety shoes, safety belt, safety helmet were being supplied well while the supply rate of respirator for organic vapor was relatively low at 40%. Based on this study, two suggestions to maximize the utilization of the current safety and health program were made while boosting its effectiveness in protecting workers' health. First, the role of owners (petrochemical plant) related to safety and health should be strengthened. Second, in consideration of the characteristics of construction workers who usually engage in short term employment and frequent movement, community based health management organization is suggested that can overcome such structural problem and carry out the implementation of health examination and sustained health management.

• Korean Journal of Occupational Health Nursing
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• v.25 no.4
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• pp.329-339
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• 2016

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to investigate the influences of job insecurity on job related depression and anxiety in large- and small-sized company employees. Methods: Data of the third Korean Working Condition Survey in 2011 were used. Subjects were 2,050 large-sized company employees and 18,924 small-sized company workers. $x^2$ test and multiple logistic regression using SAS 9.2 were conducted. Results: Large- and small-sized company employees showed significant differences in terms of demographic, health-related, and job-related characteristics. From the bivariate analysis, gender, income, self-rated health, occupation, working hours per week, job-related stress, workplace violence, and job insecurity were significantly related to job-related depression/anxiety in large-sized company employees. From the multivariate analysis, higher income (AOR: 0.22, 95%CI: 0.07~0.71), better health perception (AOR: 0.05, 95%CL: 0.01~0.18), 40 or more working hours per week (AOR: 0.20, 95%CI: 0.05~0.79) showed lower risk for job-related depression/anxiety. From the bivariate and multivariate analysis, better health perception (AOR: 0.32, 95%CI: 0.20~0.53), higher job-related stress (AOR: 2.57, 95%CI: 1.68~3.93, workplace violence experience (AOR: 4.26; 95%CI: 2.88~6.30), and job insecurity experience (AOR: 1.90, 95%CI: 1.18~3.05) were significantly related to job-related depression/anxiety in small-sized company employees. Conclusion: Results of this study suggest that job insecurity experience was significantly related to job-related depression/anxiety in small-sized company employees but not in large-sized company employees. Therefore, small-sized company workers who have experienced feeling of job insecurity are vulnerable population in terms of job-related depression/anxiety.

• Health Policy and Management
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• v.26 no.4
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• pp.325-332
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• 2016

Background: Workplace violence was recognized to be social problems that might impact the health status and the job satisfaction of employee in hospitals. This study investigated the current status of violence and job stress among hospital employees working at administration and discharging department. Methods: The study subjects were 213 administrative employees working at 20 general hospitals. Data were collected by self-administered questionnaire that included information such as demographics, job-related characteristics, experience of violence, and job stress. The violence was classified as verbal violence, physical threat, and physical violence occurred by patients and caregivers. Analysis of variance, t-tests, correlation analysis, and multiple linear regression analysis were performed to examine the associated factors with job stress. Results: The levels of verbal violence, physical threat, and physical violence were $1.64{\pm}1.08$, $0.54{\pm}0.67$, and $0.04{\pm}0.17$, respectively. The score of job stress was $2.74{\pm}0.50$ and it was associated with age, existence of spouse, drinking frequency, subjective health status, disease history, night-time treatment, and public health administration career in simple analysis. In multiple linear regression analysis, the level of verbal violence experience was significantly associated with job stress (B=0.09, p=0.001). Also physical threats (B=0.18, p<0.001) and physical violence (B=0.48, p=0.008) showed positive association with job stress. Conclusion: This study attempted to examine the association between experience of violence and job stress in administrative employees at medical institutions. Levels of violence showed positive correlation with the job stress. Environment improvement to protect employee from violence and management of employees who experienced workplace violence are needed to reduce the job stress.

• Anxiety and mood
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• v.14 no.1
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• pp.7-13
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• 2018

Objective : To determine the association between occupational stress and disordered eating problem in Korean female employees. Methods : We studied 1,452 female employees who attended mental health screenings. Using the Korean Occupational Stress Scale-Short Form (KOSS-SF) and 26-item Korean version of Eating Attitude Test, occupational stress and disordered eating problem were evaluated, respectively. Sociodemographic and clinical characteristics of those with disordered eating problem were examined. Multiple logistic regression analysis was performed to determine which subscale of KOSS-SF was associated with disordered eating problem. Results : Disordered eating problem was associated with interpersonal conflict [odds ratio (OR) 1.882, 95% confidence interval (CI) 1.138-3.112] among various kinds of job stresses. Lack of reward (OR 7.164, 95% CI 1.139-45.043) and insufficient job control (OR 1.953, 95% CI 1.119-3.411) were associated with disordered eating problem in the underweight and normal weight group, respectively. Conclusion : There is an association between occupational stress and disordered eating problem among Korean female employees.

• Korean Journal of Occupational Health Nursing
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• v.23 no.4
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• pp.254-261
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• 2014

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to investigate the degree of performance of TB control manpower in Korea and to identify the affecting factors associated with it. Methods: This study employed a quantitative observational with cross-sectional design and the subjects were consisted of 189 TB (Tuberculosis) control manpower who were working in both community health centers and private hospitals. Variables included in this study were demographic, social, work-related characteristics, aqhnd self-efficacy. A reliability of the instrument for the performance was Cronbach's ${\alpha}$=.91. Data were analyzed by t-test, ANOVA and multiple regression using SPSS (19th version). Results: The mean value of the degree of work-related performance of TB control manpower was $4.4{\pm}0.49$9 and it was higher than those of general nurses working in any other health care departments. The mean differences in the degree of work-related performance were in self-efficacy, workplace, the number of full charge manpower in TB, the number of participation in in-depth education, and the willingness to job maintenance. In multiple regression analysis, factors associated with TB control manpower' work-related performance were self-efficacy (${\beta}$=.164, p=.025), workplace (${\beta}$=-.186, p=.023), the number of participation in in-depth education(${\beta}$=.339, p<.002), and the willingness to job maintenance (${\beta}$=-.157, p=.036). Conclusion: Results of this study showed that work-related performances of manpower working in private hospital were higher than those of manpower in public health centers. So, it is necessary to enhance nation's active intervention to improve effectiveness and reduction of risk factors in TB policy.

• Journal of Nutrition and Health
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• v.52 no.6
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• pp.593-603
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• 2019

Purpose: Previous studies have highlighted that the nutritional behaviors among South Korean workers are far from ideal. This study examined the organizational influences affecting the eating practices of office workers in South Korea. Methods: We conducted in-depth interviews with 22 office workers at 12 companies in South Korea. The interviewer inquired about the employees' daily routines on food and beverage intake. The various factors that influence their food choices in their work environments were also explored. The interviews were transcribed and then analyzed using a content analysis. Results: A framework analysis revealed 7 key recurring themes, and these were grouped under three levels: team-, company-, and corporate group-levels. First, team dinners are core social events for all the workers and they tend to include high-caloric food and alcoholic beverages. The frequency of team meals and the food associated with them depend on various team characteristics such as gender composition, the nature of a team's work and the team leaders' emphasis on group meals. Second, the company's policies and practices regarding budget allocation for team meals and subsidies for cafeteria meals affect the workers' food intake practices. In addition, the physical environment of the worksite cafeterias can influence the choices of foods. Third, various corporate group policies that were not designed to target food intake had additional positive effects on the workers' eating behaviors. Conclusion: This study provides important insights into the broader organizational influences on the food consumption of employees in their workplace. These insights can be used to design and implement more effective intervention strategies for improving the nutritional behaviors of office workers.

• The Journal of the Convergence on Culture Technology
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• v.9 no.6
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• pp.495-507
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• 2023

The purpose of this study is to identify the current status of legal disputes that occur while firefighters are performing their duties and to suggest efficient response measures. To investigate awareness of legal disputes, a survey was conducted on 3,500 firefighters, and the responses of 505 people who participated in the survey were analyzed. As a research method, frequency analysis and cross-analysis were conducted based on the demographic characteristics of the participants and a survey of firefighters' awareness of the law, and through this, basic statistics and status were analyzed. As a result of the analysis, it was found that firefighters feel a lot of burden, including time and material losses, as well as disadvantages and mental anxiety in the workplace when legal disputes occur while performing their duties. The need for an organizational response in the workplace as an efficient response to this was statistically confirmed. Therefore, based on the results of this study, we propose the permanent establishment and operation of a professional legal support team within each city/provincial fire department headquarters so that firefighters can concentrate on their duties free from legal disputes.

• Journal of the Korean Dietetic Association
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• v.30 no.2
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• pp.95-111
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• 2024

The Smart Hazard Analysis Critical Control Point (HACCP) management system, which integrates information technology (IT) to automate and analyze big data, has been introduced into school food services. This study investigated the job performance, job satisfaction, and job stress of employees in school food services using Smart HACCP. Data were collected via questionnaires from 350 employees in school food services who utilized Smart HACCP and worked in Gyeonggi-do or Incheon. The questionnaire included general information, workplace characteristics, HACCP education status, job performance, and job satisfaction according to the use of Smart HACCP, and general job stress. The responses showed that 92.3% of the participants had received HACCP education in the workplace, and 66.6% understood the content of the education. Among the HACCP process stages, CCP2 (Food Handling and Cooking) and CCP3 (Cooking Completion and Distribution) were the stages at which all participants were using Smart HACCP. CCP3 had the highest percentage (61.4%) of participants who experienced feeling the maximum reduction in their tasks by using Smart HACCP. The Smart HACCP job performance at CCP1 (Inspection) and Smart HACCP job satisfaction were higher in workplaces with 6~10 employees, compared to those with 10≤ employees (both P<0.05). The Smart HACCP job performances at of CP1 (Refrigeration and Freezer Temperature Management) and CP2 (Cleaning and Disinfection of Food Contact Surfaces) were significantly affected by the work area. General job stress was significantly higher in cooks than in cook practitioners, higher in employees with cook certification than in those without it, and higher in employees with work experience (<1 year), compared to those with 5~10 years or 10~15 years' experience. In conclusion, employees' job performance and satisfaction with Smart HACCP need to be enhanced to improve hygiene in school food service. This requires the effective management of their job stress.