Characteristics of work-related musculoskeletal disorders in Korea and their work-relatedness evaluation

Indexes for motor performance assessment in job integration/reintegration of people with neuromuscular disorders: A systematic review

Individuals of working age affected by neuromuscular disorders frequently experience issues with their capacity to get employment, difficulty at work, and premature work interruption. Anyway, individuals with a disability could be able to return to work, thanks to targeted rehabilitation as well as ergonomic and training interventions. Biomechanical and physiological indexes are important for evaluating motor and muscle performance and determining the success of job integration initiatives. Therefore, it is necessary to determinate which indexes from the literature are the most appropriate to evaluate the effectiveness and efficiency of the return-to-work programs. To identify current and future valuable indexes, this study uses a systematic literature review methodology for selecting articles published from 2011 to March 30, 2021 from Scopus, Web of Science, and PubMed and for checking the eligibility and the potential bias risks. The most used indexes for motor performance assessment were identified, categorized, and analyzed. This review revealed a great potential for kinetic, kinematic, surface electromyography, postural, and other biomechanical and physiological indexes to be used for job integration/reintegration. Indeed, wearable miniaturized sensors, kinematic, kinetic, and sEMG-based indexes can be used to control collaborative robots, classify residual motor functions, and assess pre-post-rehabilitation and ergonomic therapies.

Why Workers Hesitate to Report Their Work-Related Musculoskeletal Symptoms: A Survey at a Korean Semiconductor Company

Underreporting work-related musculoskeletal disorders (WRMSD) has been an issue in South Korea. The purpose of this survey was to figure out how many employees of a semiconductor and liquid crystal display company in South Korea experience WRMSDs and what the possible obstacles in reporting to the company are. A survey was developed with demographic questions, perceived WRMSD symptoms, and reasons for reporting or not reporting WRMSD. The survey was distributed via the company's intranet to all employees (24,380) whose employee identification number ended with an odd number. A total of 2862 employees completed the survey and the response rate was 11.7%. A total of 55.2% of respondents had felt at least one musculoskeletal symptom during the past year. More than 40% of workers who had experienced pain or discomfort during the past year thought their symptoms were more than 50%. work-related. More than one-fourth of respondents answered that they did not report their symptoms to the company more than once. The open-ended answers for not reporting WRMSD were categorized into seven common reasons. The reasons for not reporting WRMSD in previous studies show a combination of personal, organizational, socioeconomical, and cultural factors. To encourage and manage WRMSD effectively, seven recommendations of authors are described.

Equivalent Weight: Connecting Exoskeleton Effectiveness with Ergonomic Risk during Manual Material Handling

Occupational exoskeletons are becoming a concrete solution to mitigate work-related musculoskeletal disorders associated with manual material handling activities. The rationale behind this study is to search for common ground for exoskeleton evaluators to engage in dialogue with corporate Health & Safety professionals while integrating exoskeletons with their workers. This study suggests an innovative interpretation of the effect of a lower-back assistive exoskeleton and related performances that are built on the benefit delivered through reduced activation of the erector spinae musculature. We introduce the concept of "equivalent weight" as the weight perceived by the wearer, and use this to explore the apparent reduced effort needed when assisted by the exoskeleton. Therefore, thanks to this assistance, the muscles experience a lower load. The results of the experimental testing on 12 subjects suggest a beneficial effect for the back that corresponds to an apparent reduction of the lifted weight by a factor of 37.5% (the perceived weight of the handled objects is reduced by over a third). Finally, this analytical method introduces an innovative approach to quantify the ergonomic benefit introduced by the exoskeletons' assistance. This aims to assess the ergonomic risk to support the adoption of exoskeletons in the workplace.

The Sensor-Based Biomechanical Risk Assessment at the Base of the Need for Revising of Standards for Human Ergonomics

Due to the epochal changes introduced by "Industry 4.0", it is getting harder to apply the varying approaches for biomechanical risk assessment of manual handling tasks used to prevent work-related musculoskeletal disorders (WMDs) considered within the International Standards for ergonomics. In fact, the innovative human-robot collaboration (HRC) systems are widening the number of work motor tasks that cannot be assessed. On the other hand, new sensor-based tools for biomechanical risk assessment could be used for both quantitative "direct instrumental evaluations" and "rating of standard methods", allowing certain improvements over traditional methods. In this light, this Letter aims at detecting the need for revising the standards for human ergonomics and biomechanical risk assessment by analyzing the WMDs prevalence and incidence; additionally, the strengths and weaknesses of traditional methods listed within the International Standards for manual handling activities and the next challenges needed for their revision are considered. As a representative example, the discussion is referred to the lifting of heavy loads where the revision should include the use of sensor-based tools for biomechanical risk assessment during lifting performed with the use of exoskeletons, by more than one person (team lifting) and when the traditional methods cannot be applied. The wearability of sensing and feedback sensors in addition to human augmentation technologies allows for increasing workers' awareness about possible risks and enhance the effectiveness and safety during the execution of in many manual handling activities.

ANALISIS RISIKO SIKAP KERJA DENGAN KELUHAN MUSCULOSKELETAL DISORDER PADA PORTER STASIUN SURABAYA GUBENG

Musculoskeletal disorders (MSDs) is a type of disorder in the body structure caused or compounded by a unergonomic work attitude. One of jobs at Surabaya Gubeng Station which possible to increase the risk of Musculoskeletal disorders is porter. This study aimed to analyze risk of work attitude with complaint of Musculoskeletal Disorders at Surabaya Gubeng Station’s porter. This study was analytic observational research with cross sectional research design. Data obtained from 60 porters who worked at Surabaya Gubeng Station. Musculoskeletal disorders were obtained from Nordic Body Map (NBM) observation sheet. Characteristics of respondents obtained from interview. Work attitude risk was obtained by Rapid Entire Body Assessment (REBA) method. In this study the independent variable was the risk of work attitude. Dependent variable was a complaint of Musculoskeletal disorders. Data were tested using Cramer Coefficient. The prevalence of MSDs found in this study was 86.7% with low category was counted 96.2% and medium category was 3.8%. Musculoskeletal disorders in the porter occur at night before bed and frequency of Musculoskeletal disorders occurs every 1-2 times/ week. Porter experienced most MSDs complaints on the body at the right shoulder, left shoulder, right calf, and left calf. Cramer coefficient showed a value of 0.197 on risk of right body work attitude and Cramer Coefficient of 0.046 on risk of left body work attitude. The conclusion of this research was the risk of right and left body work attitude was not affect complaint of Musculoskeletal Disorder. Keywords: musculoskeletal disorder, porter, station, risk of work attitude

Wearable Monitoring Devices for Biomechanical Risk Assessment at Work: Current Status and Future Challenges-A Systematic Review

Background: In order to reduce the risk of work-related musculoskeletal disorders (WMSDs) several methods have been developed, accepted by the international literature and used in the workplace. The purpose of this systematic review was to describe recent implementations of wearable sensors for quantitative instrumental-based biomechanical risk assessments in prevention of WMSDs. Methods: Articles written until 7 May 2018 were selected from PubMed, Scopus, Google Scholar and Web of Science using specific keywords. Results: Instrumental approaches based on inertial measurement units and sEMG sensors have been used for direct evaluations to classify lifting tasks into low and high risk categories. Wearable sensors have also been used for direct instrumental evaluations in handling of low loads at high frequency activities by using the local myoelectric manifestation of muscle fatigue estimation. In the field of the rating of standard methods, on-body wireless sensors network-based approaches for real-time ergonomic assessment in industrial manufacturing have been proposed. Conclusions: Few studies foresee the use of wearable technologies for biomechanical risk assessment although the requirement to obtain increasingly quantitative evaluations, the recent miniaturization process and the need to follow a constantly evolving manual handling scenario is prompting their use.

Educational intervention for reducing work-related musculoskeletal disorders and promoting productivity

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES

Work-related musculoskeletal disorders (WMSDs) are the main causes of pain, suffering, absenteeism, disability and reduction in productivity. This research aims to determine the role of training intervention based on protection motivation theory in reducing WMSDs and promoting productivity.

METHODOLOGY

The conducted study was based on a quasi-experimental design (control) that was carried out on 158 employees of the Kabl Khodro factory which were divided into two groups of 79 people. After splitting the 158 workers, an experimental and control group was formed. The data collection instruments were made up of two questionnaires and were analysed using a quick exposure check (QEC) method.

RESULT

Before intervention in both the experimental and control groups, there were no significant differences among the average protection motivation theory constructs, productivity and QEC scores (p < 0.05). However, following training intervention there was a significant increase in these factors within the investigated group apart from the perceived response costs and efficacy.

CONCLUSION

The conducted study shows that ergonomic training based on the protection motivation theory is effective in reducing musculoskeletal risk factors and that increased knowledge of the subject can lead to an increase in productivity.

An Evidence-Based Multidisciplinary Practice Guideline to Reduce the Workload due to Lifting for Preventing Work-Related Low Back Pain

We developed an evidence-based practice guideline to support occupational safety and health (OSH) professionals in assessing the risk due to lifting and in selecting effective preventive measures for low back pain (LBP) in the Netherlands. The guideline was developed at the request of the Dutch government by a project team of experts and OSH professionals in lifting and work-related LBP. The recommendations for risk assessment were based on the quality of instruments to assess the risk on LBP due to lifting. Recommendations for interventions were based on a systematic review of the effects of worker- and work directed interventions to reduce back load due to lifting. The quality of the evidence was rated as strong (A), moderate (B), limited (C) or based on consensus (D). Finally, eight experts and twenty-four OSH professionals commented on and evaluated the content and the feasibility of the preliminary guideline. For risk assessment we recommend loads heavier than 25 kg always to be considered a risk for LBP while loads less than 3 kg do not pose a risk. For loads between 3-25 kg, risk assessment shall be performed using the Manual handling Assessment Charts (MAC)-Tool or National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) lifting equation. Effective work oriented interventions are patient lifting devices (Level A) and lifting devices for goods (Level C), optimizing working height (Level A) and reducing load mass (Level C). Ineffective work oriented preventive measures are regulations to ban lifting without proper alternatives (Level D). We do not recommend worker-oriented interventions but consider personal lift assist devices as promising (Level C). Ineffective worker-oriented preventive measures are training in lifting technique (Level A), use of back-belts (Level A) and pre-employment medical examinations (Level A). This multidisciplinary evidence-based practice guideline gives clear criteria whether an employee is at risk for LBP while lifting and provides an easy-reference for (in)effective risk reduction measures based on scientific evidence, experience, and consensus among OSH experts and practitioners.

Work-related Musculoskeletal Disorders in Korea and Japan: A Comparative Description

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.

Work-related musculoskeletal diseases and the workers' compensation

The Industrial Accident Compensation Insurance Act (IACIA) regulates the workers' compensation insurance system and the standards for the recognition of occupational diseases (ODs). Since its establishment in 1994, the IACIA has been amended several times. Before 2008, the approval of compensation for work-related musculoskeletal diseases (WMSDs) was decided based on the recommendation of consultants of the Korea Workers' Compensation and Welfare Service (COMWEL). The IACIA was amended in 2008, and since then, the approval of compensation for occupational injuries has been decided based on the recommendation of COMWEL consultants, whereas the approval of compensation for ODs was decided based on the judgment of Committee on Occupational Diseases Judgment (CODJ) which was established in 2008. According to the 2013 amendment to the IACIA, degenerative musculoskeletal diseases among workers engaged in musculoskeletal-burdening work should be considered compensable ODs. Despite some commendable changes to the workers' compensation insurance system, other significant issues persist. To resolve these issues, related organizations including the associations of orthopedic surgery, neurosurgery, and occupational and environmental medicine; Ministry of Employment and Labor; and COMWEL need to work cooperatively.

Korean medicine coverage in the National Health Insurance in Korea: present situation and critical issues

National Health Insurance (NHI) in Korea has covered Korean medicine (KM) services including acupuncture, moxibustion, cupping, and herbal preparations since 1987, which represents the first time that an entire traditional medicine system was insured by an NHI scheme anywhere in the world. This nationwide insurance coverage led to a rapid increase in the use of KM, and the KM community became one of the main interest groups in the Korean healthcare system. However, due to the public's safety concern of and the stagnancy in demand for KM services, KM has been facing new challenges. This paper presents a brief history and the current structure of KM health insurance, and describes the critical issues related to KM insurance for in-depth understanding of the present situation.