• Korean Journal of Construction Engineering and Management
• /
• v.8 no.2
• /
• pp.68-74
• /
• 2007

It has been recognized that safety management is activated during the construction phase to prevent accidents and fatalities of workers. However, It is revealed that about 15% of fatal death accidents is caused by the lack of management of planning and design phases. There is a crucial need of assessing safety risk during building design phase. This paper is aimed to develop a safety risk assessment checklist that can be used during building design phase, utilizing the concept of Design for Safety. In doing so, a broad literature survey on safety management of building Process, various safety risk assessment toolboxes being utilized in the HSE and the BAA of UK. The proposed checklist contains the followings: 1) classification structure for safety design on space, element, and trade work 2) hazard risk factor, probability and degree of intensity of accident occurrence, and 3) safety assessment criteria. It is expected that the checklist would be an effective tool of preventing and minimizing fatal accidents of building construction projects.

• Journal of Hospice and Palliative Care
• /
• v.23 no.1
• /
• pp.11-16
• /
• 2020

Purpose: D-dimer levels are known to be associated with poor outcomes in patients with various cancers, but their significance at the end of life remains unclear. This study investigated D-dimer levels as a prognostic indicator for terminal cancer patients in the last hours of life. Methods: The retrospective study was conducted at a palliative care unit of a tertiary cancer center, using a database to analyze the records of patients treated from January 1, 2010 to December 31, 2018. In total, 67 terminal cancer patients with available data on D-dimer levels were included. Patients' demographic data, clinical information, and laboratory values, including D-dimer levels, were collected. Survival was analyzed using the Kaplan-Meier method and the log-rank test. A Cox proportional-hazards model was used to identify prognostic factors of poor survival. Results: The most common site of cancer was the lung (32.8%) and the median survival time was 5 days. Most laboratory results, particularly D-dimer levels, deviated from the normal range. Patients with high D-dimer levels had a significantly shorter survival time than those with low D-dimer levels (4 days vs. 7 days; P=0.012). In the Cox regression analysis, only a high D-dimer level was identified as a predictor of a poor prognosis (hazard ratio, 1.83; 95% confidence interval, 1.09~3.07). Conclusion: Our results suggest that at the very end of life, D-dimer levels may serve as a prognostic factor for survival in cancer patients.

• Safety and Health at Work
• /
• v.9 no.2
• /
• pp.192-202
• /
• 2018

Background: Work-related musculoskeletal disorders are accumulative disorders that are most frequently found in agricultural farmers. The purpose of this study was to investigate factors that affect symptoms resulting from work-related musculoskeletal disorders among Cambodian farm workers working in fruit plantations in the eastern region of Thailand. Methods: The Nordic Musculoskeletal Questionnaire, Rapid Upper Limb Assessment, and Hazard Zone Jobs Checklist techniques were used to interview 861 farmers who participated in the study. Results: The data showed that men who had been working for >10 years were more at risk of neck pain than those working for <1 year with adjusted odds ratio (aOR) 1.66, 95% confidence interval (CI) (1.90, 14.5). Among women those who had been working for >10 years experienced lower back pain with aOR 8.13, 95% CI (1.04, 63.74), compared with those who had been working for <1 year. Men whose tasks required raising the arms above shoulder height had a risk factor contributing to neck pain of aOR 1.68, 95% CI (1.08, 2.61) when compared with those who did not work with this posture, and women had aOR 1.82, 95% CI (1.07, 3.12) when compared with those who did not work with this posture. Conclusion: Based on the results of this study, it is recommended that work-related health conditions are monitored in migrant plantation workers to reduce the risks of musculoskeletal disorders.

• Radiation Oncology Journal
• /
• v.37 no.1
• /
• pp.51-59
• /
• 2019

Purpose: We evaluated failure pattern and treatment outcomes of observational approach on regional lymph node (LN) in cutaneous melanoma of extremities and sought to find clinico-pathologic factors related to LN metastases. Material and Methods: We retrospectively reviewed 73 patients with cutaneous melanoma of extremities between 2005 and 2016. If preoperative 18-F-fluorodeoxyglucose (FDG)-positron emission tomography/computed tomography (PET/CT) findings were non-specific for regional LNs, surgical resection of primary tumors with adequate margins was performed without sentinel lymph node biopsy (SLNB) and/or complete lymph node dissection (CLND), irrespective of tumor thickness or size. In patients with suspicious or positive findings on PET/CT or CT, SLNB followed by CLND or CLND was performed at the discretion of the surgeon. We defined LN dissection (LND) as SLNB and/or CLND. Results: With a median follow-up of 38 months (range, 6 to 138 months), the dominant pattern of failure was regional failure (17 of total 23 events, 74%) in the observation group (n = 56). Pathologic LN metastases were significant factor for poor regional failure-free survival (hazard ration [HR] = 3.21; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.03-10.33; p = 0.044) and overall survival (HR = 3.62; 95% CI, 1.02-12.94; p = 0.047) in multivariate analysis. In subgroup analysis for cN0 patients according to the preoperative PET/CT findings, LND group showed the better trend of LRFFS (log rank test, p = 0.192) and RFFS (p = 0.310), although which is not statistically significant. Conclusion: Observational approach on regional LNs on the basis of the PET/CT in patients with cutaneous melanoma of extremities showed the dominant regional failure pattern compared to upfront LND approach. To reveal regional lymph node status, SLND for cN0 patients may of importance in managing cutaneous melanoma patients.

• Journal of Environmental Health Sciences
• /
• v.43 no.5
• /
• pp.360-369
• /
• 2017

Objectives: The organizational culture of small-scale enterprises is influenced by a lack of awareness of industrial accidents and a business-oriented culture. Therefore, the purpose of this study is to establish a correlation between chemical awareness and worker safety, which is the reason why a company's safety environment is responsible for human factor accidents. Methods: The research model established the organizational culture, human relationships, organizational relationships, workplace culture, safety climate, and safety parameters, all of which affect the perception of chemical substances, then established safety rankings, communication, safety regulations, and safety support. Results: In order to derive the results of this study, the satisfaction level was mostly derived from the degree of engagement (+) depending on the number of years worked, in the hierarchical regression analysis. During work with chemicals, the number of years spent on the level of the service was determined by the influence of the chemical (-). Based on this company, the occurrence of chemical accidents caused by chemical materials was felt to be felt at the risk of causing the hazard to be felt, the absence of physical damage was excluded from the variables. The other variables detected in the variables were $62.8{\pm}24.4$. Conclusion: As a result, it is necessary to develop a statistical model for the verification of the hierarchical regression analysis, and the relationship between safety and awareness of the dangers of chemicals and biological agents requires periodic safety training. Job satisfaction was found to be higher if the level of awareness was sufficient.

• Fire Science and Engineering
• /
• v.27 no.4
• /
• pp.13-20
• /
• 2013

Buildings in Korea have been getting higher recently and been being changed environmentally since the Korean fire standard was released in 1968. It should be established to make a appropriate correspondence of fire fighting against the those environmental changes. Most of all, fire water capacity which is basis of fire fighting service is a very significant factor. In this paper, the Korean fire water capacity and fire water duration were compared with China, Japan and the United states. Furthermore, fire water capacity, fire water duration, flow rate were compared by hazard classification, occupant use, number of floor and area with water based fire suppression system. This study has been surveyed to show what are difference, similarity, advantage and disadvantage on fire water capacity in the Korean standard comparing with neighboring countries like China, Japan as well as the United states. This study could be found what level the Korean fire water capacity is. So it suggests about more developed standard on fire water capacity with the result of analysis and comparison.

• Journal of Korea Society of Industrial Information Systems
• /
• v.5 no.2
• /
• pp.1-8
• /
• 2000

Manual material handling(MMH)is major factor which causing physical injuries of worker at working area and frequency of low back pain(LBP) is increasing industrial accidents. Especially, working in bad circumstance such as farm, orchard, harbor loading and unloading, logging place and mining place which located in inclined slope can cause much possibility of hazard and absence of working balance can cause injuries of musculoskeletal system such as joint, bone, ligament. So, this study used EMG system to measure and evaluate muscle force information and fatigue of worker when lifting on slope. The result of measuring averaged integrated EMG(AEMG) shows multifidus muscle be used more than anything else in force. neck extensors are used at 15°, 20°frequently. generally the AEMG result shows multifidus muscle be used in force. Commonly, muscle fatigue of multifidus is higher than other muscle by analysis mean power frequency(MPF). The result of load sharing rate shows multifidus and erectorspinae which are deep spinal muscles is relatively high and neck extensor is low.

• Journal of Preventive Medicine and Public Health
• /
• v.40 no.4
• /
• pp.321-328
• /
• 2007

Objectives : The aim of this study was to evaluate the roles of cigarette smoking, alcohol consumption, tuberculosis, and their interactions in the risk of lung cancer in a Korean cohort. Methods : The study subjects comprised 13,150 males and females aged above 20 years old. During the follow up period from 1993 to 2002, 79 lung cancer cases were identified by the central cancer registry and the national death certificate database. Information on cigarette smoking, alcohol consumption and the history of physician-diagnosed tuberculosis was obtained by interview. Indirect chest X-ray findings were also evaluated to ascertain tuberculosis cases. Cox proportional hazard models were used to estimate relative risks (RR) and 95% confidence intervals (CI) after adjusting for age and gender. Results : Cigarette smoking was statistically significantly associated with an increased risk of lung cancer [for current smokers, RR = 2.33 (95% CI = 1.23 - 4.42) compared to non-smokers]. After further adjustment for cigarette smoking, both alcohol consumption and tuberculosis showed no statistically significant association with the risk of lung cancer [for current drinkers, RR = 0.80 (95% CI = 0.48 - 1.33) compared to non-drinkers] [for tuberculosis cases, RR = 1.17 (95% CI = 0.58 - 2.36) compared to non-cases]. There was no statistically significant interaction between cigarette smoking and alcohol consumption (p-interaction = 0.38), or cigarette smoking and tuberculosis (p-interaction = 0.74). Conclusions : Although cigarette smoking was confirmed as a risk factor of lung cancer in this cohort study, this study suggests that alcohol consumption and tuberculosis may not be associated with the risk of lung cancer.

• Journal of Preventive Medicine and Public Health
• /
• v.49 no.3
• /
• pp.143-152
• /
• 2016

Objectives: Metabolic syndrome is a cluster of risk factors for type 2 diabetes mellitus and cardiovascular disease. Associations between metabolic syndrome and several types of cancer have recently been documented. Methods: We analyzed the sample cohort data from the Korean National Health Insurance Service from 2002, with a follow-up period extending to 2013. The cohort data included 99 565 individuals who participated in the health examination program and whose data were therefore present in the cohort database. The metabolic risk profile of each participant was assessed based on obesity, high serum glucose and total cholesterol levels, and high blood pressure. The occurrence of cancer was identified using Korean National Health Insurance claims data. Hazard ratios (HRs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) were estimated using Cox proportional hazards models, adjusting for age group, smoking status, alcohol intake, and regular exercise. Results: A total of 5937 cases of cancer occurred during a mean follow-up period of 10.4 years. In men with a high-risk metabolic profile, the risk of colon cancer was elevated (HR, 1.40; 95% CI, 1.14 to 1.71). In women, a high-risk metabolic profile was associated with a significantly increased risk of gallbladder and biliary tract cancer (HR, 2.05; 95% CI, 1.24 to 3.42). Non-significantly increased risks were observed in men for pharynx, larynx, rectum, and kidney cancer, and in women for colon, liver, breast, and ovarian cancer. Conclusions: The findings of this study support the previously suggested association between metabolic syndrome and the risk of several cancers. A high-risk metabolic profile may be an important risk factor for colon cancer in Korean men and gallbladder and biliary tract cancer in Korean women.

• Tuberculosis and Respiratory Diseases
• /
• v.77 no.1
• /
• pp.13-17
• /
• 2014

Background: This study analyzed the negative prognostic factors in patients who received second-line chemotherapy for advanced inoperable non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). Methods: We retrospectively reviewed the records of 137 patients with inoperable stage III-IV NSCLC who received second-line chemotherapy. The effects of clinical parameters on survival were analyzed and the hazard ratios (HR) for mortality were identified by a Cox regression analysis. Results: Sex, age older than 65 years, smoking history, cell type, T-stage, best response to first-line chemotherapy and first-line chemotherapy regimen were significant negative predictors in univariate analysis. The multivariate analysis showed that patients older than 65 years (HR, 1.530; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.020-2.297), advanced T stage (T4 vs. T1; HR, 2.273; 95% CI, 1.010-5.114) and non-responders who showed progression with first-line chemotherapy (HR, 1.530; 95% CI, 1.063-2.203) had higher HR for death. Conclusion: The age factor, T stage and responsiveness to first-line chemotherapy were important factors in predicting the outcome of patients with advanced NSCLC who received second-line chemotherapy. The results may help to predict outcomes for these patients in the future.