□ Korea Occupational Safety and Health Agency analyzed the statistics of people suffering from occupational diseases during the last five years and found that more than 5,000 people suffered musculoskeletal diseases every year.

○ Among the musculoskeletal diseases, there were many incidents of backache due to excessive pressure on the waist such as one from lifting heavy objects, but the number of backache patients is gradually decreasing.

○ The number of patients suffering diseases resulting from physical strain, however, has been increasing every year.

○ An analysis of occurrences by industry showed that △ The largest number of musculoskeletal disease patients occurred in manufacturing, followed by △ Other businesses (services) and △ Construction.

○ By workplace size, the largest number of musculoskeletal disease patients occurred in small-sized workplaces with less than 50 workers. By age, the largest number of musculoskeletal disease patients occurred in senior workers aged 50 or older.

□ Korea Occupational Safety and Health Agency, therefore, is providing guidance and education on correct lifting posture practice movement (3N Movement) and stretching before work to prevent diseases causing backache.

○ To prevent recently increasing diseases resulting from physical strain, KOSHA is carrying out technical support projects (around 5,700 sites) to investigate the hazards of jobs causing musculoskeletal burden, improve work environments, and inform the harms.

○ Especially to improve the implementation of hazard investigation system among small and medium businesses, KOSHA selected 50 job classes (service jobs) that frequently cause musculoskeletal diseases. Furthermore, KOSHA developed and is distributing a hazard investigation guide.

○ KOSHA is supporting work environment improvement expenses for small workplaces with jobs causing musculoskeletal burden.

○ In addition, KOSHA is reinforcing counseling activities on musculoskeletal diseases such as personalized exercise prescriptions and exercise guides for workers who complain about the symptoms in areas where small businesses are concentrated through 21 workers' health centers around the country.

□ Jang-Jin Ryu, Head of the Occupational Health Bureau of KOSHA said, “We need such measures as improvement of work environment and adjustment of work method and time to prevent musculoskeletal diseases. Especially for diseases in which personal factors like backache play an important role, usual health management such as correct working posture and stretching is vital.” (End)