• The Korean Journal of Emergency Medical Services
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• v.13 no.3
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• pp.91-105
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• 2009

Purpose : The purpose of this study was to describe the current status of 119 EMT to violence experiences in Korea. Method : The number of 119 EMT in this study 2522. Self-administering questionnaire data were collected from April 27 to March 8 in 2009. Collected data were analyzed using SPSS 14.0 program. Real number, percentage, mean and standard deviation were calculated. Pearson correlation coefficient was analyzed. Result : 119 EMTs experienced 95.32%-verbal insults, 61.54%-violence aggression, 60.51%- potential violence, 38.70%-physical assault. Within 30 days from the most recent period of violence experienced verbal insults and violence aggression-51.07%, potential violence and physical assault-48.41%. The patients(50.59%) and the patients and patient's carers(38.26%) proved to be violent offender. The main reason of violent act was drug or alcohol addiction(56.15%). Recent exposure to violence was 34.82% by 7 point reward of stress level. 5-point scale showed the average of experiences of violence. Response average of emotional reactions was 2.66 points and that of physical reaction was 2.18 points. Social reaction was 2.06 points. Conclusion : This study was based on the violence experience of 119 EMT. It is necessary to prevent the violence from emergency scene. So we proposed the preventive measure against violence as well as critical incident stress debriefing(CISD). Policy for CISD and stress management will be implemented in the near future in Korea.

• Anxiety and mood
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• v.6 no.1
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• pp.65-70
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• 2010

Objectives : Indirect contact with trauma may occur when a person empathically listens to detailed descriptions, exposing the person to intense emotional pain from trauma victims. Although less severe than direct trauma, indirectly traumatized persons may experience the same fear, rage, and despair as direct trauma victims. This phenomenon has been variously termed vicarious trauma, traumatic countertransference, burnout, compassion fatigue, and secondary traumatic stress. Using a psychiatric symptoms questionnaires, this study investigated the effects of indirect exposure to co-worker's trauma on the mental health of firefighters who had not directly experienced traumatic events in the previous year. Methods : We administered self-report questionnaires, such as the Impact of Event Scale-Revised (IESR) and Alcohol Use Disorder Identification Test (AUDIT), to firefighters working at two fire stations in a metropolitan city. We analyzed 188 of 232 collected surveys, after excluding falsely entered data (28 cases) and questionnaires by directly-traumatized victims (16 cases). Results : Alcohol consumption and posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) symptoms, as determined by the AUDIT and IES-R, were significantly higher in the indirectly-traumatized group. The ratio of high-risk members scoring higher than 23 in IES-R was larger in the indirectly traumatized group, although this was not statistically significant. Conclusion : Alcohol consumption was significantly higher in the indirectly traumatized group. This group also included more members at high risk for PTSD. Further research, with a larger group of indirectly traumatized firefighters and ongoing investigation of PTSD development and other psychiatric symptoms, is needed.

• Design & Manufacturing
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• v.16 no.4
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• pp.52-59
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• 2022

Currently, Korea is an aging society and is expected to become a super-aged society in about four years. X-ray devices are widely used for early diagnosis in hospitals, and many X-ray technologies are being developed. The development of X-ray device technology is important, but it is also important to increase the reliability of the device through accurate data management. Sensor nodes such as temperature, voltage, and current of the diagnosis device may malfunction or transmit inaccurate data due to various causes such as failure or power outage. Therefore, in this study, the temperature, tube voltage, and tube current data related to each sensor and detection circuit of the diagnostic X-ray imaging device were measured and analyzed. Based on QC data, device failure prediction and diagnosis algorithms were designed and performed. The fault diagnosis algorithm can configure a simulator capable of setting user parameter values, displaying sensor output graphs, and displaying signs of sensor abnormalities, and can check the detection results when each sensor is operating normally and when the sensor is abnormal. It is judged that efficient device management and diagnosis is possible because it monitors abnormal data values (temperature, voltage, current) in real time and automatically diagnoses failures by feeding back the abnormal values detected at each stage. Although this algorithm cannot predict all failures related to temperature, voltage, and current of diagnostic X-ray imaging devices, it can detect temperature rise, bouncing values, device physical limits, input/output values, and radiation-related anomalies. exposure. If a value exceeding the maximum variation value of each data occurs, it is judged that it will be possible to check and respond in preparation for device failure. If a device's sensor fails, unexpected accidents may occur, increasing costs and risks, and regular maintenance cannot cope with all errors or failures. Therefore, since real-time maintenance through continuous data monitoring is possible, reliability improvement, maintenance cost reduction, and efficient management of equipment are expected to be possible.

• Journal of The Korean Society of Clinical Toxicology
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• v.10 no.2
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• pp.73-79
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• 2012

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to identify the changes in the characteristics of patients with carbon monoxide (CO) poisoning, as well as the distinctive differences in intentionally exposed patients. Methods: The medical records of CO poisoning patients, who visited nine emergency departments between January 2010 and December 2011, were reviewed retrospectively. The clinical information including age, gender, hospitalization, type of discharge, cause and location of exposure, site of onset, concentration of initial blood carboxyhemoglobin (COHb), methods of treatment and presence of neurological complications was examined. The subjects were divided into an intentional and non-intentional group and the differences between them was compared. Results: A total 209 subjects were recruited. The median age was 38 years (29~49.5 years). They frequently complained of nausea and vomiting, and the most common exposures occurred in winter, normally in the home. The cause of exposure was usually fire, followed by incomplete combustion of fuels. The median initial blood COHb was 13.15%. The proportion of intentionally exposed patients was 21%. They were significantly younger, more frequently discharged against medical advice, and showed a higher initial blood COHb level (22.85%) than the non-intentional group. Conclusion: This study suggests that those with intentional CO poisoning are normally discharged against medical advice even when they have a higher initial COHb level. An adequate explanation of the delayed neurologic sequelae and short term follow-up observation is recommended for those patients with intentional exposure.

• The Journal of the Korea Contents Association
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• v.9 no.6
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• pp.247-255
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• 2009

This study aims to provide basic data for establishing the safety and health plan by investigating the exposure conditions in the facilities registering business about handling radiations and radioactive isotopes in Korea. dose levels(working space, worker location) of the workers in 153 facilities were measured using surveymeter, and individual exposure concentration[(shallow dose(SD), depth dose(DD)] in 27 facilities using thermal luminescence dosimeter(TLD). In accordance with the measurement results by business type[fire fighting prevention business(FFPB, n=10), financial insurance business(FIB, n=3) and other facilities(n=140)] using surveymeter, those three business type groups showed difference (p<0.000). Dose levels of worker location for FFPB and FIB were significantly higher than 10.0 ${\mu}Sv$/hr, the allowable standard for radiations and radioactive isotopes, and they were higher 109.3 times(p<0.000) and 187.5 times(p<0.000) than those in other facilities. The concentration of TLD[FFPB(n=10), other facility (n=17)] in DD of FFPB was significantly higher than that in other facility(p=0.05). In accordance with the analysis result on relationship between surveymeter and TLD, the dose on working space and worker location(r=0.406, p<0.05), worker location dose and SD(r=0.453, p<0.05), worker location dose and DD(r=0.553, p<0.01), and SD and DD(r=0.927, p<0.001) had all related each other. It is urgently required to change FFPB and FIB from the facilities requiring registration for handling radiations and radioactive isotopes to the facilities that shall get permission for handling radiations and radioactive isotopes by reestablishing the legal administration area, for safety and health of radiation occupants.

• Anxiety and mood
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• v.18 no.2
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• pp.39-47
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• 2022

Objective : This study investigated brain functional connectivity in male firefighters who showed subclinical post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) symptoms. Methods : We compared the data of 17 firefighters who were not diagnosed with PTSD and 18 healthy controls who had no trauma exposure. The following instruments were applied to assess psychiatric symptoms: Korean version of the Post-traumatic stress disorder Checklist for DSM-5 (PCL-5-K), Beck Depression Inventory-II (BDI-II), Beck Anxiety Inventory (BAI). For all subjects, functional magnetic resonance imaging was performed, and functional connectivity was compared between the two groups (family-wise error-corrected p<0.05). Additionally, correlations between psychiatric symptoms and functional connectivity were explored. Results : The following connectivity was higher than that of healthy controls: 1) the central opercular cortex-superior temporal gyrus, 2) planum polare-parahippocampal gyrus, 3) angular gyrus-amygdala, and 4) temporal fusiform cortex-parahippocampal gyrus. The functional connectivity of 1) the lateral occipital cortex-inferior temporal gyrus, 2) superior parietal lobule-caudate, and 3) middle temporal gyrus-thalamus were lower in firefighters. In firefighters, the connectivity of the planum polare-parahippocampal gyrus showed a negative correlation with the severity of arousal symptoms (rho=-0.586, p=0.013). The connectivity of the middle temporal gyrus-thalamus showed a positive correlation with the severity of intrusion (rho=0.552, p=0.022) and arousal symptoms (rho=0.619, p=0.008). The connectivity of the temporal fusiform cortex-parahippocampal gyrus was negatively correlated with intrusion (rho=-0.491, p=0.045) and arousal (rho=-0.579, p=0.015). Conclusion : Our results indicate that the brain functional connectivity is associated with occupational trauma exposure in firefighters without PTSD. Therefore, this study provides evidence that close monitoring and early intervention are important for firefighters with traumatic experience even at a subthreshold level.

• Journal of Korean Tunnelling and Underground Space Association
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• v.23 no.5
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• pp.325-337
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• 2021

On the road and rail tunnels, the evacuation pathway and facilities such as smoke-control and fire suppression system are essential in tunnel fire. In the long twin tunnels, the cross-connection tunnel is usually designed to evacuate from the tunnel where the fire broke out to the other tunnel. In twin shield tunnels, the segment lining has to be demolished to construct the cross-connection tunnel. Considering the modern shield TBM is mostly the closed chamber type, the exposure of underground soil induced by removal of steel segment lining is the most danger construction step in the shield tunnel construction. This case study introduces the excavation method using the thrust of large steel pipe and reviews the measured data after the construction. The large steel pipe thrust method for the cross-connection tunnel can stabilize the excavated face with the two mechanisms. Firstly, the soil in front of excavated face is cylindrically pre-supported by the large steel pipe. Secondly, the excavated face is supported by the plugging effect caused by the soil pressed into the steel pipe. It was reviewed that the large steel pipe thrust method in the cross-connection tunnel is enough to secure the construct ability and stability in soil from the measurement results about the deformation and stress of steel pipe.

• Applied Chemistry for Engineering
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• v.29 no.6
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• pp.670-676
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• 2018

Experiments on combustion gases generation of untreated cypress specimens or treated with boric acid, ammonium pentaborate, and boric acid/ammonium pentaborate additive were carried out. Test specimens were painted three times with 15 wt% boron compound aqueous solutions. After drying, the generation of combustion gas was analyzed using a cone calorimeter (ISO 5660-1). As a result, comparing to untreated specimen, the smoke performance index (SPI) of the specimens treated with the boron compound increased by 1.37 to 2.68 times and the smoke growth index (SGI) decreased by 29.4 to 52.9%. The smoke intensity (SI) of the specimens treated with boron compounds is expected to be 1.16 to 3.92 times lower than that of untreated specimens, resulting in lower smoke and fire hazards. Also, the maximum carbon monoxide ($CO_{peak}$) concentration of specimens treated with boron compounds was 12.7 to 30.9% lower than that of untreated specimens. However, it was measured to produce fatal toxicities from 1.52 to 1.92 times higher than that of permissible exposure limits (PEL) by Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA). The boron compounds played a role in reducing carbon monoxide, but it did not meet the expectation of reduction effect because of the high concentration of carbon monoxide in cypress itself.

• Journal of the Korean Burn Society
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• v.21 no.1
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• pp.17-21
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• 2018

Purpose: This study aimed to evaluate the thermal protective function of firefighter clothes and gloves through real scale fire simulations. Methods: Firstly, the fire simulation by real scale flame was performed for firefighter clothes. A manikin equipped with firefighter clothes was directly exposed to flames which energy average is 84 Kw/m². for 22 seconds. Heat flux gauges attached on the body measured surface temperature elevation. Secondly, we also performed the other fire simulation by hot plate exposure to firefighter gloves. Firefighter gloves with heat flux gauges exposed hot plate which temperature is 300℃ in both dry and moist conditions. Primary outcome was surface temperature change of manikin body (first simulation) and hand (second simulation) over times. Results: In the first flame simulation, the surface temperature of face and shoulders elevated more rapidly comparing with the other body surface area when initial period of flame shutter open. After 18sec of shutter open, the surface temperature of upper trunk elevated rapildy. After shutter closure, high surface temperature kept continuously on right side of face and left shoulder. In the second hot plate simulation, fingers and palms showed higher surface temperature than the other areas of hands in the both dry and wet conditions. Conclusion: This study suggests that the real scale flame enables firefighter clothes to lose their heat protective function suddenly after 18 seconds. Additionally, the protective function of firefighter gloves were relatively weaker in the palmar side of fingers than the other parts of hand. There should be additional study for evaluate thermal protection performance of firefighter clothes. And, further effort for reinforce palmar side of fingers of firefighter gloves should be done.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Marine Environment & Safety
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• v.29 no.7
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• pp.964-970
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• 2023

As part of the International Maritime Organization ef orts to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, the maritime industry is exploring low-carbon fuels such as liquefied natural gas and methanol, as well as zero-carbon fuels such as hydrogen and ammonia, evaluating them as environmentally friendly alternatives. Particularly, ammonia has substantial operational experience as cargo on transport ships, and ammonia ship engines are expected to be available in the second half of 2024, making it relatively accessible for commercial use. However, overcoming the toxicity challenges associated with using ammonia as a fuel is imperative. Detection is possible at levels as low as 5 ppm through olfactory senses, and exposure to concentrations exceeding 300 ppm for more than 30 min can result in irreparable harm. Using the KORA program provided by the Chemical Safety Agency, an assessment of the potential risks arising from leaks during ammonia bunkering was conducted. A 1-min leak could lead to a 5 ppm impact within a radius of approximately 7.5 km, affecting key areas in Busan, a major city. Furthermore, the potentially lethal concentration of 300 ppm could have severe consequences in densely populated areas and schools near the bunkering site. Therefore, given the absence of regulations related to ammonia bunkering, the potential for widespread toxicity from even minor leaks highlights the requirement for the development of legislation. Establishing an integrated system involving local governments, fire departments, and environmental agencies is crucial for addressing the potential impacts and ensuring the safety of ammonia bunkering operations.