Annals of Occupational and Environmental Medicine

Original Article

A Study on Health Hazards of Cold Exposed Workers: Ho Chu Park, Seol Mi Jung, Deog Hwan Moon, Jong Tae Lee, Dae Hwan Kim, Jung Ho Kim, Jae Il Choi, Yong Shik Hwang, Yong Hee Lee, Chae Un Lee; Korean Journal of Occupational and Environmental Medicine 1999;11(1):80-94. Published online March 31, 1999; DOI: https://doi.org/10.35371/kjoem.1999.11.1.80

In order to evaluate the status of cold exposure and its health hazards of workers at cold storage workplaces and to provide basic data for effective health care, the author measured core temperature and also observed clinical symptoms and signs, past and present history, and general health examination data on 99 cold exposed workers for exposure group and 96 non-exposed workers for control group working at 2 food refrigerating companies in Pusan area from January 6, 1998 to February 24, 1998. The results were as follows : 1. There was statistically significant difference in water intake between the exposure and control group and increased urine volume, urine frequency in exposure group without statistically significant difference. 2. Past and present illness in exposure group were hypertension (18.2%), hepatopathy(8. 1%). gastro-intestinal disease(7. 1%). arthritis (4.0%), intervertebral disc herniation(4.0%). and so on, and hypertension, arthritis was statistically significant difference compared to control group. 3. Symptoms inexposure group were. fatigue(89.9%), headache (64.6%), drowsy(63.6%), neck stiffness(59.6%), excessive food intake (59.6%). general weakness(58.6%), hunger(58. 6%), numbness(54. 5%), and so on, and there was statistically significant difference between the exposure and control group except fatigue, drowsy. 4. As results of clinical test abnormality rate of the systolic, diastolic blood pressure and electrocardiogram were significantly higher in exposed group that control. 5. Core temperature in exposure group was statistically significantly lower than control group and the highest statistically significant inverse correlation with the working hours and working frequency of daily mean cold storage. As above results, the author suggested that the further studies should be conducted to evaluate the health status of workers about chronic health effects in cold workplaces and to establish effective health care methods for them.

Citations

Citations to this article as recorded by

Physiological Reaction to Work in Cold Microclimate
Alicja Bortkiewicz, Elżbieta Gadzicka, Wiesław Szymczak, Agata Szyjkowska, Wiesława Koszada-Włodarczyk, Teresa Makowiec-Dąbrowska
International Journal of Occupational Medicine and Environmental Health.2006;[Epub] CrossRef
The Relationship between Cold Exposure and Hypertension
Joon‐Youn Kim, Kap‐Yeol Jung, Young‐Seoub Hong, Jung‐Il Kim, Tae‐Won Jang, Jung‐Man Kim
Journal of Occupational Health.2003; 45(5): 300. CrossRef

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