Journal of Wellbeing Management and Applied Psychology (웰빙융합연구)

Korea Wellbeing Convergence Association (한국웰빙융합학회)
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A Study on the Safety Measures for Thermal Diseases, Focusing on the Cases of Disaster by Construction Industry

  • Hye-Ryeong O (Dept. of Environmental Health & Safety, Eulji University) ;
  • Won-Mo GAL (Dept. of Environmental Health & Safety, Eulji University) ;
  • Ok-Nam Park (Dept. of Industrial Safety Management Engineering, Sunmoon University) ;
  • Mi-Hwa JANG (Dept. of Environmental Health & Safety, Eulji University) ;
  • Seok-Soon KWO (Dept. of Environmental Health & Safety, Eulji University) ;
  • Seung-Hyuck PARK (Dept. of Environmental Health & Safety, Eulji University)
  • Received : 2024.06.02
  • Accepted : 2024.06.13
  • Published : 2024.06.30
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Abstract

Purpose: Construction sites are currently facing a socialization problem as the incidence of thermal disease-related disasters increases due to summer heat waves, exacerbated by factors like the concentration of middle-aged and older workers and global warming. The reason why construction sites are particularly vulnerable to heat waves is that there are many outdoor work, which is the peculiarity of the construction industry, and most of the construction workers are elderly. This study analyzes disaster statistics of workers at construction sites for five years to investigate the occurrence of thermal diseases and analyze factors through disaster cases to provide basic data for future disasters to be reduced. Research design, data, and methodology: According to the Construction Workers' Mutual Aid Association, as of June, more than 60% of the construction workers working in the field were in their 50s and 60s. More than 24% are in their 60s and older. Thermal diseases caused by heat waves occur when exposed to high heat or strong sunlight for a long time, accompanied by headaches and dizziness. The problem is that many elderly people have underlying diseases, so if they lose consciousness, they cannot easily recover and are likely to die. Results: According to industrial accident statistics, 182 people were injured by heat-related diseases in the summer from 2016 to 2021, of which 29 died. In particular, in the construction industry, which has a lot of outdoor work, 87 people were injured and 20 people died. Conclusions: In order to prevent heat diseases caused by outdoor work, it is emphasized that exposure time is controlled, and sufficient rest and hydration are essential. Rest, water, and shade are in line with the three principles.

Keywords

Acknowledgement

This work is financially supported by Korea Ministry of Environment(MOE) as 「Graduate School specialized in Climate Change」.

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