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Park, Paek, Joh, Park, and Cho: The Relationship between Shift Work and Work-related Injuries among Korean Workers
Original Article
Korean Journal of Occupational and Environmental Medicine

Korean Journal of Occupational and Environmental Medicine 2012; 24(1): 52-60.

Published online: 31 March 2012

DOI: https://doi.org/10.0000/kjoem.2012.24.1.52

The Relationship between Shift Work and Work-related Injuries among Korean Workers

Tae-Jun Park, Do-Myung Paek, Kee-Ock Joh, Jung-Sun Park1, Sung-il Cho

Graduate School of Public Health, Seoul National University, Korea.

1Korea Occupational Safety & Health Agency, Korea.

Corresponding author (scho@snu.ac.kr)

Received 25 May 2011       Revised 2 February 2012       Accepted 2 February 2012

Copyright © 2012 The Korean Society of Occupational and Environmental Medicine

Abstract

Objectives

The aim of this study was to evaluate the relationship between shift work and work-related injuries in a representative sample of Korean workers.

Methods

We used data from the Korean Working Condition Survey of 2006. The participants were 7,075 Korean workers 15 to 64 years of age. Logistic regression was employed to estimate the relationship between shift work and work-related injury using the SAS version 9.2 program.

Results

Shift work was significantly related to work-related injuries compared to non-shift workers(OR 2.40, 95% CI=1.65~3.48). When personal and occupational risk factors were accounted for, shift work had a statistically meaningful relationship with work-related injuries compared to non-shift work(OR 1.79, 95% CI=1.20~2.66).

Conclusions

In this study, shift workers appear to have a higher risk of work-related injuries compared to non-shift workers. Work-related injuries in shift workers could be attributed to circadian rhythm disorder and sleep problems. Suitable arrangements that ensure flexible working times are needed for shift workers. Further study will be needed to identify and mitigate work-related injuries among shift workers.

Keywords: Shift work, Work-related injury, Korean working conditions survey

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