• 한국환경보건학회지
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• 제44권6호
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• pp.556-562
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• 2018

Objectives: This study was conducted to investigate the boron concentrations in 30 slime products and estimate children's dermal exposure to boron. Methods: Thirty slime products from online and offline stores were purchased for boron analysis. The boron content of each slime sample was analyzed using ICP-OES. A nationwide survey was performed to determine use patterns of slimes by a home-visit survey of 10,000 children divided into three age groups: 0-2, 3-6, and 7-12 years. The dermal exposure to boron was calculated using an exposure algorithm for child slime users. Results: The proportion of the child population using slime was 45.8%, and the mean use frequency was $2.5{\pm}3.8$ per week (range: 0.08-35). Mean time spent playing with slime was $19.6{\pm}11.3min$ (range: 1-100). Twenty-five of the thirty slimes contained a boron concentration exceeding the EU limit for toys made with sticky material of 300 mg/kg. Dermal exposure ranged from $0.0008-13.78{\mu}g/kg/day$ with the maximum weight fractions of boron in the 30 products. The dermal exposure estimate was the highest in 7-12 years old group. Conclusion: Slime use among Korean children may cause high exposure to boron. Regulation is needed to minimize boron exposure from slime products.

• 한국산업보건학회지
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• 제32권1호
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• pp.1-9
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• 2022

Objectives: The purpose of this study is to evaluate exposure characteristics of lead using data from the domestic occupational exposure literature. Methods: Occupational airborne exposure data on lead reported in the domestic literature from 1981 to 2018 were collected and re-analyzed. The exposure levels in the data were expressed as an estimated arithmetic mean and a weighted arithmetic mean (WAM) of the number of samples. Lead exposure characteristics were analyzed by industry, process, and year. Results: From a total of 14 documents, 8,305 airborne lead measurements for 17 industries were identified, and the WAM concentration in eight industries exceeded the occupational exposure limit of 50 ㎍/m³. Three industries (battery manufacturing, lead smelting, and litharge manufacturing) accounted for 95% of the total data, and exposure trends could be confirmed over 10 years. Exposure levels continue to decrease in all three industries. Conclusions: Considering the distribution outlook of lead and lead compounds, the main management targets are lead storage battery manufacturing and secondary smelting for lead regeneration.

• 한국산업보건학회지
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• 제34권2호
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• pp.156-165
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• 2024

Objectives: This study aims to identify and analyze the exposure status of welding students in specialized high school welding labratories, compare it with the exposure to welding hazards of industrial workers, and seek to improve the educational environment for youth through domestic and international exposure standards. Methods: This study compares the level of exposure to hazardous factors in a welding laboratory of a vocational high school in Jeollanam-do and a welding process in a general industrial site by measuring the work environment. A 10-question survey was conducted to review the effects of welding hazards on the human body, carcinogenicity information, international (US, UK, France) exposure standards, general characteristics between the two groups, and awareness of occupational health. Results: Exposure to hazardous factors in both groups was below the standards set by MOEL. Specialized high school students were exposed to higher levels than workers, and some hazardous factors exceeded the standards when compared to international exposure standards. During the survey, students were less aware of the hazards of welding, safety and health education, and the need for work environment measurement than workers. Conclusions: For the respiratory protection of students in vocational high school welding labs, it is necessary to create a comfortable training environment. Exposure standards for harmful factors should be strictly applied, such as overseas standards, or exposure should be limited by setting a limit on the number of hours of welding practice per week. In addition, it is necessary to conduct safety and health education for welding students to raise their awareness of the importance of measuring the working environment and wearing appropriate protective equipment.

• 대한예방의학회:학술대회논문집
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• 대한예방의학회 1994년도 교수 연수회(환경)
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• pp.651-657
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• 1994

To assess quantitatively the association between benzene exposure and leukemia, we examined the mortality rate of a cohort with occupational exposure to benzene. Cumulative exposure for each cohort member was estimated from historical air-sampling data and, when no sampling data existed, from interpolation on the basis of existing data. The overall standardized mortality ratio (a measure of relative risk multiplied by 100) for leukemia was 337 (95 percent confidence interval, 154 to 641), and that for multiple myeloma was 409 (95 percent confidence interval, 110 to 1047). With stratification according to levels of cumulative exposure, the standardized mortality ratios for leukemia increased from 109 to 322, 1186, and 6637 with increases in cumulative benzene exposure from less than 40 parts per million-years (ppm-years), to 40 to 199, 200 to 399, and 400 or more. respectively. A cumulative benzene exposure of 400 ppm years is equivalent to a mean annual exposure of 10 ppm over a 40-year working lifetime; 10 ppm is the currently enforceable standard in the United States for occupational exposure to benzene. To examine the shape of the exposure-response relation, we performed a conditional logistic-regression analysis, in which 10 controls were matched to each cohort member with leukemia. From this model, it can be calculated that protection from benzene induced leukemia would increase exponentially with any reduction in the permissible exposure limit.

• 방사선산업학회지
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• 제11권1호
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• pp.47-54
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• 2017

Compared to other occupations, there is a greater risk of exposure to radiation due to the use of radioisotopes in nuclear medicine for diagnostic evaluations and therapy. To consider ways to reduce exposure dose for those in nuclear medicine involved in injection work and elution work among radiation workers as well as for sanitation workers and trainees among frequent workers an investigation into exposure dose and situational analysis from changes in yearly exposure dose evaluations, changes in work environment and changes in forms of inspection were conducted. Exposure dose measurements were taken by using EPD MK2 worn during working hours for one injection worker, one elution worker, two sanitation workers, and one trainee at a general hospital in the Seoul area for three days from July 18th to 20th 2016. Radiation from radioisotopes which are a part of nuclear medicine can significantly affect not only radiation workers who deal with radioisotopes directly but also frequency works as well. According to this study the annual dose limit for elution workers and injection workers were considered safe as the amount of exposure was not large enough to have a significant effect. The limits of this study consist in the duration of this study and the quantity of participants. Also there was a limitation of the measurement device involving accumulated exposure, where the EPD MK2 cannot check the changes in exposure according to a particular activity.

• 한국산업보건학회지
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• 제29권1호
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• pp.1-12
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• 2019

Objective: Significant concerns have been raised over chemical exposure and potential health risks such as increased cancer mortality among laboratory workers. The aim of this study was to investigate the overall exposure and unit task exposure levels of researchers in organic synthesis laboratories at universities. Methods: Seventy-seven personal Time-weighted average(TWA) samples and 139 task-based samples from four organic synthesis laboratories at two universities were collected over three days. The concentrations of acetone, chloroform, dichloromethane(DCM), diethyl ether, ethyl acetate, n-hexane, tetrahydrofuran(THF), benzene, toluene, and xylene were determined using the GC-FID. Results: The most frequently used chemicals in the laboratories were acetone, DCM, n-hexane, methanol, and THF. Carcinogens such as benzene, chloroform, and DCM were used in one or more laboratories. The TWA full-shift exposures of researchers to acetone was the highest(ND-59.3 ppm). Benzene was observed above the occupational exposure limit in 18-40% of the samples. The levels of exposure to organic solvents were statistically different by task(p<0.05), while washing task was the highest. Washing was not perceived as a part of the real lab tasks. Rather it was considered as simple dish-washing or experimental preparation and performed in an open sink where exposure to organic solvents was unavoidable. TWAs and task-based concentrations were compared by substance, which suggests that TWA-based assessment could not reflect short-term and high concentration exposures. Conclusions: Laboratory workers may be exposed to various organic solvents at levels of concern. TWA-based measurement alone cannot guarantee holistic exposure assessment among lab workers as their exposures are very dependent on their tasks. Further investigation and characterization for specific tasks and overall chronic exposures will help protect lab workers from unnecessary exposure to chemicals while they perform research.

• 한국산업보건학회지
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• 제33권1호
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• pp.19-33
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• 2023

Objectives: The purpose of this study is to systematically identify situations where exposure levels are expected to be high by structuring domestic lead measurement data according to exposure processes and activities. Methods: Occupational exposure data on lead was collected from the results of the Evaluation of Reliability of Working Environment Measurement conducted by the government from 2019 to 2020. Lead exposure characteristics were analyzed by PROC (process category) and activity. The Risk Characterization Ratios (RCRs) of five PROCs according to ventilation type and lead content were evaluated using the MEASE (Metal's EASE) model. Results: The exposure data on lead (n=250) was classified into 12 PROCs and 12 activities, with an average concentration of 0.040 mg/m³ and about 14% exceeding the occupational exposure limit of 0.05 mg/m³. Processes with high exposure levels were PROC 7 (industrial spraying), 23 (open processing and transfer operations of molten metal), 24 (mechanical treatment), 25 (welding), and 26 (handling of powder containing lead). The results of evaluating RCR for the five PROCs were greater than 1 or close to 1 even if local exhaust ventilation was used. Conclusions: There is a possibility that the concentration of exposure is high in the casting and tapping of molten metal containing lead, mechanical treatment such as fracturing and abrasion, handling of powder, spraying, battery manufacturing, and waste battery recycling processes. It is necessary to implement chemical management policies for workplaces with such processes.

• 대한인간공학회지
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• 제30권2호
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• pp.375-379
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• 2011

Objective: The aim of this paper is to introduce the Directive 2002/44/EC on the minimum health and safety requirements regarding the exposure of workers to the risks arising from vibration. Background: Human beings interact with machinery, and contact with vibration is commonplace. Unfortunately, continuous exposure to mechanical vibration can lead to physical injury. And standards are needed for identifying those at risk and for taking steps to mitigate the problem and reduce risk of injury. Method: The contents of the Directive were summarized and discussed, especially against its ISO counterparts. Results: The Directive deals with minimum safety and health prescriptions relative to workers' exposure to risks due to mechanical vibration. This directive specifies exposure limit values and action values. It also specifies employers' obligations with regard to determining and assessing risks, sets out the measures to be taken to reduce or avoid workers' exposure. Finally, it details how to make exposed workers aware of this issue. Conclusion: In spite of some limitations, it has recently been transcribed into all national laws of member States of European union. Application: The results of the paper might help to establish or update the domestic standards on vibration.

• 방사선산업학회지
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• 제18권1호
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• pp.1-7
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• 2024

The International Commission on Radiological Protection (ICRP) lowered the annual equivalent dose limit of lens of the eye for radiation workers from 150 to 20 mSv in April 2011. This trend of lowering the equivalent dose limit for radiation workers has been observed worldwide, including international organizations such as the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), International Organization for Standardization (ISO) and the European Commission (EC). In 2016, the Nuclear Safety and Security Commission of South Korea published research results that included a proposal for lowering the equivalent dose limit of lens of the eye for radiation workers in line with the ICRP recommendation. However, as of now, South Korea's Nuclear Safety Act and related regulations still specify an annual equivalent dose limit of lens of the eye as 150 mSv for radiation workers. The IAEA and ISO have issued guidelines regarding radiation protection for lens of the eye and recommended a dose level for the lens of the eye at 5 or 6 mSv per year for periodic monitoring of the equivalent dose for the lens of the eye.

• Transactions on Electrical and Electronic Materials
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• 제8권5호
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• pp.211-214
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• 2007

Chemical and morphological changes of phenol formaldehyde-based photoresist after $O_2$ radiofrequency(RF) plasma treatment depending on exposure time and source power were investigated. It was found that etch rate of photoresist sharply increased after discharge turn on and reached a limit with increase in plasma exposure time. Contact angle measurements and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy(XPS) analysis showed that the surface chemical structure become nearly constant after 15 sec of the treatment. Atomic force microprobe(AFM) measurements were shown that surface roughness was increased with plasma exposure time.