The Largest 'Worker Health Center' in the Nation Established in Chungbuk

KOSHA Opens Path for Worker Health Management in Chungbuk Region
Chungbuk Workers' Health Center Opens on 30th... Free Occupational Health Management and Consultation Services Begin

At the opening ceremony of the Chungbuk Workers' Health Center on the 30th, attendees are cutting the ribbon. (From left in the photo) Lee Taeyong, Director of Chungbuk Workers' Health Center; Seong Ilhong, Deputy Governor of Chungbuk Economy; Park Duyong, Chairman of Safety and Health; Kim Gyuseok, Director of Daejeon Regional Employment and Labor Office; Baek Heonki, President of the Korea Industrial Health Association. Photo by XXX

[Asia Economy Yeongnam Reporting Headquarters Reporter Kim Yong-woo] The largest occupational health service center in the nation has been established in the Chungbuk region.

Workers at small-scale workplaces can now receive free "occupational health services" here to prevent job-related stress and work-related illnesses.

On the 30th, the Ministry of Employment and Labor and the Korea Occupational Safety and Health Agency opened the Chungbuk Workers' Health Center in Ochang-eup, Cheongju City, Chungbuk, to protect the health of workers at workplaces with fewer than 50 employees and vulnerable groups in the Chungbuk area.

In the Chungbuk region, work-related diseases have recently surged, but it has been difficult to receive professional health management due to time and cost constraints.

In Chungbuk areas such as Cheongju City, Jincheon County, Jeungpyeong County, and Okcheon County, the incidence rate of work-related diseases per 10,000 people increased by 34.9%, from 4.36% in 2018 to 5.88% last year. The incidence rate refers to the number of cases per 10,000 people.

Accordingly, the agency opened the Workers' Health Center to manage the health of workers in small-scale workplaces with fewer than 50 employees, who lack health management capacity, and workers in blind spots who are difficult to protect under the current safety and health system.

The Chungbuk Workers' Health Center is operated by the Korea Industrial Health Association and staffed with specialists including physicians, nurses, exercise therapists, industrial hygienists, and psychological counselors, providing comprehensive occupational health services free of charge.

The center operates flexibly from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. on weekdays. Services include specialist consultations based on identifying hazardous factors by job type, counseling for prevention of work-related diseases, workplace environment consulting, job stress prevention counseling, and specialized safety and health education.

The Chungbuk Center is the largest among nationwide workers' health centers, with an area of 1,000㎡, allowing workers in the Chungbuk region to visit the center directly to use the services. Dongwon Lee, head of the Chungbuk regional office of the Korea Occupational Safety and Health Agency, stated, "When a workplace makes a group reservation, the health center staff will visit the workplace to provide group counseling."

With the opening of the Chungbuk Center, the total number of workers' health centers nationwide has increased to 23.

Park Doo-yong, director of the Korea Occupational Safety and Health Agency, said, "Providing systematic and professional health counseling services to workers in small-scale workplaces in the Chungbuk region is expected to greatly help prevent work-related diseases," adding, "We hope workplaces and workers who need professional health counseling will use the services without hesitation and take care of their health regularly."

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.