• Journal of Korean Society of Occupational and Environmental Hygiene
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• v.19 no.4
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• pp.412-422
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• 2009

This study was conducted to assess exposure to musculoskeletal disorder(MSD) risk factors in hospital personnel who performed non-routinized work tasks. A tool ("PATH-KOSHA" version) was newly revised from PATH(Posture, Activity, Tools and Handling) method and uploaded into a personal digital assistant(PDA). The version was used, on a basis of direct-observation, to collect PATH data at the 2 hospital settings in different regions. Job analysis was performed to get various information (e.g., work and rest time, task type) as well. The data collected were visually checked for data cleaning and stored for future data analysis. A total of 1,992 PATH observations were made for 37 hospital workers. Exposure levels varied across 18 items of the MSD risk factors. The highest percent time spent on non-neutral postures was 53% for wrist deviation, followed by 47%(pinch grip), 35%(trunk posture), 23%(neck posture), and 20%(shoulder/arm posture). The highest percent time spent among hand activity level(HAL) variables was 55% for HAL-cat2 (HAL: 3.3 - <6.7). The percent time of items with respect to both loads with more than 5kg and contact stress was less than 4%. Vibration was not exposed in the study workers. Different aspects were discussed for findings. The study results showed that wrist deviation was highest in percent time spent on awkward posture while HAL-cat2 was highest in hand repetition. The study suggests that distal upper extremity posture and HAL should be primarily addressed and controlled in non-routinized work including the hospital settings.

• Journal of Korean Society of Occupational and Environmental Hygiene
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• v.23 no.3
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• pp.307-314
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• 2013

Objectives: The aim of this study was to determine the prevalence of symptoms relating to musculoskeletal disorders (MSDs) and investigate the risk factors among researchers at university laboratories. Methods: 209 researchers were included in this study, drawn from 27 laboratories at three universities in Korea. Checklists for MSD symptoms and risk factor assessment were utilized. Results: The symptoms checklist showed reliable results with Cohen's Kappa 0.33-0.56, percent agreement 81.0-96.8%, and correlation coefficient 0.41-0.63. The overall prevalence of MSD symptoms was 68.9%, while the prevalence in specific parts of body were as follows: shoulders (47.6%), lower back (46.9%), neck (46.9%), knees (25.4%), wrists (20.1%), elbows (13.6%). The symptom prevalence among women was higher than among men (OR 2.67, 95% CI 1.37-5.18). Daily exposure time was observed to be a significant risk factor for developing MSD symptoms (OR 2.14-6.07). Conclusions: This study suggested that repetitive pipetting and static work posture are the most significant risk factors for MSD symptoms among laboratory researchers.

• Journal of Korean Society of Industrial and Systems Engineering
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• v.34 no.1
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• pp.97-102
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• 2011

This study was performed to design and develop an ergonomic equipment for strawberry sorting and packing in agricultural working environments. Potential risk of work related musculo-skeletal disorders associated with farm workers performing strawberry sorting and packing was analyzed through interviews, field surveys, work measurement, and working posture evaluation. For the evaluation of working posture, we used REBA, OWAS, and RULA assessment methods to identify multi-factorial risk factors. Based on the result of comprehensive assessment, a new concept of multi-level rotating table for strawberry sorting and packing was proposed to modify awkward working postures and improve the effectiveness of the farm work. Finally, the characteristics and effectiveness of new equipment was discussed in terms of improvements in productivity, safety, and subjective ratings of farm workers. The results of analysis showed that working conditions improved significantly.

• Journal of the Ergonomics Society of Korea
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• v.29 no.4
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• pp.455-463
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• 2010

Work-related musculoskeletal disorders (WMSDs) are recognized as leading causes of significant human suffering, loss of productivity, and economic burdens on our society. WMSDs are associated with work patterns that include fixed or constrained body positions, continual repetition of movements, force concentrated on small parts of the body, cold environment and vibration. Main effort to protect workers from WMSDs should focus on avoiding repetitive patterns of work through engineering controls which may include mechanization, ergonomic design of tools and equipment, and workplace layout. Where elimination of the risk factors is not practical, administrative controls involving job rotation, job enlargement and enrichment, teamwork should be considered.

• Journal of the Korea Safety Management & Science
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• v.10 no.4
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• pp.21-30
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• 2008

The psychosocial stress and musculoskeletal disorders(MSDs) have been one of major health problems for hospital workers. This study tried to understand the relationship between symptoms associated with MSDs and risk factors such as working posture, job stress, psychosocial stress and fatigue. A total number of 655 hospital workers participated in this study. Specifically, REBA was applied for evaluating working posture and a checklist prepared by KOSHA(Korean Occupational Safety and Health Agency) was used for symptom survey. A questionnaire from KOSHA was also used for collecting data associated with job stress, psychosocial stress and fatigue. All these data were formulated and modeled by path analysis which was one of major statistical tools in this study. Specifically, path analysis for the data we collected came up with several major findings. The risk scores from working posture based on REBA had indirect effects via fatigue factor(MFS) as well as direct effects on symptoms. The factors associated with job stress (KOSS) and psychosocial stress(PWI-SF) had significant effects on symptoms. Specifically, indirect effect of job stress factors via fatigue factors(MFS) had bigger than that of direct effect of job stress on symptom.

• Journal of the Korea Safety Management & Science
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• v.7 no.2
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• pp.85-94
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• 2005

The purpose of this study is to execute the investigation of injurious factors causing muscle-skeletal diseases at an automotive glass manufacturing company and, on the basis of the results, to enhance productivity by the improvement of working environment. By using an survey and an ergonomic evaluation method, symptoms of muscle-skeletal diseases of workers and working postures at each process were analyzed, and quantitative evaluation of muscle-skeletal disease risk against each process was performed. Based on the result of the evaluation, to enhance the working environment, improvement of worktable, working space, tools, and outfit was suggested, and induction of mechanical system was also suggested. Suggested improvement plan was applied to the workplace step by step and it is confirmed that improvement plan not only removes the injurious factors of muscle-skeletal diseases but also is effective to enhance productivity.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Safety
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• v.26 no.3
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• pp.75-82
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• 2011

The objective of this study was to identify risk factors associated with the occurrence of musculo-skeletal symptoms of cashiers and provide suggestions for an improved workspace design. Workload and exertion of each task were measured using job analysis and posture analysis. The three most time-consuming tasks were waiting (43.8%), scanning (23.5%) and payment transaction (22.9%). It was analyzed that the workspace can be improved by applying Korean anthropometric data to the design of the desk height. The most common posture was a standing posture with neutral back, and bent lower arms and hands. Finally, it was revealed that 'scanning' and 'payment transaction' seemed more stressful than other operations. The result of the ergonomic evaluation would be a useful basis for designing an improved workspace.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Safety
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• v.29 no.5
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• pp.146-153
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• 2014

This study looks at the impact of psychological and physical factors of the working conditions on the health of workers depending on whether technology is used by such workers. The data used for the study is the third work environment survey. Out of 50,032 respondents, a total of 29,711 paid workers were used as analysis subjects. Although it was anticipated that the use of technology was a factor that hindered job autonomy and teamwork autonomy. However, the analysis results showed low levels of job autonomy and teamwork autonomy in the group that did not use technology. The study assumes a regression analysis model about work environment and work organizational practices of workspaces that have an impact on musculoskeletal complaints, stress symptoms and level of work satisfaction by controlling the social demographic variable that represents the level of individual sensitivity. As a result of the study, ergonomic risk had a significant effect on both groups that did or did not use technology with respect to stress symptoms, musculoskeletal complaints and level of work satisfaction. In particular, as workspace practices and work environment had an effect on the development of musculoskeletal complaints in the group that used machines, there is a need to improve such situation. The autonomous team work or level of job autonomy within the group that used technology may act as a risk factor to the health and welfare of workers. However, because it may also act as a buffer factor, there is a need for a change to reduce stress symptoms and increase the level of work satisfaction by improving autonomous team work and the level of job autonomy.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Safety
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• v.39 no.2
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• pp.75-86
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• 2024

Hydrogen has been selected as one of the key technologies for reducing CO₂ emissions to achieve carbon neutrality by 2050. However, hydrogen safety issues should be fully guaranteed before the commercial and widespread utilization of hydrogen. Here, a bow-tie risk assessment is conducted for the hydrogen fuel supply system in a gas turbine power plant, which can be a mass consumption application of hydrogen. The bow-tie program is utilized for a qualitative risk assessment, allowing the analysis of the causes and consequences according to the stages of accidents. This study proposed an advanced bow-tie method, which includes the barrier criticality matrix and visualized maps of quantitative risk reduction. It is based on evaluating the importance of numerous barriers for the extent of their impact. In addition, it emphasizes the prioritization and concentrated management of high-importance barriers. The radar chart of a bow tie allows the visual comparison of risk levels before/after the application of barriers (safety measures). The risk reduction methods are semi-quantitatively analyzed utilizing the criticality matrix and radar chart, and risk factors from multiple aspects are derived. For establishing a secure hydrogen fuel storage system, the improvements suggested by the bow-tie risk assessment results, such as 'Ergonomic equipment design to prevent human error' and 'Emergency shutdown system,' will enhance the safety level. It attempts to contribute to the development and enhancement of an efficient safety management system by suggesting a method of calculating the importance of barriers based on the bow-tie risk assessment.

• The Korean Journal of Emergency Medical Services
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• v.21 no.3
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• pp.59-71
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• 2017

Purpose: The purpose of the study was to evaluate the ergonomic risk factors of 119 emergency medical technicians (EMT) with musculoskeletal disorders, performing emergency medical services (EMS) procedures in a firefighter combat challenge. Methods: The evaluated EMT procedures were cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) & intubation, trauma patient assessment, and intravenous (IV) injection. Measurement of working posture was done during training. Results: In CPR & intubation, OWAS-score was 2 (mean 1.9, maximum 4), requiring correction action, while REBA-score was 11 (mean 7.28, maximum 11), requiring immediate improvement. In trauma patient assessment & IV injection, OWAS-score was 4 (mean 2.9, maximum 4), requiring immediate correction action, while the REBA score was 7 (mean 7.5, maximum 11), requiring improvement. Conclusion: Both OWAS score and REBA-score showed improvement of posture and high-risk of musculoskeletal disorders. Occupational health management in EMS procedures during combat challenge and effective injury prevention program in fire stations are warranted.