• Journal of Korean Society of Occupational and Environmental Hygiene
• /
• v.26 no.4
• /
• pp.436-444
• /
• 2016

Objectives: Despite recent efforts to prevent suffocation disasters, a number of confined space accidents still happen and each year deaths continue to occur. There have been insufficient studies on the dangers of various potential disaster sites, such as manholes, septic tanks, reactors, and other tanks according to type, characteristics, task-specific disasters, equipment specific disasters, etc. The purpose of this study was to analyze recent suffocation disasters based on place and properties. Methods: In this study, we analyzed confined space accident cases from 2005 to 2015 in Korea and grouped them by type, size, monthly occurrence, continuous service period, accident location, person-specific group, age, employment, structural work and subcontracting work. We studied examples of accidents developed in other countries. Results: (1) We reviewed confined-space accident statistics, compared legal standards and analyzed cases of suffocation accidents in the United States and Japan. (2) Using a case study report from the Korea Occupational Safety & Health Agency, we specified confined-space accident statistics based on place, person-specific group, age, employment, structural work and subcontracting work. As a result we generated some precautions about confined-space accidents for the prevention of such accidents. Conclusions: Conclusions: Statistical analysis of recent suffocation disaster cases was performed to establish improvement measures, compare practices from developed countries, and develop precautionary measures accordingly. In this study, we presented the causes of disaster that occur in a confined space and proposed related preventive measures.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Safety
• /
• v.33 no.5
• /
• pp.28-34
• /
• 2018

Recently, various engineering approaches have been widely used in the accident investigation field to identify the cause of the accident and to predict damage by accident. Computational analysis is the most commonly used method of accident investigation technique. This technique is mainly used to identify the mechanism of the accident generation and to determine the cause when it is difficult to reproduce the situation at the time of the accident or when it is impossible to perform a reproduction experiment. In this study, The computational fluid dynamics analysis for nitrogen asphyxiation accident generated by defect of building structural between diffusion outlet and cooling tower was performed to determine the inflow path of the suffocation gas, death possibility by concentration of suffocation gas and predicted the time of death due to the accident using 3D modeling and FLACS program. We can quantify diffusion concentration of asphyxiation gas and predict mechanism of death occurrence by accident and evaluate the consequence Analysis through this study. In the future, This method can be widely used in the field of gas safety by improving the reliability and validity of the analysis.

• Journal of Korean Society of Occupational and Environmental Hygiene
• /
• v.33 no.1
• /
• pp.6-11
• /
• 2023

Objective: This study was conducted to identify the cause of suffocation accident. Methods: We analyzed the components of zinc concentrates by ICP-OES (inductively coupled plasma optical emission spectroscopy) and tested the oxygen consumption by zinc concentrates in a 13.2-liter closed chamber. Results: Zinc, sulfur and iron were the main components of the four types of zinc concentrates, and accounted for 76~89% by weight. Zinc concentrates (0.5 or 0.927 kg) depleted the oxygen concentration from 20.9% to 7.4~18.9% during seven days. The rate of oxygen consumption was in the range of 3.0~11.0 mM/day·kg-sample at 21~24℃ and around 95% of free air space within the closed chamber. Conclusion: Since zinc concentrate consumes oxygen in a confined space, measures should be taken to prevent suffocation accident (such as ventilation and monitoring of oxygen concentration).

• Journal of the Korea Safety Management & Science
• /
• v.16 no.3
• /
• pp.195-200
• /
• 2014

Occupational fatal injury rate per 10,000 population of Korea is still higher among the OECD member countries. To prevent fatal injuries, the causes of accidents including human error should be analyzed and then appropriate countermeasures should be established. There was an severe converter furnace accident resulting in five people death by chocking in 2013. Although the accident type of the furnace accident was suffocation, many safety problems were included before reaching the death of suffocation. If the safety problems are reviewed throughly, the alternative measures based on the review would be very useful in preventing similar accidents. In this study, we investigated the converter furnace accident by using human error analysis and accident scenario analysis. As a result, it was found that the accident was caused by some human errors, inappropriate task sequence and lack of control in coordinating work by several subordinating companies. From the review of this case, the followings are suggested: First, systematic human error analysis should be included in the investigation of fatal injury accidents. Second, multi man-machine accident scenario analyis is useful in most of coordinating work. Third, the more provision of information on system state will lessen human errors. Fourth, the coordinating control in safety should be performed in the work conducting by several different companies.

• Journal of Veterinary Clinics
• /
• v.17 no.1
• /
• pp.88-92
• /
• 2000

In Everland Zoological Gardens, the mortality by extrinsic cause in non-human primates during 1976∼1999 were retrospectively analyzed based on the clinical charts and/or autopsy reports. The number of deaths from extrinsic factor was 61 among a total of 161 monkeys which were died during that period. Among 61 monkeys of death from extrinsic factor, the number at a detailed cause were as follows: strangulation, 17(27.87%); accident fall, 15(24.59%); suffocation, 13(21.31%); drowning, 7(11.48%); death from pressure, 2(3.28%); collision, 2(3.28%); sunstroke, 1(64%); starvation, 1(1.64%); freezing to death, 1(1.64%); contusion, 1(1.64%). The number of deaths from extrinsic factor was 39 among a total of 81 squirrel monkeys which were died during that period. Among 39 squirrel monkeys of death from extrinsic factor, the number at a detailed cause were as follows; suffocation, 11(28.21%); accident fall, 8(20.51%); strangulation, 7(17.95%); drowning, 7(17.95%); death from pressure, 2(5.13%); starvation, 1(2.56%); collision, 1(2.56%). The number of deaths from extrinsic factor was 14 among a total of 50 Japanese macaque died during that period. Among 14 Japanese macaque from extrinsic factor, the number at a detailed cause were as follows; strangulation, 7(50.55%); accident fall, 6(42.85%); suffocation, 1(7.14%). It was considered that far facilities, adequate space and suitable indoor temperature are needed for the prevention of deaths of extrinsic cause at the monkey raising in zoological gardens or research center.

• Journal of the Korean Home Economics Association
• /
• v.48 no.3
• /
• pp.43-53
• /
• 2010

This study aimed to compare fear and prevention behaviors on accidents between mothers and teachers in family childcare centers. The participants were 117 mothers whose children were 0~2 year-olds and 121 teachers. Based on Hendrickson(2008) and Reichert & Henricks(1996), the scale was developed by the researcher, and it was composed of fear and prevention behaviors on accident. The data were analyzed using descriptive statistics and $x^2$ analysis. Results showed that mothers feared fall accidents and step-on-accidents while teachers feared suffocation accidents and liability for injury medical fee. Also, mothers did more prevention behaviors on use of car seats than teachers, whereas teachers did more behaviors on walk safety, custody of drugs and dangerous articles, and food safety.

• Journal of Korean Society of Occupational and Environmental Hygiene
• /
• v.31 no.1
• /
• pp.83-93
• /
• 2021

Objectives: 'Confined space' was only defined in the Safety and Health Regulations as a place where oxygen deficiency and hydrogen sulfide must be dealt with at the time of the initial enactment (1982). The danger of fire and explosion were added in 2003. We will compare and review the regulations related to confined space work under the current safety and health rules alongside regulations in other countries and prepare a plan to improve the system through enhanced clarity and execution. Methods: In a comparison of systems for the prevention of suffocation in confined spaces in major countries (Germany, United States, Japan) different concepts of the definition of confined spaces in different countries apparently due to differences in each country's legal implementation system, accident analysis methods, the status of safety and health implementation in workplaces, the precautions against actual confined space work, and the definition of confined spaces were found to be not much different between Korea and the other foreign countries. Results: In the case of Germany and the United States, a confined space is defined as a contextual concept rather than a place, so more careful attention is needed from operators or enclosed space managers as it is often necessary to judge the actual workplace. In the case of Korea and Japan, the interior of the place is mainly defined as a place, especially in the case of Japan, which concentrates on oxygen deficiency and hydrogen sulfide poisoning. Conclusions: For measures to improve regulations on the prevention of suffocation accidents in Korea, I would like to propose three major measures to improve the system in the rules on domestic industrial safety and health standards. It is necessary to prepare and provide a guide to ensure that the 18 types of confined spaces currently defined as confined spaces are clearly understood by field management supervisors or workers.

• Proceedings of the Korean Institute of Information and Commucation Sciences Conference
• /
• 2014.10a
• /
• pp.785-788
• /
• 2014

Even though Korea is No.1 shipbuilding country around the world, there have been a lot of accident and man-made calamity incurring in shipyards these days. Therefore most of Korea major shipyard and mid-small size shipyard deeply agonize about safety management countermeasure. As a result of it, many shipyards pour their effort on developing man watching system, PF wireless communication system, portable measuring system to prevent from accident such as fire, suffocation incurring. In this paper, analyze conventional accident & man-made calamity preventing system adopted by most of shipyard and enable the user to watch accident for 24 hours and notify it to user when it is incurring through state of the art ICT technology. And as a result of it the user can prevent the accident and man-made calamity at the beginning.

• Journal of the Society of Naval Architects of Korea
• /
• v.54 no.4
• /
• pp.294-300
• /
• 2017

The offshore installations and ships are the structures most likely to be exposed to hazards such as hydrocarbon fire and/or explosion. Developing proactive measures to prevent the escalation of such events thus requires detailed knowledge of the related phenomena and their consequences. $CO_2$ extinguishing systems are extensively used for fire accidents of on-and offshore installations because of outstanding performance and low cost. There is, however, the risk of carbon dioxide system which enumerates many of the fatalities by suffocation associated with industrial fire protection requirements. Therefore, the aim of this study is to perform the prediction of fire suppression characteristics of the carbon dioxide system in realistic enclosed compartment area of ships and propose $CO_2$ extinguish fire fighting system for preventing suffocation accidents during fire fighting. According to CFD calculations, it can be observed and assessed that various fire profiles with $CO_2$ and $O_2$ mole fraction in the target enclosed compartment area are applicable within the proposed system. Additionally, the design of fire safety system of ships and offshore installations can utilize ventilation system and/or layout arrangement through the proposed system.

• Journal of the Korean Institute of Gas
• /
• v.24 no.2
• /
• pp.36-43
• /
• 2020

Gas system fire extinguishing equipment is a very economically useful facility, but if it is not used for a long period of time after installing the equipment, there is possibility of rupture due to corrosion of containers and operation errors of equipment systems, and this is very dangerous. However, it is impossible to experiment to check whether the equipment is operating normally. If gas is temporarily released into the enclosed space due to rupture and malfunction, it can cause serious human damage due to gas suffocation. In this study, based on the suffocation death accident of gas system fire extinguishing facility, the inflow path of released gas and the possibility of death and time to death were estimated using a 3D scan and FLACS.