Annals of Occupational and Environmental Medicine

Original Article

A Study on Karoshi to Make Application for Industrial Accident Compensation in Busan: Yeon Nam, Cha Jae O, Jung Rae Park, Dong Jun Lee, Byung Mann Cho, Su Ill Lee; Korean Journal of Occupational and Environmental Medicine 2002;14(1):34-46. Published online March 31, 2002; DOI: https://doi.org/10.35371/kjoem.2002.14.1.34

OBJECTIVES
Karoshi is a word meaning death from work-overload. Work-related diseases due to continuous overwork are primarily cerebro- and cardio-vascular in nature. In Korea, despite an increase in the incidence of Karoshi, it is not easy to recognise by workmen's compensation in Korea. This study intended to establish basic information concerning the incidence of Karoshi.
METHODS
219 cases were collected based on workers' compensation records of three Busan Regional Centers of Labor Welfare Corporation from 1991 to 1999. The size of workplace, occupation, daily working time, type of working schedule, job tenures, characters of work-overload and duration of work-overload were investigated according of subgroups of general characteristics. Both univariate and multiple logistic regression analyses were used to estimate the relationship between risk factors and a recognition of Karoshi.
RESULTS
1. 61.6 % of total cases were recognized as Karoshi. 30.6 % occurred in a small workplace of less than 50 workers, 34.7 % were drivers or guards, and 48.8 % were more than 50 years old. Additionally, 29.6 % worked more than 12 hours, 37.5 % were irregular hours and shift workers and 21.5 % of the total had been on the job less than 6 months. 2. Of the causes of death, 49.8 % was cerebro-vascular diseases and it was more than cardio-vascular ones. And 80.4 % of total cases was belonged to the recognition-category of the Labour Ministry's Law. The previous disease history was found on 49.8 % of all cases. Of them, hypertension was most common as 21.9 %. 3. 53.9 % of patients were exposed to job hazards such as driving, monitoring, guarding, risky jobs and frequent long-term official trips. 64.7 % recorded a increased work-overload of job contents and working hours. Of the several types of work-overload, 42.5 % displayed long-term physical and psychotic work-overload and 22.2 % exhibited job characteristic work-overload. 4. In this study, work-overload was associated with the incidence of Karoshi in 76.3 % of cases. This rate was higher than the recognition of Workmen's compensation recorded by the Korea Labor Welfare Corporation. Of these, 43.6 % belonged to sufficient factors, 10.4 % partial factors, and 22.3 % were due to aggravating factors. 5. Logistic regression demonstrated that death due to cerebro- and cardio-vascular disease, shorttenure within 6 month was significantly associated with a recognition of Karoshi (p=0.034, OR=3.00, C I = 1 . 0 9~8.30/p=0.016, OR=6.76, CI=1.43~32.07 respectively) and that an increase of work-overload was also associated, but its statistical significance was slightly lower(p=0.081, OR=2.02, CI=0.91.~4.46 ) . However, no association was found between this recognition and overtime work, hazardous job, irregular work schedule, low-income, injury-onset place, or small size of workplace. The elderly group(>50years old) and those with a previous disease history were negatively associated with recognition although the statistical association was low.
CONCLUSIONS
Karoshi in Busan occurred frequently in a small workplace of less than 50 workers, especially drivers or guards. Additionally, these cases worked more than 12 hours, were irregular hours and shift workers. The death due to cerebro- and cardio-vascular disease, short-tenure within 6 month was significantly associated with a recognition of Karoshi. However Karoshi in this study occurred frequently in overtime work and high risk groups of work-overload. Therefore, for prevention of Karoshi, work-overload and overtime work need improved and controled.

Citations

Citations to this article as recorded by

Work-related Cerebro-Cardiovascular Diseases in Korea
Dae-Seong Kim, Seong-Kyu Kang
Journal of Korean Medical Science.2010; 25(Suppl): S105. CrossRef
Factors Affecting the Designation of Cerebrovascular Diseases as Work-Related in Administrative Litigation
Hyeongsu Kim, Jaewook Choi, Hwayoung Rim, Sounghoon Chang, Kunsei Lee
Journal of Korean Medical Science.2008; 23(2): 236. CrossRef

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Original Article

Relating Factors of Industrial Accident: Dae Suk Ko, Soon Suk Choi, Soo Jin Jung, Jun Han Park, Hun Lee, Byung Chul Son, Sang Hwa Urm, Chae Un Lee, Ki Taek Bae, Jin Ho Chun; Korean Journal of Occupational and Environmental Medicine 1997;9(1):99-108. Published online February 28, 1997; DOI: https://doi.org/10.35371/kjoem.1997.9.1.99

Abstract PDF

This study was conducted to estimate the causing factors of industrial accident, and to prepare the fittable control program for accident through the evaluation of views of the patients who suffered from accidents. From January 5 to February 6 1993, questionnaire survey was executed on 166 persons who were injured and covered by the insurance under industrial accident compensation law at four university hospitals in Pusan. The results were as follows : 1. Most of subjects worked in the manufacturing (56.6%) and construction(29.5%), and in the small factory less than 49 workers(56.0%). They were thirties and forties(63.8%), less than 3 years tenure(53.6%), habitual drinker(69.2%). And, 72.3% worked for above 9 hours per day, 53.6% worked as near clerks, 89.2% thought that work is rather suitable to his own personality. 2. Self-recognition for the causing factor of industrial accident was the other's malfunction(19.3%), carelessness(15.1%), lack of education for safety(15.1%), and they thought the accident occurred by mainly some defect of establishment and working environment(34.9%), unskillfulness(22.9%), self-carelessness(22.3%). 3. The interests and recognition on safety was insufficient, 88.6% require job education, but 53% pointed out the necessity for strengthening of present status-rather incomplete with relying on self-education (40.9%), no previous participation in safety education (29.5%), etc. 4. For the kind of accident, fall-down(16.3%), crash(13.3%), falling(12.7%) was frequent, head(24.7%) and fracture(41.0%) was frequent for the part and type of injury, respectively. And, they had more injured by cooperative work (82.5%) than single work. As results, improvement of working environment and strengthening education program would be emphasized for the effective control of industrial accident. And, there should be prepared the specific prevention program for the small scale industries.

Citations

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3D motion analysis of the wrist splint effect to wrist joint movement
Joong-il Shin, Soo-hee Park
Journal of Physical Therapy Science.2017; 29(6): 1089. CrossRef
A basic research on risk control measure for reducing the fishermen's occupational accident in offshore and coastal fishing vessel
Wook-Sung Kim, Young-Bok Cho, Seok-Jae Kim, Kyong-Jin Ryu, Yoo-Won Lee
Journal of the Korean society of Fisheries Technology.2014; 50(4): 614. CrossRef

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Original Article

A Comparative Study of Ihe Hospital Charge of Long-term and Short-term inpatient in the Industrial Accident Compensation Insurance System: Kyung Jong Lee, Young Hahn Moon, Bong Suk Cha; Korean Journal of Occupational and Environmental Medicine 1990;2(1):1-12. Published online February 28, 1990; DOI: https://doi.org/10.35371/kjoem.1990.2.1.1

Abstract PDF

The purpose of this study was to compare the hospital charges of long-term and those of short-term inpatients Insured by the Industrial Accident Compensation Insurance System. This study analysed 1,597 medical bills of injured workers emitted to and discharged from all hospitals in Korea in the period between March 1, 1988 and May 30, 1989. The 308 workers hospitalized for more than 50 hospital days were classified as long-term inpatients, and the others as short-term inpatients. The sampling method employed was 25% systematic sampling. The results of this study were as follows; 1. The average length of stay for long-term inpatients was 95.1 days, and 20.7 days for short-term inpatients, 2. Long-term inpaiients' main diseases were multiple injury and fracture. Fracture of the lower extremities and feet prevailed, 3. Daily hospital charges were higher in the long-term inpatients than in the short-term inpatients. 4. Total charges decreased depending upon hospital grade in the order of general hospital, hospital, and clinic. Daily average hospital charges were the same regardless of hospital grade. 5. The proportions of long-term Inpatients admitted to general hospitals, hospitals, and clinics were 46.1%, 23.4%. and 30.5% respectively, and those of short-term patients were 33.2%, 24.1%, and 42.7% respectively. 6. Multiple regression analysis revealed that the length of hospital stay, hospital grade, treatment results and patient's age were the major determinants of hospital charges.

Citations

Citations to this article as recorded by

K-means Cluster Analysis on Care Status of Injured Workers with Stroke According to Discharge Disposition Patterns
Goo Joo Lee, Byung-Mo Oh, Keewon Kim, Sang Yoon Lee, Sewoong Chun, Tai Ryoon Han
Brain & Neurorehabilitation.2011; 4(2): 132. CrossRef

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