• Title/Summary/Keyword: environmental risk factor

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Factor Analysis and Intergroup Awareness Investigation of Workers' Safety in Logistic Center (물류센터 근로자의 안전인식에 대한 요인분석 및 집단간 인식 비교)

  • Choi, Hyunjoon;Moon, Sangyoung;Ok, Seung-Yong
    • Journal of the Korean Society of Safety
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    • v.30 no.4
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    • pp.113-119
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    • 2015
  • This study is to examine the workers' awareness of the safety in logistic centers. For that purpose, the exploratory factor analysis of workers' safety awareness in logistic centers was performed at first, and the 6 variables extracted from the factor analysis were then used to investigate the difference in intergroup awareness of the safety environment in the logistic centers. We administered a survey to 147 workers attending the logistic centers and collected data from them. The results of the study showed that the intergroup awareness of the safety environment turned out to be statistically different from each other in terms of working environment, safe behavior, work risk, safety knowledge and effort, risk justification and compromising attitudes. Experiences in industrial accidents influenced awareness of working environment, work risk and risk justification. The group who experienced accidents is more likely to feel risky and unsatisfied with working place, and their awareness toward risk justification was high as well. It was also observed that there exists awareness difference between manager group and worker group. The group who manages the working place showed more positive awareness of working environment, safe behavior, work risk, safety knowledge and effort, risk justification and compromising attitudes than the worker group. On the contrary, the worker group showed high recognition in risk of working place, and felt that they are willing to compromise on safety for increasing production. The scale of the logistic center produced negative influence on awareness of safety. The group in small logistic center showed the highest awareness in safety, whereas the group in large logistic center with more than 100 workers showed the highest awareness in risk. They are more likely to deviate from correct and safe work procedures due to over-familiarity with the job, as well. The findings suggest that there is a need for the safety management and education to change the workers' understanding and attitudes towards safety.

Initial Risk Assessment of Acetanilide in OECD High Production Volume Chemical Program

  • Park, Hye-Youn;Park, Yoonho;Sanghwan Song;Kwon, Min-Jeoung;Koo, Hyun-Ju;Jeon, Seong-Hwan;Na, Jin-Gyun;Park, Kwangsik
    • Toxicological Research
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    • v.18 no.1
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    • pp.13-22
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    • 2002
  • In Korea, 2,320 tonnes of acetanilide were mostly wed as intermediates for synthesis in phar-maceuticals or additives in synthesizing hydrogen peroxide, varnishes, polymers and rubber. Only small amount of 120 kg were wed as a stabilizer for hydrogen peroxide solution for hair colouring agents in 1998. Readily available environmental or human exposure data do not exist in Korea at the present time. However, potential human exposures from drinking water, food, ambient water and in work places are expected to be negligible because this chemical is produced in the closed system in only one company in Korea and the processing factory is equipped with local ventilation and air filtering system. Acetanilide could be distributed mainly to water based on EQC model. This substance is readily biodegradable and its bioaccumulation is low. Acute toxicity of acetanilide is low since the L $D_{50}$ of oral exposure in rats is 1,959 mg/kg bw. The chemical is not irritating to skin, but slightly irritating to the eyes of rabbits. horn repeated dose toxicity, the adverse effects in rats were red pulp hyperplasia of spleen, bone marrow hyperplasia of femur and decreased hemoglobin, hematocrit and mean corpuscular hemoglobin concentration. The LOAEL for repeated dose toxicity in rats was 22 mg/kg/day for both sexes. Acetanilide is not considered to be genotoxic. In a reproductive/developmental toxicity study, no treatment-related changes in precoital time and rate of copulation, impregnation, pregnancy were shown in all treated groups. The NOAELs for reproduction and developmental toxicity (off-spring toxicity) are considered to be 200 mg/kg bw/day and 67 mg/kg bw/day, respectively. Ecotoxicity data has been generated in a limited number of aquatic species of algae (72 hr- $E_{b}$ $C_{50}$; 13.5 mg/l), daphnid (48hr-E $C_{50}$ > 100 mg/l) and fish (Oryzias latipes, 96hr-L $C_{50}$; 100 mg/l). Form the acute toxicity values, the predicted no effect concentration (PNEC) of 0.135 mg/1 was derived win an assessment factor of 100. On the basis of these data, acetanilide was suggested as currently of low priority for further post-SIDS work in OECD.in OECD.D.

The Effect of Hospital Environment on Employee레s Job Stress (병원 근로자의 직무스트레스 현황과 요인분석)

  • 정진주
    • Journal of Environmental Health Sciences
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    • v.28 no.3
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    • pp.72-76
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    • 2002
  • This study aims to explore the importance of job stress for hospital employees and psychosocial risk factors of their job stress. 1,890 survey questionnaires collected from 14 hospitals are used for the analysis. The study results shows that stress is the most important risk factor perceived by hospital workers. Also stress-related symptoms and diseases are perceived to occur most frequently among hospital employees. The multiple logistic regression analysis shows age, working hours, shiftwork, job demand, decision-latitude and social support from supervisor and colleagues affect stress level of hospital employees.

Environmental Factors Related to Enterobiasis in a Southeast Region of Korea

  • Kim, Dong-Hee;Cho, Min Kyoung;Park, Mi Kyung;Kang, Shin Ae;Kim, Bo Young;Park, Sang Kyun;Yu, Hak Sun
    • Parasites, Hosts and Diseases
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    • v.51 no.1
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    • pp.139-142
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    • 2013
  • Pinworm infection can occur through contact with contaminated surfaces followed by ingestion or even through inhalation of infective eggs. We have limited information regarding environmental contamination by eggs of Enterobius vermicularis. In order to determine environmental risk factors associated with the rate of E. vermicularis infection, we investigated possible environmental risk factors using a questionnaire from 46 kindergartens in 3 different cities of the southeast area of Korea. In total, using the cellotape anal swab technique, 3,422 children were examined for E. vermicularis infection. We evaluated E. vermicularis egg of books, educational materials, toys, room door handles, dusts of window edges, desks, chairs, tables, and dusts of classrooms. The overall egg-positive rate for E. vermicularis was 6.0%, and the prevalence of enterobiasis in each kindergarten ranged between 0% and 16.9%. We found that 78.9% of egg positive kindergartens were managed by private foundations, which was significantly higher, compared with kindergartens managed by public foundations or the nation. Compared with public or national kindergartens, most private kindergartens were located in residential areas and the number of children in these areas was significantly higher. In conclusion, numbers of children in kindergartens was found to be an environmental risk factor associated with transmission of enterobiasis in Korea.

Study on the Exposure Assessment Methodology for Outdoor Air Inhalation Pathways in Site-specific Risk Assessment and Its Application in a TPH-contaminated Site (유류오염부지 시범적용을 통한 실외공기 오염물질흡입 노출경로에 대한 부지특이적 노출량 산정 방안에 대한 고찰)

  • Kim, Sang Hyun;Chung, Hyeonyong;Jeong, Buyun;Noh, Hoe-Jung;Kim, Hyun-Koo;Nam, Kyoungphile
    • Journal of Soil and Groundwater Environment
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    • v.25 no.3
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    • pp.65-73
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    • 2020
  • Exposure assessment methodology for outdoor air inhalation pathways (i.e., inhalation of volatile compounds and fugitive dust in outdoor air) was investigated. Default values of several parameters currently used in Korea (e.g., Q/C; inverse value of concentration per unit flux, and frs; soil fraction in PM10) may not be suitable and lack site-specificity, as they have been adopted from the risk assessment guidance of the United States or the Netherlands. Such limitation can be addressed to a certain degree by incorporating the volatilization factor (VF) and the particulate emission factor (PEF) with Box model. This approach was applied to an exposure assessment of a site contaminated with petroleum hydrocarbons in Korea. The result indicated that the suggested methodology led to more accurate site-specific exposure assessment for outdoor inhalation pathways. Further work to establish methodology to determine site-specific Q/C values in Korea needs to be done to secure the reliability of the exposure assessment for outdoor air inhalation pathways.

A Study on the evaluation of the safety of berthing maneuver by the Analytic Hierarchy Process (계측분석법에 의한 선박 접리안 안전성의 평가방안)

  • 구자윤;이철영;우병구;전상엽
    • Journal of the Korean Institute of Navigation
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    • v.18 no.4
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    • pp.33-47
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    • 1994
  • On developing port system, the performance tests of system in relation to ship maneuver generally consists of the three parts: the channel transit, the manoeuvring in a turning basin and the docking/undocking. The quantifications of risk of an accident has priviously been difficult due to the low occurrence of accidents relative to the number of transits. Additionally, accident statistics could not be related port system because of the large number of factors contributing to the accident. such as human error, equipment failure, visibility, light, traffic. etc. In case of the channel transit, "Relative Risk Factor(RRF)" or "Relative Risk Factor for Meeting Traffic" was proposed as the as the measures derived to quantify the relative risk of accident by M.W.Smith. This factor measure the tracking performance, the turning performance and the passing performance at meeting traffic. On the other hand, the safety of berthing maneuver is not measured with a few evaluating factors as controlled due to complex controllabilites such as steering, engine, side thrusters or tugs. This work, therefore, aims to propose the evaluating measure by the Analytic Hierarchy Process(AHP). Six experimental scenarios were establised under the various environmental conditions as independent variables. In every simulation, the difficulty of maneuver was scored by captain and compared with AHP scores. The results show almost same and from which the weights of eight evaluating factors could be fixed. Additionally, the limit value of relative factor in berthing safety to six scenarios could be estimated to 0.11.e estimated to 0.11.

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Development of Pregnancy Risk Symptom Perception Scale (임신 위험 증상 지각 측정도구 개발)

  • Kim, Mi Heyi;Choi, So Young
    • Women's Health Nursing
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    • v.24 no.3
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    • pp.297-309
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    • 2018
  • Purpose: To develop Pregnancy Risk symptom Perception Scale (PRPS) and evaluate its validity and reliability. Methods: A preliminary 30-item version of PRPS was developed through literature review, in-depth interview, and Content Validity. Each item was scored on a four-point Likert scale. The preliminary scale was developed based on 301 pregnant women who visited a hospital. Date were analyzed using item analysis, factor analysis, confirmatory factor analysis, Pearson's correlation coefficients, and Cronbach's ${\alpha}$ (0.90 for total item, 0.80 to 0.88 for factors). Results: The PRPS consisted of 27 items. Three factors (physical, environmental, and emotional factors) explained 55% of the total variance. Cronbach's Criterion validity was supported by comparison with the Perception of Pregnancy Risk Questionnaire (r=0.34). In reliability test, the reliability coefficient of pregnancy risk symptom perception was high at 0.90. Conclusion: These results suggest that the pregnancy risk symptom perception scale developed in this study comprises items that can assess the level of pregnant women's pregnancy risk symptom perception in Korea. Its validity and reliability were proven. PRPS can be utilized to measure pregnant women's risk symptom perception during pregnancy. PRPS will contribute to the development of systematic prenatal care and effective risk management.

Development and Evaluation of the KOrea Insecticide Exposure Model (KOIEM) for Managing Insecticides

  • Jung, Ja-Eun;Lee, Yong-Ju;Kim, Yoon-Kwan;Lee, Sung-Kyu
    • Bulletin of the Korean Chemical Society
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    • v.33 no.4
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    • pp.1183-1189
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    • 2012
  • The KOrea Insecticide Exposure Model (KOIEM) was developed to facilitate ecological risk-based management of Korean insecticides. KOIEM, applied as a multimedia fate model, evaluates water, soil, air, and vegetation compartments based on three water-body types (streams, ditches, and ponds). Deltamethrin, a pyrethroid insecticide, was used to evaluate and create the model parameters. After exposure of both the stream and the ditch to deltamethrin, the KOIEM-predicted concentrations and the observed levels were in agreement. The model was also evaluated using the accuracy factor (AF), which was 4.32 and 0.35 for the stream and ditch, respectively. Ecological risk assessment was also performed to evaluate the application of KOIEM for four popular South Korean insecticides (cypermethrin, deltamethrin, diazinon, and permethrin). Despite the insecticides having low PECs in water, their risk quotients were typically above 1.0. Thus, KOIEM modification would be required in further studies to account for spatial variation.

Derivation of Ecological Protective Concentration using the Probabilistic Ecological Risk Assessment applicable for Korean Water Environment: (I) Cadmium

  • Nam, Sun-Hwa;Lee, Woo-Mi;An, Youn-Joo
    • Toxicological Research
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    • v.28 no.2
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    • pp.129-137
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    • 2012
  • Probabilistic ecological risk assessment (PERA) for deriving ecological protective concentration (EPC) was previously suggested in USA, Australia, New Zealand, Canada, and Netherland. This study suggested the EPC of cadmium (Cd) based on the PERA to be suitable to Korean aquatic ecosystem. First, we collected reliable ecotoxicity data from reliable data without restriction and reliable data with restrictions. Next, we sorted the ecotoxicity data based on the site-specific locations, exposure duration, and water hardness. To correct toxicity by the water hardness, EU's hardness corrected algorithm was used with slope factor 0.89 and a benchmark of water hardness 100. EPC was calculated according to statistical extrapolation method (SEM), statistical extrapolation $method_{Acute\;to\;chronic\;ratio}$ ($SEM_{ACR}$), and assessment factor method (AFM). As a result, aquatic toxicity data of Cd were collected from 43 acute toxicity data (4 Actinopterygill, 29 Branchiopoda, 1 Polychaeta, 2 Bryozoa, 6 Chlorophyceae, 1 Chanophyceae) and 40 chronic toxicity data (2 Actinopterygill, 23 Branchiopoda, 9 Chlorophyceae, 6 Macrophytes). Because toxicity data of Cd belongs to 4 classes in taxonomical classification, acute and chronic EPC (11.07 ${\mu}g/l$ and 0.034 ${\mu}g/l$, respectively) was calculated according to SEM technique. These values were included in the range of international EPCs. This study would be useful to establish the ecological standard for the protection of aquatic ecosystem in Korea.

A Study on Perception for Risk Communication Channel Selection for Radon for Youth (청소년 대상 라돈 위해 의사전달 경로 선정을 위한 인식도 조사 연구)

  • Park, Tae Hyun;Jeon, Hyung Jin;Kang, Dae Ryong;Kwon, Myung Hee;Park, Si Hyun;Park, Se Jung;Lee, Cheol Min
    • Journal of Environmental Health Sciences
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    • v.43 no.5
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    • pp.382-392
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    • 2017
  • Objectives: The purpose of this study is to obtain basic data on the development of a risk communication model through an investigation of risk perception for radon and identify effective risk communication channels. Methods: A questionnaire was used to evaluate differences in perception level according to respective communication channels. A chi-squared test was used to analyze the difference in pre- and post-risk communication by communication channel. One-way ANOVA was used to analyze the difference in the radon risk perception rate for each communication channel. Results: All of the communication channels resulted in increased radon risk perception, but there was no statistical difference between them in terms of perception (p>0.05). However, based on previous findings that it is effective to use a multi-channel approach, it is considered that communication channels based on duplicate avenues is most appropriate. Conclusions: It is expected that this study will be used as basic data to better understand the formation of public opinion about radon risk and to understand the social reaction to each risk factor.