Journal of Korean Society of Occupational and Environmental Hygiene (한국산업보건학회지)

Korean Industrial Hygiene Association (한국산업보건학회)
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Proposals to Revise the Occupational Exposure Limits for Aluminum in Korea

국내 크롬 및 그 화합물의 노출실태 및 노출기준 개정 제안

  • Seung Won Kim (Department of Public Health, Keimyung University) ;
  • Young Gyu Phee (Department of Health & Safety, Daegu Hanny University) ;
  • Yong-Joon Baek (Love Work Environment Research Institute) ;
  • Taejin Chung (EHS Friends) ;
  • Jeong-Hee Han (Occupational Safety and Health Research Institute, KOSHA)
  • 김승원 (계명대학교 공중보건학전공) ;
  • 피영규 (대구한의대학교 보건안전전공) ;
  • 백용준 (사랑작업환경연구소) ;
  • 정태진 (EHS프렌즈) ;
  • 한정희 (산업안전보건연구원)
  • Received : 2024.06.04
  • Accepted : 2024.06.28
  • Published : 2024.06.30
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Abstract

Objectives: The 12 occupational exposure limits(OELs) for chromium and its compounds in Korea were set by applying the American Conference of Governmental Industrial Hygienists (ACGIH) Threshold Limit Values (TLVs). However, this is significantly different from the TLVs after the existing TLVs were integrated and withdrawn in 2018, so it is necessary to review the revision. Methods: Various documents related to chromium OELs were reviewed, including the ACGIH TLV Documentations for chromium and its compounds. A field survey was conducted targeting workplaces handling chromium and its compounds. Based on this, a revised OELs were proposed and a socio-economic evaluation was conducted. Results: The OELs for chromium compounds in Korea was first enacted in 2002, and in 2007, the OELs for chromium (hexavalent) compounds (insoluble) was lowered from 0.05 mg/m3 to 0.01 mg/m3. In 2008, the OELs for strontium chromate was newly established as 0.0005 mg/m3, and in 2018, the OELs for calcium chromate was newly established as 0.001 mg/m3. Total chromium and hexavalent chromium were measured for each of 6 samples at 2 welding sites, 4 plating sites, and 2 spray coating sites. When omparing the average of the results measured by ICP, a total chromium analysis method, and the analysis results by IC, a hexavalent chromium analysis method, only workplace 4 was the same, and total chromium was evaluated more, and total chromium was evaluated at 0.0004 to 0.0027 mg/m3. And hexavalent chromium was evaluated as non-detection ~ 0.0014 mg/m3. Amendment ①: The exposure standard for hexavalent chromium is not divided into water soluble, insoluble, chromium ore processing, and other hexavalent chromium compounds, and is integrated into 0.01 mg/m3, which is the level of chromium (hexavalent) compound (insoluble)., OELs for chromium (metal) and chromium (trivalent) compounds are integrated into chromium (trivalent) compounds, and the exposure level is maintained. Amendment ②: As in the amendment ①, the OELs are integrated, but the level is lowered to 0.005 mg/m3, which is the OELs of OSHA, and there is a grace period of 4 years. Amendment ③: As in the amendment ①, the OELs are integrated, but the level is lowered to 0.0002 mg/m3, which is the exposure standard of ACGIH, and there is a grace period of 5 years. Conclusions: Amendment ①: The change in the OELs is insignificant, so the cost required is small, and the benefit/cost ratio is greater than 1, so there is no problem in applying the amendment. Amendment ②: In all scenarios except chromium 6(insoluble), the benefit/cost ratio is greater than 1, so it is thought that there will be no major problem in applying the amendment. Amendment ③: Since the benefit/cost ratio is less than 1 in all scenarios, it is thought that the total social benefit that can be obtained when applying the amendment is not large.

Keywords

Acknowledgement

본 연구는 2022년 안전보건공단 산업보건연구원 학술용역에 따라 수행된 결과이며 이에 감사드립니다.

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