• Safety and Health at Work
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• v.13 no.2
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• pp.248-254
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• 2022

Background: Occupational hazards in crop farms vary diversely based on different field operations as soil management, harvesting processes, pesticide, or fertilizer application. We aimed at evaluating the immunological status of crop farmers, as limited systematic investigations on immune alteration involved with crop farming have been reported yet. Methods: Immunological parameters including plasma immunoglobulin level, major peripheral immune cells distribution, and level of cytokine production from activated T cell were conducted. Nineteen grape orchard, 48 onion open-field, and 21 rose greenhouse farmers were participated. Results: Significantly low proportion of natural killer (NK) cell, a core cell for innate immunity, was revealed in the grape farmers (19.8±3.3%) in comparison to the onion farmers (26.4±3.1%) and the rose farmers (26.9±2.5%), whereas cytotoxic T lymphocyte proportion was lower in the grape and the onion farmers than the rose farmers. The proportion of NKT cell, an immune cell implicated with allergic response, was significantly higher in the grape (2.3±0.3%) and the onion (1.6±0.8%) farmers compared with the rose farmers (1.0±0.4%). A significantly decreased interferon-gamma:interleukin-13 ratio was observed from ex vivo stimulated peripheral blood mononuclear cells of grape farmers compared with the other two groups. The grape farmers revealed the lowest levels of plasma IgG1 and IgG4, and their plasma IgE level was not significantly different from that of the onion or the rose farmers. Conclusion: Our finding suggests the high vulnerability of workplace-mediated allergic immunity in grape orchard farmers followed by open-field onion farmers and then the rose greenhouse farmers.

• Journal of the Economic Geographical Society of Korea
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• v.27 no.1
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• pp.18-37
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• 2024

This study examines migrant workers' occupational health and safety issues through a case study of the UK construction industry, focusing on structural vulnerabilities. Migrant workers are at the bottom of the hierarchically fragmented labour market, performing outsourced hazardous work. Structural vulnerability focuses on the social structures that create hierarchies and increase risk in the workplace, rather than on individual responsibility or 'cultural' differences of migrant workers. The study considers the structural factors that perpetuate the migrantisation of risk in the UK construction industry, focusing on the structural necessity of low-wage migrant labour, precarious employment and the legal status of migrant workers, and discusses how these three factors interact to increase migrant workers' vulnerability to health and safety. The migrantisation of risk is not only a matter of occupational health and safety or universal workers' compensation, but also of the intertwining of labour migration policies with employment structures that rely on low-wage, low-skilled labour. This calls for proactive measures to address structural risks that go beyond passive declaratory policies that do not exclude migrant workers from education, training or legal systems.

• Safety and Health at Work
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• v.14 no.4
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• pp.390-397
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• 2023

Introduction: Biological risks are a major global problem in the workplace. The recent COVID-19 pandemic has highlighted the need for a more comprehensive understanding of the biological risks at work. This study presents data on both communicable infectious biological agents and noncommunicable factors leading to death and disability for the year 2021. Methods: We followed the methodology established by the International Labour Organization (ILO) in their past global estimates on occupational accidents and work-related diseases. We used relevant ILO estimates for hazardous substances and related population attributable fractions derived from literature, which were then applied to World Health Organization mortality data. The communicable diseases included in the estimates were tuberculosis, pneumococcal diseases, malaria, diarrheal diseases, other infectious diseases, neglected tropical diseases, influenza associated respiratory diseases and COVID-19. Noncommunicable diseases and injuries considered were Chronic Obstructive Diseases (COPD) due to organic dusts, asthma, allergic reactions and risks related to animal contact. We estimated death attributable to biological risk at work and disability in terms of disability adjusted life years (DALYs). Results: We estimated that in 2022, 550,819 deaths were caused by biological risk factors, with 476,000 deaths attributed to communicable infectious diseases and 74,000 deaths caused by noncommunicable factors. Among these, there were 223,650 deaths attributed to COVID-19 at work. We calculated the rate of 584 DALYs per 100,000 workers, representing an 11% increase from the previous estimate of the global burden of work-related disabilities measured by DALYs. Conclusion: This is a first update since previous 2007 ILO estimates, which has now increased by 74% and covers most biological risks factors. However, it is important to note that there may be other diseases and deaths are missing from the data, which need to be included when new information becomes available. It is also worth mentioning that while deaths caused by major communicable diseases including COVID-19 are relatively rare within the working population, absences from work due to these diseases are likely to be very common within the active workforce.

• Journal of Korean Society of Occupational and Environmental Hygiene
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• v.10 no.1
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• pp.170-178
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• 2000

Most of manufacturers try to produce the most efficient filter for respirators with the lowest breathing resistance. Filter performance depends on low penetration, i.e., high efficiency (%), and low pressure drop ($mmH_2O$). This study was performed to evaluate performance of respirator filters by quality factor ($q_F$) and suggest the direction for improvement of respirator filters of good quality in Korea. Two mechanical filters, S and K made in Korea, three filtering facepieces, S made in China, C made in Korea and M made in USA, which were widely used in the workplace, were selected and tested efficiency and pressure drop in accordance with flow rate, using with Automated Filter Tester Model 8110 (TSI, USA). The best quality factor within the same respirator filter categories was $0.0672cm^{-1}\;H_2O$ for mechanical filter S, $0.0698cm^{-1}\;H_2O$ for filtering facepiece M at flow rate of 32Lpm. Mechanical filter S would be the best suitable during heavy work since qulity factors decrease less sharply than any others as increased flow rates. It was necessary for mechanical filter S to lower pressure drop without increasing efficiency, but mechanical filter K should be increased efficiency and decreased pressure drop. While filtering facepiece M had the best quality performance of three ones, Sand C should get much higher efficiency and lower pressure for better performance.

• Korean Journal of Occupational Health Nursing
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• v.7 no.1
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• pp.33-46
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• 1998

Introduction : In Korea, national attention to the workplace health promotion programs (HPP) for employees began in early 1990s. Governmental supports for the HPP and education programs have given to the employees. The purpose of this study is to find the performance degree of employees' health promoting lifestyle(HPL). Subjects and Methods : For this study, 615 employees who attended governmental educations were selected as research samples. The tool for measuring HPL used in this study was developed for Korean by In-Sook Park in 1995. It is composed of 4-point scaled 60 items and divided into 11 subcategories. The data were collected by self reporting questionnaires from June to December in 1997. Those data were analyzed percentile, mean, standard deviation, ANOVA, t-test with SAS program. Major findings are as follows; 1. The total mean score of the employees' HPL performance was 2.66. The average scores of 'harmonious relationships' category were the highest as 3.11, whereas the one of 'professional health maintenance' were the lowest as 2.02. The remains were 'sanitary life'(2.90), 'emotional support(2.85), 'regular diet'(2.84), 'self achievement'(2.78), 'healthy diet'(2.56), 'rest and sleep'(2.56), 'exercise and activity'(2.54), 'diet control'(2.53), 'self-control'(2.52). 2. The factors affecting HLP were category of industries and sex, age, marital status, education level, major, educational experience of health promotion, among personal characteristics. The employees of service industries, female, older age, married, nurse, educated for health promotion, graduated from junior college performed HLP more than the others. 3. The participation rates of employees for HPP were 12.4%, because of limited time and facilities and equipments. Recommendations; 1. The regulation for performing the health promotion programs in the industries is essential for activating industrial health promoting movement. 2. More governmental supports for educations and services for health promotion programs in the industries are needed. 3. For behavioral changes of the employees, the contents of educations have to consist of exercise and activity, rest and sleep, diet and smoking habits. 4. The evaluating studies for ready made health promotion programs in the industries are expected.

• Journal of Korean Society of Occupational and Environmental Hygiene
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• v.30 no.1
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• pp.50-57
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• 2020

Objectives: Methyl bromide is a highly toxic substance that can cause systemic poisoning, neurotoxicity, pulmonary edema. Methyl bromide is a widespread fumigation agent used for import and export quarantine, but there is little data on exposure assessment of workers participating in such fumigation. Therefore, this study aims to investigate the exposure level of methyl bromide among workers and the concentration distribution of methyl bromide in the workplace during fumigation. Methods: For this study, one wood tent and one container fumigation area in Pusan, and one wood tent fumigation area in Incheon were investigated over three months from June 2001. Results: Methyl bromide exposure levels for container fumigation workers were from undetected to 1.86 ppm and from undetected to 2.28 ppm for tent fumigation workers as an 8 hr TWA. After opening the container door, the methyl bromide concentration in the container decreased rapidly over time, but the concentration remained over 1 ppm even after about one hour. The concentrations around the tent during its removal were highly affected by wind, but were detected in a range from undetected to 11.97 ppm. Conclusions: This study confirmed that both container and tent fumigation caused workers to exceed the exposure limit of 1 ppm as an 8 hour TWA. In particular, it could be confirmed that a situation exists in which the worker may be exposed to high concentrations of methyl bromide when opening the container or removing the tent due to the nature of the work. Therefore, it is very important to improve working methods and to wear appropriate personal protective equipment.

• Journal of the Korean Institute of Gas
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• v.22 no.4
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• pp.55-62
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• 2018

There is growing interest in solar power generation due to global warming. As a result, demand for polysilicon, which is the core material for solar cells, is increasing day by day. As the market grows, large and small accidents occurred in the production process. In 2013, hydrochloric acid leaked from the polysilicon manufacturing plant in SangJu. In 2014, a fire occurred at a polysilicon manufacturing plant in Yeosu, and in 2015, STC(Silicon Tetrachloride) leaked at a polysilicon manufacturing plant in Gunsan City. Leakage of chemicals in the polysilicon manufacturing process can affect not only the workplace but also the surrounding area. Therefore, in this study, we identified the hazardous materials used in the polysilicon manufacturing process and quantitatively estimate the amount of leakage and extent of damage when the worst case scenario is applied. As a result, the damage distance by explosion was estimated to be 726 m, and the damage distance to toxicity was estimated to be 4,500 m. And, if TCS(Trichlorosilane), STC(Silicon Tetrachloride), DCS(Dichlorosilane) leaks into the air and reacts with water to generate HCl, the damage distance is predicted to 5.7 km.

• Journal of the Ergonomics Society of Korea
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• v.29 no.3
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• pp.347-356
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• 2010

The purpose of this study is to analyze the spine stability by comparing muscle activation in various scaffold working conditions. The independent working conditions were designed by two levels of working height, existence and absence of safety handrail, and the two levels of expertise. The corresponding activities of the agonist and antagonist muscles of spine were simultaneously recorded by using EMG. As results, novice worker showed increased muscle activity while doing the task on the 2nd floor, absence of handrail. And expert showed the increase of co-contraction while working on the 2nd floor without handrail. Such co-contraction was found to increase the spine stability when the working condition become risky. On the other hand, the co-contraction was prolonged, the spine muscle fatique and disc pressure could be increased, which would increase the risk of musculo-skeletal disorder. The results of co-contraction in this study indicates that the motor control system responds to maintain the stability of the spine particularly when workers cognitively recognize the danger of falling or imbalance. This study also quantitatively accounted for the biomechanical cause of LBP among workers who has to prevent themselves from falling. Therefore, if can be said that safe environment preventing falling can also prevent workers from MSDs as well. Such knowledge can be applied to design ergonomic workplace environment as well as movable scaffold.

• Journal of the Korean housing association
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• v.19 no.5
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• pp.85-92
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• 2008

The aim of this research is to develop the sentiment indicators of housing welfare for evaluating housing welfare policies conducted by the Korean government. The methods of this research are used by analysis of related documents, FGI (Focus Group Interview), and survey. The survey was made by experts and consumers. To analyze the survey, this research also uses confirmatory factor analysis by SPSS (Statistical Package for the Social Science) program, AHP (Analytical Hierarchy Process) by Expert Choice program, frequency, average, percentages, Factor analysis etc. As a result of this research, selected housing welfare indicators are settled as follows: In the housing welfare aspect, 11 indicators in the department of 'Housing Satisfaction' and 11 indicators in the department of 'Community Satisfaction' (22 in total) are suggested. The indicators are 1) Water Supply and Distribution Equipment 2) Heating equipment 3) the size of the exclusive residential area 4) the number of rooms 5) Ventilation and Lighting 6) Sound Insulation (Indoor Noise) 7) Air Pollution/Odor 8) House Deposit 9) Rent Paid 10) Maintenance (Dwelling) Cost 11) The length of Occupation 12) Proximity to Welfare Facilities 13) Educational Environment 14) Convenience of Facilities (shops, hospitals etc.) 15) Convenience of Transportation and Commuting 16) Distance from Workplace 17) Landscape and Green Space (Tree, Flowers, Grass etc.) 18) Vandalism (Destruction Behavior, graffiti etc.) 19) Privacy 20) Noise in Public Places (Drinking, Loudly Talking etc.) 21) Safety from Crime 22) Safety from a Disaster. As of 2007, the housing welfare sentiment index is measured by the survey of 1,000 inhabitants in the public housing, which shows 3.51.

• Journal of the Korean Institute of Gas
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• v.18 no.2
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• pp.55-61
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• 2014

In this study, we evaluated the measurement of working environment, the amount of exposure, the hazards and risks of biphenyl, that was registered as 2A in IARC. Based on the exposure scenario, it was calculated that the exposure amounts are $1.0{\times}10^{-2}$, $4.2{\times}10^{-4}$, $7.0{\times}10^{-6}mg/m^3$, respectively, and the $RfC_{work}$ is 0.21, 2.13, 0.53 $0.31mg/m^3$ as carcinogenicity, target toxicity (oral), target toxicity (inhalation), developmental toxicity, respectively. According to these hazards evaluation and risk assessments, it was estimated that 0.57, 0.39 as carcinogenicity and non-carcinogenicity (developmental toxicity), respectively. It was also estimated relatively lower risks below 1. But since biphenyl is hazardous used much amounts, and could be exposed to workers directly, it was determined to require exposure monitoring to protect workers' health.