earticle

영어

Despite the legal obligation for employers to prevent musculoskeletal disorders (MSDs) under the South Korean Occupational Safety and Health Act, the incidence of work-related MSDs has continually increased, becoming a significant social issue. This study empirically investigates the comprehensive impact of workplace safety and health (S&H) levels on the occurrence of MSDs. Utilizing cross-sectional data from the 7th Survey of the Working Environment (2024), encompassing 20,262 workplaces, this research analyzed the effects of two primary S&H components, identified through factor analysis: "S&H Management System" and "Management Leadership and Participation." Logistic regression analysis was employed to assess their influence, along with the moderating roles of the "presence of ergonomic burden tasks" and the "implementation of hazard investigations." The results revealed that the implementation of a hazard investigation was the most critical factor, strongly associated with a decreased risk of MSDs (OR = 0.171, p < .001), confirming the practical effectiveness of this mandatory measure. Conversely, a higher level of "S&H Management System" was paradoxically associated with an increased likelihood of MSD occurrence (OR = 1.598, p < .001), while "Management Leadership and Participation" showed no significant association. Furthermore, workplaces that formally acknowledged the "presence of ergonomic burden tasks" reported a significantly lower risk of MSDs (OR = 0.636, p < .05). These findings suggest that the positive association between S&H systems and MSDs may reflect better reporting and higher awareness in well-managed workplaces rather than a failure of the system itself. Moreover, the act of identifying and acknowledging ergonomic risks appears to trigger pre-emptive management actions that effectively reduce MSDs. This study highlights that beyond the formal establishment of S&H systems, the practical implementation of key activities, such as hazard investigations and active risk recognition, is essential for the effective prevention of musculoskeletal disorders.