Press Release

Occupational Accident Rate of Workplaces with Fewer than 5 Workers Three Times Higher than Those with 300 or More Workers

  • Date 2021-06-02
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The occupational accident rate of workplaces with fewer than 5 workers, more than three times higher than that of workplaces with 300 or more workers

  • It is unveiled that unstable workers, low-wage workers, and workers employed at small-sized workplaces are more likely to experience health inequalities.

  • To reduce health inequalities for vulnerable workers, it is necessary to ensure them reasonable employment contracts and adequate levels of wages: Change of attitudes and perception is needed―"when sick, you can take time off work and don’t have to feel sorry.”

  • The findings of 29 health inequality monitoring indicators for workers are reported.

  • In the research monograph entitled “Monitoring the Status of Health Inequality in Korea and Policy Development: Workers’ Health Inequality,” by Jung Youn, et al, the researchers proposed a set of indicators for monitoring health inequalities among Korean workers, and unveiled the findings of the 29 essential health inequality indicators.

  • According to Jung Youn, associate research fellow at KIHASA, the rate of accidents at work was highest for workplaces with fewer than 5 workers (115 accidents per 10,000 workers) and lowest for workplaces with 300 or more workers (30 accidents per 10,000 workers). She pointed out significant differences in the findings of most indicators in line with different demographic characteristics and employment status, saying that there existed health inequalities unfavorable for vulnerable workers--*workers with unstable employment, low-wage workers, workers employed at small-sized workplaces, female workers, mid- to old-age workers, and low-educated workers. 

*Workers with stable employment are defined here as regular, permanent workers, and workers with unstable employment as temporary, daily, irregular wage workers, self-employed people, and unpaid family workers.

  • Male smoking: The male smoking rates were 30.9% for employers with 300 or more employees, 44.9% for employers with fewer than 5 employees, and 47.2% for employers with 5 to 50 employees. The rates for workers with unstable employment were 44.5% and those for workers with stable employment were 39%.

  • The proportion of workers who had experiences of not receiving medical treatment when sick over the last year were higher for workers with unstable employment (10.2%) than for those with stable employment (7.7%), and demographically, the proportion of female workers and workers with a middle school education or lower who had the same experiences over the last year were higher than those of other demographic groups.

  • The total mortality rates, injury mortality rates, cardiovascular disease mortality rates, and suicide rates were all high in male workers, the mid- to old-age group ages 55 and above, and low-educated workers with a middle school education or lower, as compared to female workers. In particular, the gaps associated with educational attainment were significant.

  • The occupational accident rates were highest in workplaces with fewer than 5 workers (115 accidents per 10,000 workers) and lowest in workplaces with more than 300 workers (30 accidents per 10,000 workers). The occupational fatality rates were also highest in workplaces with fewer than 5 workers. In general, the larger the size of workplaces, the lower the occupational accident rate.

  • For both men and women, the proportions of workers who answered they were in good health were higher in the groups with stable employment than the groups with unstable employment, and those earning over 2/3 the median wages were more likely to consider they are healthy than those earning less than 2/3 the median wages. The larger the size of workplaces, the higher workers' subjective health.

  • The proportions of workers who had ever felt depressed were 11.8% for workers with unstable employment, 7.1% for workers with stable employment, 14.1% for workers with a middle school education or lower, 10.6% for workers with a high school education or lower, and 7.6% for workers with a university degree or higher. The burnout rates were also significantly high in workers with unstable employment, low-wage workers, and workers at small-sized workplaces.

  • The rate of presenteeism was significantly higher for workers with unstable employment than for other groups. There was no significant difference found between different sizes of of workplaces.


  •  Health inequalities were evident in the labor environment and labor markets, unfavorable for workers with unstable employment, low-wage workers, and workers employed at small-sized workplaces.

  • The proportion of low-wage workers was, for both men and women, higher for workers with unstable employment and in small-sized workplaces. Subjective occupational security was higher in larger workplaces. The employment insurance subscription rate for workers with stable employment was about two times that of workers with unstable employment, and the larger the size of workplaces, the higher the subscription rate.

  • The labor conditions inequality indicator showed that the proportion of workers exposed to health risk factors in workplaces was higher for workers with unstable employment than those with stable one, higher for workers earning less than 2/3 the median wages than those earning more than 2/3 the median wages, and higher for workers employed at workplaces with fewer than 5 employees than those employed at workplaces with more than 5 employees. However, the proportion of those who had experienced discrimination at work turned out to be higher for workers with stable employment and for workers earning more than 2/3 the median wages.

  • The indicator regarding workers receiving information on ‘health and safety risk factors at work’ showed better results for men than for women. It also showed better results for workers with stable employment and for those earning more than 2/3 the median wage.

 

  • The following policy packages are recommended to reduce health inequalities:

  • There should be a system in place for ill workers to take time off work to get healthy enough to return to work. The current coverage of the occupational accident insurance should be extended and paid sick leave should be introduced to the country so that a universal security system be established for workers for illness or injury regarless of its relationship to work.

  • The unequal employment structure and labor patterns of Korean workers are directly linked to poor working conditions, which increases the risk of their unprotected exposure to the physically hazardous working environment or harmful chemicals. It is necessary to improve and enhance the industrial safety laws and regulations and the industrial accident compensation scheme, which are mainly centered on the manufacturing industry and are not keeping up with the rapid changes in workplaces, and strengthen laws and regulations on occupational safety and health. In particular, the penalty provisions for non-compliant employers should be enhanced.

  • The limitations of the current policy for promoting workers’ health, as it is centered around Workers Health Centers, should be overcome with and the role of local public health systems aimed at solving complex health problems of vulnerable workers should be expanded.

  • To reduce health inequalities for vulnerable workers, it is necessary to ensure them reasonable employment contracts and adequate levels of wages: Change of attitudes and perception is needed―"when sick, you can rest and don’t have to feel sorry.”

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