The “Chair Campaign” in Korea: An Alternative Approach in Occupational Health and Safety for Service Workers

In spite of the increasing number of service workers in Korea, their occupational health and safety concerns have largely been neglected. It is in this context that the Chair Campaign, which lasted four months, was launched as an alternative occupational health approach for service workers. The camp...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:New solutions 2011-08, Vol.21 (2), p.269-282
Main Authors: Lee, Yun-Keun, Kim, Shin-Bum, Chung, Jinjoo, Jung, Min-Jung, Kim, Myoung-Hee
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Adult
Commerce
Cosmetics
Department stores
Female
Food Services
Health Promotion - methods
Health services
Humans
Industry
inspection
Labor Unions
Middle Aged
Occupational Diseases - epidemiology
Occupational Diseases - prevention & control
Occupational health
Occupational Health - legislation & jurisprudence
Occupational Health - statistics & numerical data
Occupational safety
Posture
Program Evaluation
Public opinion
Republic of Korea - epidemiology
Retail stores
Reviews
Surveys and Questionnaires
Varicose Veins - epidemiology
Varicose Veins - prevention & control
Work
Workers' rights
Working women
Workload
Workplaces
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Summary:In spite of the increasing number of service workers in Korea, their occupational health and safety concerns have largely been neglected. It is in this context that the Chair Campaign, which lasted four months, was launched as an alternative occupational health approach for service workers. The campaign succeeded in getting wide public support, bringing about a special inspection by the Ministry of Labor. Finally, chairs were provided for workers at checkout counters in 71 department stores and 449 large discount stores. However, there are still many workplaces where workers cannot sit, whether chairs are provided or not. Although there is still much to be done, this campaign raised social awareness that service workers, mainly women, have the right to work in healthy and safe conditions. This paper will review the campaign and evaluate its achievements and limitations.
ISSN:1048-2911
1541-3772
DOI:10.2190/NS.21.2.i