Medium-sized Workplaces Research Articles

중소규모 사업장에서 위험성평가 시행과 안전성과의 관계에 관한 연구

The purpose of this study was to conduct a study on the relationship between risk assessment signal and safety in small and medium-sized workplaces. While the Serious Accidents Punishment Act, which will be applied to places of business with five or more employees, will be effected in January 2024, the accident rate in small- and medium-sized businesses is still high. Promoting safety behaviors and preventing accidents in small- and medium-sized businesses require analyzing the role of risk assessment, an integral part of the self-regulatory safety and health management system.
 In this regard, this study is aimed at examining the relationship between risk assessment and safety performance in small- and medium-sized businesses. The subjects of this study were 211 employees, working at small- and medium-sized businesses that hired less than 300 workers. The collected data were analyzed using the IBM SPSS 29 program, through frequency analysis and independent samples t test. The results revealed significant differences in the domains of safety climate and compliance, accident rates, safety as a top priority, and the level of risk behavior management in small- and medium-sized businesses, based on whether risk assessment was conducted or not. The businesses that conducted risk assessment, demonstrated a higher level of safety performance than those that did not. These findings confirmed that risk assessment is an effective system to improve safety behaviors and prevent accidents at small- and medium-sized businesses. Further research should be conducted on the implementation of risk assessment in small- and medium-sized businesses and their resultant safety performance, to encourage more companies to adopt this practice. This will also facilitate risk assessment to develop into an effective measure for preventing industrial accidents and protecting the health and lives of workers.

안전보건관리담당자의 안전리더십이 근로자의 안전의식과 안전행동에 미치는 영향에 관한 연구

The purpose of this study is to activate the “Safety & Health Manager Assignment System”―a system that small and medium-sized enterprise (SME) in manufacturing industry with 20-49 employees is required to have safety and health manager for workers’ safety and health―through a research on whether a medium is provided between safety consciousness and safety behavior.
 The research was conducted to have suggestions for improving safety consciousness and safety behavior of workers in SMEs by promoting awareness and acknowledging importance on the safety leadership, safety consciousness and safety behavior. In line with that, actual proof analysis was conducted about this.
 A research model and hypothesis were proposed and verification was carried out to achieve the purpose of the study. Looking at the proposed research model, safety leadership of the safety and health manager directly affects the safety consciousness and safety behavior of workers. Safety consciousness is used as a parameter in this process.
 In August 2021, a survey was conducted targeting 350 safety and health managers and workers in the manufacturing industry in Busan and Gyeongnam. Among them, 334 questionnaires excluding insincere responses were empirically verified. Using SPSS 24.0, basic statistical analysis, validity and reliability verification, and correlation were conducted. The analysis results are as follows: First, the safety leadership of the safety and health manager had a positive (+) impact on the safety consciousness of workers. Second, the safety leadership of the safety and health manager had a positive (+) impact on the safety behavior of workers. Third, it was confirmed that the safety consciousness of small and medium-sized workplace workers had a positive (+) impact on safety behavior. Fourth, the safety leadership of the safety and health manager directly affects the safety behavior and consciousness of workers, at the same time, the safety consciousness of workers indirectly affects the safety behavior of workers in return.
 In conclusion, the findings could confirm that safety leadership of safety and health manager is important in influencing workers' safety consciousness and safety behavior. The safety Leadership of safety and health manager directly affects the safety behavior and consciousness of workers, and the safety consciousness of workers indirectly affects the safety behavior.

Greenspace as Workplace: Benefits, Challenges and Essentialities in the Physical Environment.

There is a scarcity of knowledge regarding the potential benefits of human-nature contact within the context of working life. Even more limited is the research that focuses on working outdoors and the setting in which it takes place. This study aimed to obtain insight into key aspects of the physical environment relevant for the experienced benefits and challenges of workers exploring office work outdoors. We conducted interviews with key informants as well as photo registration and mapping of the different green spaces in the environments of six small or medium-sized workplaces. The information gathered was used as background knowledge for exploratory qualitative interviews, which were conducted while walking in natural settings chosen by the interviewees. With a landscape architectural perspective and an inductive approach, we explored employees' experiences of bringing office work outdoors. The following themes emerged: 'Simplicity,' 'Safeness', 'Comfort', and 'Contact with Nature' were experienced as key aspects in relation to the physical environment, whereas 'Sociality', 'Well-being', and 'Functioning' stood out as the main benefits and, 'Digital dependency' and 'Illegitimacy' as challenges to overcome. Based on the identification of potential benefits and their prerequisites, we propose implications for practice and research that can be useful when focusing on bringing office work outdoors.

The Impact of Employee Recreation on Their Respective Productivity

Employee recreation is among the tools, which can be appropriately used to increase employee productivity. In developing countries, both its insufficient use in workplaces, and a lack of academic studies and resources have led to inadequate knowledge and awareness about employee recreation. In this regard, the aim of this study was to test the applicability of employee recreation and its impact on employee productivity through a comprehensive recreation program. The research was carried out according to the Solomon Four Group Design. An employee recreation program covering 6 days a week was used as the intervention. The program was implemented for 6 weeks. The research group consisted of 101 employees of a medium-sized workplace in an Organized Industrial Zone. Significant differences were found in both within-group and between-group comparisons. As a result of the study, it was found that the employee recreation program had a large and positive effect on employee productivity.

Workplace physical activity practices in real life: a scoping review of grey literature for small- and medium-sized enterprises

BackgroundThere is a need to scale-up effective physical activity (PA) programmes for small- and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), where the uptake of PA interventions is low. Identifying real-life workplace practices in PA could contribute to a better understanding of what PA programmes might be most grounded in the ‘real world’. However, there is a scarcity of evidence showing what gets done. This study aimed to identify, describe and comprehensively summarize the real-life implementations of workplace PA initiatives, particularly in Europe, as a prior step to disseminating future feasible PA practices for SMEs.MethodsA scoping review of grey literature included a systematic search in the Google advanced search platform that permuted a combination of key concepts (PA, workplace, interventions/programmes), internet domains, and search operators in six different languages (Catalan, Finnish, French, Dutch, English and Spanish) between 2015 and November 2020. The analysis process was iterative, and multiple methods were used to sort, group and categorize the initiatives.ResultsThere were a total of 713 real-life workplace PA initiatives from different-sized organizations identified. These were categorized into five themes: active work and living, exercise and fitness programs, management and leadership, communication and dissemination, and facilities. Finally, feature trees showing a menu for real-life workplace PA practices were implemented.ConclusionsIdentifying real-life practice providing a state-of-the-art snapshot of current PA practices in workplaces, which is a starting point to better understand feasible practices in the context of small- and medium-sized workplaces.

일본 동경도의 개별적 노동분쟁 해결 시스템에 대한 실증적 연구

Individual labor disputes have been rapidly increasing recently in Japan. The Tokyo Labour Relations Commission, however, handles only collective labor disputes and not individual labor disputes unlike most Labour Relations Commission of another Local Government. The reason is known to be due to the practice that individual labor disputes have been resolved in different ways like the Labor Counseling Center(hereinafter referred to as LCC) within Tokyo Metropolitan Government(hereinafter referred to as Tokyo).<BR> Here an author intends to introduce the functions and operation status of the LCC in Tokyo Metropolitan Government.<BR> Conclusions are as follows:<BR> First, in the case of Tokyo, six permanent LCCs are operated, and each LCC has a jurisdictional area of Tokyo to provide labor counseling, seminar program, circle activity by workers etc. Of course, Tokyo citizens can use any of these LCCs regardless of their address.<BR> Second, labor counseling hours are operated flexibly. In general, labor counseling at the LCC is from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. on weekdays. The counseling center, however, is also open from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Saturday. Furthermore some counseling centers have labor counseling until 8 p.m. on certain days of the week.<BR> Third, the quality of the consultation is high. The labor counseling center also provides expert counseling for the mental health of workers. On the other hand, counseling with a lawyer is provided on difficult and complicated labor disputes.<BR> Forth, most of the labor counseling applications are made by telephone, and in terms of the size of the workplace, there are more applications for labor counseling by workers at small or large workplaces than workers at medium-sized workplaces.<BR> Fifth, the contents of labor counseling show that there are many consultations on important working conditions, such as retirement, dismissal, and wages. Next is the sequence of consultations on human relationships, such as harassment, sexual harassment, pregnancy, childbirth, childcare, etc. in the workplace, and consultations on social insurance (pension, industrial accident, and employment insurance) related to social safety nets.<BR> Finally, there is consideration for labor counseling for the socially disadvantaged, such as non-regular workers and foreign workers, that is, separate counseling sessions for non-regular workers on certain days of November every year, and supports English and Chinese.

An Exploration of Contextual Aspects that Influence Cardiovascular Disease Risks Perceived by Workers in a Small-Medium-Sized Workplace.

Contextual factors are associated with risks of cardiovascular disease (CVD) perceived by personnel employed in small–medium-sized workplaces. In an ecological model, data collection and analysis were undertaken, stratified by intrapersonal, interpersonal, and organizational contexts of blue-collar workers. Data were collected in face-to-face (n = 36) and focus group (n = 4) interviews and subjected to qualitative content analysis, to generate three main themes, 10 generic categories and 18 sub-categories. At the intrapersonal level, “physical burden”, “burn out due to overtime work”, “no time to take care of health because of family responsibility”, and “lack of recognition and knowledge of CVD risks” were derived from the individual interviews. At the interpersonal level, “stress of possible job losses”, “dislike of stigmatization of unhealthy persons”, “smoking and drinking to reduce relationship stress”, and “unhealthy work environment” differed by level of risk perception. “Preferred economic value” and “lack of understanding about importance of CVD management of an employer” emerged at the organizational level. Factors that influence CVD risks among workers in small–medium-sized business were present at the multiple levels. Therefore, healthcare providers in the field of occupational health should consider CVD risks in the context of blue-collar workers and organizational level for health-promotion programs.

Levels of awareness of occupational and general cardiovascular risk factors among metal industry employees

Long-term exposure to physical, chemical, ergonomic and psychosocial environmental factors may lead to occupational cardiovascular disease in metal industry employees. This study aimed to determine levels of knowledge levels regarding occupational and cardiovascular risk factors among metal industry employees. The study was conducted between 2nd and 6th June 2014 with the participation of 82 employees. All were working in a medium-sized workplace in the metal industry. Data were collected by means of a questionnaire, which included socio-demographic characteristics and occupational cardiovascular risk factors, and a scale developed by Arıkan et al. to measure awareness levels of risk factors for cardiovascular diseases (CARRF-KL). The mean age of employees was 39.97±8.44. Of the participants, 58.5% stated that they had knowledge on cardiac disease risk factors. The mean CARRF-KL score was found to be 18.65±4.04. The percentage of employees stating that they had no knowledge on the occupational risks for such diseases was 79.3%, while 19.5% stated that job stress caused cardiac diseases. One individual (1.2%) stated that one of the chemical solvents used in the working environment was a risk factor. Although awareness among metal industry employees of cardiovascular risk factors was above average, it was determined that they do not have adequate information on occupational risk factors. Prolonged and unprotected levels exposure to environmental factors constitute a risk for cardiovascular disease. This information is important for the development of preventive cardiology.

Colorectal Cancer Screening in Korean Workers

Early detection is important for reducing mortality by colorectal cancer. Workplaces have access to a large number of people, approximately half of the Korean population. For cancer prevention, it is necessary to approach cancer screening through the workplace. In this cross-sectional study, we aimed to identify colorectal cancer screening (CRCS) stages and to predict factors that affect the respective stages. Data were collected from 314 manual workers at 32 medium-sized and small workplaces located in Korea. The dependent variable was the stage of CRCS, and independent variables were intrapersonal, interpersonal, and organizational levels. At the intrapersonal level, workers who increased work hours per week or who felt stress were less likely to be in the acting/maintenance stage than in the decided to act stage of CRCS. At the organizational level, workers in medium-sized workplaces, those whose administrators secured health checkup and cancer screening budget for their workplace, and those considering health checkup and cancer screening were more likely to be in the acting/maintenance stage, compared with the decided to act stage. Our findings suggest that the respective stages are affected by different intrapersonal, interpersonal, and organizational factors. The workplace environment and organizational predictors before the implementation of CRCS promotion programs may produce better results.

Factors Related to Workers' Depression in Small and Medium-sized Workplaces

Factors Related to Workers' Depression in Small and Medium-sized Workplaces

“Thinking on your feet”: A qualitative evaluation of an installation of sit-stand desks in a medium-sized workplace

Introduction: Sitting is a risk factor for developing chronic illnesses and mortality, independent of physical activity. Occupational sitting is a major contributor to sedentary time. Sit-stand desks are one strategy to reduce sitting time at work. Previous evaluations of sit-stand desks have focused on musculoskeletal effects, physical discomfort/complaints, and productivity with little qualitative data published regarding user acceptance. A medium-sized government organisation specializing in management/leadership training installed a mix of manually and electrically operated sit-stand desks for all employees as part of office refurbishments in late 2011.

Validity of the Occupational Sitting and Physical Activity Questionnaire

Sitting at work is an emerging occupational health risk. Few instruments designed for use in population-based research measure occupational sitting and standing as distinct behaviors. This study aimed to develop and validate brief measure of occupational sitting and physical activity. A convenience sample (n = 99, 61% female) was recruited from two medium-sized workplaces and by word-of-mouth in Sydney, Australia. Participants completed the newly developed Occupational Sitting and Physical Activity Questionnaire (OSPAQ) and a modified version of the MONICA Optional Study on Physical Activity Questionnaire (modified MOSPA-Q) twice, 1 wk apart. Participants also wore an ActiGraph accelerometer for the 7 d in between the test and retest. Analyses determined test-retest reliability with intraclass correlation coefficients and assessed criterion validity against accelerometers using the Spearman ρ. The test-retest intraclass correlation coefficients for occupational sitting, standing, and walking for OSPAQ ranged from 0.73 to 0.90, while that for the modified MOSPA-Q ranged from 0.54 to 0.89. Comparison of sitting measures with accelerometers showed higher Spearman correlations for the OSPAQ (r = 0.65) than for the modified MOSPA-Q (r = 0.52). Criterion validity correlations for occupational standing and walking measures were comparable for both instruments with accelerometers (standing: r = 0.49; walking: r = 0.27-0.29). The OSPAQ has excellent test-retest reliability and moderate validity for estimating time spent sitting and standing at work and is comparable to existing occupational physical activity measures for assessing time spent walking at work. The OSPAQ brief instrument measures sitting and standing at work as distinct behaviors and would be especially suitable in national health surveys, prospective cohort studies, and other studies that are limited by space constraints for questionnaire items.

A Life Course Perspective on Information Technology Work

Workforce Aging in the New Economy (WANE) is an international study of information technology workers in small- and medium-sized workplaces. The study was designed to explore life course issues, placing individuals in structural contexts that themselves change over time and addressing both life course management of the employees and how globalization and life course—related dimensions of the workforce jointly influence the management and survivability of small enterprises. Thus, the study links micro- and macroapproaches to understand life course issues. This article illustrates the approach with findings in two areas: how people make careers in changing work structures, and age and generational stratification issues. The article is dedicated to the memory of Chuck Longino, dear friend and colleague on the study research team, whose untimely death prevented him from seeing the project through to completion.

How many employees receive safety training during their first year of a new job?

Objective: To describe the provision of safety training to Canadian employees, specifically those in their first year of employment with a new employer. Design: Three repeated national Canadian cross-sectional surveys....

Leaving work to smoke

Work-place smoking bans have not only reduced work-day cigarette consumption but also been associated with going outside to smoke during working hours. We examined the extent of “exiled smoking”, estimated how much work-day cigarette consumption can be attributed to it, and examined proximal predictors of both these two variables. Some 794 smokers from 42 medium-sized work-places were surveyed as the baseline for an intervention study. A self-completed questionnaire assessed smoking behaviour on work and non-working days, leaving work to smoke, and beliefs and opinions about smoking and smoking bans. Multiple regressions were used to examine predictors of leaving work to smoke, and of the amount smoked when doing so. Smokers reported consuming an average of 5.4 cigarettes during work breaks, 3.5 of which were associated with deliberately seeking opportunities to smoke; 39% reported leaving work to smoke one or more times per day during non-break periods. Indices of addiction were significant predictors of both leaving work to smoke and of cigarette consumption while doing so. Leaving work to smoke is in part an activity of addicted smokers, presumably to maintain blood nicotine levels. There is the potential to further reduce rates of cigarette consumption associated with work-place smoking bans if this “exiled smoking” can be reduced. This may be easier to achieve in light smokers.

Leaving work to smoke

Work-place smoking bans have not only reduced work-day cigarette consumption but also been associated with going outside to smoke during working hours. We examined the extent of "exiled smoking", estimated how much work-day cigarette consumption can be attributed to it, and examined proximal predictors of both these two variables. Some 794 smokers from 42 medium-sized work-places were surveyed as the baseline for an intervention study. A self-completed questionnaire assessed smoking behaviour on work and non-working days, leaving work to smoke, and beliefs and opinions about smoking and smoking bans. Multiple regressions were used to examine predictors of leaving work to smoke, and of the amount smoked when doing so. Smokers reported consuming an average of 5.4 cigarettes during work breaks, 3.5 of which were associated with deliberately seeking opportunities to smoke; 39% reported leaving work to smoke one or more times per day during non-break periods. Indices of addiction were significant predictors of both leaving work to smoke and of cigarette consumption while doing so. Leaving work to smoke is in part an activity of addicted smokers, presumably to maintain blood nicotine levels. There is the potential to further reduce rates of cigarette consumption associated with work-place smoking bans if this "exiled smoking" can be reduced. This may be easier to achieve in light smokers.

An intervention strategy for workplace stress

This article explores a range of sources of workplace stress and a three-prong intervention strategy for managing pressures at work. The three approaches highlighted are primary, secondary, and tertiary prevention interventions. Primary is concerned with stressor reduction, secondary with stress management and tertiary with remedial support. In addition, a number of wider policy issues are suggested, such as risk assessment, economic incentives, and specific measures to help small- and medium-sized workplaces in managing workplace stress.

Occupational injury and disease among patients presenting to general practitioners in a community health centre

A prospective survey was conducted of all patients presenting over a six-month period to the primary medical care unit of a community health centre in an urban industrial area to determine the number and types of work-related injuries and disease, the causes, and details of the injured workers and their workplaces. Two-hundred and eighty-three patients, 7.2 per cent of the total number of patients attending, were diagnosed as having a work-related injury or disease; 250 patients had occupational injuries and 33 had occupational diseases. The most common injuries were open wounds, sprains and strains, contusions and eye injuries; the most frequent diseases were musculoskeletal strain syndromes, dermatitis and respiratory conditions. Most of those injured were skilled tradesmen or labourers from small (less than 30 employees) or medium-sized (30 to 99 employees) manufacturing workplaces. In five of the local medium-sized workplaces, more than 10 per cent of the workforce presented with occupational injury or disease in the six months. The mechanisms of injury for common injuries such as back strain and eye injuries are described. Most patients were managed totally within the primary care setting. Thirty per cent of all patients surveyed received a worker's compensation certificate. It is possible that occupational diseases were underdiagnosed and that worker's compensation was underutilized. The information obtained from the survey is being used in planning prevention.