• 한국화재소방학회논문지
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• 제28권1호
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• pp.12-19
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• 2014

유해화학물질 취급작업장은 전국적으로 산재되어 있고, 가동된 지 20년 이상 경과된 시설의 노후화로 사고의 위험이 상존하고 있다. UN을 비롯 선진국의 화학물질 규제는 강화되고 있지만, 누출사고는 빈번하게 발생되어 사회적 큰 이슈가 되고 있다. 최근 국내의 경우 잇따른 누출사고로 정부와 관련부처는 화학사고에 대한 전반적인 예방, 대비, 대응체계를 점검 및 개선하고 있다. 본 연구는 유해화학물질 취급작업장에서 발생되는 누출 및 화학사고의 주요 원인에 대한 안전관리 실태와 관련제도의 기준 등 취급, 관리상의 문제점을 분석하여 사고예방과 초기 대응을 위한 제도 및 안전관리 개선방안을 제시하였다.

• 한국안전학회지
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• 제34권6호
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• pp.13-21
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• 2019

Leakage accidents in businesses dealing with hazardous chemicals can have a great impact on the workers inside the workplace, as well as residents outside the workplace. In fact, there were cases where hazardous chemicals leaked from many businesses. As a result, the Chemicals Control Act(CCA) was enacted in 2015, the Ministry of Environment introduced an Off-site Risk Assessment(ORA). The purpose of the ORA is to secure safety from the installation of the design of the workplace facilities so that chemical accidents of hazardous chemical handling facilities do not cause human or physical damage outside the workplace. In general, the ORA qualitatively determines where a protected facility is within the scope of the accident scenario. However, elderly who belong to the sensitive group is more sensitive than the general group under the same chemical accident effect, and the extent of the damage is serious. According to data from the Korea National Statistic Office, the number of elderly people is expected to increase steadily. Therefore, a quantitative risk analysis considering the elderly is necessary as a result of a chemical accident. In this study, accident scenarios for 14 locations were set up to perform emergency evacuation due to toxic gas leakage of Cl₂(Chlorine) and HF(Hydrogen Fluoride), and the effects of exposure were analyzed based on the evacuation velocity difference of age 20s and 60s. The ALOHA(Areal Locations of Hazardous Atmospheres) program was used to calculate the concentration for assessing the effects. The time of exposure to toxic gas was calculated based on the time it took for the evacuation to run from the start point to the desired point and a methodology was devised that could be applied to the risk calculation. As a result of the study, the relative risk of the elderly, the sensitive group, needs to be determined.

• Safety and Health at Work
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• 제6권3호
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• pp.184-191
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• 2015

Chemical mutagenicity is a major hazard that is important to workers' health. Despite the use of large amounts of allyl chloride, the available mutagenicity data for this chemical remains controversial. To clarify the mutagenicity of allyl chloride and because a micronucleus (MN) test had not yet been conducted, we screened for MN induction by using male ICR mice bone marrow cells. The test results indicated that this chemical is not mutagenic under the test conditions. In this paper, the regulatory test battery and several assay combinations used to determine the genotoxic potential of chemicals in the workplace have been described. Further application of these assays may prove useful in future development strategies of hazard evaluations of industrial chemicals. This study also should help to improve the testing of this chemical by commonly used mutagenicity testing methods and investigations on the underlying mechanisms and could be applicable for workers' health.

• 한국산업안전학회:학술대회논문집
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• 한국안전학회 2001년도 공동학술대회
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• pp.303-308
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• 2001

Various organic solvents are most commonly using material in various factories, for examples, paint producting process and other industries, actually most of them are toxic materials, If many kinds of organic chemicals are concurrently exposed to workplace, toxidities can be influenced as additive effect or synergistic effect.(omitted)

• 한국산업보건학회지
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• 제33권2호
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• pp.93-102
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• 2023

Objectives: With the evolution of direct reading sensors, it is possible to monitor several substances through telecommunication. However, there are some limitations on the use of direct reading technologies in the Occupational Safety and Health Act in South Korea, which only applies to detector tubes, noise, heat, and carbon monoxides. The number of chemicals and their amount of use have been continuously increasing in South Korea. The Ministry of Employment and Labor (MoEL) has concerns about worker's health because exposure is only covered for about 1.2% of all distributed chemicals. Using a direct reading monitor with photoionization detectors (PID-DRMs), gases and vapors chemicals can be measured. Based on the data, business owners are able to create corrective strategies, provide better working routines, and select correct respiratory equipment. PID-DRMs are less expensive and easier to handle for an owner voluntarily controlling chemicals emitted in the workplace. However, there are several limitations on using these PID-DRMs to the degree that the MoEL has not been able to select a legal monitor. The aim of this study was to review previous studies related to PID-DRMs and identify the characterization and limitation on PID-DRMs. Methods: To search for related studies on PID-DRMs, key words were used including direct reading monitors/instruments and/or photoionization detectors. Through that, four domestic and 15 international studies were reviewed. Results: Studies on PID-DRMs were conducted by chamber (enclosed, dynamic, walk-in) and in the field (experimental environment, actual environment). The concentration of PID-DRMs and charcoal tubes were compared for a single substance or mixture, or within the PID-DRMs. There was a high correlation between the two concentrations, but it did not meet the accuracy criteria (95% confidence interval, within 25%) of the NIOSH technical report (2012). In addition, differences in measured values occurred according to environmental factors (temperature, humidity) and high concentration, and concentration values tended to be underestimated due to contamination of the sensor. As a way to improve the accuracy of PID concentration, it was proposed to use correction factors, charcoal tube-based correction factors, or to calibrate the PID-DRMs in the same environment as the workplace. Conclusions: PID-DRMs can likely be used by business owners for the purpose of voluntarily managing the workplace environment, and it is expected that it will be possible to use them as legal equipment if a PID sensor can be upgraded and the limitations of the sensor (temperature, humidity, high concentration evaluation, sensor pollution) can be overcome in the near future.

• 한국환경보건학회지
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• 제40권2호
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• pp.105-113
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• 2014

Objectives: It is necessary to apply quantitative structure activity relationship (QSAR) for the various chemicals with insufficient toxicity data that are used in the workplace, based on the precautionary principle. This study aims to find application plan of QSAR software tool for predicting health hazards such as genetic toxicity, and carcinogenicity for some chemicals used in the electronics industries. Methods: Toxicity prediction of 21 chemicals such as 5-aminotetrazole, ethyl lactate, digallium trioxide, etc. used in electronics industries was assessed by Toxicity Prediction by Komputer Assisted Technology (TOPKAT). In order to identify the suitability and reliability of carcinogenicity prediction, 25 chemicals such as 4-aminobiphenyl, ethylene oxide, etc. which are classified as Group 1 carcinogens by the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) were selected. Results: Among 21 chemicals, we obtained prediction results for 5 carcinogens, 8 non-carcinogens and 8 unpredictability chemicals. On the other hand, the carcinogenic potential of 5 carcinogens was found to be low by relevant research testing data and Oncologic TM tool. Seven of the 25 carcinogens (IARC Group 1) were wrongly predicted as non-carcinogens (false negative rate: 36.8%). We confirmed that the prediction error could be improved by combining genetic toxicity information such as mutagenicity. Conclusions: Some compounds, including inorganic chemicals and polymers, were still limited for applying toxicity prediction program. Carcinogenicity prediction may be further improved by conducting cross-validation of various toxicity prediction programs, or application of the theoretical molecular descriptors.

• Safety and Health at Work
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• 제8권2호
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• pp.143-150
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• 2017

A huge number of chemicals are produced and used in the world, and some of them can have negative effects on the reproductive health of workers. To date, most chemicals and work environments have not been studied for their potential to have damaging effects on the workers' reproductive system. Because of the lack of information, many workers may not be aware that such problems can be related to occupational exposures. Newly industrialized countries such as Republic of Korea have rapidly amassed chemicals and other toxicants that pose health hazards, especially to the reproductive systems of workers. This literature review provides an overview of peer-reviewed literature regarding the teratogenic impact and need for safe handling of chemicals. Literature searches were performed using PubMed, Google Scholar, and ScienceDirect. Search strategies were narrowed based on author expertise and 100 articles were chosen for detailed analysis. A total of 47 articles met prespecified inclusion criteria. The majority of papers contained studies that were descriptive in nature with respect to the Medical Subject Headings (MeSH) terms and keywords: "reproductive and heath or hazard and/or workplace or workers or occupations." In the absence of complete information about the safe occupational handling of chemicals in Republic of Korea (other than a material safety data sheet), this review serves as a valuable reference for identifying and remedying potential gaps in relevant regulations. The review also proposes other public health actions including hazard surveillance and primary prevention activities such as reduction, substitution, ventilation, as well as protective equipment.

• 한국산업보건학회지
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• 제10권2호
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• pp.18-26
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• 2000

Since the regulation of MSDS (Material Safety Data Sheets) had started from July 1996, employers were required to furnish MSDS for the chemicals in use in their workplace. However, many MSDS did not contain upright information for the chemicals, and they were not updated regularly, and were not written in the standard format required by the Industrial Safety and Health Act (ISHA). The purposes of this study were 1) to examine the reliability of MSDS for mixed solvents, 2) to provide reliable MSDS to employers or employees, 3) to find out any difficulties in implementing MSDS after the initiation, and 4) to promote regular MSDS updating and to ensure the reliability of MSDS for chemical manufacturers. To check the reliability of MSDS of mixed chemicals, 21 samples of mostly degreasing solvents were collected along with their MSDS from the work place. The samples were analyzed by gas chromatography-mass selective detector(GC-MSD). Their components were classified as saturated hydrocarbon, cyclic hydrocarbon, aromatics, and halogen containing hydrocarbon, and the amount of each class were measured. 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. Finally, each item of MSDS was evaluated whether the MSDS correspond to the regulation required by ISHA. The results were following: 1) most of the degreasing solvents in MSDS were incorrect in their composition and contents, 2) the information in the MSDS including hazard classification, exposure level, toxicity, regulatory information were incorrectly provided, and 3) some MSDS did not disclose carcinogens in their MSDS. Continuous monitoring of MSDS was required to ensure reliability of MSDS. The Chemicals containing hydrocarbons from C10-C15 need to be tested to provide toxicity data. In addition, governmental support for providing correct MSDS was recommended to ensure reliability of MSDS. The MSDS regulation relating to the confidential business information may need to be revised to ensure reliability of MSDS.

• 한국산업보건학회지
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• 제28권1호
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• pp.51-60
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• 2018

Objectives: Currently, there is only limited knowledge regarding the hazard of low-level exposure to CMR materials in workplaces. To overcome this limitation, a reference concentration for workers($RfC_w$) from among the risk assessment tools proposed by the US EPA is widely used to set a provisional workplace exposure level(PWEL) for CMR materials for which there are no established Korea Occupational Exposure Limits(KOELs) or subjective chemicals for work environment measurements as regulated by Korea Ministry of Employment and Labor(KMOEL). A simple European calculator of derived no effect level(SECO-DNEL) as proposed by REACH can also be used in place of $RfC_w$ to set the PWEL for chemicals. This study was performed to test the acceptability of using SECO-DNEL as an alternative to $RfC_w$ when setting a PWEL for low-level exposures. Methods: The $RfC_w$ and DNEL for the five CMR materials of dinitrogen oxide, catechol, 2-phenoxy ethanol, carbitol, and carbon black were calculated using the dose-response assessments of the US EPA for $RfC_w$ and REACH guidance for SECO-DNEL, respectively. They were compared using paired t-tests to determine the statistical differences between them. Results: For the five chemicals, the $RfC_w$ were 2.53 ppm, 0.10 ppm, 1.73 ppm, 1.66 ppm, and $0.05mg/m^3$, respectively, while the SECO-DNEL were 2.01 ppm, 0.11 ppm, 1.83 ppm, 1.77 ppm, $0.14mg/m^3$, respectively. There was no statistically significant difference between $RfC_w$ and SECO-DNEL. Conclusions: This study suggests that the SECO-DNEL could be applied in place of $RfC_w$ to set a PWEL for low-level exposure to chemicals, especially CMR materials. To further ensure the reliability of SECO-DNEL as an alternative tool, more chemicals should be applied for calculation and comparison with $RfC_w$.

• 환경위생공학
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• 제17권2호
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• pp.26-33
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• 2002

Ultimate objective of industrial hygiene is the prevention of health impairment that may result from exposure to chemicals at workplace. Workers in solvent thinner-using occupation environment may be highly exposed to VOCs (volatile organic compounds) because solvent thinner has been used extensively such as painting, spraying, degreasing, coating and so on in Korea. The purpose of this study was to recognize, evaluate, and propose the control methods of VOCs from solvent thinner-using workplace. Five target volatile organic compounds (benzene, toluene, ethylbenzene, o-xylene, and m-xylene) were monitored in H company of Shiwa Industrial Complex and analyzed in perosnal, occupational indoor and outdoor during working hours simultaneously. Engineering control such as local ventilation should be made in considering the long-term exposure, though measured VOCs concentration did not exceed the workplace exposure standards. In addition, air cleaning device should be installed in local ventilation because Shiwa Industrial Complex has had the serious ambient air pollution. Currently, environmental purification using $TiO_2$ photocatalyst have attracted a great deal of attention with increasing number of recent environmental problems. In this study, $TiO_2$ sol coated on the ceramic bead was prepared by sol-gel method and the photodegradation of target compounds was investigated in gas phase by the exposure to UV-A lamp(365nm) in a batch system.