• Journal of Korean Society of Occupational and Environmental Hygiene
• /
• v.21 no.3
• /
• pp.123-127
• /
• 2011

Objectives: The purpose of this study was to investigate the status of asbestos-containing materials (ACMs) used on ships and to consider measures for preventing worker exposure to asbestos fibers. Methods: A total of 17 ships including 16 ships under repair and a ship under construction at shipyards in Korea were investigated. Bulk samples were collected from suspected ACMs on engine exhaust pipes, boiler steam pipes, generator exhaust pipes, and etc. in ships in order to identify the presence of ACMs. Types and contents of asbestos were determined using polarized light microscopy (PLM). Results: ACMs were found from 14 ships out of 17 ships investigated. Only chrysotile asbestos was found from all samples. ACMs were mainly found from samples collected at the exhaust pipes of the engine, generator and incinerator, and boiler steam pipes where exhaust gases or steam of high temperature pass through. In most cases, types of ACMs were asbestos-containing fabrics such as asbestos tape. Friable ACMs were also found in some cases. Use of ACMs on ships was relevant to built time and owner of the ships rather than type and tonnage of the ships. Conclusions: ACMs were found from most ships built prior to 2000s. Therefore, measures for preventing asbestos-related diseases such as preparation of asbestos map on the ship and installation of warning signs, hazard communication with workers (ship-repairing workers, engine room workers and etc.), and follow-up for worker's health management are needed.

• Journal of the Korea Safety Management & Science
• /
• v.13 no.3
• /
• pp.55-61
• /
• 2011

Unit cost for asbestos removal work which have been made out at government contract award for recent three years has been reviewed and shown with table. And the cost have been compared with ones made out by two agencies, American asbestos removal specialists, government ministry for making out comparison tables. First, legal and practical work status survey have been made to determine reasonability of introducing separate contract-awarding system, as a part of ensuring reasonable unit work cost. And then, two different status have been compared and there in introduction possibility of separate contract-awarding system, it is found out. In interior removal work case, it is thought that 50% by owner, 60% unit work cost by the expert of which removal specialist think as reasonable unit cost. the results for exterior and spray work method are shown with almost same context. Impact factors for determining unit work cost such as project mount, project kind, contract-awarding method, subcontract method have been compared with parties. Removal specialist and expert group have almost same ideas for project amount which has been hightestly weighed but owner's recognition has partially lower than specialists idea. There are almost no difference of recognition between three(3) parties for project kind. Idea comparison of reasonable unit work cost for asbestos removal work between three concerned parties has been analyzed and found out that expert group do unit work cost, 65% of which removal specialists estimate, in interior tex removal. And there is almost no difference between them in exterior roof slate removal. But there is considerable difference between them that owner estimates 50% unit cost of specialist one while expert group estimate 50% of specialist idea of unit removal cost.

• Journal of Korean Society of Occupational and Environmental Hygiene
• /
• v.28 no.1
• /
• pp.35-42
• /
• 2018

Objectives: The objectives of this study are to research the usage characteristics of asbestos-containing building materials and to conduct exposure risk assessment by applying no. 2016-230 "Methods of Risk Assessment of Asbestos-Containing Buildings" from the Ministry of Environment. Methods: One hundred buildings located in the Seoul and Gyeonggi-Incheon area were chosen, with 29 in Seoul, 20 in Incheon, and 51 in Gyeonggi-do Province. The year of construction was divided between three buildings in the 1970s, 11 buildings in the 1980s, 42 buildings in the 1990s, and 44 buildings in the 2000s. The bulk samples were analyzed by using a polarizing microscope after a pre-process using a stereomicroscope in a hood with an HEPA filter. This study defined ACMs(asbestos-containing materials) as asbestos when the content percentage was over 1% in the analysis result. Methods and standards of risk assessment of asbestos-containing building materials were conducted by refering to no. 2016-230 "Method of Risk Assessment of Asbestos-Containing Buildings" from the Ministry of Environment. The risk of exposure to ACMs was rated by a score based on three categories(high, middle, low risk of asbestos exposure). Results: In this study, 30 of the 100 buildings and 36 of the 416 bulk samples(8.6%) were found to have had asbestos. Asbestos was detected at a high rate, in 18 out of 42, in buildings constructed in the 1990s and at the lowest rate(7 out of 44) for buildings constructed in the 2000s. As a result of the evaluation according to no. 2016-230 "Method of Risk Assessment of Asbestos-Containing Buildings" of the Ministry of Environment, the risk assessment level of two asbestos-containing building materials was found to be "Medium", and 28 buildings materials were found to be at the "Low" level. Conclusion: As asbestos is regulated by the government, it is required to conduct active management and implemention by introducing methods of risk assessment of asbestos exposure that are supported by data from various situations. In the case of buildings owned by individuals, building owners should be aware of the risk of exposure to asbestos.

• Magazine of RCR
• /
• v.4 no.1
• /
• pp.34-42
• /
• 2009

• Magazine of RCR
• /
• v.3 no.1
• /
• pp.10-19
• /
• 2007

• Journal of Korean Society of Occupational and Environmental Hygiene
• /
• v.4 no.2
• /
• pp.157-167
• /
• 1994

This study was conducted to analyze the relationship between the types of fiber and its content and the levels of airborne fiber concentrations at eight parking lots where sprayed insulation material was found on the walls and ceilings. Also this study was designed to find the relationship between the levels of airborne fiber concentrations and such variables as air current, humidity, total exhaust volume, surface condition of insulation material and building age. The results obtained were as follows : 1. No significant correlation was found between the levels of airborne tiber concentration and the building age, air current, humidity, total exhaust volume, space and the number of traffics. 2. A significant correlation was found between the levels of airborne fiber concentration and the MMMF content of the insulation material(r=0.7594). However, no significant correlation was found between the levels of airborne fiber concentration and total fiber content of insulation material. 3. The differences of the airborne fiber concentrations among Cateogory 1, 2 and 3 classified by the degrees of surface insulation material maintenance were very significant. 4. Two bulk samples contained 30% crodicolite and 1% anthophylite. The MMMFs, in all parking lots, included mineral wool, cellulose fiber, trace cellulose fiber, trace tiber glass and vermiculite. 5. The mean value and the range of airborne fiber concentrations at 8 parking lots were $0.0239{\pm}0.0095f/cc$ and 0.0054-0.0447 f/cc, respectively. The fiber concentrations of 35 out of 38 samples(92%) were over 0.01 f/cc which is the Environment Administration's recommended asbestos level for the underground space. This study suggests that most of building insulation materials used in Korea, contain MMMF and sometimes asbestos. Currently, MMMF pollution levels may exceed the Environment Administration's recommended level for underground space. It has been found that airborne fiber concentrations increased significantly with MMMF content and with the maintenance condition of surface material. Therefore, it is recommended that a proper management technique should be developed and immediately implemented since the conditions of surface material will be gradually deteriorated due to building age and usage. Since health hazards of the MMMF, similar to those of asbestos, are being gradually acknowledged, a proper management technique which is applicable to control total airborne fiber concentrations, both asbestos and MMMF, be developed and an acceptable indoor air standard be promulgated as early as possible.

• Journal of the Korean Recycled Construction Resources Institute
• /
• v.9 no.2
• /
• pp.223-228
• /
• 2021

The final disposal method for asbestos building materials is to be landfilled at a designated waste landfill in accordance with the Waste Management Act. However, it is difficult to secure a domestic designated waste landfill site to landfill the entire amount of asbestos waste, which is expected to emit more than 400,000 ton/year by 2044. In this study, a detoxification treatment was performed on a ceiling tex with a density of 1.0 to 1.2g/cm³ containing 3 to 7% of chrysotile, and it was used as a reinforcing fiber for extruded panels. It was confirmed that asbestos components were detoxified through the reaction process using 30% oxalic acid and carbon dioxide, and it was recognized that these detoxifying properties were maintained even after extrusion molding. However, it was found that milling to a fiber size of less than 1mm for complete detoxification of asbestos resulted in a decrease in reinforcing performance. Therefore, in the case of using detoxified asbestos fibers in the extrusion molding process, it is considered desirable to add fibers with a length of 5mm or more to improve the reinforcing performance.

• Journal of the Korean Professional Engineers Association
• /
• v.37 no.6
• /
• pp.37-40
• /
• 2004

This year's main theme of Japan-Korea Joint Symposium of Professional Engineering is 'Conservation of the earth environment and risk management' As a keynote speaker. I a going to discuss the strategies to make appropriate future environment of our countries. In particular, following items are discussed in the speech. 1. The Desert greening with peat at Uighur area 2. Anoter viewpoint of the environmental problem 3. Review of the Earth Warming 4. Review of the environment of the Earth 5. Corresponding of Emission Trading scheme of carbon dioxide to the atmosphere 6. Un-precious present from continent to Japan 7. Corresponding of asbestos damage 8. Risk assessment and Risk management

• Journal of Environmental Health Sciences
• /
• v.32 no.2 s.89
• /
• pp.140-148
• /
• 2006

Recently, indoor air quality (IAQ) in workplace, residential environments and schools has been concerned of people, scientists and related the public, and has recognized the health effects related to indoor air pollution. Therefore, this study was performed to investigate the characteristics of IAQ in 55 kindergartens, elementary school, middle schools, and high schools from June, 2004 to May, 2005 in Korea. We measured indoor air pollutants($PM_{10},\;CO_2$, HCHO, total bacteria colony(TBC), CO, radon, TVOCs, asbestos, and $O_3$), and physical factors(noise, temperature, relative humidity, and illumination) with necessary of management for IAQ in school. We classified into 5 kinds of the school by period since building completion, <1 year, 1-3 years, 3-5 years, and 5-10 years. The concentration of pollutants and the level of physical factors compared with standards and guidelines of IAQ on the Ministry of Environment, the Ministry of Health and Welfare, and the Ministry of Education and Human Resources Development. The major results obtained from this study were as follows. Temperature, relative humidity and illumination among the physical factors did not exceed the standards, but noise exceeded it. Asbestos and $O_3$ did not detect in surveyed classrooms. CO, TBC, TVOCs, and HCHO in kindergartens, TBC in elementary schools, TBC, TVOCs dnd HCHO in middle schools, and HCHO in high schools detected the standards. This study is conducted as a part of efforts to provide a foundational data for further relative researches on management of IAQ of school. Therefore, we suggest that country plan for management of IAQ in school should be established through long-term and continuous investigation for assessment on IAQ in school and health risk assessment for students.

• Journal of Environmental Health Sciences
• /
• v.48 no.1
• /
• pp.19-27
• /
• 2022

The industrial development and socioeconomic structures of a society are inextricably linked to occupational accidents and diseases. Since the 1970s, a series of major occupational diseases have occurred in South Korea, such as mercury poisoning in Munsong-myeon, carbon disulfide poisoning at Wonjin Rayon, and leukemia at Samsung Electronics. These incidents have caused us to take a critical look at the level of worker safety and health management within companies and the government. These serve as symbolic and representational events. Doctors, lawyers, and labor activists concerned about employee safety and lives came together for years to struggle with the government and industry in order to determine what caused the diseases and to obtain compensation for victims. They finally achieved recognition for occupational diseases and recompense for losses. It is difficult to find similar cases to the baby powder asbestos talc cases and the radon bed case internationally, or there is no case where such a large number of consumers have been potentially harmed. It is also difficult to prove that the damage took place due to the victims' diverse geographic locations and ages, as well as the disease's long incubation period. Based on this premise, businesses and the government have been apathetic in acknowledging these diseases and compensating for damages, with few practical outcomes. Furthermore, unlike the large-scale occupational disease cases, only a few people including expert groups were organized and actively participated in the settlement of these issues, so it remains unfinished business for our society to address.