Earticle

Purpose: This study proposed the comprehensive construction occupational health management plan in Korea to listen to the opinions of occupational safety and health experts and practitioners, to grasp the current status and problems of construction site occupational health management, and to seek strategies for efficient construction health management. Methods: In this study, the improvement of the health level and quality of life of construction workers by eliminating the blind spots of construction occupational health management is suggested as the vision of construction occupational health management. And reducing the deaths from occupational diseases was set as the goal of construction occupational health management. Results: Four tasks were set for occupational health management in the construction industry; improvement of construction occupational health management system, establishment of construction occupational health management infrastructure, management of vulnerable workers in construction industry, development of construction occupational health management program. Conclusion: In order to implement this, it is necessary to actively conduct research on construction occupational health management, propose a system suitable for the characteristics of the construction industry, and reinforce the capacity of the occupational health manager to establish the occupational health management of construction sites. It is suggested to the government to establish a construction occupational health management policy based on the tasks proposed in this study

Purpose: Construction workers are exposed to various carcinogens such as dust, organic compounds and heavy metals. However, few studies have compared the risk of cancer among construction workers with workers of other industries. This study aims to compare the cancer risk of construction male workers with that of manufacturing male workers and examine whether there is a age-specific difference in cancer risk. Methods: A retrospective longitudinal study using Korean Longitudinal Study of Ageing data was conducted. A total of 589 male workers were included in the study. The study participants were divided into construction workers and manufacturing workers. Confounding variables were adjusted for using multivariate logistic regression. Results: The results showed that cancer risk did not differ between male construction workers and male manufacturing workers. There was a positive association between cancer risk and age in manufacturing workers(odds ratio= 4.03, 95% confidential interval: 1.14, 14.21). However, cancer risk was not associated with age in construction workers(odds ratio=0.92, 95% confidential interval: 0.22, 3.94). Conclusion: The results of this study indicate that the age at which cancer occurs in construction workers is lower than that of manufacturing workers and call for health management tailored to construction workers along with policies to strengthen the management of carcinogens in construction industry.

Purpose: In Korea, it is required to have occupational healthcare providers on construction sites with a project of 80 billion Korean Won or above since January 1st 2015, and the healthcare professionals are hired for it. In this study, a survey was conducted to the healthcare providers, investigated difficulties and job satisfaction, and analyzed the factors affect job satisfaction. Methods: In order to conduct a survey to the healthcare providers from construction companies nationwide, total 295 healthcare professionals agreed to participate in the survey. Results: Workplace satisfaction scores were higher for younger ages and shorter working hours, and job satisfaction scores and workplace satisfaction scores were higher for higher incomes. When indifference in the workplace is not selected among difficulties, job satisfaction scores and task satisfaction scores were higher, and job satisfaction scores were higher unless lack of support from headquarter is selected. Job satisfaction scores and task satisfaction scores were higher when conflict between workers or ambiguity in the regulations is not selected. Conclusion: It is found that difficulties among healthcare providers affect job satisfaction in the construction industry, and thus new regulations need to be come into effect early in terms of occupational health in the construction industry.

Purpose: This study is about the construction workers’ knowledge, attitudes, and practice related to occupational health, analyze the factors, and then aims to contribute to promote occupational healthcare activities of construction workers. Methods: Total 314 workers were from two construction sites in Seoul and Gyeonggi, and they agreed to participated in the study. 20 of them who had incomplete responses were excluded, and 294 participants were selected for the last analysis. Results: The knowledge scores were higher for office and onsite workers, working under eight hours, and high/medium job satisfaction. For factors affect attitudes for occupational health, the attitude scores were higher for those aged over 60, high school diploma or no degree, and working under eight hours. For factors affect practice to occupational health, practice scores were higher for ages 50-59, high school diploma or no degree, and working under eight hours. Practice scores were higher for work of less than eight hours, and higher knowledge and attitude scores of occupational health. Conclusion: Based on the study result, we believe that having solutions to improve the knowledge and attitudes is needed.

Purpose: This study was an analysis of the factors that affect the satisfaction level of the rest facilities in the workplace and the satisfaction level of employees. Methods: A survey was conducted among 906 workers in 150 enterprises. Results: The satisfaction levels of rest facilities were higher for younger ages, males, and upper management. The satisfaction levels of rest facilities were higher when the companies had 300 employees or more, 4 rest facilities or more, and the rest area signs were placed. The satisfaction levels of rest facilities were higher for the responses indicating improved work performances, feeling less tired, frequent visits to the rest facilities. Conclusion: It is necessary to increase satisfaction to the rest facilities at small and medium-sized businesses along with the number of rest facilities. Also, rest area signs should be placed to be easily seen. Employers need to let employees know that rest facilities help them improve their work performances and they will feel greater satisfaction to the facilities, even though they are very tired or hardly visit there.