Investigation of Working Conditions and Health Status in Platform Workers in the Republic of Korea – ScienceOpen
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      Investigation of Working Conditions and Health Status in Platform Workers in the Republic of Korea

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          Abstract

          Background

          The present study aimed to analyze several aspects of the working conditions and health status of platform workers in the Republic of Korea, such as ergonomic and emotional hazards. We also compared the health status of the platform workers with that of the general population.

          Methods

          A total of 1,000 platform workers participated in this survey from August 7 to August 17, 2022. The participants included 400 designated drivers, 400 food-delivery drivers, and 200 housekeeping managers. A face-to-face survey with a structured questionnaire was conducted by researchers who had received specific instructions. The focus of the survey extended to the work environment, encompassing factors such as workplace violence, as well as physical, chemical, and ergonomic hazards. Health-related data for the previous year were also collected, covering a range of issues such as hearing problems, skin problems, musculoskeletal symptoms, headaches, injuries, mental health issues, and digestive problems. Subsequently, we compared the health symptom data of the responders with those of the general population in the Republic of Korea.

          Results

          Platform workers, including designated drivers, food-delivery drivers, and housekeeping managers, existed in the blind spot of social insurance, facing frequent exposure to physical and chemical hazards, ergonomic risk factors, and direct or indirect violence. The prevalence of health problems, including musculoskeletal symptoms, general fatigue, and depressive symptoms, in each occupational group was statistically higher than that in the general population after standardization for age and gender.

          Conclusion

          The results revealed unfavorable working environment and inferior occupational health of platform workers compared with those of the general population.

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          Most cited references29

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          Job Demands, Job Decision Latitude, and Mental Strain: Implications for Job Redesign

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            Good Gig, Bad Gig: Autonomy and Algorithmic Control in the Global Gig Economy

            This article evaluates the job quality of work in the remote gig economy. Such work consists of the remote provision of a wide variety of digital services mediated by online labour platforms. Focusing on workers in Southeast Asia and Sub-Saharan Africa, the article draws on semi-structured interviews in six countries (N = 107) and a cross-regional survey (N = 679) to detail the manner in which remote gig work is shaped by platform-based algorithmic control. Despite varying country contexts and types of work, we show that algorithmic control is central to the operation of online labour platforms. Algorithmic management techniques tend to offer workers high levels of flexibility, autonomy, task variety and complexity. However, these mechanisms of control can also result in low pay, social isolation, working unsocial and irregular hours, overwork, sleep deprivation and exhaustion.
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              Alternative Work Arrangements: Two Images of the New World of Work

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                Author and article information

                Contributors
                Journal
                Saf Health Work
                Saf Health Work
                Safety and Health at Work
                Occupational Safety and Health Research Institute
                2093-7911
                2093-7997
                20 January 2024
                March 2024
                20 January 2024
                : 15
                : 1
                : 17-23
                Affiliations
                [1 ]Department of Occupational and Environmental Medicine, Seoul St. Mary's Hospital, College of Medicine, The Catholic University of Korea, Seoul, Republic of Korea
                [2 ]Gong-gam Center for Occupational and Environmental Medicine, Hyangnam Gong-gam Clinic, Hwasung, Republic of Korea
                [3 ]Department of Preventive Medicine, Yonsei University College of Medicine, Seoul, Republic of Korea
                [4 ]Department of Preventive Medicine, College of Medicine, Chung-Ang University, Seoul, Republic of Korea
                [5 ]Department of Research Center, Federation of Korean Trade Unions, Seoul, Republic of Korea
                [6 ]Central Area Epidemiologic Investigation Team, Occupational Safety and Health Research Institute, Incheon, Republic of Korea
                Author notes
                []Corresponding author. Department of Occupational and Environmental Medicine, Seoul St. Mary's Hospital, College of Medicine, The Catholic University of Korea, 222, Banpo-daero, Seocho-gu, Seoul, 06591, Republic of Korea. snaptoon@ 123456naver.com
                Article
                S2093-7911(24)00002-7
                10.1016/j.shaw.2024.01.002
                10944155
                38496284
                44c709ac-f53e-41eb-bda0-ba9047fd7117
                © 2024 The Authors

                This is an open access article under the CC BY-NC-ND license (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/).

                History
                : 1 June 2023
                : 28 December 2023
                : 18 January 2024
                Categories
                Original Article

                Occupational & Environmental medicine
                hazards,health problems,platform work,working conditions
                Occupational & Environmental medicine
                hazards, health problems, platform work, working conditions

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