Work-related Musculoskeletal Disorders in Korea Provoked by Workers’ Collective Compensation Claims against Work Intensification

Annals of Occupational and Environmental Medicine

Dongmug Kang⁴  Youngki Kim⁴  Young-Il Lee⁴  Sangbaek Koh¹  Inah Kim³  Hoonkoo Lee² 

[1] Department of Occupational and Environmental Medicine, Yonsei University, Wonju Severance Christian Hospital, Wonju, South Korea

[2] Korean Institute of Labor Safety and Health, Seoul, South Korea

[3] Graduate School of Public Health, Yonsei University, Seoul, South Korea

[4] Department of Occupational and Environmental Medicine, Pusan National University, Yangsan Hospital, Yangsan 626-770, South Korea

关键词: Globalization;    Campaign;    Struggle;    Work intensification;    Compensation;    Risk assessment;    Neoliberalism;    Musculoskeletal;   

Others  :  1082170
DOI  :  10.1186/2052-4374-26-19

 received in 2014-05-22, accepted in 2014-06-26,  发布年份 2014

【 摘 要 】

This article presents the process of workers’ problems with work related musculoskeletal disorders (WMSDs), the introduction of risk assessments (RA) for their prevention, and the consequences of this process in Korea. In 1997, economic crisis caused a rapid increase of massive layoffs, worker dispatch system introduction, job insecurity, and use of irregular workers resulting in work intensification. Work intensification increased WMSDs, which created massive workers’ compensation collective claims. Workers argued for the reduction of work intensity. The RAs introduced as a consequence of the workers’ struggle is unique in the world. Whereas these RAs were expected to play a pivotal role in WMSDs prevention, they dis not due to workers’ lack of engagement after the compensation struggle. In fact, changes in the compensation judgment system and criteria have resulted in lower compensation approval rates leading to lower workers’ compensation claims. The Korean experience provides insight into WMSDs causes in a globalized world. In such a the globalized world, work intensification as the result of work flexibility could be an international trend.

【 授权许可】

   
2014 Kang et al.; licensee BioMed Central Ltd.

【 图 表 】

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