Study of Strengthening Expertise and Institutional Improvement of Musculoskeletal Hazard Investigation Using Critical Incident Technique (CIT)

This study conducted an empirical survey to identify the current status and challenges of workplace musculoskeletal hazard factor assessments and propose improvement measures. The survey questions, utilizing the CIT technique, were designed based on previous research and academic papers. A qualitative survey was conducted with managers and supervisors. The inter-analyst agreement on the survey results was high, reaching 91%, 94%, and 97%, respectively, after three rounds of recategorization. The results revealed that approximately 80.6% of workplaces had experience conducting musculoskeletal hazard factor assessments, with manufacturing industries demonstrating higher levels of experience compared to other industries. Key challenges identified in musculoskeletal hazard factor assessments included a lack of specialized personnel and knowledge, as well as the appropriateness of the assessment methods. Furthermore, a high level of awareness emerged regarding the need for improved prevention programs and increased employer engagement in musculoskeletal hazard factor assessments. This study is significant in that it approached the strengthening and improvement of expertise in the investigation of musculoskeletal disease risk factors through a qualitative approach. Through this, it proposes clarity of investigation criteria such as investigation methods and personnel, and the establishment of a post-investigation management system to ensure that the investigation of musculoskeletal disease risk factors is operated realistically and to promote the health and safety of workers. It is expected to be used as basic data for this purpose.