Medical service, now to workers of small-scaled enterprises

Workers’ health center opened in Chang-won industrial complex on the 17^th added to existing four centers across the nation

17^th May

Free medical service is expanded to cover workers of the small-scaled enterprises in the major industrial complex across the country.

KOSHA newly opens the health center in Chang-won industrial complex in Gyung-nam Province and focuses on running the center.

The health center in Gyung-nam area is the fifth one following ones in Incheon, Gyung-gi, Gwang-ju area and Dae-gu which opens the center this year. These centers were established to extend the medical service to workers in the small-scaled enterprises, whose health is in the loophole of the care.

* The five health centers are located in: Nam-dong Industrial Complex in Incheon, Banwol-Sihwa Industrial Complex in Gyung-gi Province, Ha-nam Industrial Complex in Gwang-ju, Seong-seo Industrial Complex in Dae-gu and Chang-won Industrial Complex in Gyung-nam Province.

The workers’ health center would provide free medical service to those who are working in small-scaled enterprises who usually have difficulties in managing their health because of time shortage and economic reasons.

As for large-scaled enterprises, they have their own infirmary within the work places to help workers consult with experts on their diseases or health state. Enterprises with workers of less than 50, however, do not have a legal obligation to appoint a medical manager. Further they are lack of their financial capability to support the health of workers, finding themselves at the loophole of workers’ health management.

Last year’s statistics on occupational accident show that 4,565 occupational illnesses cases out of 7,247 were from enterprises with workers of less than fifty, meaning that roughly 7 out of 10 or 62.9% of cases are coming from small-scaled enterprises.

In that sense, workers’ health centers are seen as the doctor of workers in the small-scaled enterprises, giving the workers chance to have infirmary. The center will be run by local-based university hospitals, professional OSH organizations to find out risk factors in the workplace and provide preventative measures.

For the newly opened health center in Gyung-nam area, ‘Teo occupational environmental medical center’ will run the health center, which is the first professional medical center dealing with occupational and environmental medical issues, established by experts in the industry.

*Organizations that run the workers’ health centers are: Yeon-se University Health System in Incheon, Korea university Ansan hospital in Gyung-gi province, Jo-seon university hospital in Gwang-ju and Kye-myung university Dongsan Medical Center in Daegu.

Occupational and environmental doctors, physical therapists, nurses, clinical psychologists, professional engineers of industrial hygiene management, engineers of ergonomics, exercise instructors and other experts would provide occupational health service including preventative program of musculoskeletal disorders and cerebro and cardiovascular diseases while giving consult on occupational illnesses and job stress or ways to control the stress.

The centers open 9 a.m. and close 9 p.m. so that workers can enjoy the service after the work. If an enterprise wants to register its workers to have service, it should make a book prior to the check-up.

A person from the Occupational Health Department said that KOSHA plans to open around 48 workers’ health center nationwide to contribute to creating healthy working environment and to improving the quality of workers’ life. End.