• Journal of Korean Society of societal Security
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• v.2 no.2
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• pp.49-54
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• 2009

High incident of accidents in construction jobsite became a social problem. According to the International Labour Organization (ILO), more than 60,000 fatal accidents occur each year in construction workplace worldwide. This number of accidents accounts for about 17 percent of all fatal workplace accidents. Especially, accidents from struck-by and falls comprise of over 60 percent of construction fatalities. This paper introduces a prototype of a received signal strength index (RSSI)-based safety monitoring to mitigate the potential accidents caused by falls and struck-by. Correlation between signal strength and noise index is examined to create the distance profile between a transmitter and a receiver. Throughout the distributed sensor nodes attached on potential hazardous objects, the proposed prototype envisions that construction workers with a tracker-tag can identify and monitor their current working environment in construction workplace, and early warning system can reduce the incidents of fatal accident in construction job site.

• Safety and Health at Work
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• v.4 no.3
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• pp.166-176
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• 2013

Background: Effective policy implementation is essential for a healthy workplace. The Ryan-Kossek 2008 model for work-life policy adoption suggests that supervisors as gatekeepers between employer and employee need to know how to support and communicate benefit regulations. This article describes a workplace intervention on a national employee benefit, Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA), and evaluates the effectiveness of the intervention on supervisor knowledge, awareness, and experience with FMLA. Methods: The intervention consisted of computer-based training (CBT) and a survey measuring awareness and experience with FMLA. The training was administered to 793 county government supervisors in the state of Oregon, USA. Results: More than 35% of supervisors reported no previous training on FMLA and the training pre-test revealed a lack of knowledge regarding benefit coverage and employer responsibilities. The CBT achieved: (1) a significant learning effect and large effect size of d = 2.0, (2) a positive reaction to the training and its design, and (3) evidence of increased knowledge and awareness regarding FMLA. Conclusion: CBT is an effective strategy to increase supervisors' knowledge and awareness to support policy implementation. The lack of supervisor training and knowledge of an important but complex employee benefit exposes a serious impediment to effective policy implementation and may lead to negative outcomes for the organization and the employee, supporting the Ryan-Kossek model. The results further demonstrate that long-time employees need supplementary training on complex workplace policies such as FMLA.

• Safety and Health at Work
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• v.9 no.2
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• pp.216-223
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• 2018

Background: Many studies have reported negative psychological or physical effects of emotional labor. Relationship between work-related musculoskeletal disorder and psychosocial factors has been reported. To manage organizational and psychosocial factors of musculoskeletal disorder with work place intervention among emotional laborers, the factors contributing to musculoskeletal pain must be identified and clarified. Methods: Data from the fourth Korean Working Conditions Survey was analyzed. Based on the questionnaire, we selected emotional laborers and included 3,979 participants, excluding participants whose variables were of interest to the researcher. Weight variable was applied. The association with musculoskeletal pain and psychosocial factors, such as workload, monotonous work, job control, social support, and job satisfaction, was investigated. Results: Univariate analysis demonstrated that there was a statistically significant relationship between social support, job satisfaction, and musculoskeletal pain. In multivariate analysis, job satisfaction showed a strong correlation with musculoskeletal pain at all sites. Social support was significantly associated with backache. Monotonous work seemed to reduce the pain in the neck and/or upper limbs. Job control and work intensity were not significantly associated with musculoskeletal pain. Conclusion: In this study, job satisfaction was significantly associated with musculoskeletal pain, and social support among the social psychological stressors could reduce musculoskeletal pain. However, unlike previously known, the presence of monotonous work resulted in reduced musculoskeletal pain. The results of this study will help to establish the direction of improvement of atmosphere in the workplace to prevent the musculoskeletal pain of emotional laborers.

• Safety and Health at Work
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• v.3 no.2
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• pp.123-129
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• 2012

Objectives: The study was conducted with the aim of evaluating applied occupational health teaching for final-year medical students at Hacettepe University, Faculty of Medicine. Methods: The study included all sixth grade medical students (n=293) during one academic year. Pre- and post-training tests were used to assess the magnitude of change in knowledge and attitude of students on occupational health, whereas the opinion of students on several aspects of the quality of teaching sessions were assessed by using post-training questionnaires. Results: Post-training tests revealed that the level of knowledge on all aspects of occupational health increased among medical students. An evaluation of the teaching sessions showed favorable results for the overall quality of the sessions: 81.3% of the students stated that the sessions were well organized, 81.7% remarked the workplace/factory visit was a valuable experience, and 91.0% stated feeling more competent on occupational health issues. Conclusion: There was a greater increase in students' knowledge on technical precautions than their knowledge on issues related to medical practice in the workplace. Visiting a workplace was found to contribute to the overall aim of knowledge and attitude change on occupational health issues. The scope of undergraduate medical education should be extended by improving occupational health education with respect to educational content, duration, and methods.

• Safety and Health at Work
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• v.8 no.1
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• pp.94-98
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• 2017

Background: Physical activity (PA) is ranked as a leading health indicator and the workplace is a key setting to promote PA. The purpose of this study was to examine how goal-setting and exercise self-efficacy (SE) during a health promotion program influenced PA level among Japanese workers. Methods: Using a cross-sectional study design, we surveyed 281 employees. The short version of the International Physical Activity Questionnaire was used to assess PA level. Exercise SE was assessed using a partially modified version of Oka's exercise SE scale. Personal goals were assessed as the total numbers of "yes" responses to five items regarding "details of personal goals to perform PA". A mediational model was used to examine whether exercise SE mediates between the number of personal goals and PA level. Results: The mean age of the participants was 46.3 years, 76.2% were men, and the most common occupational category was software engineer (30.6%). The average PA level per week exceeded the recommended level in 127 participants (45.2%). One hundred and eighty-four participants (65.5%) set some form of concrete personal goal to perform PA. The relationship between the number of personal goals and PA level was mediated by exercise SE. Conclusion: Our study showed that exercise SE mediates goal-setting and increases PA. The results suggest that the components of PA promotion programs should be tailored to enhance participants' confidence in performing PA.

• Safety and Health at Work
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• v.2 no.2
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• pp.87-96
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• 2011

In 1967, the problem of occupational lead exposure came to public attention in Korea. Since then, regular progress has been made in lowering workplace lead exposures, instituting new workplace controls, and implementing health examinations of exposed workers. Past serious lead poisoning episodes made it possible to introduce biological monitoring programs on a voluntary basis in high-lead-exposure facilities in Korea. Industry-specific occupational health services for lead workers in Korea during the last 22 years can be categorized into three phases. During the first phase (1988-1993), efforts were directed at increasing awareness among workers about the hazards of lead exposure, biological monitoring of blood zinc protoporphyrin began, and a respiratory protection program was introduced. During the second phase (1994-1997), a computerized health management system for lead workers was developed, blood-lead measurement was added to biologic monitoring, and engineering controls were introduced in the workplace to lower air-lead levels to comply with air-lead regulations. Finally, during the third phase (1998-present), a new biomarker, bone-lead measurement by X-ray fluorescence, was introduced. Bone-lead measurement proved to be useful for assessing body burden and to demonstrate past lead exposure in retired workers. Occupational health service practice for lead workers, including the industry-specific group occupational health system, has brought considerable success in the prevention of lead poisoning and in reducing the lead burden in Korean lead workers during the last several decades. The successful achievement of prevention of lead poisoning in Korea was a result of the combined efforts of lead workers, employers, relevant government agencies, and academic institutes.

• Journal of Korean Society of Occupational and Environmental Hygiene
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• v.19 no.2
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• pp.102-112
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• 2009

The greatest concern of vapor/gas respirators is when to exchange chemical cartridges, but it is very difficult to estimate the breakthrough time of them in the workplace spot due to so many factors influencing on breakthrough. There needs to study on estimating cartridge exchange period available practically in the spot, even if it is not precise. In the previous study, authors suggested the method on estimating service-life of chemical cartridges using cartridges discarded after use. This followed study was to estimate exchange period for chemical cartridges using comparison of concentrations between Korean Occupational Exposure Limits (KOELs) and odor thresholds of chemicals. Chemicals were divided into four groups, I, II, III and IV groups. Group I chemicals are relatively safe if cartridges are just or slightly delayed exchanged when smelling since odor thresholds were less than 0.5 times KOELs. Odor threshold of Group II chemicals are 0.5~2.0 times KOELs and potentially hazardous if cartridges are exchanged when smelling. Those chemicals should be conducted program on estimating service-life of cartridges, which was just previously published (J Kor Soc Occup Environ Hyg 2008;18(3) 204-215). Group III chemicals (odor thresholds are more than 2.0 times KOELs) and Group IV chemicals (odorless or no data for smelling) must be performed the above mentioned program before cartridges. Even if this method on cartridge exchange using odor threshold is practically widely used in the workplace spot in the present, program on estimating service-life of cartridges is recommended for all chemicals to reduce potentially hazards.

• Safety and Health at Work
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• v.6 no.4
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• pp.295-304
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• 2015

Background: While attention has been paid to physical risks in the work environment and the promotion of individual employee health, mental health protection and promotion have received much less focus. Psychosocial risk management has not yet been fully incorporated in such efforts. This paper presents good practices in promoting mental health in the workplace in line with World Health Organization (WHO) guidance by identifying barriers, opportunities, and the way forward in this area. Methods: Semistructured interviews were conducted with 17 experts who were selected on the basis of their knowledge and expertise in relation to good practice identified tools. Interviewees were asked to evaluate the approaches on the basis of the WHO model for healthy workplaces. Results: The examples of good practice for Workplace Mental Health Promotion (WMHP) are in line with the principles and the five keys of the WHO model. They support the third objective of the WHO comprehensive mental health action plan 2013-2020 for multisectoral implementation of WMHP strategies. Examples of good practice include the engagement of all stakeholders and representatives, science-driven practice, dissemination of good practice, continual improvement, and evaluation. Actions to inform policies/legislation, promote education on psychosocial risks, and provide better evidence were suggested for higher WMHP success. Conclusion: The study identified commonalities in good practice approaches in different countries and stressed the importance of a strong policy and enforcement framework as well as organizational responsibility for WMHP. For progress to be achieved in this area, a holistic and multidisciplinary approach was unanimously suggested as a way to successful implementation.

• Transactions of the Korean Society for Noise and Vibration Engineering
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• v.22 no.10
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• pp.940-948
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• 2012

In Korea, researches on the exposure assessment of the hand-transmitted vibration started from the mid-90, however, they were performed in the limited industries such as auto-assembly plants and the evaluation of the vibration was mostly conducted by ISO 5349(1986). Therefore, it was necessary to assess hand-transmitted vibration levels of workplace such as ship building/repairing industry or mining industry where occupational injuries are largely occurred and to evaluate the vibration levels using revised ISO 5349(2001). The SVAN 948 Four Channels Sound & Vibration Analyser was used for the measurement. The workers using a chain saw were exposed to 1.7~2.8 $m/s^2$ of daily vibration level. Workers using a rock drill in a coal mining were exposed to the highest vibration acceleration among workers and the levels were 7.1~10.8 $m/s^2$. Vibration levels of grinders were different according to the types of grinders. The hand-transmitted vibration of 3 types of grinders were measured and the levels were 3.3~11.1 $m/s^2$. Workers using a impact wrench were exposed to 1.5~1.6 $m/s^2$ of vibration. Out of 20 kinds of machines, only 4 tools provided the information of vibration acceleration on the instructions. In addition, the current condition of workplace to control vibration was not much different from the past because there are no vibration exposure limit.

• Safety and Health at Work
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• v.15 no.3
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• pp.300-309
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• 2024

Background: Risk perception plays a crucial role in workers' unsafe behaviors. However, little research has explored why workers generate biased risk perceptions, namely underestimating or overestimating the risks of unsafe actions. Cognitive biases in risk perception arise from uncertainties about the dangers of unsafe behaviors. As a typical heuristic strategy, the anchoring effect is critical in decision-making under uncertain conditions. Consequently, this study empirically analyzed the influence of anchoring effects on workers' risk perception. Methods: In 2022, a survey was conducted with 1,418 coal mine workers from Shanxi Province, China. The survey instruments assessed workers' risk perception of unsafe behavior, anchoring effects, need for cognition, and safety knowledge. Multivariable linear regression models were employed to analyze the associations among these variables. Results: The findings verified the proposed anchoring effects. Specifically, experimenter-provided high-risk anchors led workers to overestimate unsafe behavior risks, thus reducing their tendency to engage in such behavior. In contrast, experimenter-provided low-risk anchors and accident-injury experiences (self-generated anchors) decreased workers' risk perception, increasing their propensity to engage in unsafe behavior. Additionally, workers' safety knowledge and need for cognition significantly affected anchoring effects. Conclusion: This research enhances workplace safety studies by applying the anchoring effect from psychology to risk perception research. Suggestions for improving risk perception encompass implementing hazard warnings, fostering safety education, and providing training. Furthermore, managers should give special attention to workers with accident-injury experience and promptly correct their accident fluke mentality, thereby improving overall risk awareness.