Comparison of accident characteristics between manual materials handling (MMH) and non-MMH works in the automobile parts manufacturing industry: Based on South Korea and the US.

BACKGROUND

Despite ergonomic improvements in the workplace of automobile parts manufacturing industry, many jobs still require workers to perform repetitive tasks or manual material handling.

OBJECTIVE

This study compares the characteristics of occupational injuries between MMH and non-MMH in the automobile parts manufacturing industry based in South Korea and the US.

METHODS

Occupational injuries were analyzed by age, work experience, company size, employment type, injury severity, work type, type of accident, agency of accident, injured part of body, and injury type.

RESULTS

Among 1,530 injuries, 271 people (17.7%) were MMH injuries, and 1,259 people (82.3%) were non-MMH injuries. The rate of MMH injury was higher in the logistics process, in the work experience with more than 10 years, and in the company size with more than 100 employees than that of the non-MMH injury. Also, the rate of MMH injury was higher in the types of sprain and herniated discs, and in the injured part of trunk/back, leg/foot, and shoulder than that of the non-MMH injury.

CONCLUSIONS

The results of this study can be used as essential data for establishing a systematic preventive policy for industrial accidents in the automobile parts manufacturing industry.