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

Korean Industrial Hygiene Association (한국산업보건학회)
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Proposals for Revising the Occupational Exposure Limits for Aluminum in Korea

국내 알루미늄 노출실태 및 노출기준 개정 제안

  • Received : 2024.02.25
  • Accepted : 2024.03.28
  • Published : 2024.03.31
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Abstract

Objectives: This study was intended to investigate the revision status of the occupational exposure standards for aluminum at home and abroad; to investigate worker exposure at domestic aluminum manufacturing and handling workplaces; to conduct social and economic evaluation for the revision of domestic aluminum exposure limits. Methods: We investigated the current status of occupational exposure limits for aluminum at home and abroad, and analyzed supporting data. An exposure survey was conducted targeting domestic aluminum manufacturing and handling workplaces. Based on these, revised aluminum occupational exposure limits were proposed. Results: The major aluminum exposure limits at home and abroad show a notable difference. The toxicity of aluminum, which was revealed through animal experiments and epidemiological investigations. The average concentration of aluminum in the air at 12 workplaces was 0.016 mg/m3, and the maximum was 0.0776 mg/m3. When total dust and respiratory dust were measured side by side and simultaneously for the same process, 12.1% of the total mass concentration of aluminum dust was respiratory dust. As a result of measuring and comparing the size distribution of dust with an optical particle counter in real time, 48.1% of the total dust in the form of welding fume and pyro-powder was respiratory dust. Based on the literature review and workplace survey, three proposals for changing the aluminum exposure limit were proposed. Proposal (1): For all types, 10 mg/m3 is unified as the exposure limit except for soluble salts and alkyls. Proposal (2): 1(R) mg/m3 as the exposure limit for all forms except soluble salts and alkyl. Proposal (3): 1(R) mg/m3 for pyro-powder and welding fume, and 10 mg/m3 for metal dust, aluminum oxide, and insoluble compounds as exposure standards. A pyro-powder was defined as dry aluminum powder of 200 mesh size (74 ㎛) or smaller (larger size classified as metal dust). Reason for setting: In the workplace survey, the ratio of respiratory dust to total dust was analyzed to be about 1:10, so it was judged that the domestic standard and the ACGIH standard were compatible. Conclusions: In all scenarios according to the revision of the exposure standard, the B/C ratio was greater than 1 or only benefits existed, so it was evaluated as sufficiently reasonable as a result of the socio-economic evaluation.

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