• Safety and Health at Work
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• v.14 no.3
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• pp.279-286
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• 2023

Background: This study aimed to evaluate the association between exposure to occupational hazards and the metabolic syndrome. A secondary objective was to analyze the additive and multiplicative effects of exposure to risk factors. Methods: This retrospective cohort was based on 31,615 health examinees at the Pusan National University Yangsan Hospital in Republic of Korea from 2012-2021. Demographic and behavior-related risk factors were treated as confounding factors, whereas three physical factors, 19 organic solvents and aerosols, and 13 metals and dust were considered occupational risk factors. Time-dependent Cox regression analysis was used to calculate hazard ratios. Results: The risk of metabolic syndrome was significantly higher in night shift workers (hazard ratio = 1.45: 95% confidence interval = 1.36-1.54) and workers who were exposed to noise (1.15:1.07-1.24). Exposure to some other risk factors was also significantly associated with a higher risk of metabolic syndrome. They were dimethylformamide, acetonitrile, trichloroethylene, xylene, styrene, toluene, dichloromethane, copper, antimony, lead, copper, iron, welding fume, and manganese. Among the 28 significant pairs, 19 exhibited both positive additive and multiplicative effects. Conclusions: Exposure to single or combined occupational risk factors may increase the risk of developing metabolic syndrome. Working conditions should be monitored and improved to reduce exposure to occupational hazards and prevent the development of the metabolic syndrome.

• Annals of Occupational and Environmental Medicine
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• v.35
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• pp.44.1-44.11
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• 2023

Background: A series of breast cancer cases were recently reported in a tertiary university hospital in South Korea. Nurses are generally exposed to risk factors for breast cancer such as night shift work, antineoplastic agents, and job strain. However, the epidemiological evidence of excess incidence among nurses remains lacking. This study aims to investigate the excess incidence of breast cancer among nurses in a tertiary university hospital and provide epidemiological evidence of occupational risk factors. Methods: A retrospective cohort was developed using personnel records of female workers in the nursing department who worked from January 2011 to June 2021 in a tertiary university hospital in South Korea. Sick leave records were used to identify cases of breast cancer. The standardized incidence ratio of breast cancer among nurses was compared to the general population. Results: A total of 5,509 nurses were followed up for 30,404 person-years, and 26 breast cancer cases were identified. This study revealed a significantly increased breast cancer incidence among all included nurses, with a standardized incidence ratio of 1.65 (95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.08-2.41), compared to the general population. Workers, who handle antineoplastic agents in their representative department and current and/or former department, had significantly elevated breast cancer standardized incidence ratios of 2.73 (95% CI: 1.008-5.94) and 3.39 (95% CI: 1.46-6.68), respectively. Conclusions: This study provides significant evidence of increased breast cancer risk among nursing staff in a hospital setting, particularly those who handle antineoplastic drugs. Measures that reduce exposure to risk factors should be implemented, especially anticancer drugs, to protect healthcare professionals. Further research at a national level that focuses on healthcare workers is necessary to validate breast cancer incidence and its contributing factors.

• Sleep Medicine and Psychophysiology
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• v.9 no.1
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• pp.41-47
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• 2002

Objectives: In a number of simulated night shift studies, timed exposure to bright light improves sleep quality and work performance. We evaluated the effect of bright light on adaptation to night shift work with a field study. Methods: Five female nurses working shifts at Korea University Hospital were recruited for participation in this study. We investigated two series of six consecutive shift rotations comprising three day and three night shifts, using wrist Actigraphy, the Stanford Sleepiness Scale, Visual-analogue scales, STIM and tympanic membrane temperature for daytime sleep quality, alertness, subjective feeling, attention performance, and temperature rhythm. The subjects were exposed to bright light (2,500 lux) from 24:00 to 04:00 a.m. on three consecutive night shifts during the second series, whereas they worked under normal lightening (650 lux) conditions during the first series. Results: Actigraphic assessment of daytime sleep showed no significant difference between the first and third night shift in both baseline and light exposure phase. The mean lowest temperature shifted earlier during baseline phase but not during the light exposure phase. Also, the score for subjective feelings of depression, anxiety, physical discomfort and sleepiness was significantly higher in the third night shift than the first during baseline phase but not during the light exposure phase. Attention and attention switching ability was significantly improved in the third night shift compared to the first night during the light exposure phase but there were no significant changes during the baseline phase. Conclusion: This result suggests that there were no significant differences between the two phases in measures of quality of daytime sleep, but subjective feelings, attention and alertness were enhanced during light exposure. Although some placebo effects and learning effects might influence this result, bright light exposure between midnight and 4:00 a.m. may improve adaptation to night shift. In future, further controlled studies with a larger sample size, including melatonin measurement, are needed for real shift workers.

• Journal of the Korea Academia-Industrial cooperation Society
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• v.17 no.1
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• pp.664-675
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• 2016

The purpose of the study was to explore the nurses' perception of flexible working and present an operational guideline for implementation. The data were collected from a survey of 532 nurses conducted from 10 February to 24 February, 2015, using simple random sampling. SPSS 21.0 was used to analyze the data. This study found that the demanding for shorter hour shifts was highest ($M=3.89{\pm}0.87$) and 242 participants (46.2%) intended to apply the shift, followed by a fixed night shift, fixed weekend shift, and 12 hour shift. The common reasons identified were the poor environment of shift work and the challenges of child care. The increased time for personal development, relaxation activity to improve the quality of life and child care was highlighted and work-life balance was noted as a positive impact of flexible working. The negative impacts of flexible working were being likely to become temporary workers. These results can help establish uniform working conditions of nurses in the future by providing a standardized operational guideline as a precondition for reasonable compensation and working environment according to a flexible working pattern.

• Annals of Occupational and Environmental Medicine
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• v.35
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• pp.30.1-30.13
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• 2023

Background: Dysmenorrhea and menstrual cycle changes occur in women working shifts. Circadian rhythm disruption and sleep disturbances associated with shift work leads to health problems. We identified chronotypes and the occurrence of insomnia among newly employed university hospital nurses and investigated the association of these factors with menstrual problems. Methods: We conducted pre-placement health examinations for shift workers using self-reported questionnaires between 2018 and 2020. A total of 463 nurses were included in the study. Sociodemographic data, shift work experience, and information on insomnia were collected from health examination data. In addition, details regarding chronotype, dysmenorrhea, irregular and abnormal menstrual cycles, amenorrhea, and contraceptive use were obtained from the questionnaire. Multiple logistic regression analysis was performed to study the association between chronotype, insomnia, and menstrual problems after controlling for age, body mass index, contraceptive use, amenorrhea, and prior shift work. Results: The prevalence rates of dysmenorrhea, irregular menstrual cycles, and longer menstrual cycles were 23.8%, 14.9%, and 4.1%, respectively. The risk of dysmenorrhea increased in the evening-type (odds ratio [OR]: 3.209; 95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.685-6.113) and those with insomnia (OR: 1.871; 95% CI: 1.074-3.261). Additionally, the risk of an irregular menstrual cycle (OR: 2.698; 95% CI: 1.167-6.237) increased in the evening-type, and the risk of a longer menstrual cycle (OR: 4.008; 95% CI: 1.354-11.864) increased in individuals with insomnia. Conclusions: Our findings suggest that dysmenorrhea is promoted in the evening-type and insomnia individuals. There may be an increased risk of irregular menstrual cycles among evening-type nurses and an increased risk of longer menstrual cycles among those with insomnia. Therefore, factors such as evening-type and insomnia should be considered for the prevention of menstrual problems in women performing shift work.

• 대한예방의학회:학술대회논문집
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• 2005.10a
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• pp.403-404
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• 2005

• Korean Journal of Occupational Health Nursing
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• v.9 no.2
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• pp.166-170
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• 2000

This study was carried out to describe the food habit. Five hundreds ten women working more than 6 months were chosen for samples among the residents in Seoul and Kyungki provinces. This survey was done by questionnaire from the 5th September to the 5th October 1996. The results was followed: 1. The average score of the food habit in the career women was 9.6 among the total score 20. 2. The food habit of the career women appeared worse to whom were younger, single, and having loss educational backgrounded and living apart from family. When the average score of food habit was compared between groups, nurses group was lower than the other group, and shift workers. 3. Education and guidance for appropriate diet and food habit will be considered as necessary for health of the working women.

• Sleep Medicine and Psychophysiology
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• v.10 no.2
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• pp.84-87
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• 2003

Drowsy driving is a major cause of automobile crashes and can lead to more serious injuries than other causes of traffic accidents. Factors increasing the risk of drowsy driving and related crashes include sleep loss, late night driving, untreated or unrecognized sleep disorders, use of sedating medications and consumption of alcohol. Young people, especially young males, shift workers, and people with untreated sleep apnea syndrome and narcolepsy are well known as the population groups at highest risk. To prevent drowsy driving and its consequences, getting adequate and quality sleep is both easier and much more successful than any remedial measure. Other helpful behaviors include avoidance of alcoholic beverages and limiting late night driving. Taking a short nap or consuming caffeine can make a short-term difference in driving alertness. In addition, information should be actively provided to the public about the importance of sleep disorders and their consequences. To reduce injuries and death caused by drowsy driving, it is a prerequisite to increase public awareness that drowsy driving can cause serious automobile crashes and has morbidity and mortality rates as high as those of drunk driving.

• 제어로봇시스템학회:학술대회논문집
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• 2001.10a
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• pp.174.6-174
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• 2001

Various raw materials from which iron and steel are made are unloaded from ship and then piled up at the designated yard. The equipment that piles up the raw materials is called Stacker and these materials are then dipped out and sent to unit factories such as blast furnace and cokes using the equipment called Reclaimer. The Reclaimer has an actual size of 16 meter high and 50 meter long and runs back and forth over the rail of about 1.2 km, carrying the materials to each unit factory. Until now, in most cases, Stacker and Reclaimer are manually operated. At POSCO, four workers on a shift basis sit in the operation room as shown in the picture, pile up and dip out the materials, checking them out with their own eyes ...

• Proceedings of the KSR Conference
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• 2007.11a
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• pp.1846-1851
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• 2007

According to the Railroad Safety Act and section 42 of the Enforcement Ordinance, railway operators should conduct railway safety training regularly(6 or 3 hours per three months). But Overall Railroad Safety Audit conducted 2006 pointed out nonfulfillment of a regulations on railway worker's safety training to each of every 4 railway operators, which proved that the training management had not carried out properly. E-learning is used in various fields with development of Internet and IT technologies. It might be a good alternative tool for railway workers who is in shift working of the company 24 hours a day. Because it is difficult to collect those employees for training, e-learning could overcome obstacles of time and distance. In order to find out suitable e-learning model to railway sector, e-learning system for railway safety training has been researched through investigating e-learning technology and present railway safety training condition.