• Journal of the Korean Society of Physical Medicine
• /
• v.14 no.4
• /
• pp.173-181
• /
• 2019

PURPOSE: This study examined the necessity of a musculoskeletal injury-prevention program for automobile parts manufacturing workers by assessing the body composition, muscle strength, and posture according to sex and age. METHODS: Two hundred eighty-two workers (men, 218; women, 64; mean age, 38.97 years; and mean work tenure, 10.29 years) participated in this study. They completed a questionnaire on their general characteristics, excluding personal identification codes. The participants were evaluated for body composition, muscle strength, and posture using InBody, a hand dynamometer, and the Image J program through photography, respectively. An independent t-test and one-way analysis of the variance were used for the comparisons according to sex and age, respectively. RESULTS: Significant sex-related differences in muscle strength and grip force were observed (p<.05). In addition, the left-side pelvic inclination was significantly higher in the female participants than in the male participants (p<.05). Significant age-related differences in the skeletal muscle mass and muscle strength were observed around 40 years (p<.05). Significant correlations were observed among the body composition (skeletal muscle and body fat masses), muscle strength, and posture (pelvic inclination; p<.01). CONCLUSION: Significant differences in pelvic inclination by sex and muscle strength by age were found, even in healthy workers. Additional posture and muscle strength measurements will be needed for workers who participate in the musculoskeletal injury prevention program because they are exposed to an incorrect posture for many hours or in many repetitive tasks.

• Journal of Sasang Constitutional Medicine
• /
• v.33 no.1
• /
• pp.1-21
• /
• 2021

Objective The purpose of this study was to examine the correlation between the Cold-damage Six-meridian disease of Qibo (岐伯六經病證) and Sasang Constitutional Symptomatology (四象體質病證), presented in Discourse on the Origin of Eastern Medicine (醫源論) of Longevity and Life Preservation in Eastern Medicine (Donguisusebowon, 東醫壽世保元). Method The process of development from Cold-damage Six-meridian disease of Qibo (岐伯六經病證) to Six Meridians Physical Symptoms and Medicines (六經形證用藥) in the chapter Cold(寒門) of the Treasure Mirror of Eastern Medicine (Donguibogam, 東醫寶鑑) was investigated. And the correlation between Six Meridians Physical Symptoms and Medicines (六經形證用藥) and Sasang Constitutional Symptomatology (四象體質病證) was considered. Results and Conclusions 1. The Cold-damage Six-meridian disease of Qibo (岐伯六經病證) in the chapter Heat Treatise (熱論篇) of Basic Questions (素問) had evolved into Six Meridians Physical Symptoms and Medicines (六經形證用藥) in the chapter Cold(寒門) of the Treasure Mirror of Eastern Medicine (Donguibogam, 東醫寶鑑) through Book for Life Saving (Huorenshu, 活人書), a work of Zhu Gong (朱肱), Six Books on Cold Damage disease (Shanghanliushu, 傷寒六書), a work of Tao Hua (陶華) and Introduction to Medicine (YixueRumen, 醫學入門), a work of Li Chan (李梴). 2. The correlation between the Cold-damage Six-meridian disease of Qibo (岐伯六經病證) and Sasang Constitutional Symptomatology (四象體質病證) can be analyzed and understood through Six Meridians Physical Symptoms and Medicines (六經形證用藥) in the chapter Cold(寒門) of the Treasure Mirror of Eastern Medicine (Donguibogam, 東醫寶鑑). 3. Greater Yang meridian disease of Qibo (岐伯) is related to Soyangin early stage of Lesser-Yang Wind-Injury symptomatology and Soyangin early stage of Chest-Heat symptomatology, Yang Brightness meridian disease and Greater Yin meridian disease to Taeeumin Liver-Heat symptomatology, Lesser Yin meridian disease to Soyangin Chest-Heat symptomatology, Lesser Yang meridian disease to Soyangin early stage of Lesser-Yang Wind-Injury symptomatology and Reverting Yin meridian disease to Soeumin Reverting Yin symptomatology of Greater Yang disease.

• Journal of Korean Institute of Industrial Engineers
• /
• v.28 no.2
• /
• pp.223-231
• /
• 2002

Recently, work-related musculoskeletal disorders(WMSDs) have rapidly increased and have been a major issue in the field of industrial safety. Of several physical risk factors for WMSDs, which include postures, vibration, repetitive work, speed or acceleration of movements, etc., awkward postures have been known as one of the major causes of WMSDs. For reducing the potential for injury as a result of postures, cost effective quantification of the magnitude for physical exposure to poor working postures is important and needed. To do this, several postural classification schemes have been developed and used in industrial sites. It is known that perceived discomfort for joint motions and muscle strength for females were much less than those for males. However, the existing postural classification schemes were developed without considering these gender effects. This study aims to develop a new postural classification scheme for female workers, based on the perceived discomfort for joint motions. The result showed that there was significant difference between the schemes for female and male. It was also found that when compared with OWAS, RULA and REBA, postural load was quantified more precisely with the developed scheme. It is recommended that different schemes according to gender of workers involved in work be used in order to accurately evaluate postural load of work postures.

• The Journal of Korean Physical Therapy
• /
• v.25 no.3
• /
• pp.132-135
• /
• 2013

We presented with a patient who showed injury of the cingulum and fornix by penetration of a foreign body into the brain on diffusion tensor tractography (DTT). A 63-year-old man suffered a brain injury by a part of a power saw blade that was suddenly detached from a power saw during work. A part of the power saw blade penetrated his right frontal skull and advanced to the right posterior horn of the lateral ventricle. This penetration caused traumatic intracerebral hemorrhage in the right frontal lobe and intraventricular hemorrhage in the lateral ventricle. He underwent craniotomy and removal of intracranial foreign bodies (bony pieces and saw blade). The patient's Memory Assessment Scale scores were 74 (4%ile) for global memory, 78 (7%ile) for verbal memory, and 80 (9%ile) for visual memory. DTTs showed disruptions in the anterior portion of the fornical body, right fornical crus, the anterior portion of the right cingulum, and the middle portion of the left cingulum, compared to the control. It seems that the sustained memory impairment of this patient might be related to injury of the cingulum and fornix.

• Safety and Health at Work
• /
• v.9 no.2
• /
• pp.140-143
• /
• 2018

Background: The Occupational Safety and Health Monitoring and Assessment Tool (OSH-MAT) is a practical instrument that is currently used in the German woodworking and metalworking industries to monitor safety conditions at workplaces. The 12-item scoring system has three subscales rating technical, organizational, and personnel-related conditions in a company. Each item has a rating value ranging from 1 to 9, with higher values indicating higher standard of safety conditions. Methods: The reliability of this instrument was evaluated in a cross-sectional survey among 128 companies and its validity among 30,514 companies. The inter-rater reliability of the instrument was examined independently and simultaneously by two well-trained safety engineers. Agreement between the double ratings was quantified by the intraclass correlation coefficient and absolute agreement of the rating values. The content validity of the OSH-MAT was evaluated by quantifying the association between OSH-MAT values and 5-year average injury rates by Poisson regression analysis adjusted for the size of the companies and industrial sectors. The construct validity of OSH-MAT was examined by principle component factor analysis. Results: Our analysis indicated good to very good inter-rater reliability (intraclass correlation coefficient = 0.64-0.74) of OSH-MAT values with an absolute agreement of between 72% and 81%. Factor analysis identified three component subscales that met exactly the structure theory of this instrument. The Poisson regression analysis demonstrated a statistically significant exposure-response relationship between OSH-MAT values and the 5-year average injury rates. Conclusion: These analyses indicate that OSH-MAT is a valid and reliable instrument that can be used effectively to monitor safety conditions at workplaces.

• Journal of Korean Society of Occupational and Environmental Hygiene
• /
• v.27 no.3
• /
• pp.231-237
• /
• 2017

Objectives: This study was conducted to determine firefighters' work-related accident rate and investigate the factors affecting their on-site safety. Methods: We developed a web-based self-reported questionnaire designed to inquire into firefighters' work-related accident experience and the factors (4M; Man, Machine, Media, Management) affecting firefighters' on-site safety. We distributed questionnaires to all members of firefighting organizations in South Korea by e-mail and 9,149 were returned, resulting in a response rate of 23.1%. Results: Fifteen point seven percent of the respondents reported work-related injuries within the past one year, and 35.1% answered that current accident investigation reports are not helpful for preventing the same accident from recurring. Among the 4M factors, the one most affecting firefighters' on-site safety in the order of priority is the Man factor, followed by Machine, Media, and Management. However, the results from detailed sub-categorical factors showed some differences. 'Lack of human resources', one of the Management factors, was the most influential (70.3%), followed by 'worn-out equipment' under the Machine factor (67.2%). The viewpoint of elements of the Man factor including 'forgetting instructions' and 'fatigue and illness' were significantly different according to firefighters' rank. The higher the firefighter's rank, the more they answered 'forgetting instructions,' while the opposite was the case for 'fatigue and disease'. Conclusions: The present firefighters' accident investigation report needs to be improved, and the 4M method could prove very useful. In addition, it is necessary to set up a proper firefighters' accident investigation and prevention system.

• Safety and Health at Work
• /
• v.13 no.3
• /
• pp.343-349
• /
• 2022

Background: In the United States, the dairy product manufacturing industry has consistently had higher rates of work-related nonfatal injuries and illnesses compared to the national average for industries in all sectors. The selection and implementation of appropriate safety performance indicators are important aspect of reducing risk within safety management systems. This study examined the leading safety indicators implemented in the dairy product-manufacturing sector (NAICS 3115) and their perceived effectiveness in reducing work-related injuries. Methods: Perceptions were collected from individuals with safety responsibilities in the dairy product manufacturing facilities. OSHA Incident Rate (OIR) and Days away, restricted and transferred (DART) rates from 2013 to 2018 were analyzed. Results: The perceived most effective leading were safety observations, stop work authority, near miss reporting, safety audits, preventative maintenance, safety inspections, safety training attendance, and job hazard analysis/safety analysis, respectively. The 6-year trend analysis showed that those implementing all eight top indicators had a slightly lower rates than those that did not implement all eight. Production focused mentality, poor training, and lack of management commitment were perceived as the leading causes of injuries in this industry. Conclusion: Collecting leading indicators with the unique interest to meet the regulatory requirements and to document the management system without the actual goal of using them as input to improve the system most probably will not lead to an effective reduction of negative safety outcomes. For leading indicators to be effective, they should be properly selected, executed, periodically evaluated and actions are taken when necessary.

• Journal of Korean Academy of Fundamentals of Nursing
• /
• v.19 no.3
• /
• pp.302-312
• /
• 2012

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to investigate the level of knowledge, attitude and compliance with standard precautions and to identify predicting factors of compliance with standard precautions in ICU and ER nurses. Methods: The participants were 228 ICU and ER nurses working in one of three university hospitals and one general hospital. Collected data included general characteristics, features related to infection risk, and knowledge, attitude and compliance with standard precautions. For the final analysis, 218 questionnaires were used. Results: Within the previous one year, 103 (47.3%) nurses experienced pricking injury from syringe needles or other sharp materials, 111 (50.9%) nurses reported exposure to patients' blood and body fluid. In general, the scores for knowledge, attitude and compliance were all high. Compliance scores for nurses in intensive care units were significantly higher than those of nurses in emergency. There were significant correlations of knowledge, attitude, and compliance with standard precautions. Attitude and work place were significant factors predicting compliance with standard precautions. Conclusion: The results indicate that to increase nurse's compliance with standard precautions, continuous efforts to enhance positive attitudes and at the same time, improve work environments and use individualized approaches based on the work units are needed.

• Journal of Korean Biological Nursing Science
• /
• v.20 no.3
• /
• pp.187-195
• /
• 2018

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to identify associations among the sleep disturbance, fatigue, job stress, and blood and body fluid (BBF) exposure of shift-work nurses. Methods: A total of 299 shift-work nurses from two tertiary hospitals were enrolled in this study. We used the Insomnia Severity Index (ISI), and the Fatigue Severity Scale (FSS), and the Korean Occupational Stress Scale-Short Form (KOSS-SF) to evaluate sleep disturbance, fatigue, and job stress, respectively. The data were analyzed using t-test or chi-squared test and Logistic regression analysis using the SPSS 23.0 program. Results: We found that 43.8% of participants reported BBF exposure over the past year. Splash or exposure to broken skin of BBF were most frequent (56.9%), and followed by needlestick injuries (30.4%) and sharp injuries (12.8%). Age, hospital, working period, level of stress, sleep disturbance ($ISI{\geq}15$), fatigue (FSS $score{\geq}4$), job demand and organizational climate subset in KOSS-SF were significantly associated with BBF exposure in shift-work nurses. In multivariate analysis after adjusting age and hospital, the risk factors of BBF exposure in shift-work nurses were the level of stress and fatigue (FSS $score{\geq}4$). Conclusion: Fatigue and job stress were related to BBF exposure in shift-work nurses. Our results suggest that management of sleep disturbance, fatigue, and high job stress in shift-work nurses is needed to reduce risk of BBF exposure.

• Journal of Korean Academy of Nursing Administration
• /
• v.7 no.3
• /
• pp.487-495
• /
• 2001

Purpose : In this study, task performance and job satisfaction of nurses in non-life insurance companies were examined to improve the personnel management in their companies. Method : Data collection was done with 119 nurses in non-life insurance companies in October and November, 1999. Data analyses were performed using SPSS Win 8.0 package. Result: The Results were as follows: 1. The tasks most commonly performed by nurses were 'medical fee inspection', 'education for staves', 'management of the injured', 'management of injury and disablement'. 2. The mean score of total job satisfaction was 3.2(interaction. 3.8; professional status, 3.6; autonomy, 3.4; task requirements, 3.1; administration, 2.8; pay and advancement, 2.6). 3. Task performance was significantly correlated with job satisfaction total score(r=0.478, p<.01). The item, 'executing statistical works and data analyses related with injury and disablement', was highly correlated with job satisfaction total score(r=0.418, p<.01). 4. The amount of task performance was significantly correlated with educational background and position. The job satisfaction level significantly correlated with personal experience and position. Conclusion : To improve the work efficiency and job satisfaction in the companies, it is necessary to set the bounds of task performance and to enlarge the promotion opportunities to higher positions.