• International conference on construction engineering and project management
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• 2020.12a
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• pp.179-187
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• 2020

This paper investigates the construction equipment accidents by time. Construction sites are unique with many different hazardous conditions which cause accidents. According to the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA), accidents related to construction equipment are one of the most leading causes of fatal injuries in the construction industry. While there have been many studies investigating the equipment-related accidents, few research studies provided in-depth analyses about the time that accidents frequently occurred. By using the OSHA accidents data collected between 1997 and 2012, this paper analyzed the accidents data by time, equipment type including excavator, backhoe, dozer, and crane, accident cause, and injury class. The analyses revealed that the time window with most accidents was between 13:00 and 13:59. In terms of the injury class, the time windows with the highest numbers of equipment accidents were between 13:00 and 13:59 and between 11:00 and 11:59 for fatality and hospitalization, respectively. For the accident causes, equipment operator's error was the highest number of accident causes. It is expected that findings from the analyses can be used to more strategically develop management plans and guidelines to prevent accidents related to construction equipment to practitioners.

• International conference on construction engineering and project management
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• 2015.10a
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• pp.313-316
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• 2015

Construction is one of the most dangerous job sectors, which reports tens of thousands of time-loss injuries and deaths every year. These disasters incur delays and additional costs to the projects. The safety management needs to be on the top primary tasks throughout the construction to avoid fatal accidents and to foster safe working environments. One of the safety regulations that are frequently violated is the wearing of personal protection equipment (PPE). In order to facilitate monitoring of the compliance of the PPE wearing regulations, this paper proposes a vision based method that automatically identifies whether workers wear hard hats and safety vests. The method involves three modules - human body detection, identification of safety vest wearing, and hard hat detection. First, human bodies are detected in the video frames captured by real-time on-site construction cameras. The detected human bodies are classified into with/without wearing safety vests based on the color features of their upper parts. Finally, hard hats are detected on the nearby regions of the detected human bodies and the locations of the detected hard hats and human bodies are correlated to reveal their corresponding matches. In this way, the proposed method provides any appearance of the workers without wearing hard hats or safety vests. The method has been tested on onsite videos and the results signify its potential to facilitate site safety monitoring.

• Journal of Trauma and Injury
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• v.36 no.3
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• pp.249-252
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• 2023

Neuroleptic malignant syndrome (NMS) is a rare but fatal condition, with a high mortality rate. NMS is characterized by altered mental status, fever, myoclonus, autonomic dysfunctions, and elevated creatinine phosphokinase. The clinical manifestations may be confused with alcohol-related symptoms, trauma, sepsis, postoperative agitation, or malignant hyperthermia. A 69-year-old male patient with alcohol withdrawal was admitted to the operating theatre to rule out septic shock due to mesenteric injury after multiple trauma. He was suspected NMS with abrupt increase body temperature to 41.7℃ after haloperidol administration. Active cooling and rapid fluid infusion was done during anesthesia. Delayed diagnosis and treatment of NMS lead to catastrophic result. Therefore, if the patient's past medical history is unknown or clinical symptoms develop that are suggestive of NMS, early treatment must be considered.

• Journal of Trauma and Injury
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• v.36 no.3
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• pp.281-285
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• 2023

Traumatic uterine rupture is uncommon but can be fatal and life-threatening for both the mother and infant. In addition to complications caused by trauma itself, such as pelvic fracture, gestational complications such as placental abruption, abortion, premature labor, rupture of membranes, maternal death, and stillbirth can occur. In particular, fetuses have been reported to have a high mortality rate in cases of traumatic uterine rupture. A 35-year-old pregnant female patient fell from the fourth floor and was admitted to our trauma center. We observed large hemoperitoneum, pelvic fractures, and spleen laceration, and the fetus was presumed to be located outside the uterus. The pregnant woman was hemodynamically unstable. Although the fetus was stillborn, angioembolization and surgical treatment were properly performed through collaboration with an interventional radiologist, obstetrician, and trauma surgeons. After two orthopedic operations, the patient was discharged after 34 days. This case report suggests the importance of a multidisciplinary approach in the treatment of pregnant trauma patients.

• The Journal of the Korea institute of electronic communication sciences
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• v.8 no.11
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• pp.1785-1792
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• 2013

For patients suffering from spinal cord injuries, both of the possibility of having complications with the respiratory system and the related fatal rate are still high, while pneumonia is the most important cause of these fatalities. This research was carried out to find out what effects does a breathing exercise have on the respiratory functions and the improvement in the quality of life. The study was carried out for male patients suffering cervical spinal cord injuries for the purpose of inspiratory muscle strengthening. The objects of the study were 17 non-smoking-at-present male patients with C4 to C6 cervical spinal cord injuries. They had practiced inspiratory muscle strengthening training for three times a week for six weeks. The quality of life and the dyspnea (breathing difficulty) were self-measured before and after the training. As a result, the change in respiratory function was only significantly reduced (p<0.01) within the chronic group. In terms of the changes in the quality of life, the sub-acute group has only seen a significant improvement (p<0.05) for the VT(vitality), while the chronic group has seen significant improvements(p<0.05, p<0.01) in: GH(general health); BP(back pain); and VT(vitality). In this research, the inspiratory muscle strengthening has reduced the dyspnea (breathing difficulties) and improved the quality of life.

• Journal of Biosystems Engineering
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• v.35 no.5
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• pp.294-301
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• 2010

This study was performed to improve the utilization of the ROPS and seatbelt of tractors in Korea. We surveyed the ROPS and seatbelt use and the tractor related accidents through the personal interviews for 141 farmers. And comfort test for tractor seatbelts is done for 4 different subjects by measuring the body pressure distribution. The survey showed that 79.3% of the tractor accidents was overturning accidents. And, in case the tractor has ROPS and seatbelt, there was no serious injuries. With this results, we could confirm that ROPS and seatbelt is very effective devices for protecting drivers in overturning accidents. But, in case farmers didn't wear seatbelt, there was some fatal injuries. This shows the importance of the seatbelt use in working and driving tractors. Therefore, we tested the comfort of the tractor seatbelt for 4 different subjects operating the pedal in tractor seat simulator and in the tractor running on various roads. From the results of the static test in the Lab, it was shown that more the seatbelt anchorage point is far form SIP point, more the body pressure of the belly became higher, and more the subjects feel uncomfortable. Not only in the static test in the simulator, but also in the dynamic test in riding tractors, it was shown that non retractable seatbelt was more uncomfortable than retractable seatbelt. According to this study, we concluded that we need to promote the utilization of the ROPS and seatbelt use. And, the non retractable seatbelt need to be replaced by retractable seatbelt. Also, we recommend that the seatbelt anchorage position should to be in the seatbelt anchorage area of the ISO 3776 standard.

• The Journal of Sustainable Design and Educational Environment Research
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• v.18 no.4
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• pp.44-57
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• 2019

'Vision Zero' is a fundamental response to rapidly increasing number of traffic accidents. It was first introduced in Sweden in the late 20th century and is spreading worldwide. 'Vision Zero' criticizes an existing traffic safety policy that presupposes a reasonable human beings. It suggests that traffic safety policies should be on the possibility of making mistakes by irrational beings. Under the ethical vision that human life and health cannot be exchanged for any other social benefits, the policy issue should allow to make zero out the death rate and serious injuries of traffic accidents while allowing minor injuries. 'Vision Zero' argues that the government should design an environment in which individual mistakes never lead to fatal accidents. 'Vision Zero', which shows a different perspective from existing policies regarding safety ultimate goal, is spreading from traffic safety to other areas such as health, safety and well-being. This study examines the implication of the Korea's school safety policy from the perspectives of 'Vision Zero' on the five areas : "for what", "from what", "by what", "by whom", and "how". The study is intended to establish a new directions and challenges of school safety policy in Korea through an analytical discussions on 'Vision Zero'.

• Journal of Chest Surgery
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• v.40 no.8
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• pp.558-563
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• 2007

Background: Traumatic aortic rupture is a highly fatal condition in which a patient's outcome is strongly affected by other associated injuries. Selection of the appropriate surgical timing and the management plan is important. Material and Method: The medical records of the 15 traumatic descending thoracic aortic rupture patients who underwent the clamp & sew technique were retrospectively reviewed and checked for the presence of associated injuries and the postoperative course. Result: The hospital mortality was 6.07% (one patient). This patient died intra-operatively and the cause of the death was delayed hemoperitoneum. The mean operative time and aortic clamp time were $231{\pm}53.1$ and $13.1{\pm}5.3$ minutes, respectively. One patient complained the bowel obstructive symptoms at postoperative 10 days. We found the mechanical bowel obstruction on computed tomography of the abdomen, and segmental bowel resection was done. Conclusion: Although several surgical strategies may be appropriate for managing traumatic aortic rupture, the clamp & sew technique is a safe and effective method for the treatment of traumatic aortic injury.

• Journal of Korean Neurosurgical Society
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• v.64 no.5
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• pp.791-798
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• 2021

Objective : The period of mechanical ventilator (MV)-dependent respiratory failure after cervical spinal cord injury (CSCI) varies from patient to patient. This study aimed to identify predictors of MV at hospital discharge (MVDC) due to prolonged respiratory failure among patients with MV after CSCI. Methods : Two hundred forty-three patients with CSCI were admitted to our institution between May 2006 and April 2018. Their medical records and radiographic data were retrospectively reviewed. Level and completeness of injury were defined according to the American Spinal Injury Association (ASIA) standards. Respiratory failure was defined as the requirement for definitive airway and assistance of MV. We also evaluated magnetic resonance imaging characteristics of the cervical spine. These characteristics included : maximum canal compromise (MCC); intramedullary hematoma or cord transection; and integrity of the disco-ligamentous complex for assessment of the Subaxial Cervical Spine Injury Classification (SLIC) scoring. The inclusion criteria were patients with CSCI who underwent decompression surgery within 48 hours after trauma with respiratory failure during hospital stay. Patients with Glasgow coma scale 12 or lower, major fatal trauma of vital organs, or stroke caused by vertebral artery injury were excluded from the study. Results : Out of 243 patients with CSCI, 30 required MV during their hospital stay, and 27 met the inclusion criteria. Among them, 48.1% (13/27) of patients had MVDC with greater than 30 days MV or death caused by aspiration pneumonia. In total, 51.9% (14/27) of patients could be weaned from MV during 30 days or less of hospital stay (MV days : MVDC 38.23±20.79 vs. MV weaning, 13.57±8.40; p<0.001). Vital signs at hospital arrival, smoking, the American Society of Anesthesiologists classification, Associated injury with Injury Severity Score, SLIC score, and length of cord edema did not differ between the MVDC and MV weaning groups. The ASIA impairment scale, level of injury within C3 to C6, and MCC significantly affected MVDC. The MCC significantly correlated with MVDC, and the optimal cutoff value was 51.40%, with 76.9% sensitivity and 78.6% specificity. In multivariate logistic regression analysis, MCC >51.4% was a significant risk factor for MVDC (odds ratio, 7.574; p=0.039). Conclusion : As a method of predicting which patients would be able to undergo weaning from MV early, the MCC is a valid factor. If the MCC exceeds 51.4%, prognosis of respiratory function becomes poor and the probability of MVDC is increased.

• Journal of Korean Clinical Nursing Research
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• v.20 no.3
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• pp.337-347
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• 2014

Purpose: Deep Vein Thrombosis (DVT) is the cause of fatal diseases such as pulmonary embolism, due to a prolonged immobility, surgery, paralysis, and injuries. This study aimed to develop an evidence-based practice guideline for DVT prevention and apply it to patients with surgery in diverse nursing sites in South Korea. Methods: A 24-staged processes of adaptation was carried out on the basis of "adaptation of nursing practical guidelines" developed by Gu et al., in 2012. Results: Developed nursing guidelines of DVT prevention are composed of 79 recommendations in 8 domains. The extent and ratings of each recommendation with its evidence were addressed along with the background information. Conclusion: The developed DVT prevention guideline is necessary to be added to the evidence-based practice guidelines for the fundamentals of nursing practice. The developed guideline is needed to be disseminated to diverse nursing clinical settings in order to prevent DVT and enhance the quality nursing care.