• Safety and Health at Work
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• v.8 no.3
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• pp.318-321
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• 2017

This commentary presents the regulatory backgrounds and development of the national proficiency testing (PT) scheme on asbestos analysis in the Republic of Korea. Since 2009, under the amended Occupational Safety and Health Act, the survey of asbestos in buildings and clearance test of asbestos removal works have been mandated to be carried out by the laboratories designated by the Ministry of Employment and Labor (MOEL) in the Republic of Korea. To assess the performance of asbestos laboratories, a PT scheme on asbestos analysis was launched by the Korea Occupational Safety and Health Agency (KOSHA) on behalf of the MOEL in 2007. Participating laboratories are evaluated once a year for fiber counting and bulk asbestos analysis by phase contrast microscopy and polarized light microscopy, respectively. Currently, the number of laboratory enrollments is > 200, and the percentage of passed laboratories is > 90. The current status and several significant changes in operation, sample preparations, and statistics of assigning the reference values of the KOSHA PT scheme on asbestos analysis are presented. Critical retrospect based on the experiences of operating the KOSHA PT scheme suggests considerations for developing a new national PT scheme for asbestos analysis.

• Journal of Korean Society of Occupational and Environmental Hygiene
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• v.19 no.1
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• pp.8-15
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• 2009

This study was examined to find out asbestos exposure level the factors which affected the level at asbestos abatement sites. We visited a total of thirteen building demolition sites(3 apartments, 3 schools, 4 stores, and 3 houses) were visited to collect samples and related data from August to November, 2006. The results of this study were as follows 1. The results of an analysis of bulk samples to identify types of asbestos at the asbestos abatement sites showed that the kinds of the asbestos detected were chrysotile by 50.0%, were tremolite by 2.6%, and were the contents of chrysotile by 3 to 20%. 2. The geometric mean concentration of asbestos was 0.007 f/cc(range 0.001-0.34 f/cc) and its geometric standard deviation was 5.83. Of the samples, however, 12 exceeded the Korean Occupational Exposure Limit(0.1f/cc). 3. Of the materials, textile material had the highest concentration with geometric mean of 0.016 f/cc. When asbestos-containing materials were removed using T type tools, the geometric mean concentration of asbestos was 0.061 f/cc. The level by this method was much higher than by other removal methods. In analysis by the type of building, the geometric mean concentration of asbestos in stores was 0.042 f/cc and was higher than in other buildings. 4. The Poisson regression analysis was applied to find out the factors that affect the airborne asbestos concentration. As a result of the analysis, removal using a T type tool was the most important factor affecting the asbestos concentration(p<0.01). In conclusion, the airborne asbestos concentration(geometric mean) in asbestos abatement sites was 0.007 f/cc(0.001~0.34 f/cc), and 12(14.6%) of all samples were over the 0.1 f/cc. These results showed that asbestos abatement workers have been exposed to the high level of airborne asbestos because they have not been keeping asbestos removal rule. In accordance with increases of the number of building demolition sites, the better government regulation on asbestos abatement methods should be made and be performed well at building demolition sites.

• Journal of Environmental Health Sciences
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• v.38 no.1
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• pp.66-72
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• 2012

Objectives: The AHERA method by the US EPA, ASTM E2356-04, and HSG264 by the UK HSE, all of which are hazard/risk assessment methods for asbestos-containing building materials, were reviewed and compared based on 231 homogeneous areas. In addition, the current Act on Asbestos Safety Management (enforcement: April 29, 2012) was reviewed and analyzed. This trial provided fundamental data for improving the current asbestos hazard/risk assessment method. Methods: For the hazard/risk assessment of 77 asbestos-containing public buildings including schools, 231 homogeneous areas were selected, each of which was assessed using AHERA, ASTM E2356-04, and HSG264. Results: The matching rate of the hazard/risk assessment stood at 20.4 percent between AHERA and ASTM, at 71.4 percent between AHERA and HSG264 and at 17.8 percent between ASTM and HSG264. The AHERA method includes a seven-category rating scale. There were three categories, two of which have three subcategories. ASTM provides two decision-making charts consisting of ten rating scales for current condition estimation and for potential for disturbance estimation. In addition, the HSG264 method has a total of 20 scores with four items, and then provides four grades. This HSG264 method cannot clearly separate current condition and potential for disturbance. Conclusions: In the Korean Act on Asbestos Safety Management, the hazard/risk assessment method for asbestos-containing building materials should consider balance between current condition estimation and the potential for disturbance estimation.

• Safety and Health at Work
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• v.2 no.3
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• pp.201-209
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• 2011

The incidence of asbestos-related diseases (ARD) has increased in the last four decades. In view of the historical use of asbestos in Singapore since the country started banning it in phases in 1989 and the long latency of the disease, the incidence of ARD can be expected to increase further. As occupational exposure to asbestos still occurs, preventive measures to eliminate ARD continue to be required to protect the health of both workers and the public from asbestos exposure. The majority of occupational exposures to asbestos at present occur during the removal of old buildings. Preventive measures have been utilized by different government ministries and agencies in eliminating ARD in Singapore over the past 40 years. These measures have included the enforcement of legislation, substitution with safer materials, and engineering controls during asbestos removal as well as improvements in personal hygiene and the use of personal protective equipment. The existing Workman's Compensation System for ARD should be further refined, given that is currently stipulates that claims for asbestosis and malignant mesothelioma be made within 36 and 12 months after ceasing employment.

• Economic and Environmental Geology
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• v.56 no.4
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• pp.457-473
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• 2023

Asbestos has been produced, imported and used in various industries in Korea over the past decades. Since asbestos causes fatal diseases such as malignant mesothelioma and lung cancer, the use of asbestos has been generally banned in Korea since 2009. However, there are still many asbestos-containing materials around us, and safe management is urgently needed. This study aims to examine asbestos-related trend changes using major asbestos-related keywords based on the asbestos trend analysis using big data for the past 32 years (1991 to 2022) in Korea. In addition, we reviewed both domestic trends related to the production, import, and use of asbestos before 1990 and asbestos-related policies from 2023 to 2027. From 1991 to 2000, main keywords related to asbestos were research, workers, carcinogens, and the environment because the carcinogenicity of asbestos was highlighted due to domestic production, import, and use of asbestos. From 2001 to 2010, the main keywords related to asbestos were lung cancer, litigation, carcinogens, exposure, and companies because lawsuits were initiated in the US and Japan in relation to carcinogenicity due to asbestos. From 2011 to 2020, the high ranking keywords related to asbestos were carcinogen, baseball field, school, slate, building, and abandoned asbestos mine due to the seriousness of the asbestos problem in Korea. From 2021 to present (2023), the main search keywords related to asbestos such as school, slate (asbestos cement), buildings, landscape stone, environmental impact assessment, apartment, and cement appeared.

• Proceedings of the Korea Air Pollution Research Association Conference
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• 2003.05b
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• pp.427-428
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• 2003

현대인의 경우 대부분이 하루 중 80% 이상의 시간을 어떤 형태의 가정, 사무실, 공공건물, 학교, 병원, 지하시설물, 상가, 음식점, 자동차, 지하철 등의 실내공간에서 생활하고 있으며, 특히 어린이와 노약자, 병약자들의 경우 대부분의 시간을 실내에서 보내고 있는 실정에 있어 실내공기오염이 인체에 미치는 영향은 크다고 할 수 있다. 실내환경에는 대기환경과는 달리 물리적, 화학적, 생물학적으로 매우 다양한 오염물질들은 복합적인 배출원에서 기인되며 그 배출량은 물질에 따라 상당히 편차가 있을 뿐 아니라 오염물질 농도분포 역시 시간적, 공간적 특성에 따라 다양하게 나타날 수 있으며, 실내공기의 상태는 일차적으로 외부공기의 영향을 받게 되고 이차적으로는 담배연기, 스토브, 오븐, 시멘트, 건축자재, 페인트 및 벽면의 입자상 물질 등과 같은 실내오염원으로부터 영향을 받아 오염상태가 심해진다. (중략)

• Journal of Korean Society for Atmospheric Environment
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• v.27 no.5
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• pp.569-579
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• 2011

This study evaluated the indoor air quality of 26 government offices located in Seoul. The pollutant samples were taken from Jan. 13th to Jan. 29th and Feb. 20th to Feb. 23rd, 2010 in the offices. The target indoor pollutants for this study were $PM_{10}$, formaldehyde, carbon monoxide, carbon dioxide, total bacteria counts, total volatile organic compounds, radon, nitrogen dioxide, ozone, and asbestos which were controlled by the indoor air quality law for the multiple-use facilities management. The results of this study showed that some pollutants of the 38.5% offices exceeded the standards of the air quality guideline. The correlation analysis of the same pollutants between indoor and outdoor represented that $NO_2$ (r=0.629, p<0.05) and $O_3$ (r=0.459, p<0.01) were significant, however, $PM_{10}$ and CO were not. The correlation analysis between different pollutants showed that CO and TVOC (total volatile organic compounds: r=0.724; p<0.01), CO and $NO_2$ (r=0.674; p<0.01), HCHO and humidity (r=0.605; p<0.01), $CO_2$ and TVOC (r=0.534; p<0.01), TBC (total bacteria counts) and Asbestos (r=0.520; p<0.01) were significant. The energy-saving system of government buildings in winter caused under-ventilated and poor air quality. This study suggests that the concentrations of radon and $CO_2$ should be used as an indicator for monitoring indoor air quality and maintaining effective ventilations.

• Journal of the Korea Academia-Industrial cooperation Society
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• v.16 no.7
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• pp.5029-5037
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• 2015

The objective of this study is to investigate the distribution of asbestos containing materials and to evaluate risk assessment method in some schools, Korea. For the survey on ACM risk assessment, we used both EPA AHERA rule and ASTM rule. We investigated 100 schools between January and December in 2010. Detection rate of the ACM according to construction year showed that before 1980's, 1990's, 2000's, after 2000's buildings were 100%, 94.1%, 100% and 62.5%, respectively. Compared with school types, detection rate of the ACM in Kindergarten, Elementary, Middle, High, Special Education schools were 100%, 97.1%, 92.9%, 100%, 80%, respectively. Ceiling textiles contained chrysolite/mixed amosite(2~8 %) and wall cement flat boards contained chrysolite(6~11 %). Also, gasket contained chrysolite(16~17 %), slate roof contained chrysolite(10~13 %). In this study, risk assessment EPA AHERA rule of ACM showed that all materials were "Pool" grade. And, ASTM rule risk assessment showed that all materials were "Q&M program" grade.

• Coupled systems mechanics
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• v.6 no.3
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• pp.335-349
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• 2017

To cope with the demand on giant and durable buildings, reinforcement of concrete is a practical problem being extensively investigated in the civil engineering field. Among various reinforcing techniques, fiber-reinforced concrete (FRC) has been proven to be an effective approach. In practice, such fibers include steel fibers, polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) fibers, polyacrylonitrile (PAN) carbon fibers and asbestos fibers, with the length scale ranging from centimeters to micrometers. When advancing such technique down to the nanoscale, it is noticed that carbon nanotubes (CNTs) are stronger than other fibers and can provide a better reinforcement to concrete. In the last decade, CNT-reinforced concrete attracts a lot of attentions in research. Despite high cost of CNTs at present, the growing availability of carbon materials might push the usage of CNTs into practice in the near future, making the reinforcement technique of great potential. A review of existing research works may constitute a conclusive reference and facilitate further developments. In reference to the recent experimental works, this paper reports some key evaluations on CNT-reinforced cementitious materials, covering FRC mechanism, CNT dispersion, CNT-cement structures, mechanical properties and fire safety. Emphasis is placed on the interplay between CNTs and calcium silicate hydrate (C-S-H) at the nanoscale. The relationship between the CNTs-cement structures and the mechanical enhancement, especially at a high-temperature condition, is discussed based on molecular dynamics simulations. After concluding remarks, challenges to improve the CNTs reinforcement technique are proposed.

• Proceedings of the Korean Institute of Building Construction Conference
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• 2018.11a
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• pp.120-121
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• 2018

Radon is one of the substances that pollute the indoor air and is classified as a first-level carcinogen by the International Agency for Research on Cancer(IARC) together with asbestos, and it is reported that it can cause lung cancer. The World Health Organization(WHO) reports that lung cancer is the second leading cause of lung cancer, and 6-15% of lung cancer patients report lung cancer caused by radon. Radon occurs in cracks in concrete and aged buildings, and is detected in soil, rocks, groundwater, and so on. It is a colorless, odorless and tasteless gas which is adsorbed to dust in the air and enters through human respiratory system. This study used vermiculite (expanded vermiculite), which has excellent ion exchange ability and a large number of pores, and industrial by - product red mud which has heavy metal adsorption ability, in order to adsorb radon. A matrix capable of adsorbing radon was prepared, and the characteristics of each material were compared and analyzed.