• 한국산업보건학회지
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• 제31권2호
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• pp.111-118
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• 2021

Objectives: The necessity of samples for analysis requested by working environment monitoring institutes (WMIs) has grown recently. The collection of samples of a few chemical substances requested by WMIs is allowed under the current occupational safety and health act in Korea, leading to an expansion of samples for analysis requested by institutes (SRIs). The objective of this study was to identify the number of institutes for analyzing requested samples (IARS), SRIs, and their participation in a non-mandatory proficiency test. Methods: Questionnaires were completed by all WMIs. The collected information was quantity of analysis equipment, sorting of chemicals from SRIs, and the number of SRIs. This was compared in terms of the participation in the non-mandatory proficiency test. Results: All WMIs in Korea responded to the survey, establishing a 100% response rate. There were 52 (29%) IARS among the 179 WMIs in Korea. The total number of samples of acid for ion chromatograph (IC) analysis requested by WMIs was 21,165, which is the most. Even the number of IARS for crystalline silicon oxide was less than other top-five IARS. The total amount of samples was 13,863, which was the second most. The calculated participation score for IARS was significantly higher than other WMIs (p<0.001). According to participation in the non-mandatory proficiency test by type of substance, such as crystalline silicon oxide and formaldehyde among IARS, the number of SRIs from those IARS was significantly higher than IARS that did not participate in the proficiency test (p<0.05). Conclusions: IARS had a high frequency of participation in the non-mandatory proficiency test and the number of SRIs at IARS participating in the proficiency test was higher among IARS. With the revision of the occupational health and safety act in Korea, the number of IARS participating in the non-mandatory proficiency test might increase.

• 한국산업보건학회지
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• 제31권2호
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• pp.173-183
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• 2021

Objectives: This study evaluated the skin permeability of lawsone in henna hair dyes to understand the exposure characteristics of henna hair dyes in the human body. It examined the protective effects of protectants by applying protectants A, B, and C to test skin. Methods: Skin absorption tests were conducted using Franz diffusion cells according to OECD test guideline 428. After applying one kind of natural henna hair dye and chemical henna hair dye, respectively, to a standardized pig skin model, samples of receptor fluid were collected at 1h, 3h, 6h, and 24h. The skin permeation of lawsone was determined using HPLC. After the skin absorption experiment, the skin to which hair dye was applied was analyzed to determine the residual amount of lawsone in the skin. Results: The cumulative permeation of both natural and chemical henna hair dyes increased over time, and the natural henna hair dye had a flux value (t=3.194, p<.05) high both in the K_p value (t=3.207, p<.05) and the residual amount (t=22.701, p<.001). For skin treated with a protectant, the cumulative permeation of natural henna hair dye 24h control and the cumulative permeation of protectant A, B, and C increased over time. Flux and K_p values were in the order control > protectant A > protectant C > protectant B. The residual amount (F=4.469, p<.05) was in the order of protectant C > protectant A > protectant B > control. At 3h, the dye application time of natural henna hair dye, the lawsone flux value (F=4.454, p<.05) and K_p value (F=4.455, p<.05) were higher in the control group than in the protectant groups. The 24h cumulative permeation of the chemical henna hair dye increased with time in both the control and the protectant groups, and the flux and K_p values were in the order of protectant A > protectant C > protectant B > control. The residual amount (F=7.901, p<.01) was in the order of protectant B > protectant A> protectant C > control. Conclusions: Within the normal dyeing time for henna hair dye (three hours for natural henna hair dyes and 30 minutes for chemical henna hair dyes) lawsone skin penetration was not observed even when no protective agent was applied. After that time, however, evidence of skin penetration and retention of lawsone and the protective effect of protective agents were observed.

• 한국산업보건학회지
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• 제31권3호
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• pp.213-225
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• 2021

Objectives: This study identifies the trends in possible and probable occupational disease among chromium workers and reviews the literature on domestic and foreign chromium workers to review the industries, biological exposure levels, and major results. Methods: The results of the Ministry of Employment and Labor's special health-screening program for hazard agents among workers from 2009 to 2019 were used. Also, the industries, biological exposure levels, and major results on chromium workers were reviewed using PubMed and RISS. Results: The average annual proportion of both possible and probable occupational disease for chromium workers has recently increased. The average annual proportion of possible and probable occupational disease that can occur was high for both men and women in their 60s or older by age and 10 to 14 years by work duration. By industry, possible occupational disease showed high in manufacturing. In the literature review, many electroplating-related chromium-workers reported high levels of exposure to blood and urine chromium, as did dental technicians; tannery, tile factory or glass mill workers; cement workers; and sodium bichromate workers. Furthermore, a number of main findings in recent studies have reported that chromium exposure is related to genetic toxicity among workers. Conclusions: In this study, the average annual rate of both possible and probable occupational disease in domestic chromium workers is increasing, and a body of literature shows that chromium exposure is related to genetic toxicity and associated indicators among workers, which requires more systematic study.

• 한국산업보건학회지
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• 제31권1호
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• pp.73-82
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• 2021

Objectives: This study aimed to investigate the public cognition and information acquisition route for heavy metals and organic solvents in the general population in order to provide information for the development of public relations materials. Methods: The study was carried out by questionnaire from January to March 2011 by an interview with trained surveyors. There were 700 participants, divided by gender and age. A questionnaire was issued consisting of subjective and objective cognition evaluation items and questions about information acquisition route and preferred information acquisition route for six heavy metals and five organic solvents. Data were expressed as a percentage using the SPSS 23.0 software package. Result: For heavy metals, subjective and objective cognition degrees were higher in the order of lead, mercury, cadmium, and arsenic. They were higher among males than females, and in adults compared to school-age subjects. For organic solvents, both cognition degrees were high in the order of acetone, benzene, and formaldehyde. However, cognition degree by gender and age showed a complex pattern. As a response to information acquisition route, broadcast media had the highest in all ages and genders, followed by word of mouth from neighbors in elementary school children, school education or expert lectures in middle and high school students up to people in their 30s, and print media among those in their 40s to over 60s. There was no difference in the order by gender. As a response to preference for information acquisition route, broadcast media also proved the highest in all ages and genders, followed by school education or professional lectures among those in elementary school and over their 60s, and the internet in other age groups. Females preferred school education or expert lectures and word of mouth from neighbors, while males preferred the internet. In the case of the internet, the ranking was higher for preferred information acquisition route compared with the ranking for information acquisition route. Conclusions: This data on cognition degree, information acquisition route, and preferred information acquisition route according to gender and age can provide basic data for the development of educational and promotional materials for heavy metals and organic solvents exposure management.

• 한국산업보건학회지
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• 제31권2호
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• pp.138-146
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• 2021

Objectives: This study aims to compare and evaluate the reduction efficiency of disinfectants used in the domestic meat processing industry to reduce bioaerosol exposure of meat industry workers and to use this as basic data for establishing work environment management measures. Methods: Thirteen disinfectants sold in South Korea were selected for evaluation and the bacterial reduction effect of the disinfectants was investigated. Bacterial suspension and surface disinfection tests were conducted to compare and analyze the antibacterial strength of the disinfectants. Pork carcasses, cutting boards, benches, and conveyor belts were selected for surface sterilization tests. Results: As a result of the bacterial suspension experiment test, all disinfectants had a bacterial reduction efficiency of more than 86%. Among them, the bacterial reduction efficiency of chlorine disinfectants was 99.93% on average. In the results of the pork carcass surface sterilization test, the rate of reduction of disinfectants made of quaternary ammonium compounds (QACs) was the highest. Tests of plastic cutting boards showed that chlorine disinfectants had the best sterilization effect. Experiments on stainless steel benches showed the best bacterial reduction efficiency for chlorine dioxide and QACs disinfectants. In the conveyor belt made of urethane, QACs disinfectants showed excellent sterilization effects. Conclusions: The study evaluated the disinfection power of disinfectants against bacteria occurring in domestic meat processing plants. All disinfectants were found to be effective in bacterial suspension experiments, and chlorine disinfectants were particularly effective. In surface sterilization experiments, sterilizing agents with QACs as the main ingredient were excellent.

• 한국산업보건학회지
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• 제30권4호
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• pp.387-393
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• 2020

Objective: This study aimed to investigate the differences in temporary threshold shift (TTS) and recovery patterns according to different types of sound and volume. Methods: TTS and recovery patterns were assessed for eight students after 30-minute exposure to both 70.0 dB and 90.0 dB of factory noise (noise) as well as music. TTS was measured before exposure and two minutes post exposure, and recovery patterns were evaluated every 10 minutes for one hour. The subjects performed activities of daily life and sleeping times as usual but taking drugs or drinking alcohol were prohibited. The experiment was repeated three times with an interval of at least 16 hours. ANOVA and T-test were carried out using SPSS 19.0 for Windows. Results: The hearing threshold of all subjects before exposure was less than 30 dB at all frequencies. Mean TTSs of 70 dB noise and 90 dB noise exposure were 0.14 and 4.48 dB (p<0.001). Meanwhile, the difference in music was insignificant (-0.63 dB and 0.55 dB, p=0.063). A significance in the difference was also found between the mean TTS of music and noise exposure, more obviously at 90.0 dB (p<0.001) than at 70 dB (p=0.232). The TTS differences were found frequency-wise in terms of sound type. Mean TTS by frequency was higher at 4,000 and 6,000 Hz than at other frequencies, and higher in noise than music at the same sound pressure. The TTS difference in each frequency between both sound types was significant at 90 dB (p<0.001). Subjects mostly recovered from TTS in one hour after exposure, but not with 90 dB-noise exposure. Conclusion: TTS and recovery patterns were different depending on the sound type. When exposed to factory noise, TTS was greater and recovery time was longer compared to music at the same sound pressure. These results suggested that the difference in cognitive processes and psychological factors according to the type of sound causes a change in TTS and recovery.

• 한국산업보건학회지
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• 제32권2호
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• pp.116-128
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• 2022

Objectives: The aim of this study was to examine the association of working posture with headache/eye strain in Korean waged workers. Methods: Data were collected from the 5th Korean Working Condition Survey. A total of 30,955 workers participated in this study. A four-items of working postures were measured using a 7-point Likert scale, and we categorized them into three groups ('normal', 'moderate', and 'severe') each 4 items. Headache/eye strain were measured using a self-administrative questionnaire ('yes' vs. 'no'). To examine the relationship between the total working postures score and headache/eye strain, we summed a 4-items of working postures. It was categorized into five groups according to the severity of exposures('normal', 'mild', 'moderate', 'severe', and 'very severe'). The multivariate logistic regression analysis was performed using the IBM SPSS(Ver. 25), and a p<.05 was considered significant. Results: The results show that 'fatiguing and painful posture' and 'posture repetitively using hands or arms' were associated with headache/eye strain after controlling for control variables. The total working posture score was positively associated with headache/eye strain. People with higher levels of the total working posture score were more likely to increase the risk of headache/eye strain compared to those of normal(OR: 1.844, 95% CI: 1.549~2.195 for 'mild'; OR: 2.564, 95% CI: 2.152~3.503 for 'moderate'; OR: 4.140, 95% CI: 3.432~4.994 for 'severe'; OR: 7.613, 95% CI: 5.625~10.304 for 'very severe') (p<.05 for trend). Conclusions: These results indicate that inappropriate working postures might play a crucial role in developing headache/eye strain. It is needed to improve the working environment, especially focusing on reducing inappropriate working posture at the organizational level.

• 한국산업보건학회지
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• 제32권1호
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• pp.21-30
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• 2022

Objectives: The purpose of this study is to suggest an optimal method by comparing the analysis methods of work environment measurement datasets including left-censored data where one or more measurements are below the limit of detection (LOD). Methods: A computer program was used to generate left-censored datasets for various combinations of censoring rate (1% to 90%) and sample size (30 to 300). For the analysis of the censored data, the simple substitution method (LOD/2), β-substitution method, maximum likelihood estimation (MLE) method, Bayesian method, and regression on order statistics (ROS)were all compared. Each method was used to estimate four parameters of the log-normal distribution: (1) geometric mean (GM), (2) geometric standard deviation (GSD), (3) 95th percentile (X95), and (4) arithmetic mean (AM) for the censored dataset. The performance of each method was evaluated using relative bias and relative root mean squared error (rMSE). Results: In the case of the largest sample size (n=300), when the censoring rate was less than 40%, the relative bias and rMSE were small for all five methods. When the censoring rate was large (70%, 90%), the simple substitution method was inappropriate because the relative bias was the largest, regardless of the sample size. When the sample size was small and the censoring rate was large, the Bayesian method, the β-substitution method, and the MLE method showed the smallest relative bias. Conclusions: The accuracy and precision of all methods tended to increase as the sample size was larger and the censoring rate was smaller. The simple substitution method was inappropriate when the censoring rate was high, and the β-substitution method, MLE method, and Bayesian method can be widely applied.

• 한국산업보건학회지
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• 제32권1호
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• pp.41-52
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• 2022

Objectives: This study intends to review the impact on cleaning workers and suggest directions for improvement by reviewing the legal and institutional ways in which Article 86 Nos. 7 and 16 of the Enforcement Decree of the Occupational Safety and Health Act work on the maintenance and promotion of cleaning workers' health. Methods: The following laws and systems were reviewed and considered: First, the occupational safety and health legislation obligated or required to be applied to protect the health of cleaning workers; Second, the status of control of chemicals or mixtures used at cleaning sites through the Consumer Chemicals Product and Biocide Safety Control Act; Third, Control of consumer products according to foreign material safety data sheet related laws. Results: Legal and institutional measures necessary to protect the health of cleaning workers include the legal control of harmful substances to be controlled, work environment monitoring, and special health examinations. The application of the Consumer Chemicals Product and Biocide Safety Control Act does not satisfy the legal and practical level of health maintenance and promotion required by the Occupational Safety and Health Act, and the communication of chemical information is insufficient. Overseas, there are restrictions on the use of consumer products in the workplace without material safety data sheets. Conclusions: It is necessary to improve the system to ensure the health of workers handling consumer chemical products. The remaining laws and regulations exempted from the obligation to prepare material safety data sheets should be additionally reviewed.

• 한국산업보건학회지
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• 제32권3호
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• pp.268-278
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• 2022

Objectives: This study aimed to establish a control group based on the big data from National Health Insurance Service. We also presented presented the number of incidences for each cancer, and analyzed the cancer incidence rate among Korean workers. Methods: The cohort definition was separated by 'baseline cohort', 'dynamic cohort', and 'fixed- industry cohort' according to the definition. Cancer incidence was calculated based on the Korean Standard Classification of Disease code. Incidence rate was calculated among the group of all workers and public officials. Based on the study subjects and each cohort definition, the number of observations, incidences, and the incidence rate according to sex and age groups was calculated. The incidence rate was estimated based on the incidence per 100,000 person-year, and 95% confidence intervals calculated according to the Poisson distribution. Results: The result shows that the number of cancer cases in the all-worker group decreases after the age of 55, but the incidence rate tends to increase, which is attributed to the retirement of workers over 55 years old. Despite the specific characteristics of the workers, the trend and figures of cancer incidence revealed in this study are similar to those reported in previous studies of the overall South Korean population. When comparing the incidence rates of all workers and the control group of public officials, the incidence rate of public officials is generally observed to be higher in the age group under the age of 55. On the other hand, for workers aged 60 or older, the incidence rates were 1,065.4 per 100,000 person-year for all workers and 1,023.7 per 100,000 person-year for civil servants. Conclusions: This study analyzed through health insurance data including all workers in Korea, and analyzed the incidence of cancer of workers by sex and age. In addition, further in-depth researches are needed to determine the incidence of cancer by industry.