Local occupational disease surveillance system in Korea: Current status and issues / 대한산업의학회지

No abstract available.

Local occupational disease surveillance system in Korea: Current status and issues / 대한산업의학회지

No abstract available.

The Prevalence and Characteristics of Cumulative Traumatic Disorders

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the current status and the basic information of cumulative traumatic disorder among workers. METHOD: The subjects were 198 workers, consisted of 100 shipspublisher workers, 155 telephone operators and 43 light workers. Workers were surveyed with a standardized self- administered questionnaire and examed by the occupational medicine doctors and physiatrists for the cumulative traumatic disorders. Laboratory tests, nerve conduction studies and X-rays of the C-spine and shoulders were performed in all subjects. RESULT AND CONCLUSION: Myofascial pain syndrome was the most frequent problem in the shipspublisher and telephone operators. As a result of the multiple logistic regression analysis, cycle time, palm pinch, lumbar and neck flexion were the significant variables accounting for the musculoskeletal symptoms.

Development of a Baseline Checklist for CTD Risk Assessment / 대한산업의학회지

Today, CTDs (Cumulative Trauma Disorders) are one of major hazards in the US and European Industries disrupting work schedules, productivity and increasing workers compensation costs. The increase in injuries and their associated costs has led companies to form committees and implement programs to address this problem. Therefore, it is important that quantitative analysis tools help identify and assess industrial tasks that pose risk to workers. However, the process of quantifying risk in upper limb tasks is still in its infancy stage and calls for better measurement techniques are not going unheard. As the first work of quantification, baseline CTD checklist for risk assessment was developed in this study. It was mainly based on previous literature regarding CTDs. The checklist was unique in that its expected user was industrial hygienist who did not have much ergonomic background and in that it was targeted to Korean workers in various types of industries. As the first application of the checklist, some jobs in two industries (VDT, heavy Industry) were evaluated, and compared with the medical data. Eighteen out of thirty items in the checklist was univariately significant (p<0.05) on the results of medical examinations. The correlation between medical data and total risk score from the checklist was 0.62. The feasibility of its use by an industrial hygienist was also checked by comparing with the results by an ergonomist. Their correlation (on the basis of Kendall's tau-b) in terms of total risk score was 0.74. The checklist in this study shows reasonably good performance for the first trial. Further research will have to include continuous refinement and validation for many more industries and many more jobs.

Discriminating Function of Preemployment Medical Examination and Necessity of Changing over to Preplacement Medical Examination in Korea / 대한산업의학회지

In Korea, every worker should undergo a preemployment medical examination according to Law for Occupational Safety and Health. But evaluation of it has not been previously carried out. Thus a telephone survey of 213 establishments of Inchon area for evaluation of preemployment medical examination in Korea was conducted. One hundred and fourteen companies(46.5% of all the subjects) were examined medically on preemployment, 47 establishments(41.2% of this study subjects) reevaluated workers by each establishment's medical criteria, and only less than half of diseased workers(DM 38.6% ; hypertension 42.1%, HBV carrier 28.0 % ; active pulmonary tuberculosis 7.9 %; back pain 12.3 %, and noise induced hearing loss 18.4 %) were employed. Employee's fees for preemployment medical examination were covered by 53.5 % of all the subjects. From our survey, it is clear that preemployment medical examination plays discriminating role on the employment of workers based on health status. We thus proposed to change over from preemployment medical examination to preplacement examination based on the evaluation of essential job functions and reasonable accommodation.

Cumulative Trauma Disorders Among Shipyard Workers and Application of Baseline Checklist for Risk Assessment / 대한산업의학회지

Cumulative trauma disorders were surveyed in a cross-sectional study of 100 male ship yard workers and 43 male office workers. And baseline checklist for risk assessment of cumulative trauma disorders was applicated in a ship making process. Cases of cumulative trauma disorders were defined using physical examinations and electronic diagnostic methods. Data on demographics, individual factors (medical condition), work organization and psychosocial aspects of work were obtained by questionnaire. Association between the above factors and cumulative trauma disorders were assessed by multiple logistic regression models. 29(29 %) participants of male shipyard workers and 4(9.2 %) study subjects of male office workers met our case definitions for cumulative trauma disorders. The myofascial pain syndrome of neck muscles(12 % of participants) and carpal tunnel syndrome(5 % of participants) were the major two medical conditions in shipyard workers. The odds of male shipyard workers for cumulative trauma disorders to male office workers was 3.15 after adjustment of age(95 % C.I. :2.25-5.44). And the variables such as duration of present job, HIVD condition, and surges in workload were associated at least one of the cumulative trauma disorders in the final models (p<0.05) . This study indicates that work related upper extremity musculoskeletal disorders are relatively common among shipyard workers, and shows that the psychosocial factors is not likely to be related to the occur rences of these disorders in heavy workers. Also we developed baseline checklist for risk assessment of cumulative trauma disorders. The checklist was unique in that its expected users were industrial hygienists and occupational healthing nurses who did not have much ergonomic background and in that it was targeted to Korean workers in various types. As the first application of the checklist, shipyard workers were evaluated.

Cumulative Trauma Disorders Among Shipyard Workers and Application of Baseline Checklist for Risk Assessment / 대한산업의학회지

Cumulative trauma disorders were surveyed in a cross-sectional study of 100 male ship yard workers and 43 male office workers. And baseline checklist for risk assessment of cumulative trauma disorders was applicated in a ship making process. Cases of cumulative trauma disorders were defined using physical examinations and electronic diagnostic methods. Data on demographics, individual factors (medical condition), work organization and psychosocial aspects of work were obtained by questionnaire. Association between the above factors and cumulative trauma disorders were assessed by multiple logistic regression models. 29(29 %) participants of male shipyard workers and 4(9.2 %) study subjects of male office workers met our case definitions for cumulative trauma disorders. The myofascial pain syndrome of neck muscles(12 % of participants) and carpal tunnel syndrome(5 % of participants) were the major two medical conditions in shipyard workers. The odds of male shipyard workers for cumulative trauma disorders to male office workers was 3.15 after adjustment of age(95 % C.I. :2.25-5.44). And the variables such as duration of present job, HIVD condition, and surges in workload were associated at least one of the cumulative trauma disorders in the final models (p<0.05) . This study indicates that work related upper extremity musculoskeletal disorders are relatively common among shipyard workers, and shows that the psychosocial factors is not likely to be related to the occur rences of these disorders in heavy workers. Also we developed baseline checklist for risk assessment of cumulative trauma disorders. The checklist was unique in that its expected users were industrial hygienists and occupational healthing nurses who did not have much ergonomic background and in that it was targeted to Korean workers in various types. As the first application of the checklist, shipyard workers were evaluated.

Clinical Analysis of 8 Cases of Chronic Carbon Disulfide Poisoning in Workers Engaged in the Viscose Rayon Industry / 대한산업의학회지

The authors have experinced 8 cases of chronic carbon disulfide poisoning in workers engaged in the viacase rayon industry during the period between March 1987 and September 1988. Cases of carbon disulfide poisoning has not been reported in Korea till then. Carbon disulfide is primarily a neurotoxic poison, therefore those symptoms indicating central and peripheral nervous damage are very important. And it has toxic effects on the various organs such as skin, eye, ear, and respiratory, cardiovascular, gastrointestinal, hepatic, genitourinary, hematological, and endocrine system. Occupational histories were obtained, and clinical findings and laboratory findings were analysed on all cases. 1. Seven (7) cases had been exposed to carbon disulfide for more than 10 years, and 1 case has been exposed for 6 years. 2. Most common symptoms were neurological symptoms such as gait disturbance, extremity weakness, paresthesia, and speech disturbance. 3. Involvement of central nervous system was noted in 7 cases through abnormal findings of electroencephalography, brain computerized tomography, neurological signs, and psychological test. Needle electromyography and nerve conduction study showed polyneuropathy in all cases. Ophthalmological abnormalities were found in 7 cases, mainly retinal microaneurysms and peripheral constriction of the visual field. Renal damage appeared in 4 cases, increase of serum cholesterol and/or triglyceride level appeared in 3 cases, and dercrease of erythrocyte and hemoglobin appeared in 2 cases. And hypertenison appeared in 2 cases, and diabetes appeared in 1 case. One(1) case who has been exposed tn carbon disulfide for 6 years showed polyneuropathy and peripheral constriction of the visual field.

A Study on the Current System of Occupational Physician in Korea / 대한산업의학회지

According to law the employer who has over 50 workers in his enterprise should employ an occupational physician as industrial health manager. The main role of the occupational physician is emphasized to the prevention of occupational diseases rather than the treatment and he should be the team leader of industrial health personnel. But this ideal system in terms of stipulations has lots of problems in operation. Therefore this study was designed to prove the attitude of reception, real condition and work content of the occupational physician in enterprise. The survey was done in 500 stratified random sampled enterprises over the country from July through September in 1987 by mailing questionnaire. As a result of the response from 145 enterprises, more than 85% of enterprise displaced occupational physicians. Among the occupational physicians 43% of them has no allowance for their working as industrial health managers and are payed less than 100,000 won monthly. And 66% of them visited only once a month or none enterprise, where they were nominated as a occupational physician managers. The major work content of occupational physician was doing outpatient clinic or regular physical examination rather than prevention of occupational disease. And it shows a deep discrepancy with the object of law or the expect of enterprise in which industrial hygiene and health education are more stressed for prevention of occupational diseases. The most of industrial workers showed no interest in work of occupational physician. As a conclusion, the current system of industrial health manager has maintained on paper formally and is apt to fall into making outward show. It is urgent for government and enterprise to find a solution which can be practically used the system of occupational physician. The work content of occupational physician is required high advanced knowledge and experience, and it should be operated dual system by special field and nonspecial field.

A Study on the Attitude Toward the Perodic Health Screening for Workers in Korea: Attitude of Personnels in Health Screening Institutions and Enterprises / 예방의학회지

In all enterprises of Korea employing workers more than five, employees have a duty of conducting a periodic health screening for improvement and maintaining healthful living and working conditions of employees. The health screening is performed annually in line workers and biennially in table workers under the supervision of the government. But there are some argument to the health screening programme in view of effectiveness, efficiency, reliability and etc. In order to obtain basic reference materials for increasing the efficiency of periodic health screening programme for workers and understand the attitude of health screening institutions and enterprises toward the periodic health screening, mail questionnaire survey was conducted in July 1987. The questionnaire went to 950 health screening institutions and 700 enterprises in whole land but they were returned from 254 health institutions and 187 enterprises, which were analyzed. The results were as follows: 1) The attitude of the respondents toward the necessity and benefit of the periodic health screening was showed highly positive responses in both of screening institutions and enterprises, and it was more positive in screening institutions. The attitude toward the affirmative and the contentment was showed less positive than that of the necessity and benefit. 2) The respondent recognized may problems on regard to the screening programme. The health screening institutions lie in the state of competition with other institutions for undertaking the screening programme. 3) One of major complaints from enterprises was the lack of sincerity in performing the screening programme. They wanted more practical and reliable health screening examination rather than showy one. 4) Health screening institutions and enterprises showed some mutual contradictions in the matter of screening fee, and so the screening fee should be adjusted to the appropriate cost.

Combined Effects of Iron and Zinc on Accumulation of Lead in Some Organs of Rats / 예방의학회지

In order to study the effects of iron and zinc on the lead poisoning of rats, lead with iron and zinc, or lead alone were administered orally to a total of 98 adult rats of Sprague-Dawley Species. The concentrations of lead, zinc, and iron were measured by atomic absorption spectrophotometer at every 20 days intervals of 20th, 40th, 60th, 80th and 120th day as a final measurement. Those datas were analysed and compared with those of control groups. The results were summarized as follow; 1. The concentration of lead in blood, bone, and liver tissues kept increasing in case of lead exposure group whereas it started decreasing at 60-80th day when concentration of zinc started increasing in case of combined exposure group. However, in kidney tissue, the concentration of lead in combined exposure group kept increasing up to the end of observation showing special high concentration at the final measurement at 120th day. 2. Concentration of zinc in blood and liver tissues had increased from 60-80th day in case of combined exposure group. 3. Concentration of iron in blood showed decreasing from 44.15+/-9.67 to 32.44+/-2.69 microgram/ml in case of lead exposure group, whereas it showed constant level of 47.50~45.65 microgram/ml. However, in liver tissue it kept constant as control did from 40th to 60th days, but from 100th day on it started increasing to show much higher concentration than control.

Trace Metal Contents in Human Hair of Korean / 예방의학회지

Analysis for 6 metals (Cd, Zn, Cu, Ni, Pb, Mn) by Atomic absorption spectrophotometer were made on hair samples of healthy 135 in urban area and 130 in rural area who have not dealt with the above metals in their daily working life. Marked variations were found. Samples of urban area contained more cadmium, copper, lead and manganese than those of rural area. No sexual difference in mean value could be observed and the amount of metals in hair did not increase with age. And no age dependency was found. There was a statistically significant correlation between the concentrations of cadmium and lead in both urban and rural people; Pb=1.50 Cd + 6.69 (r = 0.213, p<0.05) in urban area. Pb=1.44 Cd + 3.67 (r = 0.327, p<0.001) in rural area.