Overview of Occupational Health Management System in Korea / 한국직업건강간호학회지

Purpose@#Regarding workers’ health promotion and disease prevention, the law on the health management system has been enacted and implemented since 1961. However, regulations related to health managers do not meet recent demands for changes in fields such as industrial structure, occupational health problems, or the improvement of occupational health skills. This study aimed to suggest improvement strategies regarding the health management system in the workplace. @*Methods@#We summarized past empirical or theoretical literature. @*Results@#This study summarized the overview and history of the Korean occupational health management system, advanced foreign occupational health management system, and the effectiveness of the health management at workplace. Further, this study proposed various strategies to improve the occupational health management system in Korea. Method: We summarized past empirical or theoretical literature. @*Conclusion@#The effective operation of the health management system in the workplace would improve workers' health, in addition to enhancing national competitiveness through securing a healthy workforce.

Effect of Workplace Health Manager's Role Performance on Presenteeism in the Workers / 한국직업건강간호학회지

PURPOSE: This study was conducted to determine the effect of the performance of Workplace Health Manager at the workplace on presenteeism in the workers. METHODS: Three months before this study, between June 2010 and September 2010, a self-reporting survey of 316 employees in 136 workplaces in each of each hired a Workplace Health Manager was performed at their workplace with explanations of the purpose and methods of this study after their consent was obtained. RESULTS: The average performance score of the Workplace Health Manager as graded by the employees was 3.8 out of 5 points. The duties of the Workplace Health Manager which received higher grades were posting of the Material Safety Data Sheets (MSDS), health education, and future management with respect to the results and procedure of health care-related work. According to the employees' survey, the score for presenteeism was evaluated as 14.3 out of 30 points. Based on the presenteeism analysis results, when (1) the employee was a male, (2) the workplace was established and managed by Industry Safety and Health Committee, (3) the employees were aware of the role of Workplace Health Managers, and (4) Workplace Health Manager fulfilled his/her role actively and successfully, presenteeism was observed to a lesser extent. CONCLUSION: According to the results of the study, presenteeism was observed to a lesser extent when the Workplace Health Manager actively performed his/her role.