Influence of Physical and Musculoskeletal Factors on Occupational Injuries and Accidents in Korean Workers Based on Gender and Company Size

Abstract

Though the overall incidence of occupational injuries and accidents has decreased, they continue to happen. Many associated factors are known and managing them with limited resources is difficult. This study evaluates related risk factors and prioritizes their management for reducing occupational injuries and accidents at the workplace. We used data from the 4th Korean Working Condition Survey conducted by the Korea Occupational Safety Health Research Institute from June to September 2014. A total of 14,381 persons (9776 men, 4605 women) were selected; t-test, chi-square test, and logistic regression analyses were performed to analyze data. The influence of physical (vibration, noise, abnormal temperature) and musculoskeletal (awkward posture, handling of heavy objects, repetitive tasks) factors was compared according to gender and company size. The risk of occupational injuries and accidents among men was related to musculoskeletal factors and vibration in companies with “under 50” employees and with awkward posture, vibration, and noise in companies with “50 or above” employees; however, among women in companies with “under 50” employees, it was associated with only vibration. Although we evaluated only a few risk factors, prioritizing them based on gender and company size has provided new valuable information.