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

Korean Industrial Hygiene Association (한국산업보건학회)
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Generating Characteristics of VOCs in a Commercial Laundry Shop and the Effects on the Health of Workers

소규모 세탁소의 휘발성유기화합물 발생 특성과 종사자의 건강에 미치는 영향

  • Park, Ok-Hyun (Public Health & Environment Research Institute of Gwangju) ;
  • Lee, Kyoung-Seok (Public Health & Environment Research Institute of Gwangju) ;
  • Min, Kyoung-Woo (Public Health & Environment Research Institute of Gwangju) ;
  • Cho, Gwang-woon (Public Health & Environment Research Institute of Gwangju) ;
  • Yoon, Kwan-Ju (Public Health & Environment Research Institute of Gwangju) ;
  • Jeong, Won-Sam (Public Health & Environment Research Institute of Gwangju) ;
  • Cho, Young-Gwan (Public Health & Environment Research Institute of Gwangju) ;
  • Kim, Eun-Sun (Public Health & Environment Research Institute of Gwangju) ;
  • Yang, Jin-Seok (Korea Industrial Health Association)
  • 박옥현 (광주광역시보건환경연구원) ;
  • 이경석 (광주광역시보건환경연구원) ;
  • 민경우 (광주광역시보건환경연구원) ;
  • 조광운 (광주광역시보건환경연구원) ;
  • 윤관주 (광주광역시보건환경연구원) ;
  • 정원삼 (광주광역시보건환경연구원) ;
  • 조영관 (광주광역시보건환경연구원) ;
  • 김은선 (광주광역시보건환경연구원) ;
  • 양진석 (대한산업보건협회 광주보건센터)
  • Received : 2016.03.07
  • Accepted : 2016.04.26
  • Published : 2016.06.30
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Abstract

Objectives: The objective of this study was to evaluate the generating characteristics of VOCs and the exposure effect to chemicals among laundry workers and to identify the current status of occupational safety and health through health check-ups. Methods: During the six-month period from April to September 2015, this study quantitatively measured seven VOCs in ten laundries and carried out health examinations on 35 workers. Results: Comparing the monitoring results for the ten laundries, they were classified into three groups by ventilation system, dry-cleaning and size of shop. The average concentration of toluene, chlorobenzene, xylene, ethylbenzene, benzene, styrene and TCE were 23.9, 15.6, 5.5, 2.8, 0.9, 0.3 and $1.3{\mu}g/m^3$, respectively. During dry-cleaning, VOC concentrations were 1.3-8.9 times higher than usual. On the other hand, at night the concentrations of toluene, chlorobenzene, xylene, ethylbenzene, benzene, styrene and TCE were 64.3, 41.5, 12.2, 6.3, 1.1, 1.2 and $6.6{\mu}g/m^3$, respectively. The health checkup results for the 35 workers showed that 13 workers were diagnosed as normal, while 22 workers were diagnosed as requiring continuous monitoring or re-checkup of liver and hematogenous functions. Conclusions: Although the results of exposure evaluation to VOCs did not exceed reference value and items had a low correlation with health checkup items, it is necessary to improve indoor air quality due to VOC volatilization from clothes.

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References

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