• Title/Summary/Keyword: agricultural safety and health

Search Result 387, Processing Time 0.039 seconds

Assessment of health risk associated with arsenic exposure from soil, groundwater, polished rice for setting target cleanup level nearby abandoned mines

  • Lee, Ji-Ho;Kim, Won-Il;Jeong, Eun-Jung;Yoo, Ji-Hyock;Kim, Ji-Young;Lee, Je-Bong;Im, Geon-Jae;Hong, Moo-Ki
    • Korean Journal of Soil Science and Fertilizer
    • /
    • v.44 no.1
    • /
    • pp.38-47
    • /
    • 2011
  • This study focused on health risk assessment via multi-routes of As exposure to establish a target cleanup level (TCL) in abandoned mines. Soil, ground water, and rice samples were collected near ten abandoned mines in November 2009. The As contaminations measured in all samples were used for determining the probabilistic health risk by Monte-Carlo simulation techniques. The human exposure to As compound was attributed to ground water ingestion. Cancer risk probability (R) via ground water and rice intake exceeded the acceptable risk range of $10^{-6}{\sim}10^{-4}$ in all selected mines. In particular, the MB mine showed the higher R value than other mines. The non-carcinogenic effects, estimated by comparing the average As exposure with corresponding reference dose were determined by hazard quotient (HQ) values, which were less than 1.0 via ground water and rice intake in SD, NS, and MB mines. This implied that the non-carcinogenic toxic effects, due to this exposure pathway had a greater possibility to occur than those in other mines. Besides, hazard index (HI) values, representing overall toxic effects by summed the HQ values were also greater than 1.0 in SD, NS, JA, and IA mines. This revealed that non-carcinogenic toxic effects were generally occurred. The As contaminants in all selected mines exceeded the TCL values for target cancer risk ($10^{-6}$) through ground water ingestion and rice intake. However, the As level in soil was greater than TCL value for target cancer risk via inadvertent soil ingestion pathway, except for KK mine. In TCL values for target hazard quotient (THQ), the As contaminants in soil did not exceed such TCL value. On the contrary, the As levels in ground water and polished rice in SD, NS, IA, and MB mines were also beyond the TCL values via ground water and rice intake. This study concluded that the health risks through ground water and rice intake were greater than those though soil inadvertent ingestion and dermal contact. In addition, it suggests that the abandoned mines to exceed the risk-based TCL values are carefully necessary to monitor for soil remediation.

Estimation on the Risk of Pesticide Exposure by Food Intake

  • Chun, Ock-Kyoung;Kang, Hee-Gon;Cho, Nam-Jun
    • Proceedings of the Korean Society of Food Hygiene and Safety Conference
    • /
    • 2002.05a
    • /
    • pp.139-142
    • /
    • 2002
  • This study carried out to evaluate TMDI(theoretical maximum daily intake) and EDI(estimated daily intake) for Korean by using MRLs, food intake, residue data, and correction factors and compare with ADI(acceptable daily intake) in order to estimate the health risk based on the pesticide exposure.

  • PDF

Current Status and the Future of Occupational Safety and Health Legislation in Low- and Middle-Income Countries

  • Ncube, France;Kanda, Artwell
    • Safety and Health at Work
    • /
    • v.9 no.4
    • /
    • pp.365-371
    • /
    • 2018
  • This article addresses three key issues. First, the commonalities, differences, strengths, and limitations of existing occupational safety and health (OSH) legislation of low- and middle-income countries were determined. Second, required revisions were identified and discussed to strengthen the laws in accordance with the best international practice. Finally, proposals for additional OSH laws and interventions were suggested. A literature search of OSH laws of 10 selected low- and middle-income countries was carried out. The laws were subjected to uniform review criteria. Although the agricultural sector employs more than 70% of the population, most of the reviewed countries lack OSH legislation on the sector. Existing OSH laws are gender insensitive, fragmented among various government departments, insufficient, outdated, and nondeterrent to perpetrators and lack incentives for compliance. Conclusively, the legal frameworks require reformation and harmonization for the collective benefit to employees, employers, and regulatory authorities. New OSH legislation for the agricultural sector is required.

A Survey on Endocrine Disruptors among Agricultural Products in the North of Seoul

  • Kim Yang-Suk;Lee Sung-Duk;Kim Soo-Jin;Baek Soo-hyun
    • Proceedings of the Korean Society of Food Hygiene and Safety Conference
    • /
    • 2001.10a
    • /
    • pp.120-122
    • /
    • 2001
  • This study was carried out to monitor suspected endocrine disrupting pesticides and industrial organic chemicals among circulated agricultural products in the north area of Seoul in 2001. Procymidone, vinclozolin, endosulfan, chlorothalonil, chloropyrifos and pendimetaline (pesticides) and butylated hydroxytoluene(industrial organic chemicals) were certified by GC-MS. Detected 6 pesticides were remained mostly in the green vegetables, spices and wild plants with $3\%$ detected. Butylated hydroxytoluene(industrial organic chemicals) used for green house cover stuffs was contained mostly in the green vegetables, spices and wild plants not in the fruits and cereals with $43\%$ detected. In the same agricultural products containing butylated hydroxy toluene showed same detection tendency with remaining endocrine disrupting pesticides.

  • PDF

Monitoring of Cd, Hg, Pb, and As and Risk Assessment for Commercial Medicinal Plants (국내 유통 약용작물 중 카드뮴, 수은, 납, 비소 함량 모니터링 및 위해성 평가)

  • Kim, Hyuck-Soo;Kim, Kwon-Rae;Hong, Chang-Oh;Go, Woo-Ri;Jeong, Seon-Hee;Yoo, Ji-Hyock;Cho, Nam-Jun;Hong, Jin-Hwan;Kim, Won-Il
    • Korean Journal of Environmental Agriculture
    • /
    • v.34 no.4
    • /
    • pp.282-287
    • /
    • 2015
  • BACKGROUND: The current study was carried out to investigate Cd, Hg, Pb and As contaminations in 222 commercial medicinal plants and to estimate the potential health risk through dietary intake of commercial medicinal plants in Korea.METHODS AND RESULTS: The Cd, Hg, Pb, and As in medicinal plants were analyzed by ICP/MS and mercury analyzer.The potential health risk was estimated using risk assessment tools. Total amount of Cd in medicinal plants with 29% samples exceeded the standard limit legislated in 'Pharmaceutical Affairs Act' while all plant samples were lower than the standard limit value for As, Hg, and Pb. However, when applying the standard limit for root vegetable (fresh weight) in the Food Sanitation Act, four samples exceeded the standard limit of Pb. For health risk assessment, the values of cancer risk probability were 0.3~5.9×10-7which were less than the acceptable cancer risk of 10-6~10-4for regulatory purpose. Also, Hazard quotientvalues were lower than 1.0.CONCLUSION: Therefore, these results demonstrated that human exposure to Cd, Hg, Pb, and As through dietary intake of commercial medicinal plants might notcause adverse health effects although some medicinal plants were higher than the standard limit values for Cd and Pb.

A Study on Developing the Participatory Educational Program of Agricultural Safety and Health for Farmers (농업인을 위한 학습자 참여형 안전보건 교육 프로그램 설계)

  • Kim, Jin-Mo;Hwang, Young-Hun;Sohn, Kyu-Tae;Cai, Li
    • Journal of Agricultural Extension & Community Development
    • /
    • v.22 no.2
    • /
    • pp.205-219
    • /
    • 2015
  • The purpose of this study was to develop a participatory education program of farmer's safety and health. After investigating the concept and status of agricultural safety and health to identify the problem of farmer's safety and health, we made the model in 3 steps, consist of analysis, design, and development, based on the instructional system design and the participatory instructional method. We also applied the participatory instructional method to the program to facilitate a change in practice by making farmers understand the contents. The findings of this study revealed the followings: 1) we developed the education program focused on characteristics of farmers as learners; 2) the education program was developed based on the model for developing education programs and the specific procedures that we made up; 3) we designed the program in modules to increase the availability; 4) we raised the content validity of the learning contents in the safety and health education program targeting farmers; 5) manuals and supplementaries for teachers were developed from learner's textbooks.

Research on the Safety and Health Management and Asphyxiation Gas Concentration in Ginger Storage Tunnel (생강 저장굴의 질식 가스 농도 및 안전보건 관리 방향에 관한 연구)

  • Kim, Hyocher;Lee, Minji;Kim, Insoo;Lee, Kyeongsuk;Seo, Mintae;Cha, Jongjin;Kim, Kyungran
    • Journal of Korean Society of Occupational and Environmental Hygiene
    • /
    • v.28 no.2
    • /
    • pp.222-229
    • /
    • 2018
  • Objectives: The aim of this study was to evaluate gas concentrations such as oxygen in ginger storage tunnels, which are the causes of asphyxiation in confined spaces and suggest directions for safety and health management at ginger farms. Methods: Five farms in the Seosan and Taean areas which use underground ginger storage tunnels were chosen and examined with a walk-through survey and direct reading device for oxygen, hydrogen sulfide, ammonia, and carbon monoxide. Results: The oxygen concentration in the storage tunnels with no ventilation was found to be under 18% in summer, which may cause health effects. The concentration in those with ventilation was about 19%. The difference in temperature by measurement day had little effect on the concentration of oxygen. Conclusions: Even though some of farms had used compulsory ventilation systems, none of the farms visited possessed any direct reading device for oxygen. Warning systems using a direct reading device can be more effective, helpful, and required compared to ventilation, considering the difficulty and expense of periodical maintenance of ventilation systems and the fact that a farmer can be placed in danger when unaware of the malfunction of the ventilation system. In addition, a warning system may make farmers more cognitive of agricultural safety and health actions while a ventilation system can cause them to become passive and ignorant of workplace hazards.

Willingness-to-Pay on Increase of Usage for Environmental-friendly Agricultural Product in School Food Service (학교급식에서의 친환경농산물 사용 확대를 위한 지불의사분석)

  • Yang, Sung-Bum
    • Korean Journal of Organic Agriculture
    • /
    • v.26 no.4
    • /
    • pp.609-618
    • /
    • 2018
  • The objective of this study is to analyze the factors increased use of environmentalfriendly agricultural product in school food service. For this, I surveyed the perceptions on environmental-friendly agricultural product and willingness-to-pay for increasing use to 500 parents of elementary, middle and high school. As a result, the perception of environment and safety is the highest, but health and consumption is the lowest. The average of willingness-to-pay is about 12,136 Won per month. But 14.2 percent of the total respondents said that they did not have a willingness-to-pay, and 62.6 percent said that they would pay an additional 10,000 won or less. The factors affecting the willingness-to-pay were gender, income, health and consumption factors. Despite the low level of parents' perception of the health and consumption factors for environmental-friendly agricultural products, health and consumption factors affect statistically significant on the willingness-to-pay compared to others. Most of the promotion and education of environmental-friendly agricultural products has focused on safety, but this study suggests that education on the health and correct consumption of environmental-friendly agricultural products is important.

Dermal Exposure Associated with Occupational End Use of Pesticides and the Role of Protective Measures

  • MacFarlane, Ewan;Carey, Renee;Keegel, Tessa;El-Zaemay, Sonia;Fritschi, Lin
    • Safety and Health at Work
    • /
    • v.4 no.3
    • /
    • pp.136-141
    • /
    • 2013
  • Background: Occupational end users of pesticides may experience bodily absorption of the pesticide products they use, risking possible health effects. The purpose of this paper is to provide a guide for researchers, practitioners, and policy makers working in the field of agricultural health or other areas where occupational end use of pesticides and exposure issues are of interest. Methods: This paper characterizes the health effects of pesticide exposure, jobs associated with pesticide use, pesticide-related tasks, absorption of pesticides through the skin, and the use of personal protective equipment (PPE) for reducing exposure. Conclusions: Although international and national efforts to reduce pesticide exposure through regulatory means should continue, it is difficult in the agricultural sector to implement engineering or system controls. It is clear that use of PPE does reduce dermal pesticide exposure but compliance among the majority of occupationally exposed pesticide end users appears to be poor. More research is needed on higher-order controls to reduce pesticide exposure and to understand the reasons for poor compliance with PPE and identify effective training methods.