• Journal of Korean Society of Occupational and Environmental Hygiene
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• v.20 no.4
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• pp.274-281
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• 2010

The objectives of this study are (a) to investigate the distribution patterns and exposure concentrations of biological agents in sawmill industries and (b) to compare sampling methods of biological agents. The representative processes of 5 sawmills were selected to measure total airborne bacteria, fungi, endotoxin as well as dust. Airborne bacteria and fungi were measured with one stage impactor, six stage impactor and gelatin filteration methods. Endotoxin was collected with polycarbonate filters and analysed by kinetic chromogenic Limulus Amebocyte Lysate method. Geometric mean levels of airborne bacteria, fungi, endotoxin and dust were 1,864 CFU/$m^3$, 2,252 CFU/$m^3$, 31.5 EU/$m^3$ and 2.4 mg/$m^3$. The ratios of indoor/outdoor concentrations were 3.7 for bacteria, 4.1 for fungi, 3.3 for endotoxin and 9.7 for dust. The respiratory fractions of bacteria were 68.0, 50.9, 49.2 and 45.1% in band-saw, table-saw, rip-saw process and outdoor air. The respiratory fractions of fungi were 78.7, 90.8, 87.5 and 84.8% in band-saw, table-saw, rip-saw process and outdoor air, respectively. There was no significant differences in bacterial concentrations among single stage, six stage impaction and filteration methods. But, fungal concentrations measured with filtration methods were significantly higher than those with impaction methods. Geometric mean levels of airborne bacteria and fungi were higher than the OSHA guideline values of 1,000 CFU/$m^3$. The respiratory fractions of fungi were above 75%. The concentrations of biological agents were significantly different among culture-based sampling methods. In the exposure assessments of biological agents, further studies are needed for the comparisons of diverse sampling methods and the investigations of environmental factors.

• Journal of Environmental Health Sciences
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• v.42 no.5
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• pp.333-344
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• 2016

Objectives: This study aimed to examine risk-accepting personality traits and associated factors among farmers. Methods: Data were collected from farmers aged over 40 living in Goryeong, North Gyeongsang-do Province, Korea. Study participants were enrolled in the Korean Rural Cohort study from 2011 to 2014. Surveys for the risk perception of farming were made through face-to-face interviews. Chi-square tests and logistic regression analysis were conducted adjusting for gender, age, marital status, and education. Results: Several factors such as gender, age, marital status, age first worked as a farmer, duration of farming, and history of pesticide poisoning were associated with risk-accepting personality traits among farmers. Farmers with risk-accepting personalities tend to be older, less educated, and have self-employed health insurance. Farmers who started farming after the age of 50 are likely to be risk averse compared to farmers who started farming before the age of 20 (OR=0.41, 95% CI; 0.21, 0.82). Frequent spraying of pesticides was marginally associated with higher risk acceptance among female farmers (OR=1.61, 95% CI: 0.99, 2.64). Male farmers who had experienced pesticide poisoning in their lifetime showed higher odds of risk-accepting personality traits (OR=2.20, 95% CI: 1.03, 4.72) Conclusion: Risk-acceptors were more likely to spray pesticides frequently and to experience more pesticide poisoning compared to risk-averse individuals. This result suggests that farming hazards are to some degree driven by risk-accepting personality traits. Further investigation of how risk-accepting behaviors influence farming practices and pesticide poisoning is needed.

• Journal of Agricultural Extension & Community Development
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• v.22 no.2
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• pp.205-219
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• 2015

The purpose of this study was to develop a participatory education program of farmer's safety and health. After investigating the concept and status of agricultural safety and health to identify the problem of farmer's safety and health, we made the model in 3 steps, consist of analysis, design, and development, based on the instructional system design and the participatory instructional method. We also applied the participatory instructional method to the program to facilitate a change in practice by making farmers understand the contents. The findings of this study revealed the followings: 1) we developed the education program focused on characteristics of farmers as learners; 2) the education program was developed based on the model for developing education programs and the specific procedures that we made up; 3) we designed the program in modules to increase the availability; 4) we raised the content validity of the learning contents in the safety and health education program targeting farmers; 5) manuals and supplementaries for teachers were developed from learner's textbooks.

• Journal of Korean Society of Occupational and Environmental Hygiene
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• v.25 no.4
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• pp.472-481
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• 2015

Objectives: Welding is a major task in shipbuilding yards that generates welding fumes. A significant amount of welding in shipbuilding yards is done on steel. Inevitably, manganese is present in the base metals being joined and the filler wire being used and, consequently, in the fumes to which workers are exposed. The objective of this work was to characterize manganese exposure associated with work area, total and particle size-selective mass concentration, and compare the mass concentrations obtained using a three-piece cassette sampler, size-selective impactor sampler and blood manganese concentrations. Materials: All samples were collected from the main work areas at one shipbuilding yard. We used a three piece cassette sampler and the eight stage cascade impactor sampler for the airborne manganese mass concentration of total and all size fractions, respectively. In addition, we used the results of health examination of workers sampled for airborne manganese. Results: The oder of high concentration of airborne manganese in shipbuilding processes was as follows; block assembly, block erection, outfitting installation, steel cutting, and outfitting preparation. The percentages of samples that exceeded the OES of the ministry of employment and labor by the cassette sampling method was 12.5%, however 59.1% of sampled workers by the impactor sampling method exceeded the TLV of the ACGIH. Conclusions: Even though the manganese concentrations in blood of workers exposed to higher airborne manganese concentration were higher than among those exposed to lower concentrations, there was no difference in blood manganese concentrations among work duration. The data analyzed here by characterizing size-selective mass concentrations indicates that the inhaled manganese of welders in shipbuilding yards could be mostly manganese-containing respirable particle sizes.

• Journal of Environmental Health Sciences
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• v.43 no.4
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• pp.280-297
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• 2017

Objectives: We assessed pesticide exposure levels according to cultivation and crop type and investigated agricultural factors related to exposure. Methods: The participants, 341 male and 127 female farmers, were divided into three groups by cultivation crop type: chili greenhouse, cucumber greenhouse, and orchard. We collected questionnaires, socioeconomic characteristics and agricultural factors, and spot urine. Pesticide exposure was examined using four organophosphate and four pyrethroids urinary metabolites: dimethylphosphate, dimethylthiophosphate, diethylphosphate, diethylthiophosphate, Cis and Trans-3-(2-2dichlorovinyl)-2, 2-dimethylcyclopropane carboxylic acid, 3-phenoxybenzoic acid (3-PBA), Cis-3-(2-2dibrmovinyl)-2, and 2-dimethylcyclopropane carboxylic acid. Each metabolite was summed ${\Sigma}DAP$ and ${\Sigma}PY$ according to the chemical class. Results: Urinary metabolite detection rates and concentrations were similar between the greenhouse groups, but the orchard group was different. Similar 3-PBA detection rates were found in the three groups, but the geometric mean was very high in the orchard group compared to the two greenhouse groups. 3-PBA concentration in the orchard group was $4.11{\mu}g/g$ creatinine; the chili and cucumber greenhouse groups were 1.27 and $1.16{\mu}g/g$ creatinine, respectively. ${\Sigma}DAP$ was significantly associated with cultivation crop type and seasonal variation, but ${\Sigma}PY$ was not relevant. Conclusions: Our results suggest that cultivation and crop type may be correlated with different pesticide types and exposure levels. Furthermore, seasonal factors were related as potential factors influencing the level of organophosphate metabolites, but not for pyrethroid metabolites.

• Journal of Korean Society of Occupational and Environmental Hygiene
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• v.21 no.3
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• pp.146-155
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• 2011

Objectives: This study was conducted to investigate the association between job stress and mental health among male and female workers in a large electric manufacture company. Methods: A cross-sectional study was carried out on 3,228 employees who participated in annual medical check-up working in a large electric manufacture company in Gyeonggi Province. Medical check-up and self-administrated questionnaire were performed at the same time. Korean Occupational Stress Scale Short Form (KOSS-SF) and Psychosocial Wellbeing Index Short Form (PWI-SF) were applied to assess occupational stress and mental health. Hierarchical multiple linear regression and multiple logistic regression were performed to estimate the association between job stress and mental health. Results: The proportion of high risk of mental health was 17.1% in male, and 46.9% in women. Job stress had a greater effect on mental health than other general and work characteristics. All subscales of job stress were revealed to affect mental health. Bad occupational climate and lack of reward are the strongest risk factors in mental health of male and female respectively. Conclusions: Our results suggest that job stress could affect mental health among large electronic manufacture workers.

• Journal of Korean Society of Occupational and Environmental Hygiene
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• v.24 no.2
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• pp.219-228
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• 2014

Objectives: The major objective of this study was to develop a tier 2 exposure model combining tier 1 exposure model estimates and worker monitoring data and suggesting narrower exposure ranges than tier 1 results. Methods: Bayesian statistics were used to develop a tier 2 exposure model as was done for the European Union (EU) tier 2 exposure models, for example Advanced REACH Tools (ART) and Stoffenmanager. Bayesian statistics required a prior and data to calculate the posterior results. In this model, tier 1 estimated serving as a prior and worker exposure monitoring data at the worksite of interest were entered as data. The calculation of Bayesian statistics requires integration over a range, which were performed using a Riemann sum algorithm. From the calculated exposure estimates, 95% range was extracted. These algorithm have been realized on Excel spreadsheet for convenience and easy access. Some fail-proof features such as locking the spreadsheet were added in order to prevent errors or miscalculations derived from careless usage of the file. Results: The tier 2 exposure model was successfully built on a separate Excel spreadsheet in the same file containing tier 1 exposure model. To utilize the model, exposure range needs to be estimated from tier 1 model and worker monitoring data, at least one input are required. Conclusions: The developed tier 2 exposure model can help industrial hygienists obtain a narrow range of worker exposure level to a chemical by reflecting a certain set of job characteristics.

• Journal of Korean Society of Occupational and Environmental Hygiene
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• v.24 no.2
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• pp.208-218
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• 2014

Objectives: The major objective of this study was to develop and validate a tier 1 exposure model utilizing worker exposure monitoring data and characteristics of worker activities routinely performed at construction sites, in order to estimate worker exposures without sampling. Methods: The Registration, Evaluation, Authorization and Restriction of Chemicals(REACH) system of the European Union(EU) allows the usage of exposure models for anticipating chemical exposure of manufacturing workers and consumers. Several exposure models have been developed such as Advanced REACH Tools(ART). The ART model is based on structured subjective assessment model. Using the same framework, a tier 1 exposure model has been developed. Worker activities at construction sites have been analyzed and modifying factors have been assigned for each activity. Korean Occupational Safety and Health Agency(KOSHA) accrued work exposure monitoring data for the last 10 years, which were retrieved and converted into exposure scores. A separate set of sampling data were collected to validate the developed exposure model. These algorithm have been realized on Excel spreadsheet for convenience and easy access. Results: The correlation coefficient of the developed model between exposure scores and monitoring data was 0.36, which is smaller than those of EU models(0.6~0.7). One of the main reasons explaining the discrepancy is poor description on worker activities in KOSHA database. Conclusions: The developed tier 1 exposure model can help industrial hygienists judge whether or not air sampling is required or not.

• Journal of environmental and Sanitary engineering
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• v.1 no.1 s.1
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• pp.1-29
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• 1986

The guidelines and regulations that have revised by World Health Organization, the United States of America, Canada and Japan were reviewed for standards relevant to health of the people. The substances and parameters were discussed. Various standards were presented and recent changes in policies were relighted with their scientific information.

• Journal of Korean Society of Occupational and Environmental Hygiene
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• v.15 no.2
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• pp.114-123
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• 2005

We analyzed the demographic and job features of 197 shipyard workers with work-related musculoskeletal disorders(WMSDs) compensated by the Industrial Accident Compensation Insurance Act, and the features of the disorders, the causes of operation and the induced behaviors. The three shipbuilding companies surveyed were located in Busan Metropolitan city and Gyungsangnam-do. The results were as follows. 1. The ages of WMSDs patients in shipyard were $43.6{\pm}8.6$ and the job tenure was $14.3{\pm}5.6$. The 40's of them was 40.1%, and the 30's was 29.4%. Patients less than 5 year-work duration were 85.3%, and ones more than 16 year-work duration 6.6%. In occupations, welders were 32.5%, pre-welders 17.3%, and setting engineers 6.6%. 2. The causes of WMSDs in shipyard were works(95.4%) and outer crash or accident shock (3.6%). Based on the standard of the NIOSH induced behaviors, the causes were awkward posture (62.9%), excessive movement(19.3%) and repetitive movement(13.7%). 3. The compensated WMSDs by body part was the highest, 36%, in the spines, 32.0% in both the upper limbs and the spines, and 14% in the upper limbs. The number of cases of WMSDs in body were 96 in the cervical, 79 in the lumbar and 72 in the shoulders. 4. As a result of chi-square test(${\chi}^2$) between diagnosis and operation in body, welding and spot welding had the most diagnoses in all parts of the body among other occupations. Chi-square test(${\chi}^2$) between diagnosis and induced behavior in body showed that awkward postures recorded the highest rate and repetitive movements was the second. 5. The most hazardous occupation was the welding(incidence rate=9.7) and the most hazardous behavior was the awkward posture.