• 한국전문물리치료학회지
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• 제12권2호
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• pp.44-57
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• 2005

The objectives of this study were to examine the relative efficacy of three active exercise programs for work-related, chronic low back pain, and to observe to what extent the programs affected the mechanical stability of the lumbar region. The subjects were 64 employees who were randomly divided into three groups to match the three active exercise programs which were performed 3 times a week for 6 months. All subjects were assessed with the same measurements at a pre-study examination, and then were reassessed at 2 weeks, 3months and 6 months after the study. The pain intensity didn't show any significant difference among the three groups. However, the Oswestry Disability Index showed significant differences among the three groups at 6 months and the lumbar and thoracic exercise groups showed significant decreases compared to the general physiotherapy group (p<.05). Maximal stretching with both hands in the overhead direction showed a significant difference among the three groups at 3 months and 6 months, and the thoracic exercise group at 6 months showed a significant increase in overhead stretching compared to the lumbar exercise and general physiotherapy groups (p<.05). The group that performed maximal stretching with both hands in the overhead direction showed the most significant among the 3 months and 6 months. At 6 months, the thoracic exercise group showed a significant increase in overhead stretching compared to the lumbar exercise and general physiotherapy groups (p<.05). The lumbar region angle of inclination showed significant differences among the three groups at 2 weeks 3 months, and 6 months, with the thoracic exercise group being decreased more significantly at 6 months than the lumbar exercise and general physiotherapy groups (p<.05). Exercise aimed at increasing thoracic mobility has an effect on lumbar stability. Furthermore, it is far more effective for lumbar stabilization than general physiotherapy and deep muscle strengthening lumbar exercise.

• 한국산업보건학회지
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• 제25권2호
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• pp.211-219
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• 2015

Objectives: We aimed to examine the association between experience of workplace violence and musculoskeletal pain among wage workers in South Korea. Methods: We analyzed a cross-sectional survey of 29,601 wage workers from the third wave Korean Working Conditions Survey in 2011. Experience of workplace violence was assessed through three questions, "Over the past 12 months, have you ever experienced: (1) physical violence, (2) bullying, or (3) sexual harassment at workplace?" Musculoskeletal pain was measured using the three questions, "Over the past 12 months, have you ever experienced: (1) low back pain, or (2) upper limb pain(i.e. shoulder, neck, and arm), or (3) lower limb pain(i.e. hip, leg, knee, and foot)?" Wage workers could answer 'Yes' or 'No' to each of the three questions. Multivariate negative binomial regression was applied to examine the association between workplace violence and musculoskeletal pain after adjusting for confounders including self-reported physical work factors. All analyses were performed using STATA/SE version 13.0. Results: Physical violence was associated with low back pain(PR: 2.16, 95% CI: 1.77, 2.65), upper(PR: 1.65, 95% CI: 1.45, 1.88) and lower limb pain(PR: 1.81, 95% CI: 1.52, 2.15) among male wage workers whereas it was related to upper(PR: 1.86, 95% CI: 1.53, 2.26) and lower limb pain(PR: 2.95, 95% CI: 2.47, 3.53) among female wage workers. Significant association was observed between sexual harassment and upper(PR: 1.25, 95% CI: 1.01, 1.56) and lower limb pain(PR: 2.41, 95% CI: 1.97, 2.93) among female wage workers whereas the association was only significant in the analysis with lower limb pain(PR: 1.87, 95% CI: 1.17, 2.97) among male wage workers. Bullying was associated only with lower limb pains among both male(PR: 1.77, 95% CI: 1.32, 2.37) and female(PR: 2.10, 95% CI: 1.69, 2.61) wage workers. Conclusions: This study found that experience of workplace violence, particularly physical violence and sexual harassment, was associated with musculoskeletal pain among Korean wage workers.

• 한국산업보건학회지
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• 제18권1호
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• pp.49-61
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• 2008

The objective of this study is to survey the risk factors of greenhouse vegetables farmers' work-related musculoskeletal disorders(MSDs). To offer the fundamental data for agricultural improvement of greenhouse vegetable farms, the questionnaire of MSDs and heath condition were carried out. A group of 736 workers(males=492, females=244) in 6 branches constitutes the population and database for the analysis between 2004 and 2005. The sample branch was chosen based on paper are watermelon, strawberry, tomato, melon, cucumber, lettuce. The results are as follows: 1. Smoking rates in cucumber and tomato is the highest. 2. Drinking rates in strawberry, cucumber and lettuce is the highest in males, watermelon and melon are the highest in females. 3. Regular exercise rates in melon are the highest. 4. Physical and mental fatigue in females is higher than that of males in most crops except melon. That of strawberry and tomato is the highest. 5. The prevalence rates of medical diagnosed diseases are higher in order of osteoarthritis, herniated nucleus pulposus(HNP), and hypertension. That of strawberry, melon, and cucumber is high in case of osteoarthritis; Strawberry, melon, and watermelon are high in case of HNP. 6. Prevalence rates of musculoskeletal symptoms among the various pain areas are higher in order of low back, knees, and shoulders. That of tomato and watermelon is high in case of low back; strawberry and tomato are high in case of knees. These results can be used practically for agricultural improvement of greenhouse vegetables farms to prevent MSDs.

• 대한안전경영과학회지
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• 제17권3호
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• pp.115-123
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• 2015

The study conducted statistical analysis of survey on the 239 workers participating in national Tower Crane installation/dismantlement in order to identify work environment and health hazard exposure of Tower Crane workers. Consequently for work related safety status of Tower Crane workers, the number of installation/dismantlement work was the highest at 15-20 times per month, and safety equipments were not arranged at work and they felt highly anxious when boarding on the Tower Crane. Furthermore, it is found that they feel anxious working in the influence of the weather, noise, vibration, wind, the sun ray, and structure characteristic. They have very low satisfaction in the insecureness of workplace and the work environment, and recognizes that their work affect highly on the health. 81.6% of workers have experienced accident at work, the cause of accidents were mainly due to poor work environment, and the health abnormality they have experienced were mostly fatigue and concentration reduction. For job stress, job demand and conflict in relationship were the highest sections. Total 66.5% of workers complained of musculoskeletal disorder related subjective symptom, and back pain patients were the highest of all groups.

• 대한인간공학회지
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• 제31권5호
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• pp.687-694
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• 2012

Objective: This study aims to survey the prevalence of musculoskeletal disorders(MSD) among Korean hospital workers and to analyze the relationship of MSD symptoms and workload perceived by workers. Background: Despite of high exposure to the MSD risk factors and high MSD symptom prevalence among health care workers, there were not enough studies of MSD prevalence among the hospital workers. Method: This study designed a survey based on Nordic questionnaire to obtain MSD symptoms and the degree of four perceived workloads: work repetition, urgency, physical exertion and satisfaction. In this survey, 1,846 workers in a hospital participated. The prevalence of MSD was analyzed for each body part, and MSD cases, which were predetermined in this study, were identified. The relationship between the MSD cases and each perceived workload was analyzed using chi-square test. Results: The pain in the shoulder was the most prevalent among the workers as 52%, and the low back(37%) and leg discomfort(36%) followed. The MSD cases, in which degree of pain was more than severe, were also the most prevalent in the shoulder(13%). Female workers had higher rate of MSD cases than the males. Among the four workload variables, the physical exertion was the statistically related to MSD cases for all the body parts. In addition, the others also had significant relation to MSD cases except one or two body parts. Conclusion: This study found that Korean hospital workers had MSD symptoms mainly in the shoulder, low back and legs in order, and the perceived workload surveyed in this study was highly correlated with MSD symptoms. Application: This study provides another evidence that subjective physical exertion perceived by workers is an important factor to explain MSD cases as same as the objective one.

• 한국심리학회지 : 문화 및 사회문제
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• 제9권spc호
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• pp.107-122
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• 2003

본 논문에서는 근골격계질환, 특히 직업성요통에 관련되는 위험요인의 영향을 종합적으로 살펴보고자 하였다. 첫째로 물리적인 요인의 영향을 알아보기 위하여 해석적인 인체역학 모델과 NIOSH(National Institute for Occupational Safety & Health) Guidelines를 이용하여 자동차 조립작업의 직업성 요통관련 위험도를 평가하였다. 총 246 작업자에 대한 분석을 수행하였는데, 분석결과 총 20개의 작업에서 L5/S1에서의 압축력이 300kg이 넘었으며 44개의 작업은 NIOSH Guidelines에 의한 분석결과, 최저허용기준치(ACTION LIMIT)을 넘는 것으로 나타났다. 둘째로 사회심리적 요인과 직업성요통의 관계에 대해 분석하였다. 사회심리적 요인의 영향을 알아보기 위하여 증상과 PWI(Psychosocial Well-being Index)를 토대로 한 설문을 이용하여 246명 작업자 모두에게 설문조사를 실시하였다. 그 결과 207명의 작업자가 직업성 요통증상을 경험한 적이 있으며 특히 27명의 작업자는 유병자로 분류된 바 있는 사람들이었다. PWI 점수를 근거로 하여 나눈 두 집단(저스트레스군, 고 스트레스군)은 증상이나 진단결과에 있어서 통계적으로 유의한 차이를 보이지 않았다. 또한 사회심리적 스트레스와 작업강도와의 관계를 살펴보면 주로 작업자세요인과 사회심리적 스트레스가 유의한 관계를 가지는 것으로 나타났다. 마지막으로 직업성요통의 발생에 대하여 경로분석을 수행하였다. 분석결과 인구학적 요인, 사회심리적 요인, 작업특성 요인이 직업성 요통에 직접적으로 영향을 미쳤으며, 개인특성요인 즉, 작업경험, 흡연, 수면시간 등은 직업성요통에 직접적인 영향을 미치는 않은 것으로 나타났다. 그러나 개인특성요인은 직업성 요통에 유의한 영향을 미치는 사회심리적 요인과는 밀접한 관계를 가졌다. 향후 다양한 직종에서의 이와같은 경험적 연구결과가 축적되어 우리나라의 조직문화적 특성을 고려한 직업성 요통에 대한 위험모델에 구축되어야 한다고 사료된다.

• Safety and Health at Work
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• 제10권1호
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• pp.3-20
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• 2019

This review aimed to identify risk factors for occupational accidents and illnesses among young workers in the Nordic countries and to attain knowledge on specific vulnerable groups within the young working force that may need special attention. We conducted a systematic review from 1994 to 2014 using five online databases. Of the 12,528 retrieved articles, 54 met the review criteria and were quality assessed, in which data were extracted focusing on identifying occupational safety, health risk factors, and vulnerable groups among the young workers. The review shows that mechanical factors such as heavy lifting, psychosocial factors such as low control over work pace, and organizational factors such as safety climate are all associated with increased injury risk for young Nordic workers. Results show that exposures to chemical substances were associated with skin reactions, e.g., hand eczema. Heavy lifting and awkward postures were risk factors for low back pain, and high job demands were risk factors for mental health outcomes. The review identified young unskilled workers including school drop-out workers as particularly vulnerable groups when it comes to occupational accidents. In addition, apprentices and young skilled workers were found to be vulnerable to work-related illnesses. It is essential to avoid stereotyping young Nordic workers into one group using only age as a factor, as young workers are a heterogeneous group and their vulnerabilities to occupational safety and health risks are contextual. Politicians, researchers, and practitioners should account for this complexity in the education, training and organization of work, and workplace health and safety culture.

• 한국의류학회지
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• 제32권10호
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• pp.1584-1594
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• 2008

This study was to research the characteristics of the body shape of Korean woman farmers by the major crops. Four hundred ninety-five Korean woman farmers from 9 different area such as Kumi, Damyang, Iksan, Injae, Chungju, Choongju, Haman, Whasung, and Whasoon volunteered for this study. Their major crops were the rice, the pepper, the water melon, the strawberry, the wild rocambole, the sweet persimmon, the grapes, the mushroom, and the chrysanthemums. Twelve body angles were measured from archived the somatotype photographs of the front, the side, and the back. Questionnaires of SF-36 and the farmer's symptom, and the farm-work related movements were surveyed. The results were as follows; 1. Farmers had lower health levels in physical role limit, pain, vitality, and physical function than other occupational workers. 2. Most farmers acted the high-risk ergonomics motions when they worked in the farm. 3. There were significantly different on the both shoulder angles, the hip tangential line slope, the hip breadth angel, in frontal ankle-knee angle, the bending back angle, the dropping breast slope, the abdominis media angle, under the abdominis media angle, the glutea angle, under the glutea angle, and the sideward knee angle(p<.05). 4. Farmers cultivating the low plants such as the water melon, the strawberry, and the wild rocambole showed more banded vertebralis and side knee angles. Farmers cultivating the red pepper showed the dropping the left shoulder and O shape legs. Farmers cultivating the fruit trees such as the sweet persimmon and the grapes showed the less banded side knee angles than other farmer groups. 5. On comparing the same age, farmers showed the older's body shape in earlier and much more than the old living in the city.

• 대한인간공학회지
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• 제25권2호
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• pp.43-50
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• 2006

The purpose of this study was to investigate applicability of NIOSH lifting equation(NLE) to analysis of workload for patient transferring. In principle, the NLE is not applied to analyzing workload of patient transferring, because 1) the task is generally performed by two or more persons; 2) unlike ordinary objects, human body of patients is basically unstable load with their location of the center of mass significantly varying during lifting activity; and 3) the task is done in a restricted work space. This study was conducted through comparison of NIOSH lifting indexes(LIs) and L5/S1 compressive forces by 3DSSPP for patient transferring tasks performed by 2~6 persons. The results showed that LIs are linearly correlated with L5/S1 compressive forces with correlation coefficient of 0.92, which resulted in a significant simple linear regression equation for LIs and L5/S1 compressive forces. Consequently, it was concluded that the NLE is applicable to transferring patient only with slight modification. Based on the results, instead of 1.0 originally used by NIOSH, the LI of 1.5 was proposed as a gauge to estimate whether or not the task needs corrective action to reduce risk for developing lifting-related low back pain.

• 대한인간공학회지
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• 제22권4호
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• pp.79-90
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• 2003

The purposes of this study are to compare data for work-related musculoskeletal disorders(WMSDs) between Korea and USA, and to investigate status of WMSDs for industrial safety managers. The first part of this study was based on statistical data annually published by Minister of Labor of Korea and Bureau of Labor Statistics of USA. The latter was performed by using questionnaire survey for industrial safety managers in two regions. The results showed that the WMSDs incidence rate was significantly lower in Korea than in USA, and that there is big difference in the distribution of occupational illness by category of illness between Korea and USA. The questionnaire survey revealed that knowledge level about WMSDs was significantly affected depending upon corresponding companies' location and size, and that the low back pain was the most prevalent illness among varying WMSDs symptoms, followed by tendonitis/tenosynovitis, carpal tunnel syndrome, and tennis elbow. Based on this study, it is recommended that the future education/training for WMSDs focus on their preventative measures, methods/tools for identifying their risk factors, and diagnostic criteria for judging suspicious symptoms for industrial accidents, and that the governmental policy for WMSDs be changed towards financial supporting for preventive facilities, establishing objective diagnostic criteria and training for WMSDs.