• Safety and Health at Work
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• v.15 no.2
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• pp.192-199
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• 2024

Background: Safety data sheets (SDSs) are hazard communication materials that accompany chemicals/hazardous products in the workplace. Many SDSs contain dense, technical text, which places considerable comprehension demands on workers, especially those with lower literacy skills. The goal of this study was to assess SDSs for readability, comprehensibility, and suitability (i.e., fit to the target audience). Methods: The Suitability Assessment of Materials (SAM) tool assessed SDSs for suitability and readability. We then amended the SAM tool to further assess SDSs for comprehensibility factors. Both the original and amended SAM tool were used to score 45 randomly selected SDSs for content, literacy demand, graphics, and layout/typography. Results: SDSs performed poorly in terms of readability, suitability, and comprehensibility. The mean readability scores were Flesch-Kincaid Grade Level (9.6), Gunning Fog index (11.0), Coleman-Liau index (13.7), and Simple Measure of Gobbledygook index (10.7), all above the recommended reading level. The original SAM graded SDSs as "not suitable" for suitability and readability. When the amended SAM was used, the mean total SAM score increased, but the SDSs were still considered "not suitable" when adding comprehensibility considerations. The amended SAM tool better identified content-related issues specific to SDSs that make it difficult for a reader to understand the material. Conclusions: In terms of readability, comprehensibility, and suitability, SDSs perform poorly in their primary role as a hazard communication tool, therefore, putting workers at risk. The amended SAM tool could be used when writing SDSs to ensure that the information is more easily understandable for all audiences.

• Journal of Korean Society of Occupational and Environmental Hygiene
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• v.27 no.3
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• pp.187-192
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• 2017

Objectives: It is difficult to identify exposure factors in the semiconductor industry due to low exposure levels to hazardous substances and because various processes take place in fabrication (FAB). Furthermore, a single worker often experiences a variety of job histories, so it is difficult to classify similar exposure groups (SEG) in the semiconductor industry. Therefore, we intend to develop a new exposure index, the period of working in FAB, that is applicable to the semiconductor industry. Methods: First, in specifying the classification of jobs, we clearly distinguished whether they were FAB workers or non-FAB workers. We checked FAB working hours per week through questionnaires administered to FAB workers. We derived an exposure index called FAB-Year that can represent the period of working in FAB. FAB-Year is an index that can quantitatively indicate the period of working in FAB, and one FAB-Year is defined as working in FAB for 40 hours per week for one year. Results: A total of 8,453 persons were surveyed, and male engineers and female operators occupied 90% of the total. The average total years of service of the subjects was 9.7 years, and the average FAB-Year value was 6.8. This means that the FAB-working ratio occupies 70% of total years of service. The average FAB-Year value for female operators was 8.4, for male facility engineers it was 7.7, and for male process engineers it was 3.5. A FAB-Year standardization value according to personal information (gender, job group, entry year, retirement year) for the survey subjects can be calculated, and standardized estimation values can be applied to workers who are not participating in the survey, such as retirees and workers on a leave of absence (LOA). Conclusions: This study suggests an alternative method for overcoming the limitations on epidemiological study of the semiconductor industry where it is difficult to classify exposure groups by developing a new exposure index called FAB-Year. Since FAB-Year is a quantitative index, we expect that various approaches will be possible in future epidemiological studies.

• Journal of Environmental Health Sciences
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• v.48 no.4
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• pp.236-243
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• 2022

Background: In the case of multiple exposures to different types of heavy metals, such as the conditions faced by residents living near a smelter, it would be preferable to group hazardous substances with similar characteristics rather than individually related substances and evaluate the effects of each group on the human body. Objectives: The purpose of this study is to evaluate the utility of factor analysis in the assessment of health effects caused by exposure to two or more hazardous substances with similar characteristics, such as in the case of residents living near a smelter. Methods: Heavy metal concentration data for 572 people living in the vicinity of the Janghang smelter area were grouped based on several subfactors according to their characteristics using factor analysis. Using these factor scores as an independent variable, multiple regression analysis was performed on health effect markers. Results: Through factor analysis, three subfactors were extracted. Factor 1 contained copper and zinc in serum and revealed a common characteristic of the enzyme co-factor in the human body. Factor 2 involved urinary cadmium and arsenic, which are harmful metals related to kidney damage. Factor 3 encompassed blood mercury and lead, which are classified as related to cardiovascular disease. As a result of multiple linear regression analysis, it was found that using the factor index derived through factor analysis as an independent variable is more advantageous in assessing the relevance to health effects than when analyzing the two heavy metals by including them in a single regression model. Conclusions: The results of this study suggest that regression analysis linked with factor analysis is a good alternative in that it can simultaneously identify the effects of heavy metals with similar properties while overcoming multicollinearity that may occur in environmental epidemiologic studies on exposure to various types of heavy metals.

• The Journal of Engineering Geology
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• v.19 no.3
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• pp.295-306
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• 2009

The risk assessment of groundwater and soil in Sasang industrial complex in Busan Metropolitan City was carried out in order to estimate risks to human health and the environment. The carcinogenic risk (CR) of receptors to soil and air was not identified. However, the CRs for TCE and PCE were 6.7E-6 and 1.0E-5, respectively. Hazard quotient (HQ) and hazard index (HI) did not appear through air exposure pathways. Yet the HQ and HI of soil were 3.4E-5 and 5E-5, respectively, and lower than the critical value (1.0). On the contrary, HQ and HI with respect to groundwater were calculated as 0.7 (not hazardous) and 1.4 (hazardous). The constituent reduction factor (CRF) for TCE in the study area was determined as 2.5, and thus remediation work is demanded. As a result of sensitivity analysis for 18 exposure factors, eight exposure factors (life time of carcinogens, age, body weight, exposure duration, exposure frequency, dermal exposure frequency, water ingestion rate, and soil ingestion rate) varied with the variation of risk.

• Journal of the Korean GEO-environmental Society
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• v.18 no.6
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• pp.21-30
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• 2017

This study analyzed the ground characteristics region by designating 3 research areas, Anrim-dong in Chungju City, Busa-dong in Daejeon Metropolitan City and Sinan-dong in Andong City out of the areas subject to concentrated management to prepare for sediment disaster in downtown areas. The correlation between ground characteristics were observed by using characteristics (crown density, root cohesion, rainfall characteristics, soil characteristics) and the risk areas were predicted through sediment disaster prediction modeling. Landslide MAPping (LSMAP), Stability Index MAPping (SINMAP) and Landslide Hazard MAP (LHMAP) were used for the comparative analysis of the hazard prediction model for sediment disaster. As a result of predicting the sediment disaster danger, in case of SINMAP which was generally used, excessive range was predicted as a hazardous area and in case of the Korea Forest Service's landslide hazard map (LHMAP), the smallest prediction area was assessed. LSMAP predicted a medium range of SINMAP and LHMAP as hazardous area. The difference of the prediction results is that the analysis parameters of LSMAP is more diverse and engineering than two comparative models, and it is found that more precise prediction is possible.

• Journal of Korean Society of Occupational and Environmental Hygiene
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• v.17 no.2
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• pp.111-119
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• 2007

Firemen are directly exposed to various harmful chemicals, physical factors and mental stress during rescue and fire-fighting. In fire extinguishing, unstable posture, poisonous gas, dust, high temperature and heavy equipments are possible hazardous factors. The alertness for emergency, shift work, job strain and stress are also possibly hazardous. Therefore, this study aimed to investigate the prevalence of musculo-skeletal symptoms and job stress and to determine risk factors in firemen. This study was carried out in a group of 226 firemen in Busan City, Korea. Standardized Nordic Questionnaire was used to investigate the prevalence of musculo-skeletal symptoms and Psycho-social Well-being Index (abbreviated PWI) was used to investigate the prevalence of job stress. General and occupational characteristics were included education, marital status, alcohol and smoking history, working duration, and work shift system. Body mass index (BMI) scores were calculated by physical examination including height and weight. Concerning musculo-skeletal complaints, the commonest site was neck, and shoulder, lower back, upper back were the next. Complaint site above one area of body was about 80%. From multiple logistic regression analysis, working duration was significant variable in musculo-skeletal symptoms. Odds ratio were 15.4 in working duration. About 16.8% was high risk stress group. From multiple logistic regression analysis, shift work and alcohol drinking were significant variables in PWI scores. Odds ratios were 2.25 in shift work. Accordingly, interventions are needed for health promotion of long term and shift worker.

• Journal of Food Hygiene and Safety
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• v.27 no.4
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• pp.349-355
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• 2012

In this study, we configured a system which ranks hazardous chemicals to determine their management priorities based on experts' opinions and the existing CRS (chemical ranking and scoring). Aggregate exposure of food, health functional food, oriental/herbal medicine and cosmetics have been taken into account to determine management priority. In this study, 25 hazardous chemicals were selected, such as cadmium, lead, mercury, and arsenic, etc. These 25 materials were ranked according to their 1) risk (exposure or hazard) indexes, 2) exposure source-based weight, and 3) public interests, which were also formed based on the existing priority ranking system. Cadmium was scored the highest (178.5) and bisphenol A the lowest (56.8). Ten materials -- cadmium, lead, mercury, arsenic, tar, acrylamide, benzopyrene, aluminium, benzene, and PAHs -- scored higher than 100. Eight materials -- aflatoxin, manganese, phthalate, chromium, nitrate/nitrite, ethylcarbamate, formaldehyde, and copper -- recorded scores in the range from 70 to 100. Also evaluated as potential risks were 7 materials; sulfur dioxide, ochratoxin, dioxins, PCBs, fumonisin, methyl mercury, and bisphenol A, and these materials were scored above 50. Then we compared risk index and correlation coefficient of total scores to confirm the validity of the total scores; we analyzed correlation coefficient of parameter and indicator. We discovered that the total score and weight, which has incorporated public interests, were high and statistically significant. In conclusion, the result of this study contributes to strengthening risk assessment and risk management of hazardous chemicals.

• Journal of Korean Society of societal Security
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• v.2 no.2
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• pp.49-54
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• 2009

High incident of accidents in construction jobsite became a social problem. According to the International Labour Organization (ILO), more than 60,000 fatal accidents occur each year in construction workplace worldwide. This number of accidents accounts for about 17 percent of all fatal workplace accidents. Especially, accidents from struck-by and falls comprise of over 60 percent of construction fatalities. This paper introduces a prototype of a received signal strength index (RSSI)-based safety monitoring to mitigate the potential accidents caused by falls and struck-by. Correlation between signal strength and noise index is examined to create the distance profile between a transmitter and a receiver. Throughout the distributed sensor nodes attached on potential hazardous objects, the proposed prototype envisions that construction workers with a tracker-tag can identify and monitor their current working environment in construction workplace, and early warning system can reduce the incidents of fatal accident in construction job site.

• Journal of Korean Society of Occupational and Environmental Hygiene
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• v.16 no.2
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• pp.110-122
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• 2006

Objective : This study was conducted to quantify chronic lead exposure from various media(ie. working environment, food, ambient air), and to certify the usefulness of exposure assessment using Monte-Carlo simulation in the fields of occupational health. Methods : Data were obtained from Korean Industrial Health Association, Korea Food and Drug Administration, and the Ministry of Environment. Then lead worker's exposure was estimated indirectly from various media and parameters (ie. volume inhaled, body weight, dietary intake, etc.). Uncertainty was analyzed by Monte Carlo simulation with Crystal Ball software. Exposure doses and hazard indices were simulated with various hypothetical scenarios including weekly working hours and respiratory protective equipment. Results : Without respiratory protective equipment, the total exposure dose per kilogram of body weight of lead workers was estimated as $5.45{\times}10^{-3}mg/kg/day$, and hazard index was estimated as 2.26, and exposure contributions were calculated as follows : working environment(82.42 %); foods(17.57 %); and ambient air(0.01 %). But, if working condition has changed - reduction of working hours and using respiratory protective equipment, the total exposure dose per kilogram of body weight was estimated between $1.34{\times}10^{-3}-1.49{\times}10^{-3}mg/kg/day$, and hazard index was estimated between 0.56 - 0.62. Conclusions : This study suggested that occurrence of hazardous impact(ie. increased blood pressure) through lifetime lead exposure would be expected, and that the Monte-Carlo simulation was useful for the fields of occupational health.

• Ocean Systems Engineering
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• v.8 no.1
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• pp.41-55
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• 2018

Accidental oil and gas leak is a critical concern for the offshore industry because it can lead to severe consequences and as a result, it is imperative to evaluate the probabilities of occurrence of the consequences of the leakage in order to assess the risk. Event Tree Analysis (ETA) is a technique to identify the consequences that can result from the occurrence of a hazardous event. The probability of occurrence of the consequences is evaluated by the ETA, based on the failure probabilities of the sequential events. Conventional ETA deals with events with crisp failure probabilities. In offshore applications, it is often difficult to arrive at a single probability measure due to lack of data or imprecision in data. In such a scenario, fuzzy set theory can be applied to handle imprecision and data uncertainty. This paper presents fuzzy ETA (FETA) methodology to compute the probability of the outcomes initiated due to oil/gas leak in an actual offshore-onshore installation. Post FETA, sensitivity analysis by Fuzzy Weighted Index (FWI) method is performed to find the event that has the maximum contribution to the severe sequences. It is found that events of 'ignition', spreading of fire to 'equipment' and 'other areas' are the highest contributors to the severe consequences, followed by failure of 'leak detection' and 'fire detection' and 'fire water not being effective'. It is also found that the frequency of severe consequences that are catastrophic in nature obtained by ETA is one order less than that obtained by FETA, thereby implying that in ETA, the uncertainty does not propagate through the event tree. The ranking of severe sequences based on their probability, however, are identical in both ETA and FETA.