• Journal of Korean Society of Occupational and Environmental Hygiene
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• v.28 no.2
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• pp.211-221
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• 2018

Objectives: The purpose of this study was to identify work-related risk factors associated with upper extremity symptoms among construction workers using the fourth Korean Working Condition Survey(KWCS). Methods: Subjects were 2,724 construction workers selected from 50,007 respondents in the 2014 KWCS. The presence or absence of upper extremity symptoms and work-related risk factors, including individual, physical, and psychosocial factors, were used as variables. A multiple logistic regression analysis was performed in order to evaluate the relationship of the upper extremity symptoms with work-related risk factors. Results: Upper extremity symptoms were significantly associated with: employment type(OR: 1.57, 95% CI: 1.18~2.09); job satisfaction(OR: 2.06, 95% CI: 1.33~3.18); verbal abuse(OR: 2.06, 95% CI: 1.33~3.18); tiring or painful posture(OR: 2.33, 95% CI: 1.73~3.15); carrying or moving heavy loads(OR: 1.68, 95% CI: 1.23~2.24); repetitive hand or arm movement(OR: 1.42, 95% CI: 1.06~1.91) Conclusions: In order to prevent the upper extremity musculoskeletal disease in the construction industry, it is necessary to stabilize employment, enhance job satisfaction, and eliminate violence in the workplace and improve physical work environment.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Safety
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• v.26 no.6
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• pp.71-78
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• 2011

The aim of study was to reduce risk factors of musculoskeletal disorders, and prevent it according to evaluation and analysis of its symptoms survey, and work postures which doing much frequently. This study was conducted by 64 firefighters. It was surveyed physical burden levels, distribution of musculoskeletal symptoms, and analized work postures by using ergonomics tools, such as Rapid Entire Body Assesment(REBA), Rapid Upper Lim Assessment(RULA), NIOSH Lifting Equation(NLE). Physical burden levels, and distribution of musculoskeletal symptoms were surveyed according to frequency analysis, and the analysis of above tools were presented figures and scores. The all the results of REBA were that risk level was "High", action level was "Need soon" and the results of RULA were "The results are required detailed survey and immediate improvement" at Require rescue person handling, fire hose, hybraulic rescue equipment, universal axe work postures. The occurrence possibility of musculoskeletal disorders of fire fighters is quite high due to instability postures, excessive physical work and so on. Thus, making various efforts to prevent disorders, and improving working environment is necessary continuously.

• Korean Journal of Occupational Health Nursing
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• v.12 no.1
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• pp.31-38
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• 2003

This study is an attempt to analyze the physical load by the type of the nursing tasks at the neurosurgical ICU nurses through the quantitative analysis of the working postures by the type of the nursing tasks with the OWAS(Ovako Working Postures Analysis System). Data collection was conducted through the video recording of the 13 nurses working at the neurosurgical ICU. For the analysis of the work postures by the type of the nursing tasks, and were interviewed regarding the subjective degree of the difficulties with the work postures related to the tasks. Collected data was analyzed through the WinOWAS program. The results were as follows : AC3 or AC4 tasks among the 18 nursing tasks types are "occupied bed making and change of the patient gown", "back massage", "suction", "elimination management", "change of position", "adjustment of bed", "helping the patient to move","measurement of CVP"and "measurement of urine volume". It appears that these tasks are harmful to the musculoskeletal system and the improvement or change of the work is required. The results stated above indicate that improper working postures during the nursing tasks influence the musculoskeletal system. Therefore, making use of assistant devices for the improvement of the working environment at the nursing tasks, based on human technological diagnoses, is required regarding the duty types with massive work pressure known to be harmful to the musculoskeletal system among those performed by the nurses. And there is a need of the education about the employment and maintenance of the vocational back pain prevention.

• Safety and Health at Work
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• v.14 no.1
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• pp.66-70
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• 2023

Background: Online teaching and learning extend the duration of using gadgets such as mobile phones and tablets. A prolonged usage of these gadgets in a static position can lead to musculoskeletal disorders (MSD). Therefore, this study aims to identify the risk factors related to musculoskeletal symptoms while using gadgets during work from home due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Method: A cross-sectional survey with online-based questionnaires was collected from the University of Indonesia, consisting of lecturers, students, and managerial staff. The minimum number of respondents was 1,080 and was defined by stratified random sampling. Furthermore, the dependent variable was musculoskeletal symptoms, while the independent were age, gender, job position, duration, activity when using gadgets, and how to hold them. Result: Most of the respondents had mobile phones but only 16% had tablets. Furthermore, about 56.7% have used a mobile phone for more than 10 years, while about 89.7% have used a tablet for less than 10 years. A multivariate analysis found factors that were significantly associated with MSD symptoms while using a mobile phone, such as age, gender, web browsing activity, work, or college activities. These activities include doing assignments and holding the phone with two hands with two thumbs actively operating. The factors that were significantly associated with MSD symptoms when using tablets were gender, academic position, social media activity, and placing the tablet on a table with two actively working index fingers. Conclusion: Therefore, from the results of this study it is necessary to have WFH and e-learning policies to reduce MSD symptoms and enhance productivity at work.

• Science of Emotion and Sensibility
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• v.20 no.2
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• pp.103-116
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• 2017

We studied the actual condition of work environment and work morale according to the type of employment of service workers by using the raw data of the Fourth Work Environment Survey (2014) conducted by the Institute of Occupational Safety and Health. In this study, the condition of work environment were composed of work posture, emotional labor, and work autonomy. Also, dimensions related to work morale were composed of competence, job satisfaction, social support, and job stress. In addition, the employment was classified into three types of regular workers, temporary workers, and daily workers. The results showed that temporary and daily workers were more likely to work in a less favorable environment than regular workers, and there was a close correlation between work environment and work morale. Based on this study, it is possible to know about the actual situation and problems of the service workers, and it is hoped that company can search for measures to increase the working environment and work morale of the workers in order to provide better service.

• Journal of Preventive Medicine and Public Health
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• v.26 no.1 s.41
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• pp.20-36
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• 1993

Work-related low back pain is one of the major factors that cause the loss of working power especially in actively working age, therefore controlling the work-related low back pain is one of the major issues in the field of industrial safety and health. This study was performed for detecting the risk factors and proposing the efficient control program of the work-related low back pain. The subjects were male workers employed at the manufacturing industry in Pusan with longer than 6 months' working duration. The data was collected by self-reported questionnaire and interview from May 1 to October 31,1992. The contents of questionnaire were as follows:. the experience of low back pain within the recent one month, general characteristics(age, marital status, education level, religion, regular exercise), physical characteristics(height, weight), employment status(working duration, daily working hours, rest during work, satis(action fur the job), type of work and working environments(posture, forward bending, lifting and movement, satisfaction for table and chair). The result was analyzed for 608 entire respondents by case-control comparative method. The number of cases was 152 with a history of work-related low back pain, so the relative frequency of self-reported work-related low back pain was 25.0%, and the number of controls was 344 without any history of low back pain. As a result, two characteristics of the employment status(working duration, satisfaction fur the job) and all characteristics of type of work and working environments showed a statistical significance between the case and control groups(p<0.01). The Oddb ratios of these variables for Work-related low back pain were calculated. They were 7.88 for the satisfaction fur chair, 7.86 for lifting and movement,3.31 for satisfaction for table, and 2.22 fur bending forward(p<0.01). And for the multivariate logistic regression analysis confirmed that unsatisfaction for table was independent risk factor for Work-related low back pain. In summary, though this study was based upon the self-reported questionnaire and the subjective complaints, the satisfaction for chair, lifting and movement, satisfaction for table, and bending forward concerned with the type of work and working environments were considered as the main factors causing the work-related low back pain, and the work-related low back pain may be preventable by the ergonomic control of these factors.

• Journal of Preventive Medicine and Public Health
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• v.29 no.3 s.54
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• pp.679-692
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• 1996

This study was performed to find the prevalence and the associated risk factors with low back pain(LBP) of the staffs in a university at Kwang-ju city. The data were collected by a questionnaire including SDS(self - rating depression Scale) battery from September 1st to October 15th, 1996. The results were as follows; 1. The prevalence rate of LBP during lifetime was 73.1%, 53.1% for the last one year, and 23.6% for the last one week. 2. Statistically significant factors related to LBP during lifetime were sex and satisfaction with job. Sex, smoking, alcohol drinking, occupation, work posture, forward bending of trunk and satisfaction with job were selected as significant factors related to LBP during the last one year. The significant determinants related with LBP during the last one week were sex, smoking, alcohol drinking, occupation, forward bending of trunk and satisfaction with job. 3. Through the analysis of self - rating depression scores according to LBP, respondents with LBP had the significantly higher value of physiological disturbances and lower value of psychomotor activities than those without LBP. 4. Through the multivariate logistic regression, significantly associated factors with LBP during lifetime were selected to be female(OR=2.63, 95% CI : $1.08\sim6.40$), dissatisfaction with job(OR=2.16, 95% CI : $1.16\sim4.15$), those for the last one year were chosen to be female(OR=2.30, 95% CI : $1.03\sim5.12$), forward bending of trunk(OR=2.18, 95% CI : $1.26\sim3.79$), dissatisfaction with job(OR=1.84, 95% CI : $1.06\sim3.21$), and those for the last one week were female(OR=3.00, 95% CI : $1.17\sim7.69$), forward bending of trunk(OR=2.85, 95% CI : $1.38\sim5.88$). In conclusion, for effective prevention of the LBP at work site, appropriate improvement of work posture and various psychological factors should be considered.

• The Journal of Korea Robotics Society
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• v.15 no.2
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• pp.124-130
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• 2020

This paper designed modular agricultural robotic platform capable of a variety of agricultural tasks to address the problems caused by a decline in agricultural populations and an increase in average age. We propose a modular robotic platform that can perform many tasks required in field farming by replacing only work modules with common robotic platforms. This platform is capable of steering while driving on four wheels in an upland environment where farm work is performed, and an attitude control module is attached to each drive module to control the attitude of the platform. In addition, the width of the platform is designed to be variable in order to operate in various ridges according to the crop cultivation method. Finally, we evaluated five items: variable width, gradient, attitude control angle, step and road speed in order to carry out the farming industry while maintaining a stable posture.

• Journal of Families and Better Life
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• v.23 no.6 s.78
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• pp.1-13
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• 2005

The aim of this study is to investigate the housework space viewed from housewives and husband in dual-earner families. For this study, depth-interview method were used to collects the data. The depth-interview were conducted on the eight heusewives and two husbands in dual-earner families in Jinju and Gwangju in April 2005. The narratives were then analyzed to discover the demands of the kitchen and laundry room. The major results were as follows: 1) Dual-earner families want the kitchen design is they can share housework with their spouses, such as kitchen facing the front side of the floor plan and island counter. In addition, they want spacious, adjustable(flexible), visible storage to enable the housewives to work with their spouse efficiently. Space for Kimchi refrigerator should be considered in the kitchen. 2) They want the noise-free laundry because the interviewers did their laundry work in the night time. Also, they want a multi-purpose laundry mm where machine washing, hand washing, drying and ironing can be done. In addition, for hand-washing wives and husbands, specific space and facilities where they can hand washing on stand posture were needed.

• Journal of Korean society of Dental Hygiene
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• v.12 no.1
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• pp.67-79
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• 2012

Objectives : The study was carried out to find out the experience of musculoskeletal disorder symptoms of dental hygienists and evaluate the risk with ergonomic evaluation method(RULA). Methods : The subjects in this study were 344 dental hygienists working at dental clinics and general hospitals in Seoul, Gyeonggi, Daejeon and Chungnam/Chungbuk. The data were collected through the self-questionnaire survey from July 26th 2010 to September 30th 2010. Results : The results showed that those who working at dental hospital, network dental clinics, with 1-5 years of clinical experience, long working hour and sitting hour, no rest hour, more physical and mental burden had higher rate of the experience of musculoskeletal disorder symptoms compared with other groups. The final score of RULA evaluation results was 6 on average requiring continuous observation and urgent demand for work improvements. According to the result of RULA evaluation by work, the orthodontic clinics were 4.5, prosthodontic clinics were 5.0, and dental surgery clinics were 6.8 being the most risky. Conclusions : The study showed high complaints rate on musculoskeletal disorders in dental hygienists. Thus, various measures including provision of proper working and rest hours, use of ergonomic working equipments, strengthening the health education for desirable working posture and the development of musculoskeletal disorder prevention program should be needed.