• Title/Summary/Keyword: Occupational environment

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A Study of Safety Management Using SFD (SFD를 이용한 안전관리에 대한 연구)

  • Kim, Geon-Ho
    • Journal of Industrial Convergence
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    • v.2 no.1
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    • pp.91-101
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    • 2004
  • The modern industrial society is developing while growing more diverse and gigantic. Accordingly, occupational injuries or accidents can be caused in various situations, not just in the limited range of workplaces but also in the surroundings, and interest has increased in the prevention of occupational accidents with respect to occupational health and safety, and environment. In this paper, we are able to grasp the real meaning of the present appearance of safety management, we propose the safety function depolyment adding laws and regulation.

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COVID -19: Protection of Workers at the Workplace in Singapore

  • Ng, Wee Tong
    • Safety and Health at Work
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    • v.12 no.1
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    • pp.133-135
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    • 2021
  • The COVID-19 pandemic has resulted in movement restrictions being instituted globally and the cessation of work at many workplaces. However, during this period, essential services such as healthcare, law enforcement, and critical production and supply chain operations have been required to continue to function. In Singapore, measures were put in place to protect the workers from infection at the workplace, as well as to preserve the operational capability of the essential service in a COVID-19 pandemic environment. This paper critically analyses the measures that were implemented and discusses the extension to broader general industry.

A study on the establishment of the criteria for selection of Hazardous substances requiring management in Occupational Safety and Health Act (산업안전보건법상 관리대상 유해물질 선정기준 마련에 관한 연구)

  • Park, Eun Woo;Park, Jun Ho;Lee, Kwon Seob;Hong, Mun Ki;Ahn, Byung Jun;Lee, Eun Jung
    • Journal of Korean Society of Occupational and Environmental Hygiene
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    • v.24 no.4
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    • pp.425-435
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    • 2014
  • Objectives: This study was performed in order to establish reliable and relative selection criteria for hazardous substances requiring management(HSRM) in the Occupational Safety and Health Act in Korea. Methods: To determine the relative criteria and weight of evidence for HSRM, we analyzed the difference between the selection method of priority substances in studies by KOSHA(Korea Occupational Safety and Health Agency) and the European Union Risk Ranking Method(EURAM). In addition, 597 hazardous substances with exposure limit valueswereanalyzed and the posted health hazards classification by MOEL(Ministry of Employee and Labor), MOE(Ministry of Environment), and EU CLP(Classification, Labelling and Packaging regulation) were compared based on GHS(Globally Harmonized System of classification and labelling of chemicals) criteria. The existing HSRM(167 substances) were evaluated for suitability by the proposed criteria in this study. Results: As a result of this study, the criteria and procedures for selecting HSRM in the Occupational Safety and Health Act were arranged utilizing GHS health hazard classification results, occupational disease cases and domestic use situations. Conclusions: The applicability of the proposed criteria was proved via the evaluation of existing HSRM(167 substances). Most HSRM (161 substances) were found to correspond to a significant health effect or substantial health effect. The question of whether to include the six substances that have been found to have general health effects as HSRM would be require further research.

A Survey on the status of using trichloroethylene(TCE) in Korea (트리클로로에틸렌의 유통·사용 실태조사 결과)

  • Cho, Hyung-Yoel;Cho, Sung-Hyun;Ryoo, Jang-Jin;Kim, Byung Gyu;Park, Seung-Hyun;Kang, Seong-Kyu
    • Journal of Korean Society of Occupational and Environmental Hygiene
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    • v.17 no.3
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    • pp.254-260
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    • 2007
  • Trichloroethylene(TCE) is widely used as a degreasing solvent in workplaces. TCE is primarily toxic to the nervous system, however, systemic disorder like Stevens-Johnson syndrome has been recently reported in small-scale factories, where the government has had limited information of chemical use. A survey was performed to investigate the actual condition of using TCE and to provide practical information to occupational health service agencies and professionals. This survey was carried out on 103 factories out of 430 factories which were conducted periodic work environment measurement for TCE. Degreasing was the most popular reason for using TCE in Korea, which reached to 94%. TCE was also used as a solvent for rubber in the coating or molding process, and adhesives in the bonding process. Metal fabrication was the most common as 23%, followed by assembling automobile parts (17%), and machinery (12%). Workers exposed to TCE during full-shift were 52% while 48% were exposed during short period of the shift or intermittently. Manual or semi-automatic work occupied 87% while automatic work was just 13%. Though automatic work by a closed system was generally lower exposed to TCE, compared to manual work, it can cause a high exposure when the maintenance system is improper. Semi-automatic work especially like open-top degreasing process can cause a high exposure when local exhaust system with condensing and refrigerating coils in the degreaser does not work well. In conclusion, the survey showed nationwide status of TCE exposure in various aspects. It can be used to monitor workplaces and workers exposed to TCE to prevent occupational diseases.

A Review on the Classification of Skin Toxicity Hazards Due to Skin Contact with Chemical Substances (화학물질 피부접촉에 의한 피부독성 유해성 분류에 관한 고찰)

  • Kwon, Buhyun;Jo, Jihoon;Lee, Dohee
    • Journal of Korean Society of Occupational and Environmental Hygiene
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    • v.28 no.2
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    • pp.175-189
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    • 2018
  • Objectives: In this study, we analyze statistics on industrial accidents caused by chemical skin contact and provide skin toxicity hazard information on the related domestic system and circulation volumes. Methods and Results: We analyzed occupational fatalities and skin diseases caused by chemical leaks and contact from 2007 to 2016(10 years) and surveyed data on occupational skin diseases using the 2014 work environment survey data. The NIOSH Skin Notation Profiles for 57 chemical substances, which are provided to prevent occupational skin diseases, were searched and hazard information on skin contact with chemical substances was classified. In order to identify skin toxicity information among domestically distributed and legally regulated substances and to investigate skin-toxic substances, MSDS basic data on 19,740 chemical substances provided on the homepage of Korea Occupational Safety & Health Agency were searched. Acute toxicity(dermal) category 1-4 substances totaled 1,020, and the number of chemical substances classified as category 1 and 2 substances were 135 and 137, respectively. In the chemical substances prescribed by the Ministry of Employment and Labor, 173 substances were classified into acute toxicity(dermal) categories 1-4, 58 of which correspond to category 1 or 2. Conclusions: Within the present range of industrial accidents, the proportion of skin diseases due to contact with chemicals is not high. However, there is always a risk of occupational skin diseases due to increasing chemicals and due to the use of new chemicals. It is hoped that this information will be used by workplace safety and health officials and health and safety experts to prevent acute toxity(dermal) due to chemical skin contact.

A Study on Reforming the Occupational Health Care System is Korea (산업보건서비스체계의 효율적 관리방안에 관한 연구)

  • 문옥륜;한동운;최병순;최재욱;하은희;이기효;장동민
    • Health Policy and Management
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    • v.4 no.1
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    • pp.138-175
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    • 1994
  • The objectives of this study are (i) to review current situations and problems of the occupational health care system with emphasis on reforming the organizations and services, (ii) to find out a disirable occupational health system model based on integration of the occupational health system and the general health system, and finally, (iii) to suggest policy implications in occupational health services in the light of objectives of the newly emerging national health insurance reform in Korea. The major policy implications of this study are as follows: 1. In the long-run, within the occupational health system, preventive occupational health services such as employees' physical check-up, working environment examination, etc should financially be integrated with industrial accident compensation insurance. Currently separately paying expenses for each different category of services by the owner of an enterprise should be disbursed once through the payment of contributions of industrial accident compensation insurance. And then, it is necessary to strengthen and expand the role and function of industrial accident compensation insurance to cover preventive occupational health services. 2. The occupational health system should be integrated with general health system for its effective management. For the short-term policy, it is necessary to eliminate fiscal and access barrier between industrial accident compensation insurance and national health insurance by means of ex post facto settlement of accounts. The duplication of employees' physical check- ups between under the health insurance program and under the industrial health services must be coordinated in a manner either through mutual authorization by the two parties concerned or through merge into the health insurance. 3. The intent of current employees' physical check-up system focused on detection of occupational diseases, should be converted to an idea of medical surveillance system or biological moritoring system. The introduction of medical surveillance or biological monitoring system is a necessary condition to build a positive, effective and inexpensive occupational health care system.

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Environment, Health and Safety Offices of the Top 30 Research Universities in the U.S.A. - Focused on the Case of Massachusetts Institute of Technology(MIT) (미국 상위 30개 연구 중심 대학들의 실험실 환경보건안전 담당 부서 - MIT 사례를 중심으로)

  • Ahn, Kwangseog;Kang, Dongmug;Shin, Yong Chul;Jun, Young-Hee
    • Journal of Korean Society of Occupational and Environmental Hygiene
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    • v.17 no.3
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    • pp.192-202
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    • 2007
  • Objectives: The objectives of this research are to examine the missions, organization, and programs of the environmental, health and safety(EHS) offices of the major research universities in the U.S.A., particularly the case of Massachusetts Institute of Technology(MIT) EHS Office, and to suggest ways to address the EHS issues of the universities and research institutes in South Korea. Methods: The top 30 research universities in the U.S.A. were selected by the total amounts of research funds they annually received. The web sites of the 30 universities were searched to identify the names of the departments that address environment, health, and/or safety related issues, the missions of those departments, the major programs of those departments, and the number of staff in those departments. Also, a case study was conducted for the Environment Health and Safety Management System and the Environment, Health and Safety Office of the MIT, using literature and web searches and a meeting with the Director of the MIT Environment, Health and Safety Office. Results: All the top 30 research universities in the U.S.A. had designated departments that dealt with EHS issues. Most of them were by the name of or similar to environmental, health and safety. The mission statements of those departments were mostly about improving the safety and health of their community members, improving the environment, and complying to EHS regulations. Most of those departments had an environmental management program, industrial hygiene program, radiation protection program, safety program, and biosafety program as their major programs. The components of the environment, health and safety management system(EHS-MS) of the MIT were examined in detail. In contrast, not many universities in South Korea had designated departments that dealt specifically with EHS issues. Also, the number of fulltime staff for EHS was only 1-2 in most of the Korean universities and their work duties included only general safety, while neglecting other health/environment related issues. Conclusions: Well organized and functioning environmental, health and safety offices were present in all of the top 30 research universities in the U.S.A., whereas similar organizations of the universities in South Korea were virtually non-existent and/or had very limited EHS activities. Therefore, in order to reduce potential risks of accidents and health problems in the Korean universities and research institutions, well established and functioning EHS-MSs and EHS offices are warranted. The case of the EHS-MS and EHS Office in the MIT demonstrate a successful case to follow.