• 한국환경보건학회지
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• 제27권4호
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• pp.51-62
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• 2001

Geometric mean of airborne welding fume concentration at technical high schools was 4.80mg/㎥)N.D~35.39 mg/ ㎥ and the percentage of samples exceeded TLV of the Korean ministry of labor was 43.6%, Geometric mean of airborne Mn concentration was 0.06 mg/㎥(N.D~0.42mg/㎥) and the percentage of samples exceeded TLV of ACGIH was 15.4 % In case of airborne Me concentration, there is a significant difference among schools (p<0.05) Mn concentrations in blood of the exposed and control groups were 1.84$\mu\textrm{g}$/dl and 1.91 mg/dl respectively. Mn concentrations in urine of the exposed and control groups were 1.36$\mu\textrm{g}$/ιand 0.57$\mu\textrm{g}$/ι respectively. In case of Mn concentrations in urine there is a significant difference between both groups(P<0.001) and among schools(p<0.05) Mn concentrations in blood and urine of exposed group were not over BEIs of the Korean ministry of labor. Mn levels in blood and urine were not significantly affected by smoking, drinking and residence, There was no correlation between Mn concentration in air and blood but there was a statistically significant correlation between Mn concentration in air urine(r=0.323). There was no a statistically significant correlation between Mn concentration in blood and urine.

• 한국환경보건학회지
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• 제34권2호
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• pp.153-160
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• 2008

Personal noise exposure was assessed in railroad operators working in 40 operation units including the Gyeongbu line, Honam line, and Janghang line between 2004 and 2006. 8-hour TWA were assessed based on the MOL (Ministry of Labor) guideline on noise evaluation, and 17% of these measurements exceeded 85 dBA while 70% were over 80 dBA. When the ACGIH TLV is adopted, 40% of measurements were over TLV (85 dBA). The noise exposure risk of railroad operators was higher for diesel locomotive operation and longer operational distances; in addition, the risk was higher for passenger car operation compared to freight car driving. Given that in Korea, over the past 30 years diesel locomotives have provided most of the railway's motive power and that hearing protective equipment is not likely to be used by workers during operation, railroad operators are at a high risk of noise-induced hearing loss. The result of audiometric test among 568 railroad operators showed that 32.6% of those tested had a hearing threshold shift of more than 40 dB. In conclusion, this study calls for more fundamental measures including noise control countermeasures within the operation areas, development of equipment that generates less noise and adopting limitation on the operation distance for a work shift.

• 한국환경보건학회지
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• 제18권1호
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• pp.6-11
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• 1992

This study was carried out to investigate exposure level, size distribution, and respirable mass fraction of airborne coal dust and heavy metal concentration of respirable coal dust at each work site in coal briquet factory from July 1991 to September 1991. Geometric mean of total dust concentration was 10.88mg/m$^{3}$ at storage shop, 8.22mg/m$^{3}$ at pulverize shop, and 3.79mg/m$^{3}$ at rotary press shop, respectively, but those at storage and pulverize shop were higher than TLV. Geometric mean of respirable coal dust concentration wat 1.03mg/m$^{3}$ at storage shop, 0.78mg/m$^{3}$ at pulverize shop, and 0.55mg/m$^{3}$ at rotary press shop, respectively, which were lower than TLV Aerodynamic 50% cutoff diameter of the suspended coal dust was 5$\mu$m at rotary press shop and 6.8$\mu$m at storage shop, ranged to thoracic particulate defined by ACGIH, and deposited in the region of repiratory system. The mass fraction rate of respirable dust to the total coal dust was 26.2% at rotary press shop, 18.8% at storage shop, and 13.8% at pulverize shop, respectively. Heavy metal concentrations of the respirable coal dust were 0.028mg/m$^{3}$ ib Fe, 0.0081mg/m$^{3}$ in Cu, and 0.0039mg/m$^{3}$ in Pb.

• 한국환경보건학회지
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• 제27권3호
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• pp.71-80
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• 2001

Blood and urine mercury level of three workers were monitored during 60~80 days after high exposure to mercury at the silver refining plant. Mercury was used to form silver-mercury amalgam from plating sludge. Workers were exposed to mercury about 70 days at the several processes, such as hand held weaving, vibration table, and heating from the furnace. mercury was analysed by atomic absorption spectroscopy-vapor generation technique. Recovery from the biological sample was 95.51% and pooled standard deviation was 0.033. At the time of study, there was no work at the workplace. So, airborne mercury concentration was measured with area sampling 5 days after the work, ranged from 0.1459 to 1.2351 mg/㎥(Arithmatic mean 0.4711 mg/㎥, Geometric mean 0.3566 mg/㎥) at the inside of the plant, that is far above the ACGIH's TLV(0.025 mg/㎥) and ranged from 0.0073 to 0.0330 mg/㎥ at the outdoor. Blood mercury levels at the beginning of the monitoring were 4~14 times greater than the American Conference of Governmental Industrial Hygienists Biological Exposure Index(ACGIH BEI, 15 ug/L). Blood mercury levels were decreased logarithmically, that is, rapidly at the high level and slowly at the low level but sustained above the level of the ACGIH BEI 60~80 days after the work. Urine mercury levels at the beginning of the monitoring were 8~16 times greater than the ACGIH BEI(35 ug/g creatinine). Urine mercury levels were decreased logarithmically, but correlation between urine level and off-days were lower than those of blood. Decreasing pattern of blood mercury levels were little affected than that of urine levels when the chelating agent, D-penicillamine, was administered. There was correlation between blood mercury level and urine mercury level(0.81~0.83) but it didn\`t mean that the highest blood mercury level corresponded the highest urine mercury level. In our study, Case 1 always shows the highest level in urine but case 3 always shows the highest level in blood. Creatinine correction represented better correlations between urine mercury levels and blood levels, and between urine levels and off-days rather than by urine volume. Spot urine sampling had a wide variation than that of whole day urine sampling. So, We recommend spot urine sampling for screening and whole day urine sampling for exact diagnosis.

• 한국산업보건학회지
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• 제17권4호
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• pp.300-309
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• 2007

Although parathion is an organophosphate pesticide being legally applied for the purpose of agriculture and is being manufactured, parathion in the air and urinary p-nitrophenol, a metabolite of parathion, were not analysed in Korea. Air of the parathion manufacturing workplace was sampled by OVS-2 tubes using NIOSH 5600 and spot urine of workers was sampled at the end of shift. Parathion and urinary p-nitrophenol were analysed by GC/MS (5973 MSD connected with Agilent 6890 GC) and the protocol was included in this study. It was found that this protocol should be so sensitive that determining parathion in the air and urinary p-nitrophenol below level of ACGIH TLV and BEI be adequate. Another finding was that total sampling volume of air of NIOSH 5600 of 240 L should be adjusted to be less than 120 L due to breakthrough.

• 한국산업보건학회지
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• 제15권2호
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• pp.90-103
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• 2005

Objective: This study was carried out to assess the status of working environments, to improve the working environments, and to be helpful to prevent occupational disease. Methods: The authors measured the noise level, concentration of dust, heavy metals, organic solvents, and other chemicals at 95 industries (22 working processes) by type of working process in manufacturing industry of parts and accessories for motor vehicles and its engines from January to December 2003. Samples were measured and analyzed by regulations of Korea Ministry of Labor, manuals of National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) and Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA). Results: Results are as follows. 1. Major processes exceeding mean noise levels provided the American Conference of Governmental Industrial Hygienists (ACGIH) Threshold Limit Value (TLV) were shakeout [97.5 dB(A)]. shot-blast [94.2 dB(A)], pressing [92.9 dB(A)], crushing [91.2 dB(A)], and cleaning [90.6 dB(A)]. 2. Mean concentrations of dusts were not exceeded to the TLV. But concentration on some points of processes as like welding (6.50 mg/m3), foundry (5.24 mg/m3) were exceeded. 3. Mean concentrations of heavy metals were not exceeded to the TLV. 4. Mean concentrations of organic solvents and chemicals were not exceeded to the TLV. 5. Improving rate for working environment were significantly higher in industries with health manager than without (p<0.05), and by increasing the year of working environmental measurement (p<0.01). Conclusions: The results suggest that working processes of exceeding to the TLV will be needed rapid improvement of the working environment, and also the others will be needed positive management of the working environment. Health managers must be recommended to employ in the workplace, and further studies for relationship between working environment and health effects for the workers must be carried out.

• 한국산업보건학회지
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• 제8권2호
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• pp.209-223
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• 1998

The aim of this study was to evaluate welders' exposure to hexavalent chromium (Cr(VI)) and nickel (Ni) during welding operations in a Korean shipyard. The airborne Cr(VI) and Ni concentrations were measured during metal inert gas (MIG) welding on mild and stainless steel, and manual metal arc (MMA) welding on mild steel. The geometric mean (GM) of Cr(VI) concentrations inside the welding helmet during MIG welding on mild steel were $0.0018mg/m^3$ inside a ship section, and $0.0015-0.0026mg/m^3$ at the welding shops. All of the personal breathing zone air samples were below the American Conference of Governmental Industrial Hygienists (ACGIH) Threshold Limit Value ($TLV^{(R)}$) of $0.01mg/m^3$. Conversely, eighty-eight percent(21 of 24) of the personal breathing zone air samples exceeded the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) recommended exposure limit of $0.001mg/m^3$. Ni was not detected on 20 of 23 air samples collected during MIG welding on mild steel. The three Ni samples above the limit of detection ranged from 0.015 to $0.044mg/m^3$. The GM of Cr(VI) concentrations during MMA welding on mild steel were $0.0013mg/m^3$, but Ni was not detected in the air samples during this operation. It is assumed that the airborne Cr(VI) and Ni during mild steel welding were derived from the base metals which contained about 0.03% Cr and 0.03% Ni. The GM of airborne total Cr, Cr(VI) and Ni concentrations during MIG welding on stainless steel were 4.02, 0.13 and $0.86mg/m^3$, respectively, and the levels of Cr(VI) and Ni were above the ACGIH-$TLV^{(R)}$. Cr(VI) comprised about 35.5% of the total chromium(Cr) from MIG welding on mild steel, and about 8.4% of total Cr from MIG welding on stainless steel. The ratios of Cr(VI) to total Cr were significantly different among welding shops. It was concluded that welders were exposed to high levels of Cr(VI) and Ni during welding on stainless steel, and were exposed to low levels of Cr(VI) even during welding on mild steel.

• 한국산업보건학회지
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• 제9권1호
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• pp.87-98
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• 1999

The objectives of this study were to evaluate exposures to airborne methylene chloride and postshift carboxyhemoglobin (COHb) in blood of workers engaged in processes using blowing or cleaning agents, and to investigate correlation between methylene chloride concentrations and the blood COHb levels of workers. The geometric mean (GM) of workers' exposures (8 hour-time weighted averages, TWA) to airborne methylene chloride during cleaning molds using rags wetted with the solvent in the manufacture of flexible polyurethane foam (GM = 61.4 ppm), during operating the dip tank for cleaning molds in the manufacture of lens (GM = 61.0 ppm), and during cleaning the blowing nozzles by spraying the solvent in the manufacture of shoes (GM = 117.2 ppm) were exceeded the American Conference of Governmental Industrial Hygienists (ACGIH) Threshold Limit Value ($TLV^{(R)}$)-Time Weighted Average (TWA) (50 ppm). The COHb levels were significantly different among groups (p<0.05). The average COHh levels in blood of non-smoking workers were 2.0% in. low-level (<50 ppm) exposure group, and 3.9 % in high-level (>50ppm) exposure group. The average COHb levels in smoking workers were 3.1% in low-level exposure group, and 4.8% in high-level exposure group. The blood COHb levels of no-exposed workers to methylene chloride were 1.8% in non-smoking group, and 2.8% in smoking group. It was found that the COHb level dependeds on the methylene chloride concentration and smoking habit, and was highly correlated with methylene chloride concentration in air. The correlation coefficient was 0.81 among non-smoking workers. The estimated COHb level (3.6%) and 95% upper confidence limit (4.0%) corresponding to TLV-TWA of methylene chloride exceeded the current ACGIH Biological Exposure Index (COHb 3.5%) for carbon monoxide. The estimated COHb level (5.4%) at 100 ppm exceeded the standard (5%) recommended by National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) for preventing adverse cardiovascular effect. The estimated COHb value and 95% upper confidence limit at 25 ppm of the Occupational Safety and Health. Adminstration (OSHA) Permissible Exposure Limit-TWA (PEL-TWA) were 2.6% and 3.0%, respectively. It is suggested that COHb in blood be kept below 3.0% to comply with OSHA PEL-TWA.

• 한국환경보건학회:학술대회논문집
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• 한국환경보건학회 2002년도 춘계 국제 학술대회
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• pp.37-39
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• 2002

Geometric mean of airborne welding fume concentration at technical high schools was 4.80mg/㎥(N.D∼35.39mg/㎥) and the percentage of samples exceeded TLV of the Korean ministry of labor was 43.6％, Geometric mean of airborne Mn concentration was 0.06mg/㎥(N.D∼0.42mg/㎥) and the percentage of samples exceeded TLV of ACGIH was 15.4％. In case of airborne Mn concentration, there is a significant difference among schools (P＜0.05). Mn concentrations in blood of the exposed and control groups were 1.84$\mu\textrm{g}$/㎗ and 1.91$\mu\textrm{g}$/㎗, respectively. Mn concentrations in urine of the exposed and control groups were 1.36$\mu\textrm{g}$/$\ell$ and 0.57$\mu\textrm{g}$/$\ell$, respectively. In case of Mn concentrations in urine, there is a significant difference between both groups(P＜0.001) and among schools(P＜0.05). Mn concentrations in blood and urine of exposed group were not over BEIs of the Korean ministry of labor. Mn levels in blood and urine were not significantly affected by smoking, drinking and residence. There was no correlation between Mn concentration in air and blood, but there was a statistically significant correlation between Mn concentration in air and urine(r=0.323). There was no a Statistically significant correlation between Mn concentration in blood and urine.

• 한국산업보건학회지
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• 제30권3호
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• pp.270-279
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• 2020

Objective: The aim of this study was to propose revision of the occupational exposure limit(OEL) for 1-Bromopropane(1-BP) following a review of the appropriateness of the standard in light of increasing epidemiological data and handling risk. Materials and Methods: The results of toxicity and epidemiologic investigations for 1-BP and agencies' OELs were compared and reviewed through a literature review. In order to investigate the status of 1-BP handling in South Korea, data from work environment actual condition survey results and work environment measurement results were used. Results: The toxicity of 1-BP, such as central nervous system(CNS) damage, peripheral neuropathy, hematological adverse effects, and developmental and reproductive toxicity(male and female) has been reported. ACGIH recommends 0.1 ppm as a TLV-TWA value, but the OEL of South Korea stands at 25 ppm, which is 250 times higher than the TLV-TWA. Although 1-BP is a specially managed substance under the Industrial Safety and Health Law, the currently applied OEL cannot be said to be a safe level based on the results of epidemiological studies to date. In a work environment measurement in 2017, the total number of samples was 626, which were derived from 78 industries, and the average concentration was 1.173 ppm(standard deviation 2.88). Conclusions: To protect the health of workers handling 1-BP, estimated to be 780 in South Korea, it is necessary to strengthen the OEL(TWA) to a level of 0.3 ppm(lower than the 0.34 ppm with known toxic effects), which is believed to be safe as a result of epidemiological investigation. "Skin" notation should be recommended.