• Journal of Korean Society of Occupational and Environmental Hygiene
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• v.25 no.2
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• pp.146-155
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• 2015

Objectives: The aims of this study were to set up benzene exposure matrices according to industry and process and to assess the risk of those occupational exposure to benzene. Methods: The benzene exposure matrices were assembled depending on industry and process, based on an exposure database provided by KOSHA(the Korean Occupational Safety and Health Agency), which was gathered from a workplace hazards evaluation program in Korea. These exposure matrices were assessed by Hallmark Risk Assessment tool. Results: The benzene was treated 412 industries sector(36%), 2,747 business places, and 471 industrial processes according to database. The arithmetic mean of past decade 8 hours time-weighted average of airborne benzene concentrations in the workplace was 0.10722 ppm. 1.07% of the total sample were greater than OEL, and 59.8% were showed less than the limit of detection. The highest risk values(Danger Value) were seen 36 industries including manufacture of general paints and similar product and 12 processes, such as other painting of manufacture of metal fabricated members. Exposure matrices based on employee exposure data base may provide exposure histories and can be used in epidemiological studies. Conclusions: It was found that more attentions should be paid to 36 among 412 industries and 12 of 471 processes, with a higher risk value.

• Journal of Korean Society of Occupational and Environmental Hygiene
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• v.27 no.4
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• pp.283-290
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• 2017

Objectives: This study aimed to evaluate the relationship between filter replacement and filter performance change in particulate filters used in the workplace. Methods: Three types of particulate respirator filters are mainly used in the workplaces. These were tested against the filter performance safety certification standard for dust masks established by the Ministry of Employment and Labor(MoEL). Used filters were collected to test their performance, such as filter pressure drop, efficiency, and quality factors. All these factors were evaluated by a filter tester. To compare filter performance between used and new ones, the same kinds of new filters were also tested together under the same procedures. Results: A total of 270 used filters were collected for testing. The main reasons to replace the filters were difficulty in breathing(46.2%), dirty/odor influx(19.7%), and a combination of factors(26.7%). The pressure drop for two special class groups was significantly different(new filters: $20.72{\pm}3.33mmH_2O$; used filters: $24.70{\pm}5.26mmH_2O$, p<0.0001). In the case of penetration, new filter groups indicated $0.0032{\pm}0.0040%$, while that of the used filters was $0.0596{\pm}0.1187%$. The quality factor for the used filters($0.34{\pm}0.09$) significantly decreased compared to the new filters($0.53{\pm}0.08$) (p<0.0001). Conclusions: Filter performance including pressure drop, penetration, and the quality factor was evaluated and compared between new and used filters in the workplace. The results showed that general filter performance deteriorated more for change of pressure drop, penetration and the quality factor.

• Tuberculosis and Respiratory Diseases
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• v.78 no.4
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• pp.445-449
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• 2015

Occupational lung diseases are caused by several toxic substances including heavy metals; however, the exact pathologic mechanisms remain unknown. In the workplace, dental technicians are often exposed to heavy metals such as cobalt, nickel, or beryllium and occasionally develop occupational lung diseases. We described a case of occupational lung disease in a patient who was employed as a dental technician for over a decade. A 31-year-old, non-smoking woman presented with productive cough and shortness of breath of several weeks duration. Chest computed tomography revealed a large number of scattered, bilateral small pulmonary nodules throughout the lung field, and multiple mediastinal lymph nodes enlargement. Percutaneous needle biopsy showed multifocal small granulomas with foreign body type giant cells suggestive of heavy metals inhalation. The patient's condition improved on simple avoidance strategy for several months. This case highlighted the importance of proper workplace safety.

• Journal of Korean Society of Occupational and Environmental Hygiene
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• v.31 no.3
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• pp.266-273
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• 2021

Objective: The objective of this study was to suggest improvement methods for investigations and systems through a review of musculoskeletal risk factor investigation reports conducted in the workplace. Methods: A total of 34 reports on musculoskeletal risk factor investigations were reviewed. To confirm the appropriateness of the evaluation, reevaluation was conducted through a field investigation using other evaluation tools. In order to understand the effectiveness of the improvement plan, a survey was conducted with those in charge of tasks with ergonomic burdens. Results: As a result of performing a field survey using the work sampling method recommended by the KOSHA (Korea Occupational Safety and Health Agency) for ten tasks, eight tasks were determined to pose an ergonomic burden. When 30 tasks were evaluated with RULA (rapid entire body assessment), 90% of them were evaluated at a higher level than the results of the workplace survey. Among the improvement measures, only 36% of the field workers affirmed them, and in only 19% of the workplaces were actual improvements made. Conclusions: In order to improve the ergonomic investigation system for risk factors in the ergonomic burden task, it is necessary to secure the objectivity of the evaluation performed by the institution and enable the active participation of workers in improvement activities.

• The Journal of the Korea Contents Association
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• v.19 no.4
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• pp.54-62
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• 2019

With regard to industrial accidents, large corporations and public institutions are continuously reducing disasters through systematic management. However, industrial accidents continue to increase in small-scale workplaces. In order to ensure the safety of workers, the government supports the purchasing of industrial accident prevention equitments through financial support projects for small business. However, despite the financial support, the effectiveness of the project is hardly verified. In this study, we analyze the policy effectiveness of the financial support program for industrial accident prevention in a small-scale workplace using the difference-in-difference method. To achieve research purposes, we used the data on the occurrence of industrial accidents, the status of workplaces by year and the data on the status of workplace benefiting from financial support program for the past 10 years. This study is significant in that it analyzed the net effect of financial support programs for disaster reduction in the small business site.

• Journal of IKEEE
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• v.25 no.1
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• pp.95-100
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• 2021

If we know the location of the hull block and the welding feeder in the shipyard, we can easily obtain the location information of the worker. That data is very useful for implementing a workplace safety monitoring system. However, it is difficult to apply a fixed communication network to the workplace due to the specificity of the hull structure and welding process. In this study, inductive power line communication, which can replace dedicated communication line, was reviewed. A ferrite core was used as an inductive coupler to be installed on the power cable of the welding machine, and a nano-crystalline core was applied as a coupler to be fastened to the support rod of the metal block. In order to visualize the operating principle of the proposed couplers, 3D modeling and finite element analysis were performed with the COMSOL AC/DC module. In the communication performance test using an aluminum profile, when the communication channel was formed by the contact of the welding electrode, the bandwidth was kept above 6 Mbps.

• Journal of Korean Society of Occupational and Environmental Hygiene
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• v.24 no.2
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• pp.193-200
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• 2014

Objectives: To develop domestic charcoal tubes with good adsorption capacity, breakthrough experiments were performed on four types of activated charcoal. Materials: The adsorption capacity and the adsorption rate were determined using a modified Wheeler equation after the breakthrough experiment. For four types of charcoal (J, K, S and SKC Inc. 226-01), 100 mg were used in the breakthrough experiment. The test was done on benzene, toluene, n-hexane, and acetone in a dynamic chamber. Results: K charcoal had the greatest surface area and the highest micropore volume. J charcoal had a similar surface area and micropore volume to SKC charcoal. S charcoal had the lowest surface area and micropore volume. J charcoal had the highest adsorption capacity at 101, 252 and 609 ppm of benzene. The gap in benzene adsorption capacity among the types of charcoal was the least at 609 ppm and the greatest at 101 ppm. J charcoal showed the highest adsorption capacity at 54, 106, 228 and 508 ppm of toluene. J charcoal and SKC charcoal had a similar adsorption capacity for acetone. J charcoal had the highest adsorption capacity for n-hexane. In the experiment featuring 10% breakthrough volume, 10% breakthrough occurred at 18 liters at $2065.9mg/m^3$ for J charcoal and at 20 liters at $1771.2mg/m^3$ for K charcoal. It was difficult to judge adsorption capacity by surface area and micropore volume of charcoal. J charcoal, which was similar to SKC charcoal in surface area and micropore volume, showed good adsorption capacity at common workplace concentrations. Conclusions: The adsorption capacity of J and K charcoal was superior compared with SKC charcoal. J and K charcoal can be considered appropriate for use as sampling media based on this result.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Safety
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• v.29 no.5
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• pp.129-135
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• 2014

In recent studies, construction industry workers with higher job stress and lower work ability were more likely to experience accidents at their workplace. Likewise, fatal accidents rate was higher among simple labor workers compared to technical workers. Therefore the evaluation of a worker's job stress and work ability seems to be important in preventing the occurrence of fatal accidents. To search for ways to reduce job stress and to improve work ability, the current study conducted a job stress analysis based on age, years of service, skill level, hobbies, sleep patterns, and monthly income. For this, the Korean occupational stress questionnaire short form and the Work Ability Index (WAI) developed by the Finnish Institute of Occupational Health (FIOH) were used. In this study, SPSS 12.0K statistics program was used for statistical analysis and significance was verified by the Kruskal-Wallis test and non-parametric tests. The results of this study can be summarized as follows : (1) Simple labor workers had higher job stress and less work ability than technical workers. (2) The more experienced workers had lower job stress and higher work ability. (3) In the case of workers who slept a lot, work ability was higher and job stress was less. (4) Monthly income influenced on the job stress and work ability. (5) Job stress and work ability in accordance with the age difference was not significant.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Safety
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• v.33 no.5
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• pp.150-156
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• 2018

As the types and usage of chemical increase, modern countries should protect their health and environment from the risk of hazardous chemical. Chemical accidents not only affect humans but also cause huge losses to the environment. Moreover, since its effects do not end in a short period of time, it is necessary to identify the extent of the damage and establish a prevention and response system in advance. In 2015, the Chemical Substances Management Act provided a system for assessing the impact on the people and the environment around the workplace. However, it is difficult to quantitatively evaluate the impact on environmental factors such as vegetation and aquatic, with the current hazard assessment methods. The purpose of this study is to analyze the quantitative risk of environmental receptors. This study improved the existing risk assessment formula by using the environmental vulnerability index and established the end point concentration criterion which can estimate the damage range to environmental media. To verify the results of the study, a virtual accident scenario was selected and a case study was conducted. As a result, the extent of impact on the environmental medium can be calculated, and the degree of environmental risk of the zone can be quantified through the risk analysis considering the environmental vulnerability. This study is expected to increase the reliability of the reliability of the existing risk anaylsis method beacause it is a risk analysis method that can be applied when the environmental factors are absolutely necessary and when the residents and environment are complex.

• Journal of Korean Society of Occupational and Environmental Hygiene
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• v.15 no.1
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• pp.52-60
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• 2005

This study was carried to assess the accuracy of material safety data sheets (MSDS) for some water-soluble metalworking fluid (MWF) with respect to mono- ethanolamine(MEA), di-ethanolamine(DEA) and tri-ethanolamine (TEA). 39 fresh and 52 used MWFs for this study were taken from the workplace. The quantification and qualification of MEA, DEA and TEA were done using ion-chromatography. Three main findings of this study were 1) EA that was not addressed in material safety & data sheets (MSDS) was found to be enough higher than 1%, 2) 33.3% of 39 fresh MWF showed ingredient and concentration of MEA, DEA and TEA in MSDS and 3) the concentrations of MEA(20.5%), DEA(41.3%) and TEA(15.4%) were much higher than those indicated in MSDS. Consequently, we concluded that the accuracy on ingredients and concentrations of MEA, DEA and TEA provided in MWF was very low. Our study recommends that the limit concentration of chemical except for carcinogen that employer has to indicate in MSDS should be lowered from 1% to 0.1% .