Journal of Korean Society of Occupational and Environmental Hygiene (한국산업보건학회지)

Korean Industrial Hygiene Association (한국산업보건학회)
권호 표지
DOI QR코드

DOI QR Code

Association between Subjective Distress Symptoms and Argon Welding among Shipyard Workers in Gyeongnam Province

경남소재 일개조선소 근로자의 건강이상소견과 아르곤 용접과의 관련성

  • Choi, Woo-Ho (Institute of Health Sciences Research Center of Occupational Medicine, Gyeongsang National University) ;
  • Jin, Seong-Mi (Institute of Health Sciences Research Center of Occupational Medicine, Gyeongsang National University) ;
  • Kweon, Deok-Heon (Institute of Health Sciences Research Center of Occupational Medicine, Gyeongsang National University) ;
  • Kim, Jang-Rak (Institute of Health Sciences Research Center of Occupational Medicine, Gyeongsang National University) ;
  • Kang, Yune-Sik (Institute of Health Sciences Research Center of Occupational Medicine, Gyeongsang National University) ;
  • Jeong, Baek-Geum (Institute of Health Sciences Research Center of Occupational Medicine, Gyeongsang National University) ;
  • Park, Ki-Soo (Institute of Health Sciences Research Center of Occupational Medicine, Gyeongsang National University) ;
  • Hwang, Young-Sil (Department of Internal Medicine, School of Medicine, Gyeongsang National University) ;
  • Hong, Dae-Yong (Institute of Health Sciences Research Center of Occupational Medicine, Gyeongsang National University)
  • 최우호 (경상대학교 건강과학연구원 산업의학연구센터) ;
  • 진성미 (경상대학교 건강과학연구원 산업의학연구센터) ;
  • 권덕헌 (경상대학교 건강과학연구원 산업의학연구센터) ;
  • 김장락 (경상대학교 건강과학연구원 산업의학연구센터) ;
  • 강윤식 (경상대학교 건강과학연구원 산업의학연구센터) ;
  • 정백근 (경상대학교 건강과학연구원 산업의학연구센터) ;
  • 박기수 (경상대학교 건강과학연구원 산업의학연구센터) ;
  • 황영실 (경상대학교 의학전문대학원 내과학교실) ;
  • 홍대용 (경상대학교 건강과학연구원 산업의학연구센터)
  • Received : 2014.11.17
  • Accepted : 2014.12.27
  • Published : 2014.12.31
Download PDF
⟨ Previous Next ⟩

Abstract

Objective: This study was conducted to investigate the association between subjective distress symptoms and argon welding among workers in Gyeongnam Province shipyard. Method: 31 argon and 29 non-argon welding workers were selected as study subjects in order to measure concentrations of personal dust, welding fumes and other hazardous materials such as ZnO, Pb, Cr, FeO, MnO, Cu, Ni, $TiO_2$, MgO, NO, $NO_2$, $O_3$, $O_2$, $CO_2$, CO and Ar. An interviewer-administered questionnaire survey was also performed on the same subjects. The items queried were as follows: age, height, weight, working duration, welding time, welding rod amounts used, drinking, smoking, and rate of subjective distress symptoms including headache and other symptoms such as fever, vomiting and nausea, metal fume fever, dizziness, tingling sensations, difficulty in breathing, memory loss, sleep disorders, emotional disturbance, hearing loss, hand tremors, visual impairment, neural abnormality, allergic reaction, runny nose and stuffiness, rhinitis, and suffocation. Statistical analysis was performed using SPSS software, version 18. Data are expressed as the mean ${\pm}SD$. An ${\chi}^2$-test and a normality test using a Shapiro wilk test were performed for the above variables. Logistic regression analysis was also conducted to identify the factors that affect the total score for subjective distress symptoms. Result: An association was shown between welding type (argon or non-argon welding) and the total score for subjective distress symptoms. Among the rate of complaining of subjective distress symptoms, vomiting and nausea, difficulty breathing, and allergic reactions were all significantly higher in the argon welding group. Only the concentration of dust and welding fumes was shown to be distributed normally after natural log transformation. According to logistic regression analysis, the correlations of working duration and welding type (argon or non-argon) between the total score of subjective distress symptoms were found to be statistically significant (p=0.041, p=0.049, respectively). Conclusion: Our results suggest that argon welding could cause subjective distress symptoms in shipyard workers.

Keywords

References

  1. Armstrong CW, Moore LWJ, Hackler RL, Miller GB, Stroube. An outbreak of metal fume fever. Diagnostic use of urinary copper and zine determinations. J Occup Med. 1983; 25:886-888 https://doi.org/10.1097/00043764-198312000-00011
  2. Burgess WA. Recognition of Health Hazards in Industry, NewYork: John wiley and Sons Inc.; 2007. p. 130-131
  3. Blanc PD. Inhalation Fever. In: Rom WN(eds) Environmental and Occupational Medicine. 4th ed. Philadelphia: Lippincott-Raven Pub. 2007. p. 402-419
  4. Cho YS, Seo HS, Park HS. A Case of occupational asthma in a metal arc welder. J Asthma allergy clinical lmmunology. 1992; 12(2):218-221
  5. Choi HC, Kim KY, An SH, Park WM, Kim SJ, Lee YJ, Chang KC. Airborne concentrations of welding fume and metals of workers exposed to welding fume. J Korean Soc Occup Environ Hyg 1999; 9(1):56-72
  6. Dennis JH, Mortazavi SB French MJ, Hewitt PJ, Redding CR. The effects of welding parameters on ultraviolet light emiss ions, ozone and Cr (VI) formation in MIG welding. Ann Occup Hyg 1997; 41(1): 95-104
  7. Hewitt PJ and Madden MG. Strategies for the modification of arc welding consumable and process parameters to reduce the risk from fumes and gases to health. second european conf. Joining Technology, May Flolence; 1986. p.16-18
  8. Hong YS, Kim BG, Kim SR, Dam DW, Kim JM, Jung KY, Kim JY. Study on the pulmonary function in welding exposed workers. Korean J. of Preventive Medicine 1995; 28(1):43-57
  9. Jeung JY, Lee KN, Kim JM. Welding fumes metal exposures, and metal contents of gas metal arc welding in the heavy construction machinery shop. J Korean Soc Occup Environ Hyg 2002; 12(1):7-17
  10. Kang YS, Sim SH, Lee SK, Bin SO, Choi ES. A Comparison study on the concentration of total welding fume and respirable particulate mass for welding workers of a shipbuilding. Kor J Env Hlth 2007; 33(4):276-282 https://doi.org/10.5668/JEHS.2007.33.4.276
  11. Korean Industrial Health Association(KIHA). Health Management Manual 1993. p. 93-141
  12. Korea Occupational Safety Health Agency. Welding work Safety 2011. p. 4-5
  13. Korea Offshore Shipbuilding Association. Shipbuilding Database 2013. p. 12-13
  14. Lim HS, A Study on bronchitis associated with welding at a manufacture factory. The Korean Academy of Family Medicine 1998; 19(1):95-106
  15. Lim HS, Cheong HK. A Case of metal fume fever associated with copper fume in a welder. Korean J of Preventive Medicine 1998; 31(3):414-423
  16. Lim HS, Lee JS. A case of occupational lung carcinoma occurred by exposure to welding fume. The Dongguk journal of medince 2003; 10(1):113-1122
  17. Ministry of Environment(MoE). A Study on Indoor Air Pollution Characterization and Management 2002. p. 18-19.
  18. Ministry of Employment and Labor(MoEL) Korean Statistical Information Service 2012
  19. Ministry of Employment and Labor(MoEL). Material Safety Data Sheet 2011
  20. Ministry of Employment and Labor(MoEL). Notification 2011-13
  21. National Institute of Environmental Research(NIoER). Effects of ozone on the human body. 1995. p. 1-35
  22. NIOSH Manual of Analytical Method(6014). 4th ed. Cincinnati, Ohio: Nation Institute of Occupational Safety and Health; 1994
  23. Patty FA. Industrial hygiene and toxicology. 3rd ed. John wiley and Sons Inc.; 1978. p. 613-620
  24. Yoon CS, Paik NW, Kim JH, Park DU, Ha KC, Choil SJ, Kim SB, Chae HB. Content variation of total chromium and hexavalent chromium in flux cored arc welding. J Korean Soc Occup Environ Hyg 2000; 10(1):32-45
  25. Yun IG, Yoo JI. Clinical findings of the patients with welder's lung in shipyard. Kor J Occup Health 1982; 21(3):64-72