• Journal of Environmental Health Sciences
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• v.27 no.4
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• pp.85-91
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• 2001

The regulation of Material safety data sheets(MSDS) was required for the chemicals in use in the workplace from July 1976. Under the provisions of the workplace hazardous materials information system, employers in Korea must be provided with accurate and comprehensive MSDS. To examine the reliability of MSDS for organic solvents, 63 organic solvents and MSDS were collected from the workplace of 39 companies located in Kyonggi province. Manufacture\`s MSDS were compared with the actual composition of the collected samples, and further examined the reliability by checking whether the chemicals analyzed were included in the MSDS correctly. 38 solvents were able to analyze their composition by gas chromatography-mass selective detector(GC-MSD). Among them, 28 solvents were incorrect in their composition and contents. In some case, health hazardous or carcinogenic chemicals which were not included in the MSDS were detected from samples. As a result of evaluating whether the MSDS correspond to the regulation required by Industrial Safety and Health Act (ISHA), the information in the MSDS including hazard classification, occupational exposure level, toxicity, regulatory information were incorrectly provided, and some MSDS did not disclose carcinogenic in their MSDS, and some MSDS were not written in the standard format. From this survey, continuous monitoring and promoting correct MSDS, and analyzing the components of the solvents were required to endure the reliability of MSDS for organic solvents.

• Food Science and Industry
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• v.51 no.3
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• pp.196-208
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• 2018

This paper described the contents of the WTO (world trade organization) SPS (world trade organization) Agreement and trends in the WTO SPS provisions such as equivalence, localization, transparency, and risk assessment. The purpose of the WTO SPS agreement is to promote international trade by preventing arbitrary and unreasonable use of SPS measures, which are the rights of a country for the protection of human health and animal and plant health, and by abolishing the non-tariff barriers. To this end, the requirements for implementing the SPS measures taken by the importing country are restricted to those that can scientifically prove to be inevitable for SPS protection. The major provisions in WTO SPS agreement were elaborated to promote international trades. When trade-restricted SPS measures such as prohibition of imports are made, a scientific basis should be provided. Therefore, it is essential to provide scientific evidence based on risk analysis to protect people's health from potentially harmful imported foods.

• Annals of Occupational and Environmental Medicine
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• v.34
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• pp.12.1-12.11
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• 2022

Background: Gender equality in the workplace remains a challenge. This study aimed to investigate the gender gap of human resources in the field of occupational safety and health (OSH) in Korea. Methods: Several national statistical data that can confirm the gender distribution of personnel in the OSH sector were reviewed. The gender distribution of industrial technical manpower statistics, professional certificate holders in the OSH field, and the status of the appointment of safety and health managers by industry was analyzed. Results: The distribution of professionals in the OSH sector in Korea had a large gender gap with a small number of women. In particular, the proportion of women in the safety field was lower than that in the health field. In the younger age group, while the proportion of women is increasing, the gender gap tends to decrease. Conclusions: Few data are available to understand the gender-related aspects of OSH professions. Nevertheless, our results provide basic information for initiating a discussion on the necessity of establishing gender-sensitive culture and policies in the OSH sector.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Industry Convergence
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• v.25 no.2_2
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• pp.257-262
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• 2022

With the shortage of labor force in small and medium-size industries, the Korean Employment Permit System (EPS) continues to bring migrant workers. However, the question remains of the health and safety management of their migrant workers. Considering that a significant part of safety and health problems are caused by migrant workers due to a lack of information on identifying risk and inexperience in the field. Telephone interviews were conducted to investigate the migrant workers' perspectives on workplace safety practices. The survey focused on workers' accident histories, understanding of safety practices, and responding to industrial accidents. A total of 66 accidents occurred among 30 participants. 10 accidents were not reported to the employer (company), which the foreign workers judged to be minor injuries that should not be reported as accidents. 80.0% of the participants expressed dissatisfaction with the PPE they were using. Among various reasons lack of understanding due to language barriers, lack of awareness of the importance of safety, communication difficulties were major reasons for the caused accidents and potential health issues. It is necessary to improve the safety and health support system by providing practical support through specialized educational institutes with experts in the field. A legal framework and a proper safety management system need to be maintained. This study suggests changing the current policy to improve the health and safety of migrant workers by, establishing specialized educational institutes with locally grown foreign experts in the field.

• Journal of Korean Society of Occupational and Environmental Hygiene
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• v.29 no.4
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• pp.603-609
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• 2019

Objectives: This case report aims to contribute to the enhancement of training quality for occupational accident prevention by conducting surveys on customers' satisfaction with the training course management by the Occupational Safety and Health Training Institute (OSHTI) of KOSHA. Methods: Surveys were conducted through phone calls, customer service documents, and questionnaires from January 1, 2018 to December 31, 2018. Results: The surveys showed an answer rate of 97.36% and handling rate of 97.47% in 2018, an increase of 1.15% compared to 2017. The number of monthly inbound calls in 2018 was 5,902, rising 0.10% year-on-year, and the average inbound calls per day in 2018 was 289, a decline from 291 the year before. The number of provisions of customer service in 2018 was 68,952, increasing 1.89% year-on-year. The number of inquiries on the training curriculum was 58,744 in 2018, an increase of 3.98% compared to the 56,498 recorded in 2017. Inquiries on job training centers were the most common, numbering 27,114 (39.32%), followed by e-learning 18,470 (26.79%) and expert courses 13,160 (19.09%). Of the 149 answers to the customer service survey, 'Nothing to complain about' accounted for 86 (56.72%) and 'Diversifying training time and programs' numbered 22 (14.77%). Conclusions: Customer satisfaction in 2018 increased compared to that in 2017. However, there is a need to reflect the demands of customers for diversifying training time and programs, offer practice-centered training, and collect opinions on providing information in order to maintain high quality training course management.

• Journal of Korean Society of Occupational and Environmental Hygiene
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• v.22 no.2
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• pp.107-118
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• 2012

Objectives: This study examines the occurrence of disease resulting from low back pain and factors of working environment meaningfully influencing the occurrence of lumbago as well as analyzes '2nd Korean Working Condition Survey (KWCS)' conducted in 2010 so as to establish the prevention and improvement measures. Methods: The analysis method is that it is to compare the prevalence rate of low back pain according to working environment via odds ratio and to implement the test about the factors having the difference in working environment between low back pain group and normal group through weighted t-test. Results: As a result, it indicates that there is a meaningful difference for prevalence rate of low back pain according to age, status in employment and education level which are socio-demographical factors. The analysis in working hours shows that the period of work is a factor raising the prevalence rate of low back pain rather than weekly working hours. The analysis in the work risk factor indicates that the increase in prevalence rate of low back pain takes place to either workers with repetitive movement and continuously standing posture or those with heavy stress and emotional labour. Conclusions: Workers with low back pain have suffered from accident, depression, anxiety disorder and sleep. The factors in which the prevalence rate of low back pain decrease are to provide information on health and safety and working speed, and enough rest.

• International conference on construction engineering and project management
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• 2022.06a
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• pp.728-735
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• 2022

Roofers get exposed to increased risk of knee musculoskeletal disorders (MSDs) at different phases of a sloped shingle installation task. As different phases are associated with different risk levels, this study explored the application of machine learning for automated classification of seven phases in a shingle installation task using knee kinematics and roof slope information. An optical motion capture system was used to collect knee kinematics data from nine subjects who mimicked shingle installation on a slope-adjustable wooden platform. Four features were used in building a phase classification model. They were three knee joint rotation angles (i.e., flexion, abduction-adduction, and internal-external rotation) of the subjects, and the roof slope at which they operated. Three ensemble machine learning algorithms (i.e., random forests, decision trees, and k-nearest neighbors) were used for training and prediction. The simulations indicate that the k-nearest neighbor classifier provided the best performance, with an overall accuracy of 92.62%, demonstrating the considerable potential of machine learning methods in detecting shingle installation phases from workers knee joint rotation and roof slope information. This knowledge, with further investigation, may facilitate knee MSD risk identification among roofers and intervention development.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Safety
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• v.29 no.4
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• pp.147-152
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• 2014

The purpose of this study, the overall occupational safety and health status and identify the characteristics of the workers engaged in the field of quick services, substitute driving services, home delivery, caregiver, film and television arts, to take appropriate measures to prevent industrial accidents, profession and working environment, safety recognition and education, and safety activities, accident experience and job stress survey. Survey using a structured questionnaire, 846 people directly interview research. Safety consciousness level of himself or herself was "fair level" of 3.19 points and those of colleagues and the general public were evaluated to be low as 2.84 points and 2.54 points, respectively. During the last 12 months, 21.3% of total workers in 5 job categories have received an industrial safety health education for job-related accident or disease and 87.6% of workers engaged in caregiver have received an industrial safety health education for job-related accident or disease. The proportions for delivery worker, substitute driving service and quick service/cultural art were 26.4%, 12.1% and below 10%, respectively. Frequency of having received an education was 5.7 days on average and education hour was 9.2. Regarding cases of having experienced job-related accident or having been exposed to job-related disease over the past 1 year, 17.0% of total respondents have experienced accident and 21.3% have experienced job-related disease. Preventive education for occupational safety is required to be expanded and strengthened. Except caregiver, the proportion of having received an information and education for safety rules and hazardous factors. Safety education is urgently required in order to prevent and reduce accident. Safety and health guideline is required to be developed and disseminated in order to prevent accident in advance.

• Journal of Korean Society of Occupational and Environmental Hygiene
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• v.32 no.2
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• pp.89-101
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• 2022

Objectives: By comparing and examining how important issues concerning industrial health information for workers are viewed in other advanced countries, it is intended to ascertain problems in the approach found in Korean legislation and obtain legal and policy implications. Methods: The results of a survey were introduced and analyzed through a comparative method for each case after investigating in detail what and how important issues surrounding workers' right to know industrial health information are reflected in the legislation of Germany, the U.S., the U.K., and Japan. Based on the results of this comparative analysis, theoretical and policy implications and legal policy improvement tasks were drawn to strengthen workers' right to industrial health information for each case in Korea. Results: For access to industrial health information, most of the other advanced countries clearly stipulate a right to access for current and past workers and/or their representatives. As a result, workers or their representatives do not need to use the Information Disclosure Act to access exposure records, and there is no debate over the Information Disclosure Act. In other words, industrial health information is focused on ensuring free access to workers or their representatives and is not interested in reporting it to the government. Conclusions: In order to strengthen workers' right to know about industrial health, it is most important to address the legal issues related to this right, which is considered insufficient by comparative law. This should start with a concrete and effective definition of what and how to guarantee workers' rights to industrial health, such as the right to freely access industrial health information, including for retired workers and bereaved families of deceased workers.

• The Journal of Korean Society for School & Community Health Education
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• v.22 no.1
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• pp.73-92
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• 2021

Objectives: The purposes of this study was to describe workers' perceived values and the affecting factors (pros and cons) of the experience education for occupational safety and health and to suggest the strategies and future directions to improve the experience educational quality. Methods: A total of 8 male workers taking the safety and health education of the 7 safety experience education centers involved in this study (5 centers managed by Korea Occupational Safety and Health Agency (KOSHA), 2 centers of large commercial companies). This study used Photovoice, a qualitative method, as the study method. We conducted the photovoice-based in-depth interview with the SHOWeD questions and strategy and used the taxonomical analysis. Results: The study participants' perceived values of experience education were strengthening self-efficacy of the safety and health practices, providing practically useful information, and enjoying refreshing experiences different from daily jobs. Positive affecting factors of the experience education (pros) were providing the educational environments and opportunities of direct experiences, teaching practical safety and health contents for the participants, and the trainer's instruction competencies. Negative affecting factors of the experience education (cons) were learner's negative or standing postures during trainer's lecturing, insufficient exercise conditions and facilities for education, and difficult and theory-oriented lecture far from the practical jobs in reality. Conclusions: Major values of exercise education were direct experiences, useful contents and interesting opportunities from the education participants' perspectives. To improve the exercise education quality, overall educational environments such as convenience facilities as well as exercise facilities should be modified altogether. This study partially and conveniently used the photovoice method as the study limitation.