• Journal of the Korea Safety Management & Science
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• v.5 no.4
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• pp.13-20
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• 2003

The purpose of this study is to know the status of prevention on health obstacle in industries with confined space. Total 190 respondents, 95 safety or health managers and 95 confined space workers from 95 industries with confined space are surveyed by hygienists from April 2003, to July 2003. The contents of survey include health-work program in confined space, instrument of oxygen sampling, equipment of ventilation, safety and health education, watching manager, head count, awakening of risk, air condition and emergency training. The results are as follows: 1. It is found 38% of respondents established health-work program in confined space. The percentage of respondents with instrument of oxygen sampling and equipment of ventilation, operation of safety and health education, posting of watching man and operation of head count are 42%, 35%, 75%, 46% and 56%, respectively. 2. The percentage of awakening of risk, confirm of air condition and operation of emergency training are 36%, 25% and 15%, respectively.

• Journal of the Korea Safety Management & Science
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• v.18 no.3
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• pp.47-54
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• 2016

A confined space means places where the risk of damage to health caused by lack of oxygen or hazardous gases in inadequate ventilation conditions and the risk of fire and explosion caused by flammable substances. Asphyxiation accidents in a confined space occured every year and also occurred more than two people at the same time. In this study, we surveyed the domestic statistical data occurred the lack of oxygen in confined space for the last 10 years(2006-2015) and, analyzed the accident by industries sector, workplace size etc. 17 fatal work accidents that occurred in confined spaces in Korea between 2013 and 2015 were investigated and analyzed using the database of the KOSHA and suggested interventions to minimize asphyxiation accidents in confined spaces. This paper is expected to be used to establish interventions planning and training as a preventive measures in workplace having confined spaces.

• Journal of Korean Society of Occupational and Environmental Hygiene
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• v.19 no.4
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• pp.363-369
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• 2009

The total number of confined space accident cases from 1999 to 2007 in Korea were 220, causing 353 injuries and 212 casualties. Out of 220 cases, 44(20.0%) occurred in sewage treatment facilities and 40(18.2%) occurred in both manholes and containers. When the main causes of confined space accidents were classified, oxygen deficiency accounted for 69 cases(31.4%), carbon monoxide, 48(21.8%), hydrogen sulfide, 40(18.2%), and organic solvent, 32(14.5%). Improvement of occupational accident statistics is necessary in order to report accurate and precise data for confined space accidents. The structure of confined space must be considered when selecting gas to be measured.

• Journal of the Ergonomics Society of Korea
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• v.36 no.3
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• pp.245-254
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• 2017

Objective: This study aims to investigate the effects of organizational support, risk perception and job satisfaction on safety consciousness in confined space works. Background: Confined space works are rated as hazardous works with high injury frequency and fatalities. But there were few researches for the occupational injury of the confined space workers. Method: Questionnaire survey targeting 236 workers working in confined spaces were carried out to construct the structural equation model on safety consciousness. The participants were all male workers, and they install and maintain or clean facilities mainly in the confined spaces. Results: A structural equation model for safety consciousness was proposed, and validated based on perceived organizational support, risk perception and job satisfaction factors. Perceived 'organizational support' contributed significantly to 'worker's safety consciousness' both directly and indirectly. Also, perceived 'worker's safety consciousness' was also affected by perceived 'job satisfaction' and 'risk perception'. In terms of magnitude of relationships, the direct effect of perceived 'job satisfaction' on 'worker's safety consciousness' was the greatest among the interrelationships among latent factors. Conclusion: Workers' safety consciousness can function as a leading indicator for safety and hazard prevention of workers. Application: The results can be used in developing safety prevention programs for confined space workers.

• Proceedings of the Safety Management and Science Conference
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• 2003.11a
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• pp.65-69
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• 2003

The study was purposed to know the status of prevention on health obstacle in industries with confined space. The results were as follows: 1. It was found 38% of respondents established health-work program in confined space. The percentage of respondents with instrument of oxygen sampling and equipment of ventilation, operation of safety and health education, posting of watching man and operation of head count were 42%, 35%, 75%, 46% and 56%, respectively. 2. The percentage of awakening of risk, confirm of air condition and operation of emergency training were 36%, 25% and 10%, respectively.

• Journal of Korean Society of Occupational and Environmental Hygiene
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• v.26 no.4
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• pp.436-444
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• 2016

Objectives: Despite recent efforts to prevent suffocation disasters, a number of confined space accidents still happen and each year deaths continue to occur. There have been insufficient studies on the dangers of various potential disaster sites, such as manholes, septic tanks, reactors, and other tanks according to type, characteristics, task-specific disasters, equipment specific disasters, etc. The purpose of this study was to analyze recent suffocation disasters based on place and properties. Methods: In this study, we analyzed confined space accident cases from 2005 to 2015 in Korea and grouped them by type, size, monthly occurrence, continuous service period, accident location, person-specific group, age, employment, structural work and subcontracting work. We studied examples of accidents developed in other countries. Results: (1) We reviewed confined-space accident statistics, compared legal standards and analyzed cases of suffocation accidents in the United States and Japan. (2) Using a case study report from the Korea Occupational Safety & Health Agency, we specified confined-space accident statistics based on place, person-specific group, age, employment, structural work and subcontracting work. As a result we generated some precautions about confined-space accidents for the prevention of such accidents. Conclusions: Conclusions: Statistical analysis of recent suffocation disaster cases was performed to establish improvement measures, compare practices from developed countries, and develop precautionary measures accordingly. In this study, we presented the causes of disaster that occur in a confined space and proposed related preventive measures.

• Journal of Korean Society of Occupational and Environmental Hygiene
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• v.31 no.4
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• pp.503-509
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• 2021

Objectives: The utility of the system was analyzed by applying the smart safety technology system to the aging pipe rehabilitation facility construction classified as a confined space. Methods: Smart safety management system was applied to a site where the aging pipe rehabilitation work was in progress. The working environment was measured for 25 days, and the toxic gas saturation was analyzed according to the working time and working place. Results: Based on the measured results, two characteristic environmental changes in the confined space were confirmed. First, when working inside an aging pipe, the tendency of carbon dioxide saturation increases with working time and the number of workers. Second, oxygen decreases when working in a space away from the entrance. Conclusions: Various applications of smart safety technology have been confirmed based on the measured data, and this is expected to be useful for environmental characteristic analysis and safety management when applied to a confined space composed with various conditions in the future.

• Journal of the Korean Institute of Gas
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• v.21 no.4
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• pp.1-5
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• 2017

Leaking of natural gas, which is mostly methane, in a confined living space creates flammable atmosphere and gives rise to explosion accident. The minimum amount of leaked methane for explosion is highly dependent on the degree of mixing in the confined space. This paper proposes a method for estimating minimum amount of flammable gas for explosion by using Gaussian distribution explosion model(GDEM) and experimental explosion data. The explosion pressure in the confined space can be estimated by assuming the Gaussian distribution of flammable gas along the height of an enclosure and estimating the maximum amount of gas within flammable limits, combustion of the estimated gas with constant volume and adiabatic or isothermal mixing in the confined space. The predicted minimum gas amount for an explosion is tied to explosion pressure that results in a given building damage level. The result shows that very small amount of methane leaking in the confined space may results in a serious gas explosion accident. This result could be applied not only to setting the leak criteria for developing a gas safety appliance but also to accident investigating of explosion.

• Journal of Korean Society of Occupational and Environmental Hygiene
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• v.31 no.1
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• pp.83-93
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• 2021

Objectives: 'Confined space' was only defined in the Safety and Health Regulations as a place where oxygen deficiency and hydrogen sulfide must be dealt with at the time of the initial enactment (1982). The danger of fire and explosion were added in 2003. We will compare and review the regulations related to confined space work under the current safety and health rules alongside regulations in other countries and prepare a plan to improve the system through enhanced clarity and execution. Methods: In a comparison of systems for the prevention of suffocation in confined spaces in major countries (Germany, United States, Japan) different concepts of the definition of confined spaces in different countries apparently due to differences in each country's legal implementation system, accident analysis methods, the status of safety and health implementation in workplaces, the precautions against actual confined space work, and the definition of confined spaces were found to be not much different between Korea and the other foreign countries. Results: In the case of Germany and the United States, a confined space is defined as a contextual concept rather than a place, so more careful attention is needed from operators or enclosed space managers as it is often necessary to judge the actual workplace. In the case of Korea and Japan, the interior of the place is mainly defined as a place, especially in the case of Japan, which concentrates on oxygen deficiency and hydrogen sulfide poisoning. Conclusions: For measures to improve regulations on the prevention of suffocation accidents in Korea, I would like to propose three major measures to improve the system in the rules on domestic industrial safety and health standards. It is necessary to prepare and provide a guide to ensure that the 18 types of confined spaces currently defined as confined spaces are clearly understood by field management supervisors or workers.

• Safety and Health at Work
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• v.10 no.3
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• pp.305-313
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• 2019

Background: The oil and gas industry is one of the riskiest industries for confined space injuries. This study aimed to understand an overall picture of the causal factors of confined space accidents through analyzing accident reports and the use of a qualitative approach. Methods: Twenty-one fatal occupational accidents were analyzed according to the Human Factors Analysis and Classification System approach. Furthermore, thirty-three semistructured interviews were conducted with employees in different roles to capture their experiences regarding the contributory factors. The content analyses of the interview transcripts were conducted using MAXQDA software. Results: Based on accident reports, the largest proportions of causal factors (77%) were attributed to the organizational and supervisory levels, with the predominant influence of the organizational process. We identified 25 contributory factors in confined space accidents that were causal factors outside of the original Human Factors Analysis and Classification System framework. Therefore, modifications were made to deal with factors outside the organization and newly explored causal factors at the organizational level. External Influences as the fifth level considered contributory factors beyond the organization including Laws, Regulations and Standards, Government Policies, Political Influences, and Economic Status categories. Moreover, Contracting/Contract Management and Emergency Management were two extra categories identified at the organizational level. Conclusions: Preventing confined space accidents requires addressing issues from the organizational to operator level and external influences beyond the organization. The recommended modifications provide a basis for accident investigation and risk analysis, which may be applicable across a broad range of industries and accident types.