• Analytical Science and Technology
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• v.28 no.5
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• pp.309-316
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• 2015

The analytical method of lead in plasma by ICP-MS was validated after securing environment within class 1,000 classification. We tested specificity and accuracy of within-run and between-run. According to measurement of the amount of suspended particulates in a clean room, 0.3~62 particles were detected in 0.3 µm size while 0.0~28.3 particles were observed in 0.5 µm size. Total suspended particulates met required environment with up to 90.3 particles. The MDL (Method detection limit) of the sample which has been fabricated using fetal bovine serum (FBS) blank was 1.77 ng/L, and LOQ (Limit of quantification) was 5.55 ng/L. The slope, intercept and correlation coefficient of the calibration curve were y=1.09×10⁻³x+4.88×10⁻² and r=0.9999, which showed good correlation. The specificity, within-run and between-run accuracy satisfied the standard at more than 50 ng/L. The average lead concentration in plasma of the general people, current workers and retired workers was 55.4 ng/L, 440 ng/L, and 132 ng/L.

• Safety and Health at Work
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• v.9 no.4
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• pp.398-407
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• 2018

Background: Occupational skin diseases (OSDs) are frequent in professions with exposure to skin hazards. Thus, a health educational intervention for apprentices of high-risk professions was conducted. It was the aim of this study to gain insight into possible effects of this intervention. Methods: A one-time skin protection seminar was conducted in 140 apprentices of health-related and non-health-related professions [trained cohort (TC)]. In addition, 134 apprentices of the same occupations were monitored [untrained cohort (UTC)]. The OSD-specific knowledge and the skin condition of the hands were assessed at baseline (T0), after the seminar (T1), and after 6 (T2) and 12 months (T3). Results: The OSD-specific knowledge increased in all cohorts from T0 to T3, but we found a significantly higher knowledge in the TC at T2 (p < 0.001, t = 3.6, df = 196, 95% confidence interval = 0.9, 3.3) and T3 (p < 0.001, t = 3.8, df = 196, 95% confidence interval = 1.0, 3.2) compared to the UTC. Our results indicated a better skin condition of the hands in the TC of the health-related professions but not in the non-health-related professions. Conclusion: The study indicates that an educational intervention may positively influence the disease-specific knowledge and the prevalence of OSD in apprentices. However, definite conclusions cannot be drawn because of the heterogeneous study cohorts and the study design. Future research should aim at tailoring primary prevention to specific target groups, e.g., in view of the duration and frequency of skin protection education, different professions, and gender-specific prevention approaches.

• Safety and Health at Work
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• v.6 no.4
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• pp.324-328
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• 2015

Background: Employee job satisfaction and its relationship with health and quality of life has been an issue of major concern over the past decades. Nurses experience difficult working conditions that affect their job satisfaction, health, and quality of life. Methods: A cross-sectional study was undertaken in three general hospitals and their respective health centers. Stratified random sampling by level of education was used, and 508 nurses and nursing assistants were included. A self-administered anonymous questionnaire, which included the Measure of Job Satisfaction, the 36-item Short Form Health Survey, as well as demographic details, education, and work conditions data, was used. Results: Greek nurses were found to be dissatisfied with their job according to the total score of the job satisfaction scale, although personal satisfaction and satisfaction with support had had higher scores. Their general health was reported as average, because of physical and mental health problems, low vitality, low energy, and increased physical pain. Multivariate linear regression analysis revealed that males and those wishing to stay in the job had higher physical and mental health. Increased job satisfaction was related to increased physical and mental health. Conclusion: Although Greek nurses are not satisfied with their work, those with high levels of job satisfaction had better health-related quality of life. The findings suggest that improvement of the work environment would contribute to a healthier and more satisfied nursing workforce.

• Journal of Korean Society of Occupational and Environmental Hygiene
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• v.31 no.1
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• pp.60-72
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• 2021

Objectives: This study was performed to investigate the level of participation in and satisfaction with training courses at job training institutions and to improve participation and satisfaction through changes in the training method for industrial ventilation subjects. Methods: The results were analyzed for the mean and standard deviation by t-test and ANOVA, (p=0.05). Participation rates were examined for three courses: specialization, job training, and supervisory. The participation inthe education was 428 people, and the result of satisfaction with the change of education method was 878 people. Satisfaction was investigated for the specialized curriculum and job training curriculum,but not the supervisor curriculum. The satisfaction results for six items(contents, quality, skill, level, degree of understanding, degree of practical) were analyzed according to the change in the training medium and the method among people in one occupational ventilation subject. Results: The participation rate was similar in the job training and specialized training courses, but the lowest rate was in supervisory courses(p=0.05). In general, there was the lowest participation on the first day of education, and the participation rate improved after the second day. Satisfaction with the course was high for the specialized education course with a number of practical education assignments(p=0.278). The satisfaction level for the teaching method in the industrial ventilation subjects was high in a mixed group which combined lecture and practice. The industrial ventilation course in the basic job training course showed a difference between lecture and mixed education(p=0.111), but there was no significant difference. However, the industrial ventilation course in the advance job training course showed a clear difference between lecture and the mixed education(p=0.036). Conclusions: Therefore, the first day of training should start in the afternoon so that more trainees can participate, and it is recommended to assign important subjects after two days. In addition, it is suggested that job competency-enhancing education utilize various educational methods and media.

• Safety and Health at Work
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• v.9 no.2
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• pp.210-215
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• 2018

Background: The aims of this study were to determine the extent of workplace bullying perceptions among the employees of a Faculty of Medicine, evaluating the variables considered to be associated, and determining the effect of workplace bullying perceptions on their psychological symptoms evaluated by the Brief Symptom Inventory (BSI). Methods: This cross-sectional study was performed involving 355 (88.75%) employees. Results: Levels of perceived workplace bullying were found to increase with the increasing scores for BSI and BSI sub-dimensions of anxiety, depression, negative self, somatization, and hostility (all p < 0.001). One point increase in the workplace bullying perception score was associated with a 0.47 point increase in psychological symptoms evaluated by BSI. Moreover, the workplace bullying perception scores were most strongly affected by the scores of anxiety, negative self, depression, hostility, and somatization (all p < 0.05). Conclusion: The present results revealed that young individuals, divorced individuals, faculty members, and individuals with a chronic disease had the greatest workplace bullying perceptions with our study population. Additionally, the BSI, anxiety, depression, negative self, somatization, and hostility scores of the individuals with high levels of workplace bullying perceptions were also high.

• Journal of the Ergonomics Society of Korea
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• v.36 no.3
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• pp.231-244
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• 2017

Objective: This study aims to understand the occupational injury characteristics of the workers in the motor vehicle parts (automobile parts) manufacturing industry and to present basic guidelines on accident prevention through accident analysis. Background: There occur many occupational injuries in the motor vehicle parts manufacturing industry. But there were few researches for the occupational injuries of the workers in the motor vehicle parts manufacturing industry. Method: This study analyzed the data of occupational injuries of 1,609 workers in the motor vehicle parts manufacturing industry in 2015. The accident characteristics were analyzed by dividing them into worker related factors and accident related factors. Results: Among the occupational injuries of the workers in the motor vehicle parts manufacturing industry, 80.6% of the victims were males, 64.0% were older than 40. 57.8% of the victims were employed by the companies with less than 50 workers. In addition, there was a difference in accident characteristics according to age, work experience, employment type, events or exposures, accident time of the day, agents, natures of injuries and illnesses, injured organs and injured body part. Conclusion: It is important to prevent equipment/machinery accidents. For this purpose, more efforts should be made to establish safety measures faithful to the basics of safety devices and safety work procedures. It is also suggested that prevention of disasters should be intensively carried out for workplaces with less than 50 employees and middle-aged and elderly people. Application: The result can be used to present guidelines for preventative measures for the workers in the motor vehicle parts manufacturing industry including safety education/training.

• Journal of the Korean Society of School Health
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• v.19 no.2
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• pp.105-115
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• 2006

Purpose：This thesis was performed to evaluate the effect of the experience safety education on the safety behavior and standard of habit to the middle school students of one islands. Methods：The participants of this study included 43, located in the adjoining region in S county. While one of the class, composed of 19 students was designated as an experimental group, and the other class, composed of 24 students, was compared as a control group. Used program in this study was safety education program, 'Safe School, Safe Life' which was developed by Korea Occupational Safety & Health Agency. This program has emphasis on the virtual case rather than lecture style education. Results：The findings in this research were as follows. Indoor safety behavior was significant difference between the two groups. On the other hand, the effect on outdoor safety behavior was not difference. In playground case, active strength was needed without continuous attention. The effect of the experience safety behavior education was not shown in the area of traffic rules, pedestrian safety, and vehicle safety. But home safety behavior was effective. Education program on the manners of standard life habit gives positive results. But in the area of rules, this program was not effective, since students had tendency to emphasize the rigid scale rather than manners. Conclusion：These findings in the study give us the necessity of experience safety education program to prepare various situations of everyday life and to reinforce safety behavior and improve standard life habit.

• Safety and Health at Work
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• v.2 no.3
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• pp.260-272
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• 2011

Objectives: The promotion of health and safety (H&S) awareness among hospital staff can be applied through various methods. The aim of this study was to assess the risk level of physical hazards in the hospital sector by combining workers' perception, experts' evaluation and objective measurements. Methods: A cross-sectional study was designed using multiple triangulation. Hospital staff (n = 447) filled in an H&S questionnaire in a general hospital in Athens and an oncology one in Thessaloniki. Experts observed and filled in a checklist on H&S in the various departments of the two hospitals. Lighting, noise and microclimate measurements were performed. Results: The staff's perception of risk was higher than that of the experts in many cases. The measured risk levels were low to medium. In cases of high-risk noise and lighting, staff and experts agreed. Staff's perception of risk was influenced by hospital's department, hospital's service, years of working experience and level of education. Therefore, these factors should be taken into account in future studies aimed at increasing the participation of hospital workers. Conclusion: This study confirmed the usefulness of staff participation in the risk assessment process, despite the tendency for staff to overestimate the risk level of physical hazards. The combination of combining staff perception, experts' evaluation and objective measures in the risk assessment process increases the efficiency of risk management in the hospital environment and the enforcement of relevant legislation.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Safety
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• v.38 no.3
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• pp.77-84
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• 2023

Welding and cutting, which are representative tasks in handling firearms at industrial sites, are the basis for production and maintenance processes across all industries. They are also essential in the root industry. Specifically, they are widely used in the manufacturing industry, including equipment industries such as shipbuilding, automobiles, and chemicals, and subsequent maintenance work and general facility repair. However, such hot work carries a high fire risk owing to sparks scattering and inadequate management, resulting in a high occurrence of accidents. In response, the government and relevant organizations have recently revised the Occupational Safety and Health Act to prevent accidents during hot work. These revisions impose more stringent regulations than before, which are expected to help prevent actual fire accidents. However, whether the fire observer system, which is the core element of the revision, would be practically applied and maintained is unclear. Therefore, this study compared the fire observer system in the revised Occupational Safety and Health Act with those in the laws and systems of developed countries, conducted interviews with safety and health experts to assess the suitability of the new system for fire observer operations, and improvement plans were derived accordingly. Therefore, the laws and systems of developed countries grant more authority to fire observers compared with those of Korea. Moreover, professional training in handling emergency is required. Interviews with safety and health experts revealed that regardless of company size, the same operating standards were applied, and standards for deploying fire observers in various locations were unclear. Furthermore, there was a lack of professional education and training, and the role and authority of fire observers were limited. These findings revealed a problem in this sector. The results of this study are expected to serve as basic data for establishing a practical system for placing fire observers and supplementing laws, guidelines, and systems for preventing fire accidents.

• Journal of Korean Society of Occupational and Environmental Hygiene
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• v.34 no.2
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• pp.156-165
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• 2024

Objectives: This study aims to identify and analyze the exposure status of welding students in specialized high school welding labratories, compare it with the exposure to welding hazards of industrial workers, and seek to improve the educational environment for youth through domestic and international exposure standards. Methods: This study compares the level of exposure to hazardous factors in a welding laboratory of a vocational high school in Jeollanam-do and a welding process in a general industrial site by measuring the work environment. A 10-question survey was conducted to review the effects of welding hazards on the human body, carcinogenicity information, international (US, UK, France) exposure standards, general characteristics between the two groups, and awareness of occupational health. Results: Exposure to hazardous factors in both groups was below the standards set by MOEL. Specialized high school students were exposed to higher levels than workers, and some hazardous factors exceeded the standards when compared to international exposure standards. During the survey, students were less aware of the hazards of welding, safety and health education, and the need for work environment measurement than workers. Conclusions: For the respiratory protection of students in vocational high school welding labs, it is necessary to create a comfortable training environment. Exposure standards for harmful factors should be strictly applied, such as overseas standards, or exposure should be limited by setting a limit on the number of hours of welding practice per week. In addition, it is necessary to conduct safety and health education for welding students to raise their awareness of the importance of measuring the working environment and wearing appropriate protective equipment.