• Journal of Korean Society of Occupational and Environmental Hygiene
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• v.21 no.2
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• pp.103-109
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• 2011

Object: we investigated some factors which can affect workers' comprehension of chemical hazard information and their actions to protect themselves from the hazard. Method: Comprehension score of chemical hazard information and the rate of wearing personal protective equipment (PPE) was surveyed for the 109 workers from 15 factories who were exposed to N, N-dimethylformamide. Difference of the worker's comprehension score of hazard information was analyzed by education interval, work duration and the way of occupational safety and health management between self-managed or sub-contracted. Result: Mean comprehension score of N, N-dimethylformamide hazard, which was given as a short quiz composed of 10 "true" or "false" problems, was 65%. Mean percentage of wearing PPE was improved as the education program was done within a month but decreased after 6 months. Eighty seven % of workers got the chemical hazard information from the material safety data sheet placed at workplace. Conclusion: Education interval and comprehension score affected the rate of wearing PPE. The way of occupational safety and health management self-managed or sub-contracted did not affect the workers' comprehension score on hazard information nor the rate of wearing PPE.

• Journal of Korean Society of Occupational and Environmental Hygiene
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• v.30 no.3
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• pp.280-291
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• 2020

Objectives: Hazard classification is a controversial issue in the new MSDS system in which chemical companies have to prepare and submit MSDS for chemicals that they manufacture or import to the competent authorities according to the amended Occupational Safety and Health Act. The aim of this study is to suggest how to apply and manage harmonized hazard classification criteria and results by investigating current hazard classification systems and trends. Methods: The domestic issues about different hazard classification criteria and results were investigated by reviewing the literature and business outcomes regarding KOSHA. We also checked official and unofficial reports from the UN to understand international discussion about the topic. Chemical hazard classification results from agencies providing chemical information were analyzed to compare a harmonized rate between classifications. Furthermore, a field survey of a few chemical companies was conducted. Results: Under the related competent authorities, an integrated standard proposal was developed to harmonize the domestic hazard classification criteria. Although harmonized chemical information is strongly needed, we recognized the uncertainty and difficulty of harmonized hazard classification from the UN global list project review. In practice the harmonization rate of the classification was generally low between the classification in KOSHA, MoE, and EU CLP. Among hazard classes, health hazards largely led the disharmony. The field survey revealed a change of perception that the main body of chemical information production is manufacturers. Approaches and solutions about hazard classification issues differed depending on business size, types of chemical handling, and other factors. Conclusions: We proposed reasonable ways by time and step to apply hazard classification in the new MSDS system. Chemical manufacturers should make and offer chemical information including responsible hazard classifications. The government should primarily accept these classifications, evaluate them by priority, and support or supervise workplaces in order to communicate reliable chemical information.

• Journal of Korean Society of Occupational and Environmental Hygiene
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• v.22 no.1
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• pp.73-81
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• 2012

Object: The aim of this study is to suggest a list of priority chemicals for the Hazard & Risk Evaluation of Chemicals (HREC) controlled by the Industrial Safety and Health Act (ISHA). Method: Screening assessment was done for 642 chemicals whose exposure threshold limit values were set by the Ministry of Employment and Labor (MOEL). Hazard data were collected from Korea Occupational Safety & Health Agency (KOSHA) and/or other toxicity database. Exposure data were obtained from KOSHA internal database. The hazard and exposure scores of chemicals were listed by order of priority in accordance with GHS classification and exposure index data. Result: From the result of screening risk assessment for 642 chemicals, we extracted a list of 13 priority chemicals for HREC performed by the ISHA. A priority list of 27 chemicals which have carcinogen, mutagen and/or reproductive toxicity but not controlled by the ISHA was suggested for additional evaluation as "chemicals for special management".

• 대한예방의학회:학술대회논문집
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• 1994.02a
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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.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Safety
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• v.24 no.5
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• pp.13-20
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• 2009

The risk assessment of thermal hazard to identify chemical or process hazard during early process developments have been considered. The early identification of thermal hazards associated with a process, such as rapid heats of reaction, exothermic decompositions, and the potential for thermal runaways before any large scale operations are undertaken. This paper presents to evaluate the safe operating parameters/envelope for exist plant operations. The assessment of thermal hazard with operating conditions such as amount of process materials, inhibitor, and catalyst on esterification process in manufacture of concrete mixture agents are described. The experiments were performed by a sort of calorimetry with the Multimax reactor system as a screening tool. The aim of the study was to evaluate the thermal risk of process material and mixture in terms of safety security to be practical applications in esterification process. It suggested that we should provide the thermal hazard of reaction materials to present safe operating conditions with cause of accident through this study.

• Journal of Preventive Medicine and Public Health
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• v.25 no.3 s.39
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• pp.269-286
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• 1992

The purpose of this study is to investigate the present state of worker's recognition and attitude about hazard materials and occupational disease in his workplace. In general worker's view of hazard materials and occupational disease that sis recognition and attitude is related to worker's health behavior for preventing occupational disease and improving his health status. The study subject is composed of workers in the asbestos related industry for example brake lining manufacturing industry, asbestos fiber manufacturing industry, and asbestos slate manufacturing industry. The result of the study are follows : 1. The most of workers in the asbestos related industry have taken health education and safety education, and the more than half of workers recognized the usefulness of preventive device, and ventilatory device in workplace. 2. About 70% of workers have always taken the preventive device. 3. About 80% of workers have recognized occupational disease in the asbestos related industry, and about 64% of workers have recognized that hls workplace have harmful effect on his health. 4. Recognition about the usefulness of ventilatory device in work place has not related with any variables. But recognition about the usefulness of repiratory protector has related with recognition of hazard materials in his workplace, for example asbestos. 5. Attitude about severity and susceptability of occupational disease in the asbestos related industry have related with knowledge about hazard materials and occupational disease.

• Safety and Health at Work
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• v.7 no.4
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• pp.389-393
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• 2016

Job hazard analyses were conducted to assess exposure to musculoskeletal disorder (MSD) risk factors in seven workers of three dry-cleaning establishments. In accordance with the Washington State Ergonomics Rule, the analyses were performed in two separate steps: (1) observation and checklist approaches were made to identify a "caution zone job" in the seven workers' pressing operations across the three shops; and (2) detailed posture and motion analyses were undertaken to determine a "MSD hazard" in one worker's operation using a video technique. One "caution zone job" was identified and it was the pressing operation job in which five physical risk factors were found in the pressing operations. The detailed analyses confirmed that one "MSD hazard", i.e., awkward posture in shoulders, was prevalent in the pressing operations of the three dry-cleaning facilities. It would be desirable to reduce MSD risk factors including awkward shoulder posture in the dry-cleaning industry.

• Safety and Health at Work
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• v.1 no.1
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• pp.98-101
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• 2010

This study explored the health hazard of those exposed to methylene chloride by assessing its atmospheric concentration when a tear gas mixture was aerially dispersed. The concentration of methylene chloride ranged from 311.1-980.3 ppm (geometric mean, 555.8 ppm), 30 seconds after the dispersion started. However, the concentration fell rapidly to below 10 ppm after dispersion was completed. The concentration during the dispersion did not surpass the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health 'immediately dangerous to life or health' value of 2,300 ppm, but did exceed the American Conference of Governmental Industrial Hygienists excursion limit of 250 ppm. Since methylene chloride is highly volatile (vapor pressure, 349 mmHg at $20^{\circ}C$), the post-dispersion atmospheric concentration can rise instantaneously. Moreover, the o-chlorobenzylidenemalononitrile formulation of tear gas (CS gas) is an acute upper respiratory tract irritant. Therefore, tear gas mixtures should be handled with delicate care.

• Journal of Korean Society of Occupational and Environmental Hygiene
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• v.17 no.4
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• pp.322-334
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• 2007

This study covers the investigation of the actual condition in the workplace to produce plastics products using synthetic resins and the investigation on the trends amount of the domestic production of thermoplastic resins. To analyze the monomers included in thermoplastic resins frequently used in the workplace, we analyzed thermal characteristics for test compounds using thermogravimetric analysis and did the qualitative analysis using Pyrolyzer GC-MSD & TDS GC-MSD. And then we classified the health hazard of monomers based on GHS classification criteria using information toxicity & carcinogenicity. The number of the workplace to produce plastics products among all domestic manufacturers of 73,884 was 4,391 (5.94%). The number of workers to produce plastics products among all workers of 2,522,750 in all domestic manufacturers was 104,971 (4.16%). The amount of production per year for thermoplastic resins is in the order of PP, HDPE, LDPE, PVC, ABS, PS and such compounds was producing over 1 Million ton per year each. The classification result based on GHS classification criteria for 22 main compounds included thermoplastic resins says 2 compounds of acrylonitrile, naphthalene are in Acute oral category 3 and benzene is in Acute dermal category 1. The classification results of health hazard of carcinogenicity based on IARC & ACGIH carcinogen classification says 2 compounds of benzene, vinyl chloride are in category 1A (known to be human carcinogens).

• Journal of Korean Society of Occupational and Environmental Hygiene
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• v.29 no.1
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• pp.13-20
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• 2019

Objective: This study was performed to propose a domestic occupational exposure limit(OEL) following a health hazard assessment, calculation of a non-carcinogenicity reference concentration worker($RfC_{worker}$) value, and examination of international agencies' exposure limits. It also recommends legal management within the Occupational Safety and Health Act for PHMG-Phosphate(CAS No. 89697-78-9), It is a humidifier disinfectant that generated many lung injuries. Methods: We have investigated the recommendation or guidelines of foreign OEL for PHMG-Phosphate and the actual state of legal management in Korea. To examine the procedures and methods for recommendation OEL. Toxicological hazard and health hazard classifications were examined and a non-carcinogenicity $RfC_{worker}$ value was calculated for PHMG-Phosphate. An OEL and the necessity of legal management were recommended as well. Results and Conclusions: The OEL for PHMG-Phosphate is recommended to be $0.01mg/m^3$. The recommended OEL is close to 10 times the RfCworker value of $0.000833mg/m^3$ calculated from the chemical dose-response hazard assessment, which is a 2017 study. The CMIT/MIT(3:1) mixture, which was a social issue as a humidifier disinfectant substance, was also exposed to the same ratio in March 2018, establish the OEL. It is recommended to establish OEL for PHMG-Phosphate to prevent worker health hazards and for chemical safety management.