• Journal of the Ergonomics Society of Korea
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• v.30 no.4
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• pp.525-534
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• 2011

This paper describes the current status of musculoskeletal disorders(MSDs) and its ergonomic risk factors, including the preventive intervention in terms of the working conditions and health promotion among agricultural workers. Korean agricultural workers have been exposed to the poor working condition. They have suffered from a variety of work-related injury and diseases more than the general population or the other occupational group. MSDs are one of the most prevalent problems threatening the agricultural worker's health and quality of life. Low back pain, osteoarthritis of hip and knee joint and carpal tunnel syndrome are well known MSDs that was found easily and frequently among agricultural workers. MSDs are worsened by poor ergonomic working conditions such as heavy weight lifting, repetitive movement and awkward posture which involves squatting with long sitting work on the ground, long working hours and heavy workload which are inherent in the greater part of agricultural works. Even though Korean agricultural workers are very weak population in terms of occupational safety and health, no many studies were conducted in the past and no many social and institutional supports were provided sufficiently. We need more interests and efforts in agricultural fields to improve its working condition and to promote health status of agricultural workers.

• Journal of Korean Society of Occupational and Environmental Hygiene
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• v.19 no.1
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• pp.51-63
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• 2009

In the field of ergonomics, it is evident that participatory action research methodology could contribute to reduce risk factors of work related musculoskeletal disorders(WMSDs). The objective of this study was to evaluate the effectiveness of a participatory ergonomics in reducing the incidence rate and severity of WMSDs in the tire manufacturing company. In this study, an action committee comprising 13 members was organized in the tire manufacturing company. The action group participated at every research process, education and training, assessment and intervention of risk factors, and early detection and management of WMSDs during the 3 years(2004-2006). The prevention programs contributed to an overall reduction in incidence rate by approximately 37.2%, and lost workdays and workers' compensation costs by approximately 55.1%. But, the incidence rate increased 29.0%, and compensation costs increased 59.0% in the first-year setting programs, and both the incidence rate and compensation costs decreased after the second-year managing programs. And, the reduction rates(63.2%) of insurance cases is higher than that(9.7%) of non-insurance cases. The results showed that participatory ergonomics programs may be effective in reducing the incidence and severity rate of WMSDs.

• The Journal of Korea Institute of Information, Electronics, and Communication Technology
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• v.13 no.3
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• pp.267-276
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• 2020

Manufacturing workers are easily exposed to the risk of musculoskeletal disorders caused by repetitive tasks in their working environment. This is due to problems with occupational characteristics that repeatedly use the body. However, the current lack of monitoring systems for monitoring and prevention has led to an increase in workers' exposure to risks each year. This paper presents how to solve these problems in real working environment by producing wearable devices using IMU sensors. After wearing a wearable type device, the user's movement is judged through data analysis by receiving the rotation value according to musculoskeletal movement. At this time, the risk is determined by measuring the number of rotations of the user by eliminating bias and eliminating cumulative error, acquiring sophisticated data, and analyzing it in the form of dynamic threshold values. Using the wearable device proposed in this paper, the effect of this method could be checked through a web page measuring the number of rotations for elbow musculoskeletal disorders.

• Journal of the Ergonomics Society of Korea
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• v.32 no.5
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• pp.469-474
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• 2013

Objective: The purpose of this study was to analyze the risk factors of MSDs for the types of office work. Background: Physical risk factors of VDT(Video Display Terminal) associated with shoulder and neck musculoskeletal disorders(MSDs) include static work postures and workstation status. Method: In this study, office work was divided into data search, data entry and design work(drawings, etc.), and then we were surveyed 7 major work places which was included these works. We recorded working postures and obtained still images, depending on the types of office work. Then, RULA(Rapid Upper Limb Assessment) and ROSA(Rapid Office Strain Assessment) were used to analysis the risk factors. Results: The results of RULA showed that design work was under risk levels and required change, but ROSA showed that data entry and design work were high risk. The RULA is to evaluate the level of risk factors based on the working posture; on the other hand, the ROSA is to consider the use of peripheral, same as chair, keyboard/mouse, monitor and computer workstations. Conclusion: Conclusions of this study, the office work is necessary to identify the risk factors caused by the use of peripheral, as well as working posture.

• Safety and Health at Work
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• v.11 no.1
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• pp.80-87
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• 2020

Background: Residential and commercial cleaning is a part of our daily routine to maintain sanitation around the environment. Health care of professionals involved in such cleaning activities has become a major concern all over the world. The present study investigates the risk of musculoskeletal disorders in professional cleaners involved in floor mopping tasks. Methods: A cross-sectional study was performed on 132 mopping professionals using a modified Nordic questionnaire. The Pearson correlation test was implemented to study the association of perceived pain with work experience. The muscle strain and postural risk were evaluated by means of three-channel electromyography and real-time motion capture respectively of 15 professionals during floor mopping. Results: Regarding musculoskeletal injuries, risk was reported majorly in the right hand, lower back, left wrist, right shoulder, left biceps, and right wrist of the workers. Work experience had a low negative association with MSDs in the left wrist, right wrist, right elbow, lower back, and right lower arm (p < 0.01). Surface EMG showed occurrence of higher muscle activity in upper trapezius and biceps brachii (BB) muscles of the dominant hand and flexor carpi radialis and BB muscles of the nondominant hand positioned at the upper and lower portion of the mop rod, respectively. Conclusion: Ergonomic mediations should be executed to lessen the observed risk of musculoskeletal injuries in this professional group of workers.

• Journal of the Ergonomics Society of Korea
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• v.29 no.4
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• pp.465-471
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• 2010

Work-related musculoskeletal disorders (WMSDs) have been the most common health problem covered by worker's accident compensation insurance for several years in Korea. Korean government has strengthened related regulations since 2003. People looked forward to decreasing the incidence and prevalence of WMSDs. At first, the expectation could be realized. However, we were bumped against to limit at present. The authors think it is due to the negligence of psychosocial factors for WMSDs. Many researchers reported that the various psychosocial factors were associated with WMSDs or symptoms. Job demand, social support, job satisfaction and decision latitude are the major risk factors in job stress aspect. Work pressure, lack of rest, qualified workload, workload variability and monotonous job are the significant risk factors in work context of work organization. Employment flexibility, downsizing, lean production, contingent work and pay for by the piece are also the risk factors in an organizational context. Furthermore, these risk factors are associated with each other across different dimensions of work organization. Suggestive possible pathways between these risks and WMSDs have been taken note of increasing muscle strain or ergonomic stress and of a cognitive aspect. The authors suggest these risk factors could explain the limitation of the regulation system for WMSDs. In conclusion, the strategy to manage psychosocial factors is the one of the essential approach to prevent WMSDs.

• Safety and Health at Work
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• v.9 no.1
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• pp.75-78
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• 2018

Background: To identify work sectors with high risk for work-related musculoskeletal disorders (MSDs) in Korean men and women. Methods: We analyzed nationwide data to identify ergonomic risk factors in Korean employees. In particular, we analyzed data on exposure to five ergonomic risk factors (painful/tiring postures, lifting/moving heavy materials, standing/walking, repetitive hand/arm movements, and hand/arm vibration) according to employment sector, sex, and age, using the 2014 Fourth Korean Working Conditions Survey. We also used workers' compensation data on work-related MSDs in 2010, which is available by sex. Results: The different work sectors had different gender distributions. "Manufacturing" (27.7%) and "construction" (11.3%) were dominated by males, whereas "human health and social work activities" (12.4%), "hotel and restaurants" (11.7%), and "education" (10.4%) were dominated by females. However, "wholesale and retail trade" and "public administration and defense" employed large numbers of males and females. Furthermore, the work sectors with a greater proportion of work-related MSDs and with multiple ergonomic risk factors were different for men and women. For men, "construction" and "manufacturing" had the highest risk for work-related MSDs; for women, "hotel and restaurants" had the highest risk for work-related MSDs. Conclusion: Ergonomic interventions for workers should consider gender and should focus on work sectors with high risk for MSDs, with multiple ergonomic risk factors, and with the largest number of workers.

• Journal of Korean Medicine Rehabilitation
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• v.21 no.4
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• pp.87-96
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• 2011

Objectives: This study aims to systematically evaluate the effectiveness of Eastern-Western integrative medicine for musculoskeletal disorders compared with Eastern or Western Medicine. Methods: Systematic sea-mes of 9 major Korean databases were conducted for articles published up to July 2011. Searching keyword was "Integrative Medicine". Prospective studies dealt with musculoskeletal disorders by Eastern-Western integrative medicine were included. Quality assessment of included studies was evaluated by Cochrane risk of bias tool. Results: 470 studies in total were seamed, Amalg them 7 studies met our inclusion criteria(3 randomized controlled clinical trials, 2 non-randomized controlled trials and 2 uncontrolled clinical trials). Included studies dealt with lumbar pan(3), shoulder pain(2), pain after traffic injury(1), spinal compression fracture(1). Eastern-Western integrative medicine showed better or equal effect for the treatment of various muscloskeletal disorders compared with Eastern or Western medicine alone. Conclusions: There is very weak evidence for the effectiveness of Eastern-Western integrative medicine for musculoskeletal disorders compared with Eastern or Western medicine alone. Well designed randomized controlled trials with rigorous methodology are needed to evaluate the effectiveness of Eastern-Western integrative medicine objectively in the future.

• Journal of Korean Society of Industrial and Systems Engineering
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• v.24 no.67
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• pp.1-10
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• 2001

A series of studies with collaboration of university, research institute, and labor union were conducted to examine the situation and severity of work-related musculoskeletal disorders (MSDs) at an automobile company which is one of the three major car companies in Korea. As the first part of the study, a questionnaire survey was conducted on 4,000 employees at 2 different assembly sites and A/S centers over the country. The questionnaire was consisted of three parts; symptom survey, work environment information, and labor intensity survey. Among 4,000 questionnaires, 2,643 responses were considered for analysis. The result showed that 68.5% of the respondents complained pains on at least one part of the body and 48.8% on at least two parts of the body. After cross-sectional analysis of various information and risk factors such as severity of symptom, duration and frequency of pain, 31.5% of respondents were considered as at high risk of having MSDs. This high-risk rate showed similar result when compared with previous studies conducted at various manufacturing industries in Korea. Also the analysis of the work environment and job intensity survey supported the high-risk rate of MSDs.

• Journal of the Ergonomics Society of Korea
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• v.32 no.3
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• pp.273-278
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• 2013

Objective: This study aims to analyze and evaluate fatigue in upper trapezius muscles of adults when inputting text on a smart phone, thereby examining the risk of cumulative trauma disorders in the musculoskeletal system of the upper extremity. Method: Forty-five healthy adults were divided equally into three groups: a smartphone group, a notebook group, and a desktop group. A surface electromyogram was placed on the upper trapezius muscle of each participant, after which they inputted text for ten minutes within an ergonomic setting; their side posture was recorded on video and analyzed. Results: The spectral edge frequency values for the smartphone group, as recorded from the upper right trapezius muscles on the surface electromyogram, showed a significant decrease(p<.05). Regarding the RULA, all three groups had results indicating "action level 2". Conclusion: All three groups had results indicating "action level 2" according to the RULA, which means that additional research on the posture of the participants while performing tasks is necessary, and their posture needs to be corrected. In particular, the smartphone group has the highest levels of fatigue in the upper trapezius muscles, suggesting that the task of inputting text on a smartphone is a high risk for causing cumulative trauma disorders.