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

Korean Industrial Hygiene Association (한국산업보건학회)
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The Current Work Environment Monitoring Status and Concentration Level of Substances with Short-Term Exposure Limits among Special Management Substances

특별관리물질 중 단시간노출기준 설정 물질의 작업환경측정 현황 및 농도 수준

  • Hyunhee Park (Occupational Safety and Health Research Institute, KOSHA) ;
  • Jihoon Jo (Occupational Safety and Health Research Institute, KOSHA)
  • 박현희 (한국산업안전보건공단 산업안전보건연구원) ;
  • 조지훈 (한국산업안전보건공단 산업안전보건연구원)
  • Received : 2024.08.22
  • Accepted : 2024.09.24
  • Published : 2024.09.30
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Abstract

Objectives: To investigate the work environment measurement (WEM) status and concentration levels of substances with short-term exposure limits (STEL) among special management substances. Methods: Data from the past 5 years of WEM for 6 substances (1,2-dichloropropane (1,2-DCP), 1,3-butadiene, benzene, trichloroethylene (TCE), perchloroethylene (PCE) and sulfuric acid) were analyzed. The number of samples and concentration level of STEL and 8-hour TWA (time weighted average) were compared. Results: The number of STEL measurement for 1,3-butadiene, benzene, and sulfuric acid was less than 1% of the number of TWA measurement samples, while TCE, 1,2-DCP, and PCE, which are mainly used for cleaning metals, were relatively high, at 16.1%, 5.6%, and 2.2%, respectively. When comparing the concentrations of STEL with TWA on the same STEL measured workers (STEL-matched TWA), STEL concentrations were 2.8, 3.1, 2.6, 2.6 and 40.5 times higher than TWA as 1,2-DCP, benzene, TCE, PCE, and sulfuric acid. When comparing the concentration of STEL-matched TWA with the total TWA, STEL-matched TWA was 3.4, 8, 1.4, 2.0, 8.6 and 0.7 times higher for 1,2-DCP, benzene, 1,3-butadiene, TCE, PCE, and sulfuric acid, respectively. Conclusions: This study found that the workers performing irregular tasks may be exposed to higher concentrations of hazardous substances than regular workers. It is necessary to strengthen short-term exposure measurement, even for substances which STEL have not been set.

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