• Journal of Environmental Health Sciences
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• v.42 no.6
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• pp.430-437
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• 2016

Objectives: The new Chemical Control Act from the Korean Ministry of Environment (2014-259) simply states only in basic phrases that every worker handling the listed chemicals should wear personal protective equipment (PPE) and does not consider the different hazard characteristics of particular chemicals or work types. The purpose of this study was to produce an exposure risk matrix and assign PPE to the categories of this matrix, which would be useful for revising the act to suggest PPE to suit work types or situations. Methods: An exposure risk matrix was made using hazard ranks of chemicals and workplace exposure risks in the previous study. For the 20 categories of exposure risk matrix PPE, levels A, B, C, D as classified by OSHA/EPA were assigned. After 69 hazardous chemicals were divided into 11 groups according to their physiochemical characteristics, respirators, chemical protective clothing (CPC), gloves and footwear were suggested on the basis of the assigned PPE levels. Results: PPE table sheets for the 11 groups were made on the basis of work types or situations. Full facepiece or half-mask for level C was recommended in accordance with the exposure risk matrix. Level A was, in particular, recommended for loading or unloading work. Level A PPE should be worn in an emergency involving hydrogen fluoride because of the number of recent related accidents in Korea. Conclusion: PPE assignment according to the exposure risk matrix made by chemical hazards and work type or situation was suggested for the first time. Each type of PPE was recommended for the grouped chemicals. The research will be usefully used for the revision of the Chemical Control Act in Korea.

• Proceedings of the ESK Conference
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• 1993.10a
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• pp.15-19
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• 1993

Numerous motivational methodologies were analyzed with respect to improvement of the use of personal protective equipment (PPE) in the industrial field. Common industrial protective devices under consideration included hearing protection devices, respiratory protection devices, eye and face protection devices, etc. It was found that several of such methods could readily be implemented in the real world to protect workers from hazardous industrial sterssors, such as intense noises, toxic air contaminants, and other dangerous industrial objects (e,g., chemicals). Current research issues and recommendations for future research are addressed.

• Journal of Korean Society of Occupational and Environmental Hygiene
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• v.33 no.1
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• pp.12-18
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• 2023

Objectives: Personal protective equipment (PPE) is an essential means for protecting workers against hazardous agents or risks that threaten their safety and health. Governmental organizations related to safety and health in the workplace regulate the PPE rules to protect workers and to minimize damage from hazardous agents. This study discussed current PPE rules overseen by the Korea Ministry of Environment and explores future perspectives on the matter. Methods: This study was based on a review of PPE regulations with which every stakeholder should comply in the workplace. Both South Korean regulations enforced by the Ministry of Employment and Labor and the Ministry of Environment and cases from other countries were reviewed. Results: Regulations related to the PPE required for handling chemical substances in the workplace are enforced by the Occupational Safety and Health Act, Enforcement Decree, Enforcement Rules, and Notification of Protective Equipment Certification under the Ministry of Employment and Labor. The Ministry of Environment also regulates the PPE standards for 97 substances requiring preparation for accidents and adjustment of work conditions, but a recent amendment (partially amended on September 30, 2022) loosened some unreasonable or excessive provisions. It requires workers simply to carry or otherwise keep PPE handy instead of wearing it for some tasks in which hazardous chemicals are not handled directly. Conclusions: It is important to regularly review provisions that need to be improved or supplemented to help all stakeholders. Considerations should be also made to build a reasonable regulatory system that can induce more mature safety management in each workplace.

• The Journal of the Convergence on Culture Technology
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• v.8 no.6
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• pp.191-198
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• 2022

This study was to provide education on hand hygiene and personal protective equipment(PPE) to nursing students and to investigate the effects of knowledge, attitude, and self-efficacy. This was a single group, pre-post quasi-experimental design. This study was conducted from October 28 to November 30, 2021 using a structured questionnaire targeting 18 students in the 3rd year of college nursing. Data analyzed by descriptive statistics and paired t-test. As a result of the study, hand hygiene knowledge (t=3.33, p=.004) and PPE knowledge (t= -11.02, p<.001) significantly increased through hand hygiene and PPE education, and attitude toward personal protective equipment (t =-2.76, p=.013) and self-efficacy (t=-3.69, p=.002) all significantly increased. Therefore, based on the results of this study, it is considered necessary to develop a systematic and repetitive hand hygiene and personal protective equipment education program, and it will be used as basic data for program development.

• Journal of The Korea Institute of Healthcare Architecture
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• v.26 no.3
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• pp.17-26
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• 2020

Purpose: This paper presents research evidence that the environmental design of the doffing area in a biocontainment unit (BCU) can have a measurable impact on increasing the safety of frontline healthcare workers (HCW) during doffing of high-level personal protective equipment (PPE), and proposes optimized biocontainment unit design. Methods: From 2016 to 2019, The SimTigrate Design Lab conducted 3 consecutive studies, focusing on ways in which the built environment may support or hinder safe doffing. In the first study, to identify the risky behaviors, we observed 56 simulation exercises with HCWs in 4 BCUs and 1 high-fidelity BCU mockup. In the second study, we tested the effectiveness of a redesigned doffing area on improving the HCWs performance and used simulation, observation, and rapid prototyping in 1 high-fidelity mockup of a doffing area. In a follow-up study, we used simulation and co-design with HCWs to optimize the design of a safer doffing area in a full-size pediatric BCU mock-up. Results: We identified 11 specific risky behaviors potentially leading to occupational injury, or contamination of the PPE, or of the environment. We developed design strategies to create a space for safer doffing. In the second study, in a redesigned doffing area, the overall performance of HCW improved, and we observed a significant decrease in the number of risky behaviors; some risky behaviors were eliminated. There was a significant decrease in physical and cognitive load for the HCWs. Finally, we propose an optimized layout of a BCU for a safer process of PPE doffing. Implications: The proposed BCU design supports better staff communication, efficiency, and automates safer behaviors. Our findings can be used to develop design guidelines for spaces where patients with other highly infectious diseases are treated when the safety of the patient-facing HCWs is of critical importance.

• The Korean Journal of Emergency Medical Services
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• v.25 no.1
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• pp.23-36
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• 2021

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to determine how the use of level D personal protective equipment (PPE) and cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) feedback equipment affects chest compression (CC). Furthermore, this study provides basic data for developing Korean CPR guidelines that can be applied to patients with suspected or confirmed COVID-19. Methods: This randomized, single-blinded, crossover simulation trial included 26 student paramedics who performed 2-minute chest compressions using three different methods: Method A involved performing traditional CC for two minutes without donning level D PPE, Method B involved performing CC while donning level D PPE, and Method C involved performing CC with a CPR feedback device while donning level D PPE. Results: The use of a CPR feedback device during the 2-minute CC increased the exercise intensity of the subjects, but donning level D PPE didn't affect the quality of CC and the exercise intensity. The results of methods A and B showed changes in the quality of compression 80 seconds after the start of CC. No significant changes occurred in 2-minute CC when using the CPR feedback device. Conclusion: Using a CPR feedback device could prevent deterioration in the quality of CC while donning level D PPE.

• Journal of Korean Society of Occupational and Environmental Hygiene
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• v.21 no.2
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• pp.103-109
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• 2011

Object: we investigated some factors which can affect workers' comprehension of chemical hazard information and their actions to protect themselves from the hazard. Method: Comprehension score of chemical hazard information and the rate of wearing personal protective equipment (PPE) was surveyed for the 109 workers from 15 factories who were exposed to N, N-dimethylformamide. Difference of the worker's comprehension score of hazard information was analyzed by education interval, work duration and the way of occupational safety and health management between self-managed or sub-contracted. Result: Mean comprehension score of N, N-dimethylformamide hazard, which was given as a short quiz composed of 10 "true" or "false" problems, was 65%. Mean percentage of wearing PPE was improved as the education program was done within a month but decreased after 6 months. Eighty seven % of workers got the chemical hazard information from the material safety data sheet placed at workplace. Conclusion: Education interval and comprehension score affected the rate of wearing PPE. The way of occupational safety and health management self-managed or sub-contracted did not affect the workers' comprehension score on hazard information nor the rate of wearing PPE.

• Journal of the Korea Academia-Industrial cooperation Society
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• v.20 no.12
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• pp.139-147
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• 2019

This study examined the level of knowledge, perception, and attitude related to personal protective equipment (PPE) of acute respiratory infection, and their relationship on nursing students. The participants were 200 nursing students of the 3rd and 4th grade in hospital practice. Data were collected from September 1 to October 15, 2018. The knowledge, perception, and attitude related to PPE were measured by structured questionnaires. Data were analyzed by descriptive statistics, one-way ANOVA, independent t-test, and Pearson correlation. From the results, knowledge score related to PPE was 17.83 out of 20 points, and perception score related to PPE was 3.68 out of 5 points, and attitude score related to PPE was 4.14 out of 5 points. Therefore, knowledge and attitude level were higher than average. Perception level was moderate. And attitude related to PPE was positively correlated with knowledge and perception. These study findings can be used as basic data for developing an effective infection control educational program to enhance the correct knowledge, perception, and positive attitude related to use of PPE for nursing students. Also, it will be necessary to provide nursing students with the equipment and related resources to master the use of PPE.

• Journal of the Korea Convergence Society
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• v.11 no.5
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• pp.353-361
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• 2020

Objectives: This study was attempted to confirm the convergence education effect of donning and doffing Personal Protective Equipment(PPE) for Non-medical Personnel. Method: Three training sessions in 2018 were conducted for 28 dedicated staff who met Level D personal protective equipment. After the training, the scores of PPE donning and doffing were collected. Friedman and Wilcoxon's Signed-Ranks Tests were performed. Results: As the number of training increased, the score of doffing PPE increased significantly. And the differences by frequency, the score of the donning PPE was significantly increased in the 3rd rather than the 1st. However, the score of doff was increased in the first to third cases, but it was not significant. Conclusion: The results of this study found that the effect of doffing PPE education was relatively lower than that of donning practice. so the increase in the number of training sessions or the periodic training is important.

• Journal of Environmental Health Sciences
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• v.43 no.6
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• pp.467-477
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• 2017

Objectives: Oxidative stress and DNA damage have been proposed as mechanisms linking pesticide exposure to health effects such as cancer and neurological diseases. We investigated whether protective measures could significantly reduce the levels of biomarkers for oxidative stress and DNA damage in agricultural workers. Methods: In the present study, the levels of malondialdehyde (MDA) and 8-hydroxy-2'-deoxyguanosine (8-OHdG), biomarkers related to oxidative stress and DNA damage, respectively, were analyzed in urine samples collected from agricultural workers in two provinces of Korea (n=60). The influence of wearing personal protective equipment (PPE) and performing protective behaviors on the levels of these two biomarkers was also evaluated. Results: The median urinary levels of MDA and 8-OHdG were 10.45 nmol/mg creatinine and 14.42 ng/mg creatinine in subjects living in region A, while they were 6.25 nmol/mg creatinine and 24.77 ng/mg creatinine in subjects living in region B, respectively. The levels of MDA and 8-OHdG were higher in male farmers. Farmers wearing greater numbers of PPE and performing more protective behaviors had significantly lower levels of MDA. Greater numbers of protective behaviors was significantly associated with lower levels of 8-OHdG. Conclusion: The results of the present study indicate that pesticide exposure could induce oxidative stress and DNA damage in agricultural workers, and that protective measures are important for mitigating pesticide exposure.