ABSTRACT
OBJECTIVES: Work related Musculoskeletal disorders (WMSD) is one of the most important problem in occupational health system of Korea and Japan, where the OHS system developed in similar socio-cultural environment. This study compared WMSD in Korea and Japan to review similarities and differences in their historical background, and development of prevention policies. METHODS: Scientific articles, government reports, and related official and non-official statistics on WMSD since the 1960s in Japan and Korea were reviewed. RESULTS: The historical background and basic structure of the compensation system in Korea and Japan largely overlapped. The issuing of WMSD in both countries appeared as upper limb disorder (ULD), named occupational cervicobrachial diseases (OCD) in Japan, and neck-shoulder-arm syndrome (NSA) 30 years later in Korea, following the change from an industrial structure to automated office work. Both countries developed manuals for diagnosis, guidelines for workplace management, and prevention policies. At present, compensation cases per covered insurers for WMSD are higher in Korea than in Japan, due to the social welfare system and cultural environment. Prevention policies in Korea are enforced more strongly with punitive measures than in Japan. In contrast, the Japanese system requires autonomous effort toward risk control and management, focusing on specific risky processes. CONCLUSIONS: WMSD in Korea and Japan have a similar history of identification and compensation structure, yet different compensation proportions per covered insurer and prevention policies. Follow-up study with international cooperation is necessary to improve both systems.
Subject(s)
Humans , Asian People , Compensation and Redress , Diagnosis , Follow-Up Studies , Insurance Carriers , International Cooperation , Japan , Korea , Occupational Health , Social Welfare , Upper ExtremityABSTRACT
The work of viniculturists consists of a number of overhead work for hours in a standing position. In order to improve working postures and reduce musculoskeletal complaints of viniculturists, a tricycle and an electric-driven tricycle for vinicultural use were invented. Investigation was performed during the thinning out of grapes by comparing three different working methods, i. e., traditional standing overhead work, work using a tricycle, and work using an electric-driven tricycle. The three different working methods were employed for four days, each by three viniculturists.<BR>The subjects were questioned whether they had musculoskeletal complaints and general fatigue sensations four times a day during the investigation. For each different working method, the working hours and the amount of work of each subject were measured. The subjects were also asked to evaluate each working method by themselves. The work aided by the electric-driven tricycle was effective in decreasing the complaints of pain in the lower back (lumbago) and dullness of the legs. The work aided by electric-driven tricycle also showed higher efficiency than either traditional standing work or the work aided by tricycle. The electric-driven trycycle also received higher evaluation because of its easy drivability. These results lead to the conclusion that by adding some more improvements on the electric-driven tricycle, it could be introduced to viniculturists for practical use.
ABSTRACT
An epidemic of dermatitis of unknown etiology occurred from May to August, 1983 among the farmers working in paddy fields in Kusatsu city, Shiga prefecture.<BR>The dermatitis was characterized by erythemato-papulo-vesicular eruptions with severe itiching, and localized in legs and arms.<BR>The questionnaire was conducted on 1757 farmers, and 192 of them replied that theysuffered from dermatitis after working in paddy fields with shoes or bare feet. Among the farmers suffering from dermatitis, 58.1 % of them were suspicious of cercarial dermatitis. And the inquiry by the phone made it more affirmative that 90 % of the dermatitis were cercarial dermatitis.<BR>Six patients were serologically examined by indirect fluorescent antibody method using <I>Gigantobilharzia</I> cercariae and <I>Schistosoma mansoni</I> cercariae as antigen. All of them showed high serum titer, and were diagnosed as cercarial dermatitis. Although no cercariae was found from snails in paddy fields of Kusatsu city, Austropeplea ollula, the vector snail for avian schistosome especially for <I>Trichobilharzia</I> was the extremely dominant snail (99.3 %). <I>Trichobilharzia</I> was the most suspicious avian schistosoma as the etiology of this epidemic dermatitis in Kusatsu area.
ABSTRACT
Interviews were carried out on 23 cases of agricultural accidents to consider the influence on their life.<BR>Physical damage due to agricultural accidents brought various influences: directly hindrance of farming activity, increase of their family members' work load, changes or cut-down of their longterm farming plans, decrease of income through agricultural management or extra-agricultural labour.<BR>And the grade of seriouseness of the damage was related not only to the grade of physical damage but the sufferes' financial status.<BR>Most of the sufferers did not know that the national workmen's compensation insurance had special application for the farmers.<BR>And each of them effected one or several nongovernmental insurances and the amount of insurance money was corresponding to their financial status.<BR>So, it seems that the matter would be more serious, if the accidents occured to the farmers belonging to the financially lower class.<BR>Therefore, some appropriate insurance system is in need to prevest sufferers' economical fall. And most subjects themselves eagerly required such a insurance system.
ABSTRACT
The survey was done in a district where the mechanization of agriculture had advanced and part-time farming had been prevailing.<BR>Agricultural accidents, picked up from the insurance documents of the Agricultural Cooperative Association from 1977 to 1981, were analyzed statistically.<BR>Results obtained are as follows.<BR>1, The agricultural machines related to accidents were two-wheel tractors, combines, grass cutters and four-wheel tractors. These four types of machines occupied 72% of all accidents.<BR>2. The accidents were observed most frequently in busy seasons i. e. spring and autumn, and from 10 to 11 a.m. and 3 to 5 p.m. in a day.<BR>3. Because of part-time farming, one third of the accidents occured on Sundays and national holidays.<BR>4. The accidents by two-wheel tractors and four-wheel tractors occured on the road, 67% and 49% respectively. There occured 86% of the accidents by combines in the field, and 85% of the injuries by combines were on hands and fingers. The injuries by grass cutters occured frequontly on legs and eyes, 58% and 18% respectively. One third of the eye injuries resulted in anopsia.<BR>5. There were few overlaps between the cases collected by the prefectural office and those from the insurance documents. Slight-injury cases were scarcely found in the insurance documents. These facts indicate the present information-collecting systems for the agricultural accidents are incomplete in this district.