• Journal of Korean Society of Occupational and Environmental Hygiene
• /
• v.17 no.3
• /
• pp.192-202
• /
• 2007

Objectives: The objectives of this research are to examine the missions, organization, and programs of the environmental, health and safety(EHS) offices of the major research universities in the U.S.A., particularly the case of Massachusetts Institute of Technology(MIT) EHS Office, and to suggest ways to address the EHS issues of the universities and research institutes in South Korea. Methods: The top 30 research universities in the U.S.A. were selected by the total amounts of research funds they annually received. The web sites of the 30 universities were searched to identify the names of the departments that address environment, health, and/or safety related issues, the missions of those departments, the major programs of those departments, and the number of staff in those departments. Also, a case study was conducted for the Environment Health and Safety Management System and the Environment, Health and Safety Office of the MIT, using literature and web searches and a meeting with the Director of the MIT Environment, Health and Safety Office. Results: All the top 30 research universities in the U.S.A. had designated departments that dealt with EHS issues. Most of them were by the name of or similar to environmental, health and safety. The mission statements of those departments were mostly about improving the safety and health of their community members, improving the environment, and complying to EHS regulations. Most of those departments had an environmental management program, industrial hygiene program, radiation protection program, safety program, and biosafety program as their major programs. The components of the environment, health and safety management system(EHS-MS) of the MIT were examined in detail. In contrast, not many universities in South Korea had designated departments that dealt specifically with EHS issues. Also, the number of fulltime staff for EHS was only 1-2 in most of the Korean universities and their work duties included only general safety, while neglecting other health/environment related issues. Conclusions: Well organized and functioning environmental, health and safety offices were present in all of the top 30 research universities in the U.S.A., whereas similar organizations of the universities in South Korea were virtually non-existent and/or had very limited EHS activities. Therefore, in order to reduce potential risks of accidents and health problems in the Korean universities and research institutions, well established and functioning EHS-MSs and EHS offices are warranted. The case of the EHS-MS and EHS Office in the MIT demonstrate a successful case to follow.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Safety
• /
• v.31 no.2
• /
• pp.104-111
• /
• 2016

Our nation has experienced remarkable growth over the half a century. Nonetheless, there is still much room for improvement in the area of Environment, Health and Safety (EHS). In particular, frequency and severity of industrial accidents did not considerably improve compared to the economic and social progress we made. The main objective of this research is to analyze what plans and actions are required for companies to promote industrial safety by 1) fostering functional competencies of EHS staffs and 2) effectively and proactively responding to rapidly changing EHS environment. For this research, EHS staffs from five large companies in Korea were surveyed. Most respondents indicated that one of key expertise required by EHS staffs is capabilities to effectively deal with changes to various domestic and international EHS-related laws and regulations. Furthermore, a predominant number of respondents commented that it is imperative for EHS staffs to have a broad knowledge of business management. As for internal issues that EHS staffs encounter within their organizations, many pointed out that their EHS vision is not sufficiently shared throughout the organization, and that the rules of leadership are critical in solving this issue. On the other hand, the survey respondents also raised an issue of limited EHS-related investments due to slow economy. As a solution, they proposed ways to align EHS organization's performance with the company's performance. Based on this survey, issues and solutions for EHS organizations were identified. Results of this research can benefit companies that plan to newly establish or further expand EHS organization.

• Journal of Environmental Health Sciences
• /
• v.31 no.5 s.86
• /
• pp.365-371
• /
• 2005

This study was peformed to explore the current situation of university environmental health and safety (EHS) system and evaluate the effects of such system on university EHS practices. Essential elements for the university EHS system were identified based on the representative examples of foreign universities, and Hey were incorporated into a questionnaire, which was used in this study. Among the academic institutions we surveyed in this study, 89% of the universities employed health and safety manager, and 65% kept departments. However, less than 50% of universities maintained EHS policies, maintained health and established safety committees within the university headquarters, and held health and safety meetings on regular basis. Several basic requirements such as chemical hygiene program and laboratory safety training program lacked in many universities. Some basic surveillance was performed in many universities, however, only few universities carried out surveillance on biological safety, medical examination, and chemical exposure monitoring. EHS system had significant influence on university EHS program (p<0.05). Performances of EHS activities were influenced by presence of EHS policies, and university health and safety committees.

• Journal of the Korea Safety Management & Science
• /
• v.12 no.4
• /
• pp.139-143
• /
• 2010

The small and medium construction companies are facing potential EHS(Environment, Health & Safety) of major accidents to cause casualties or a financial loss and increasing social responsibility. So, they have to voluntarily accomplish the EHS management system rather than passively with regard to EHS regulation. In this study, the framework of integrated EHS management system is developed based on cloud computing, and construction companies are to materialize self-regulation EHS process of construction workplace and to standardize the total EHS business process using the developed system. The proposed system also provides risk analysis, education/control and continuous improvement for EHS tasks and users can easily access the system on the web at a low price through cloud computing service. Eventually, the integrated system contributes to the managerial improvement by minimizing economic and physical loss caused by construction accidents.

• Proceedings of the KAIS Fall Conference
• /
• 2010.11b
• /
• pp.859-861
• /
• 2010

The construction companies are facing potential EHS(Environment, Health & Safety) of major accidents to cause casualties or a financial loss and increasing social responsibility. So, they have to voluntarily accomplish the EHS management system rather than passively with regard to EHS regulation. In this study, the integrated EHS management system is developed based on cloud computing, and construction companies are to materialize self-regulation EHS process of construction workplace and to standardize the total EHS business process using the developed system. The proposed system also provides risk analysis, education/control and continuous improvement for EHS tasks and users can easily access the system on the web at a low price through cloud computing service. Eventually, the integrated system contributes to the managerial improvement by minimizing economic and physical loss caused by construction accidents.

• Particle and aerosol research
• /
• v.6 no.3
• /
• pp.107-121
• /
• 2010

The number of nanotechnology based consumer products are growing rapidly. Thus, the customer likely to be exposed to such products continues to increase as the applications expand. This article describes the international and Korea's policies on the EHS(Environment, Safety and Health) issues of nanotechnologies. The strategic plan and coordination of OECD and ISO were summarized. This article also examines several new findings of Korean researchers as well as current and future challenges in the aerosol application study of EHS issues on the nanotechnologies.

• Clean Technology
• /
• v.13 no.3
• /
• pp.161-172
• /
• 2007

Fusion technology based on the nanotechnology should be introduced to clean technology for the breakthrough advances. Today, nanoparticles, nanotubes and other engineered nanomaterials are already in use in hundreds of everyday consumer products, and these materials are able to move around the human and environmental mediamore readily than larger particles of pollution. Because of their extremely small size and large surface area, nanoparticles are known to be more reactive and toxic than larger particles. Consequently, this feature raised many concerns of significant health, safety and environment. Herein, we reviewed risk assessment for health and environmental hazards of nanomaterials, and then revealed the potential hazardous of nanomaterials.

• Applied Chemistry for Engineering
• /
• v.34 no.6
• /
• pp.649-659
• /
• 2023

This study was initiated to evaluate the phosphorus (P) removal and diesel oil degradation by bacteria isolated from industrial wastewater. The bacteria isolated were identified as Bacillus sp. The P removal efficiencies by Bacillus sp. were 99% at the initial 20 mg/L P concentration. The diesel degradation efficiencies by Bacillus sp. were 86.4% at an initial 1% diesel concentration. Lipophilicity by bacteria was the highest in the log phase, whereas it was the lowest in the death phase. As the diesel was used as a carbon source, P removal efficiencies by Bacillus sp. were 68%. When glucose, acetate, and a mixture of glucose and acetate as second carbon sources were added, the diesel degradation efficiencies were 69.22%, 65.46%, and 51.46%, respectively. The diesel degradation efficiency was higher in the individual additions of glucose or acetate than in the mixture of glucose and acetate. When P concentration increased from 20 mg/L to 30 mg/L, the diesel degradation efficiency was increased by 7% from 65% to 72%, whereas when P concentration was increased from 30 mg/L to 40 mg/L, there was no increase in diesel degradation. One of the five proteins identified by proteome analysis in the 0.5% diesel-treated samples may be involved in alkane degradation and is known as the cytochrome P450 system. Also, two of the sixteen proteins identified in the 1.5% diesel-treated samples may be implicated in the fatty acid transport system and alcohol dehydrogenation.

• Applied Chemistry for Engineering
• /
• v.34 no.6
• /
• pp.640-648
• /
• 2023

The purpose of this study was to determine the inhibitory effect of heavy metals [Cd(II), Ni(II), and Zn(II)] on the growth of Rhodobacter species (Rhodobacter blasticus, Rhodobacter sphaeroides, and Rhodobacter capsulatus) and their potential use for Cd(II), Ni(II), and Zn(II) bioremoval from liquid media. The presence of toxic heavy metals prolonged the lag phase in growth and reduced biomass growth for all three Rhodobacter species at concentrations of Cd, Ni, and Zn above 10 mg/L. However, all three Rhodobacter species also had a relatively high specific growth rate against each toxic heavy metal stress test for concentrations below 20 mg/L and possessed a potential bioaccumulation ability. The removal efficiency by all strains was highest for Cd(II), followed by Ni(II), and lowest for Zn(II), with the removal efficiency of Cd(II) by Rhodobacter species being 66% or more. Among the three strains, R. blasticus showed a higher removal efficiency of Cd(II) and Ni(II) than R. capsulatus and R. sphaeroides. Results also suggest that the bio-removal processes of toxic heavy metal ions by Rhodobacter species involve both bioaccumulation (intracellular uptake) and biosorption (surface binding).

• Journal of Korean Society of Occupational and Environmental Hygiene
• /
• v.34 no.1
• /
• pp.85-97
• /
• 2024

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.