• Journal of Environmental Health Sciences
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• v.35 no.3
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• pp.153-161
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• 2009

The purpose of this paper is to evaluate 1) blood lead levels of workers at auto repair shops as Biological Exposure Indices (BEI) of toxic substances such as lead and toluene that are produced during automotive painting process, 2) the differences depending on personal characteristics of workers who have been exposed to toluene by using urine hippuric acid concentration as a marker and 3) the correlation between the concentration of hazardous chemicals in each workplace and the BEL. All subjects were male with a mean age of 36.2 years. In terms of age, most were in the 30 to 40 age group (13 persons, 48.1%). In relation to the length of work experience, the highest proportion had experience of 10 years of less (18 persons, 66.7%). Twenty three workers were cigarette smokers (85.2%) while 4 (14.8%) were non-smokers. In addition, more than 80% of the workers drank alcohol. Dust concentration and toluene exposure during automotive painting showed no significant difference with age, length of work experience, smoking and drinking while a significant difference (p<0.05) has been detected between lead concentration and smoking. The geometric mean of dust concentration, lead concentration and toluene concentration were $0.38mg/m^3,\;0.0021mg/m^3$ and 1.08ppm respectively. In addition, the geometric mean of blood lead levels and urine hippuric acid concentration were $1.70{\mu}g/dl$ and 0.25g/g respectively, which were lower than the standard levels suggested by the Ministry of Labor. To determine the influential factors on blood lead and urine hippuric acid concentrations, a correlation analysis has been conducted with variables of air, lead and toluene concentrations, age, length of work experience and amount of cigarette smoking. According to the analysis, a relatively high correlation (p<0.01) has been observed between air lead concentration and biological sample concentration.

• Journal of Korean Society of societal Security
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• v.2 no.2
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• pp.49-54
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• 2009

High incident of accidents in construction jobsite became a social problem. According to the International Labour Organization (ILO), more than 60,000 fatal accidents occur each year in construction workplace worldwide. This number of accidents accounts for about 17 percent of all fatal workplace accidents. Especially, accidents from struck-by and falls comprise of over 60 percent of construction fatalities. This paper introduces a prototype of a received signal strength index (RSSI)-based safety monitoring to mitigate the potential accidents caused by falls and struck-by. Correlation between signal strength and noise index is examined to create the distance profile between a transmitter and a receiver. Throughout the distributed sensor nodes attached on potential hazardous objects, the proposed prototype envisions that construction workers with a tracker-tag can identify and monitor their current working environment in construction workplace, and early warning system can reduce the incidents of fatal accident in construction job site.

• Korean Journal of Health Education and Promotion
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• v.15 no.2
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• pp.1-21
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• 1998

The industrial health education is the most fundamental and active area in the industrial health. It has become increasingly recognized as an important component of preventive occupational health programs and is an essential service for improvement of productivity and employee's health. Evaluating the worker's health status is a part of the occupational health promotion policy and is very important to know the efficiency of the occupational health service. In this point, the purpose of this study was to clarify the effect of the industrial health education on worker's health status. This study included a survey of 625 workers at 28 factories in Puchon area form August Z7 to September 30, 1996. The research was carried out through the analysis of the self-administered questionnaires and health examination records. The results were as follows: 1. For demographic characteristics, 66.5% of the respondents were male. The most prevalent age group was 30 - 39years group(30.4%). Those who graduated from high school were 43.5%. The workers whose monthly income ranged from 600,000 to 100,000 won were 40.3%. As for the marital status, 69.4% of the respondents were married. 2. For occupational characteristics, 37.9% of the workers had worked 2 to 5 years in the factories, 69.4% of the respondents worked at the assembly line and the staffs were 27.0%. T26.4% of the respondents worked at hazardous workplace and 71.8% of the workers worked 9 to 10 hours a day. Those who worked during the night were 56.0%. Those who felt much for them workload were 29.9% and were dissatisfied with their working environment and job were 33.6%, 19.1%. 3. The 39.4% of the respondents received the industrial health education and most of them received on the safety and only few on family health. 70.7% out of those who had industrial health education reported it helped their health management.

• Journal of Korean Society of Occupational and Environmental Hygiene
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• v.11 no.1
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• pp.70-77
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• 2001

This study was conducted to identify the current status of occupational safety and health by checklist and to evaluate the airborne exposure to chemicals and to provide the appropriate recommendation for safety and health of laundries. A total of 20 laundries located in tile Gyungi district area were surveyed from July 20 to September 15, 2000. The prevalence of laundries having a stove and gas range were found to be 25 % and 55 %, respectively. Smoking is not allowed in 60 % of the laundries. Only 10 % of dry-cleaners were isolated. Ventilation systems in laundries had not been annually inspected. Most of the workers didn't put on respirators, MSDS were not available, and storage bottles did not contain warning labels. The bulk samples of dry cleaning agent include many chemicals that are not controlled by the MOL in Korea. The detected airborne organic solvents in the laundries were benzene, toluene, p-xylene, m-xylene, o-xylene, perchloroethylene, and 2-butoxy ethanol. The airborne concentrations of organic solvents were much less than the occupational exposure limits proposed by the Ministry of Labor(MOL) in Korea. But the concentrations of benzene exceeded the TLV of ACGIH. This study showed that the current status of occupational safety and health was not appropriate for workers in laundries. It is recommended that laundry workers should be educated for the treatment and storage of hazardous organic solvents to improve the occupational safety and health of the working environment as well as MSDS usage. Also, extended research and survey for the organic solvents that are not controlled by the MOL has to be conducted.

• Journal of Internet of Things and Convergence
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• v.5 no.2
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• pp.73-79
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• 2019

Research is underway on services and systems that provide real-time alerts for suffocating gases and potentially explosive materials, but currently smart bend type services are lacking. This study supports real-time identification of explosion hazards due to static electricity in the workplace and immediate elimination of accident occurrence factors, real-time monitoring of worker status and workplace hazards (oxygen, hazardous chemical concentration), and immediate warning and data in case of danger. We propose a method of establishing an accident prevention system through analysis. In this way, various accidents that may occur in industrial sites are monitored using IoT-based intelligent sensor nodes, wireless network technology, data processing middleware, and integrated control system, and real-time risk information at the industrial sites is prevented and accidents are prevented. By supporting a safe working environment, the company can significantly reduce costs compared to post-procurement costs.

• Journal of Korean Society of Occupational and Environmental Hygiene
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• v.19 no.3
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• pp.280-287
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• 2009

High-tech microelectronics industry is known as one of the most chemical-intensive industries. In Korea, Microelectronics industry occupied 38% of export and 16% of working employees work in microelectronics industry. But, chemical information and health hazards of high-tech microelectronics manufacturing are poorly understood because of rapid development and its penchant for secrecy. We need to investigate on chemical use and exposure control. We Site-visits to 6 high-tech microelectronics manufacturing company which have cleanroom work using over 1,000kg organic solvents (5 semi-conductor chips and its related parts company, 1 liquid crystal display (LCD)). We reviewed their data on chemical use and ventilation system, and measured TVOCs (Total Volatile Organic Compounds) and carbon dioxide concentration. All cleanroom air passed through hepa filters to acheive low particle levels and only 1 cleanroom uses carbon filters to minimize the organic solvents exposures In TVOC screening test, Cleanroom for semi-conductor chips and its related parts company with laminar down flow system (e.g. class 1~100) showed nondetectable level of TVOCs concentration, but Cleanroom for liquid crystal display (LCD) with conventional flow system (e.g. class 1,000~10,000) showed 327 ppm as TVOCs. Acetone concentration in cleanroom for Jig cleaning, LC Injection, Sealing processes were 18.488ppm (n=14), 49.762 ppm (n=15), 8.656 ppm (n=14) as arithmetric mean. Acetone concentration in cleanroom for LCD inspection process was 40ppm (n=55) as geometric mean, where the range was 7.8~128.7ppm and weakly correlated with ventilation rate efficiency(r=0.44, p<0.05). To control organic solvents in cleanrooms, chemical and carbon filters should be installed with hepa filters. Even though their volatile organic compounds concentration was not exceed to occupational exposure limits, considering of entrance limited cleanroom environment, long-term period exposure effects and adverse health effects of cleanroom worker need further reseach.

• Journal of Korean Society of Occupational and Environmental Hygiene
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• v.17 no.2
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• pp.101-110
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• 2007

This study was performed to find out hazardous factors in the loaded works of muscular skeletal disorders(MSDs) for four company attached to dining workers from October 2005 to June 2006. The results are summarized as follows. 1. 42.5% of workers in study group were 40-50 years old, and females were higher than males, and the average of body weight was 70kg, 57kg in males and females, respectively. Working time per day was mostly 7-9hours, and the rate of worker who had never education and training was 46%. 2. The upper part and right part of body were higher than lower part and left part in symptoms of muscular skeletal disorders. Body parts which complained of symptoms were the order of right shoulder(55%), right arm(54%), right hand,(40%) waist(35%), leg(25%), and neck(24%). 3. The results of evaluation in the loaded works of muscular skeletal disorders to cooking, dish supply, preparing side dish, and washing the dishes and cleaning the floor of cooking room using RULA and OWAS checklists was action level 4(potential hazards, needs of change workplace), and the result of evaluation using back compressive force needed control measures as 779.27 lbs~1,274.04 lbs. In a view point of the result of this study, large dining rooms should be designed by ergonomic technology for the work surface height, width, and depth. The height of carrying car should be lower to 70cm, and repetitiveness and handling weight should be reduced by mechanical means, and education and training also should be performed for all of workers positively.

• Journal of Food Hygiene and Safety
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• v.1 no.2
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• pp.121-131
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• 1986

Four types of restaurants in Seoul city area were aSsessed in terms of the sanitary conditions and practices, and the microbiological quality. Sanitary check-lists were developed to evaluate the sanitary condition of sampled restaurants. Subjective samples were randomly selected based on the distribution factors of areas, types, and sizes. Microbiological tests on foods, equipments, and utensils were done according to standard procedures and included total plate count and coli forms. Singnificant differences among types or sizes were determined by using one-way analysis of variance. Correlation coefficients were calculated to determine significant relationships between sanitary scores and microbiological counts. The results of the study are summarized as follows: 1) Sanitary condition of kitchen and dining areas as well as the sanitary practices of employees were evaluated as the unsatisfactory state with potentially hazardous practices observed. 2) The microbiological quality of food items with high cooking temperature was in good condition, but most food items showed high levels of microbiological counts mainly due to the improper food handling practices of employees. 3) The sanitary conditions of equipment and utensils which were used at preparation and cooking phases, and food containers which were used at the serving phase, were crucial. Serveal guidelines were suggested for the improvement of the working environment as well as the food Quality.

• Safety and Health at Work
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• v.13 no.1
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• pp.86-92
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• 2022

Background: A laboratory where chemicals are handled can be considered a hazardous environment, and hence, prudent practices should be strictly enforced. If not, deadly accidents and incidents could occur due to a lack of safety practices and poor safety culture. The purpose of this study is to analyze the existing safety culture and propose potential recommendations to enhance the level of safety education in the chemical laboratories in the Western Province of Sri Lanka. Methods: A survey questionnaire was administered among the laboratory supervisors of the chemical laboratories in the Western Province of Sri Lanka in 2019. Results: Even though 80 surveys were distributed among prospective participants, only 46 surveys were submitted, which is 58% of the response rate. Most of the individuals who participated in the survey were females below 35 years old, and approximately 96% of the participants had at least one year of working experience in the same laboratory setting. The majority considered safety as an important factor that requires further improvements with third-party safety inspections; however, 54% of the respondents mentioned that those inspections were conducted by the employees from their laboratory. Conclusion: From the study, it has been discovered that employees have knowledge of safety culture to a certain extent. A significant percentage (83%) of participants believed that further safety measures are required for a safer laboratory. However, the study revealed that the attitudes of some employees should be changed to have a better safety culture. Hence the authors would like to suggest having annual training sessions and well-formulated safety policies to improve the safety culture.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Marine Environment & Safety
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• v.21 no.6
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• pp.790-797
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• 2015

This study tried to evaluate the safety and economical benefit of Nitrox-diving by comparing with Air diving. We used actual diving data which was recorded in construction site of the Busan-Geoje fixed link immersed tunnel in 2010. The study method was to assort and analyze the diving data by divers, depth, breathing air, and diving table. Furthermore, the study examined the possibility of outbreak decompression sickness by comparing Nitrox diving and Air diving in no-decompression limit time, decompression time, working time. As a result, this study confirms that if certain diver breathe Nitrox for diving and oxygen for decompression, not only the risk of decompression sickness could be minimized, but also duration of decompression could be shortened. Moreover, it was estimated that a remarkable difference(more than 3 times) between actual duration of underwater construction period and virtual construction period by using air. As a result, the study confirmed that Nitrox diving is more efficient and economical than Air diving in physically limited and hazardous diving environment.