• Safety and Health at Work
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• v.14 no.3
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• pp.325-331
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• 2023

Background: Heat stress is a harmful physical hazard in many occupational settings. However, consequences of occupational heat exposure among workers in a sugarcane factory in Ethiopia are not well characterized. This study aimed to assess the level of occupational heat exposure-related symptoms and contributing factors. Methods: In this cross-sectional study, five workstations were selected for temperature measurement. Heat stress levels were measured using a wet-bulb globe temperature index meter. A stratified random sampling technique was used to select 1,524 participants. Heat-related symptoms were assessed using validated questionnaires. Results: The level of occupational heat exposure was 72.4% (95% CI: 70.2%-74.8%), while 71.6% (95% CI: 69.3%-74.9%) of participants experienced at least one symptom related to heat stress. The most common heat-related symptoms were swelling of hands and feet (78%), severe thirst (77.8%) and dry mouth (77.4%). The identified risk factors were a lack of reflective shields (AOR: 2.20, 95% CI: 1.53, 3.17), not-enclosed extreme heat sources (AOR: 1.76, 95% CI: 1.23, 2.51), a lack of access to shade (AOR: 9.62, 95% CI: 6.20, 14.92), and inappropriate protective clothing provision (AOR: 1.58, 95% CI: 1.27, 2.71). Conclusions: The burden of occupational heat exposure and heat-induced symptoms was high. Lack of reflective shields, the absence of enclosed extreme heat sources, a lack of access to shade, and inappropriate protective clothing provision were considerable attributes of heat stress. Therefore, the use of mechanical solutions to stop heat emissions at their sources and the key factors identified were areas for future intervention.

• Proceedings of the Korean Society for Noise and Vibration Engineering Conference
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• 2014.10a
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• pp.698-698
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• 2014

According to the analysis of special medical examination and work environment monitoring data, the rate of C1 and D1 on noise hazard exceeded 90% among those of total hazardous factors. The rate of company exceeding noise exposure limit was also more than 90%. The analysis result shows that main ages diagnosed with C1 and D1 was age of 50s. The majority scale company having workers diagnosed with C1 and D1 was the companies employing 5~49 workers. Types of industries which have a large number of companies exceeding noise exposure limit were automobile and trailer manufacturing, metal processing industry and primary metal manufacturing. A large number of work processes exceeding noise exposure limit were forming and processing work, cutting and bending work and grinding. To reduce the number of company exceeding noise exposure limit, the reduction counterplan should be focused on the type of industry and the work process which exceeded noise exposure limit frequently. However, the reduction counterplan is preemptively necessary to the type of industry and the work process which exceeded noise exposure limit consecutively if the purpose of reduction counterplan is not to merely reduce the number of company exceeding noise exposure limit but to abate workers' suffering from noise.

• Journal of the Korea institute for structural maintenance and inspection
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• v.19 no.3
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• pp.64-72
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• 2015

Risk Based Inspection (RBI) Period was proposed for highway bridges in Korea. Hazard factors affecting bridge condition deterioration were found by analyzing condition data from Highway Bridge Management System (HBMS). Certain level of correlations between those factors and condition deterioration were found. They are used to evaluate hazard score. Summarizing several hazard factors, final hazard is classified as three level;high, moderate, low. Vulnerability is assessed only by the current state of bridge. Then, risk matrix is suggested for inspection periods. Inspection periods of the bridges with grade C, D, and E are maintained the same as before. But, those of grade A and B with moderate and high hazard score are elongated to maximum 6 years while the maximum inspection period is three years at present. By adjusting inspection period according to risk assessment, it was shown that 27% of average inspection manpower can be saved.

• Journal of Soil and Groundwater Environment
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• v.29 no.3
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• pp.14-22
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• 2024

This study established risk-based fluoride soil contamination standards according to the Korean Soil Contaminant Risk Assessment Guidelines (SRAG). Ten exposure scenarios were evaluated, broadly categorized into Scenario 1, which used the default parameters from the current SRAG, and Scenario 2, which used the latest exposure factors and bio-concentration factors. Fluoride soil standards corresponding to a total hazard index (HI) of 1.0 were determined for each scenario. For children in agricultural areas, the derived risk-based soil fluoride standard was 70 mg/kg for Scenario 1 and 27 mg/kg for Scenario 2. In industrial areas, the risk-based fluoride soil standard was 2200 mg/kg in Scenario 1 and 2300 mg/kg in Scenario 2. This study clearly demonstrated that the crop ingestion exposure pathway exerted predominent influence on the estimated human health risk standards. Additionally, using the Added Risk Approach and considering soil background concentrations, the total fluoride soil standards for residential areas ranged from 232 mg/kg to 444 mg/kg, while the standards for industrial areas ranged from 2405 mg/kg to 2674 mg/kg.

• Safety and Health at Work
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• v.11 no.2
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• pp.199-206
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• 2020

Background: In a wide range of industries, noise-induced hearing loss remains one of the most prevalent occupational problems. This study aimed to assess the noise exposure level and associated factors of hearing loss among textile workers in Yangon Region, Myanmar. Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted at a Textile mill (Thamine), Yangon Region, from April to December 2018. In total, 226 workers who were randomly selected from 3 weaving sections participated in face-to-face interviews using a structured questionnaire. A digital sound level meter and pure-tone audiometer were used for the assessment of noise exposure level and hearing loss, respectively. Logistic regression analysis was performed to assess the associated factors of hearing loss. Results: In total workers, 66.4% were exposed to ≥85 dB(A) of noise exposure, and the prevalence of hearing loss was 25.7%. Age ≥35 years, below high school education, hearing difficulty, tinnitus, hypertension, > 9 years of service duration in a textile mill were positively associated with hearing loss. After adjusting confounding factors, age ≥35 years (adjusted odds ratio = 6.90, 95% confidence interval = 3.45-13.82) and tinnitus (adjusted odds ratio = 2.88, 95% confidence interval = 1.13-7.37) were persistently associated with hearing loss. Conclusion: Providing occupational hazard education and enforcement of occupational safety regulations should be taken to decrease the noise exposure level. The regular audiometry test should be conducted for assessment of hearing threshold shift. The employer needs to implement a hearing conservation program in workplace when noise exposure reaches or exceeds 85 dB(A) for 8 hours.

• Journal of Korean Society of Industrial and Systems Engineering
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• v.13 no.21
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• pp.29-41
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• 1990

An assessment of risk in industrial and urban environments is essential in the prevention of accident and in the analysis of situations which are hazardous to public health and safety. The risk imposed by a particular hazard increases with the likelihood of occurence of the event, the exposure and the possible consequence of that event. In a traditional approach, the calculation of a quantitative value of risk is usually based on an assignment of numerical values of each of the risk factors. Then the product of the values of likelihood, exposure and consequences called risk score is derived. However vagueness and imprecision in mathematical quantification of risk are equated with fuzziness rather than randomness. In this paper, a fuzzy set theoretic approach to risk analysis is proposed as an alternative to the techniques currently used in the area of systems safety. Then the concept of risk evaluation using linguistic representation of the likelihood, exposure and consequences is introduced. A risk assessment model using approximate reasoning technique based on fuzzy logic is presented to drive fuzzy values of risk and numerical example for risk analysis is also presented to illustrate the results.

• Journal of Soil and Groundwater Environment
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• v.12 no.1
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• pp.64-72
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• 2007

Humans are exposed by a range of pollutants in soil via exposure routes such as ingestion, inhalation, and dermal contact. Risk assessment is a process of evaluating the adverse health effects of chemicals as a result of exposure to stressors, and it is a very useful tool to establish the cleanup goals in contaminated lands. In the exposure assessment that is one of main process in risk assessment, exposure factor plays a significant role to quantify the intake of soil pollutants. However there is a very limited study about the exposure factor applicable to Korea. In this study, we compared the exposure factors applied by the developed countries including the United States and representative European countries, and suggested the exposure factor that might be suitable in our situation. The exposure factors considered in this study include average lifetime, body weight, (exposed) skin surface area, life time, skin absorption, soil-skin adherence factor, and soil ingestion rate. This information is needed to quantitatively estimate the intake of soil pollutants in contaminated lands.

• Journal of Environmental Science International
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• v.22 no.2
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• pp.163-171
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• 2013

The aggregate risk assessment on xylene and ethylbenzene was carried out according to the guidance established newly in 2010 with the purpose of providing information for risk management. In human exposure assessment, the results indicated that lower ages were exposed more and that, in the interior space at home, the highest level of human exposure occurred via inhalation. At outdoor spaces, exposures via inhalation and drinking were less than 1%. In human health risk characterization, xylene showed HI(Hazard Index) < 1 in all ages. When reasonable maximum exposure(RME) was applied, HI for young children was 0.64. The HI of ethylbenzene was also below 1(0.02~0.04) in all ages, indicating no potential risk. From this study, it is considered that xylene need to be continous monitoring with interest because this substance may be more sensitive on young age group. In additon, to reduce the uncertainty of the risk assessment, the korean exposure factors on young age group such as infant, children had to be established as soon as possible.

• Journal of Environmental Science International
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• v.14 no.1
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• pp.9-14
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• 2005

This study evaluated the hazard caused by $NO_{2}$, an oxidant generated in the process of welding. We com­pared hematological and biochemical parameters in workers who chronically inhale $NO_{2}$ and office workers not exposed to $NO_{2}$. $NO_{2}$ exposure affected the hematological and biochemical parameters. Increasing $NO_{2}$ concen­trationincreased the number of leukocytes, while decreasing the number of erythrocytes. Blood urea nitrogen, cre­atinine, uric acid, and lactate dehydrogenase were increased, while total protein and triglycerides were decreased. The mean concentration of $NO_{x}(NO_{2}^{-}/NO_{3}^{-})$ in the serum of welders and the control group was $35.97{\pm}2.85\;and\;55.40{\pm}5.81\;{\mu}mol/L,$ respectively. The difference was significant (p < 0.05), although $NO_{2}^{-}$ was not detected in the serum.

• Journal of Environmental Health Sciences
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• v.45 no.1
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• pp.9-17
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• 2019

Objectives: This study examined the safety of tattoo ink by analyzing the phenol contents in tattoo inks and its risk assessment of selected phenol. Methods: A sample of 30 tattoo inks was purchased, the phenol contents were analyzed, and a risk assessment on dermal exposure from tattooing was carried out. Hazard identification was collected from toxicity data on systemic effects caused by dermal exposure to phenol, and the most sensitive toxicity value was adopted. Exposure assessment ($Exposure_{phenol}$) was calculated by applying phenol contents and standard exposure factors, while dose-response assessment was based on the collected toxicity data and skin absorption rate of phenol, assessment factors (AFs) for derived no-effect level ($DNEL_{demal}$). In addition, the risk characterization was calculated by comparing the risk characterization ratio (RCR) with $Exposure_{phenol}$ and $DNEL_{dermal}$ Results: The phenol concentration in the 30 products was from 1.4 to $649.1{\mu}g/g$. The toxicity value for systemic effects of phenol was adopted at 107 mg/kg. $Exposure_{phenol}$ in tattooing was from 0.000087 to 0.040442 mg/kg. $DNEL_{dermal}$ was calculated at 0.0072 mg/kg (=toxicity value 107 mg/kg ${\div}$ AFs 650 ${\times}$ skin absorption rate 4.4%). Thirteen out of 30 products showed an RCR between 1.02 and 5.62. The RCR of all red inks was above 1. Conclusions: Phenol was detected in all of the 30 tattoo inks, and the RCR of 13 products above 1 indicates a high level of risk concern, making it necessary to prepare safety management standards for phenol in tattoo inks.