• Fashion & Textile Research Journal
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• v.25 no.4
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• pp.520-533
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• 2023

The present study developed a test protocol for evaluating the mobility of firefighting chemical and flame personal protective equipment (PPE) for the National 119 Rescue Headquarters in Korea and suggested ergonomic design factors to improve their mobility and performance. Six types of PPE were employed, including three types for flame protective PPE (5 ~ 6 kg excluding the self-contained breathing apparatus), and three types for chemical and flame protective PPE (8 ~ 11 kg). These PPEs are used by the 119 Rescue firefighters. Three male firefighters (34.3 ± 1.2 y in age, 175 ± 8 cm in height, 81 ± 13 kg in body weight) participated in the mobility test and interview. A mobility test protocol consisting of 16 components (nine postures and seven motions including a dexterity test) along with a visibility test were developed based on pre-interviews and literature reviews. The findings indicated that the clothing microclimate humidity on the neck and chest exceeded 85%RH on average for all the six PPE conditions, with the chest area reaching as high as 98%RH. This high humidity caused fogging inside the visor and impaired visibility. The requirements for improving the PPE design in terms of mobility varied depending on whether it was the separated types or all-in-one types, particularly regarding the hood and gloves design. The findings of this study can be applied to improve the design of Level A_PPE for firefighters. The mobility test protocol and visibility test developed in this study can also be applied to other types of Level A impermeable PPE.

• The Korean Journal of Community Living Science
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• v.27 no.4
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• pp.891-906
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• 2016

This study examined the working site environment of Korean native cattle raising farmers and their actual condition of wearing personal protective equipment as part of preventing disasters during agricultural work. To this end, 160 Korean cattle raising farmers were surveyed and a site visit was performed on 10 farms. According to an examination of the cattle breeding environment, the major harmful factors were in the following order: fine dust (12.8%), organic feed dust (10.3%), contact with cattle (9.7%), manure (8.2%), germs and viruses (8.1%), harmful gases (7.4), contact with obstacles (6.7), and temperature (6.6%). The current status of the rate of wearing protection was in the order of gloves (20.9%), working hats (19.7%), boots (19.6%), masks (10.9%), protective clothing (8.9%), and specialized working clothing (6.6%). Nevertheless, most Korean cattle raising farmers recognized the risks when they did not wear protective equipment and the need for wearing protectors, but they mostly did not wear personal protective equipment due to a lack of knowledge on the selection of appropriate personal protective equipment and the discomfort they experience when they put on protectors. Even when they put on protective equipment, 38% was inappropriate for the farming work environment. Given the research results, improvements on and the development of specialized working clothing and personal protective equipment to protect farmers from harmful and dangerous materials from the cattle nurturing environment is necessary. Overall, based on the study data, objectified data collection, a determination of the necessary performance elements of personal protective equipment, and R&D will be needed through an on-site current status investigation.

• Journal of the Korea Fashion and Costume Design Association
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• v.16 no.4
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• pp.217-228
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• 2014

The purpose of this study is to grasp inconveniences and improvements by examining wearing condition and satisfaction of protective clothing targeting 114 Korean farmers and to suggest basic data for enhancement of pattern and wearing satisfaction of protective clothing by understanding problems of pesticide-proof clothing through comparative analysis on the size of its commercial products. Most of male subjects were in charge of spraying pesticide, whereas female were most likely to play an assistant role to hold the hose of pesticide applicator. Both of female and male subjects were very aware of the harmful effect of pesticide on human body and tried to take off the clothes immediately after spraying it to reduce possible damage caused by pesticide. As a result of examining wearing condition, the farmers avoided wearing protective clothing because that it feels hot, stuffy, and uncomfortable to move. This hesitant response of wearing the clothing was not shown significantly in case of female subjects who play an assistant role for spraying. Although the farmers wore protective equipments such as mask or gloves in a proper way as compared to protective clothing, they seemed to choose alternative way rather than best way to block pesticide completely. The satisfaction regarding to the fitting of protective clothing which the subjects showed low in all items of upper-lower clothes except waistline. It is necessary to improve the functionality such as relief from heat stress and convenience for movement rather than design or economic in protective clothing development. As a result of comparing the size of five kinds of commercial protective clothing, the farmers got confused to choose the product since designation method of size across companies showed a significant difference in an identical clothing size. In addition, the sizing system developed on a basis of a well-built man has become a hindering factor in wearing satisfaction of female farmers.

• The Journal of the Convergence on Culture Technology
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• v.3 no.1
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• pp.1-8
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• 2017

We are investigated about the state of the working circumstances and infection blocking facility within Metropolitan, Chungcheong and Gyeongsang regions in Korea. The result is as follows. The HAV vaccination rate is 35% and the HBV vaccination rate is 50% among the funeral directors. We expected that the infection risk of funeral directors was very high. Significantly, tuberculosis prevalence rate of funeral director was four times as high as the public. The wear rate of gown, mask, gloves showed relatively high than the others. The wear rate of individual protective equipments has decreased with work experience. The funeral directors have shown that there is difficult to get safe protection from infection. The personal hygiene of funeral directors and the infection blocking equipment should be strengthened institutionally. We are thought to recommend institutional support about infection management, individual protective equipment, vaccination of funeral director and guideline to avoid reversion to previous habitual behavior.

• Safety and Health at Work
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• v.11 no.3
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• pp.372-377
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• 2020

Infection risks of handling specimens associated with severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) by public health laboratory services teams were assessed to scrutinize the potential hazards arising from the work procedures. Through risk assessments of all work sequences, laboratory equipment, and workplace environments, no aerosol-generating procedures could be identified except the procedures (mixing and transfer steps) inside biological safety cabinets. Appropriate personal protective equipment (PPE) such as surgical masks, protective gowns, face shields/safety goggles, and disposable gloves, together with pertinent safety training, was provided for laboratory work. Proper disinfection and good hand hygiene practices could minimize the probability of SARS-CoV-2 infection at work. All residual risk levels of the potential hazards identified were within the acceptable level. Contamination by gloved hands was considered as a major exposure route for SARS-CoV-2 when compared with eye protection equipment. Competence in proper donning and doffing of PPE accompanied by hand washing techniques was of utmost importance for infection control.

• Journal of the Society of Disaster Information
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• v.12 no.4
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• pp.381-388
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• 2016

In this study, we surveyed the supply and perception of Personal Protective Equipments for firefighters. As a result, most of the respondents answered that they were paid in accordance with the supply standard, but 12% of the respondents said that there were insufficient equipment. Also, satisfaction with the performance of the equipment is mostly satisfied, but the safety gloves are more than 50% dissatisfied. In summing up the results of the survey, it is urgently necessary to improve the current supply standard, which is determined by the life of PPE, to the replacement period according to the using time or frequency. Also, a new standard should be prepared through the follow - up study.

• The Korean Journal of Emergency Medical Services
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• v.20 no.2
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• pp.21-35
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• 2016

Purpose: This study aims to investigate awareness and performance of infection control during ambulance attendant training, and to provide basic data for infection control. Methods: The subjects were 235 paramedic students who completed ambulance attendant training. There were 51 questions. The infection control dimension was divided into hand washing, personal protective equipment use, and environmental management, for each sub-dimension, awareness and performance were measured by a 4-point scale. The collected data were analyzed using SPSS statistics ver. 22.0. Results: A total of 95.3%, of the subjects completed an orientation for ambulance attendant training and 71.7% received education on infection. In all three sub-dimensions, hand- washing (p<.001), personal protective equipment use (p<.001), and environmental management (p<.001), awareness scored higher than performance. The awareness of infection control showed a significantly positive correlation (r=.394) with performance. Conclusion: In order to improve performance of infection control, education to improve awareness should be provided, and paramedics with higher performance levels in hand washing, and use of gloves and masks wearing should be assigned as training advisors.

• KEPCO Journal on Electric Power and Energy
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• v.8 no.2
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• pp.49-53
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• 2022

The distribution live-line work method is an operation method of working in a state in which electricity flows through overhead distribution lines to minimize inconvenience to electric customers due to power failure. In June 2016, to strengthen the safety of electrical workers, Korea Electric Power Corporation announced that it would in principle abolish the rubber glove method, in which workers wore protective equipment such as rubber gloves and performed their maintenance work. In addition, KEPCO announced that it would develop a short-range live working method using smart sticks and an advanced live-line maintenance robot system where workers work without touching wires directly. This paper is a preliminary study for the development of the live-line maintenance robot system, and deals with the results of analyzing the technical feasibility of whether the live works performed by workers can be replaced by robots or not.

• Archives of Plastic Surgery
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• v.42 no.6
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• pp.776-782
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• 2015

It is believed that surgery on human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)-positive patients is dangerous and should be avoided due to the possibility of postoperative infection of the patients or HIV occupational transmission to the medical staff. We discuss here the preparations and measures needed to conduct surgery safely on HIV-positive patients, based on our experience. We performed sex reassignment surgery on two HIV-positive patients from January 2013 to January 2015. Both of them were receiving highly active antiretroviral therapy and were asymptomatic, with a normal CD4 count ($>500cells/{\mu}L$). The HIV-RNA was undetectable within the bloodstream. All the staff wore protective clothing, glasses, and three pairs of protective gloves in the operating room because of the possibility of transmission. Prophylactic antibiotics were administered to the patients, and antiviral therapy was performed during their perioperative course. Neither of the patients had postoperative complications, and none of the medical staff experienced accidental exposure. Both patients had satisfactory surgery outcomes without complications. HIV-positive patients can undergo surgery safely without increased risk of postoperative complications or HIV transmission to the staff through the proper use of antibiotics, active antiretroviral therapy, and supplemental protective measures with post-exposure prophylaxis for the staff in case of HIV exposure.

• Journal of Sensor Science and Technology
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• v.24 no.5
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• pp.319-325
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• 2015

While the conventional personal protective equipments (PPEs) covers a variety of devices and garments such as respirators, turnout gear, gloves, blankets and gas masks, several electronic devices such as personal alert safety system (PASS) and heads-up displays in the facepiece have become a part of firefighters personal protective equipments through past several years. Furthermore, more advanced electronic sensors including location traking sensor, thermal imaging caerma, toxic gas detectors, and even physiological monitoring sensors are being integrated into ensemble elements for better protection of firefighters from fire sites. Despite any electronic equipment placed on the firefighter must withstand environmental extremes and continue to properly function under any thermal conditions that firefighters routinely face, there are no specific criteria for these electronics to define functionability of these devices under given thermal conditions. Although manufacturers provide the specifications and performance guidelines for their products, their operation guidelines hardly match the real thermal conditions. Present study overviews firefighter's fatalities and thermal conditions that firefighters and their equipments face. Lastly, thermal packaging methods that we have developed and tested are introduced.