Objective In case of on-call work, it is mixed with day-duty and night-duty, so that workers may have to work anytime of the day. This study aimed to understand the relations between Korean workers’ on-call work, health problem, and injury.

Methods Using the 3rd Korean Working Conditions Survey in 2011, this study targeted 29 246 paid workers working for more than a year. Conducting the logistic regression analysis of on-call work and health problem based on the surveyed data, the personal/occupational characteristics, working environment, and job stress were controlled.

Results In case of on-call work, it showed higher odds ratio like physical health problems (OR, 1.33; 95% CI 1.22–1.44), psychological health problems (OR, 1.31; 95% CI 1.08–1.60), and injury (OR, 2.76; 95% CI 2.26–3.37). In the results of analysing the detailed health problems, workers on-call work showed higher odds ratio of hearing problems (OR, 2.06; 95% CI 1.63–2.62), skin problems (OR, 1.71; 95% CI 1.38–2.12), back pain (OR, 1.22; 95% CI 1.08–1.38), muscular pain in shoulders, neck, and upper limbs (OR, 1.23; 95% CI 1.12–1.34), muscular pain in lower limbs (OR, 1.27; 95% CI 1.15–1.40), headache and eyestrain (OR, 1.46; 95% CI 1.32–1.60), abdominal pain (OR, 1.37; 95% CI 1.02–1.85), depression or anxiety (OR, 1.43; 95% CI 1.07–1.93), overall fatigue (OR, 1.36; 95% CI 1.24–1.49), insomnia or sleep difficulties (OR, 1.41; 95% CI 1.13–1.76).

Discussion In the results of this study, on-call work was related to health problems and injury. Additional study should be conducted to understand the correlations in the future.