• Journal of Environmental Impact Assessment
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• v.27 no.2
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• pp.194-202
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• 2018

Health impact assessment in South Korea is carried out within the framework of Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA). And, public health and hygiene items in EIA as an evaluation of health impact items were designed to calculate the emission level of hazardous air pollutants from specific development projects, and the exposure concentration at major sites, and to assess the health risk associated with these projects. But, the assessment of the receptor characteristics around the development project is limitedly considered. The purpose of this study is to propose the method of calculation of potential exposed population and the use of it for public health and hygiene items in EIA. The data for the calculation of potential exposed population in South Korea were identified. And the calculation algorithm based on them was proposed. After that, in a development of industrial complex, a case analysis was carried out assuming the release of hazardous air pollutants. This study suggested that the concept of population risk should be applied in risk assessment utilizing the potential exposed population and as a future study, a standard of assessment of health effects for population risk should be established. Finally, the possibility of using this study as a location-limiting tool for the development project was presented through the method of calculating the potential exposed population. It is meaningful that this study presented a method for performing risk assessment from the perspective of receptors around a development project.

• Journal of environmental and Sanitary engineering
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• v.24 no.3
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• pp.28-36
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• 2009

We have closely examined the concentration change characteristics, emission amounts, and the material balance of hazardous air pollutants at both early and later stages of the prevention facilities. These results will be uses as the basic data when preparing for the regulatory and management plans for hazardous air pollutants. The results of the study on heavy metals illustrated that the content of heavy metals in sludge across five facilities were as follows: copper> zinc> chrome> nickel> cadmium> mercury. In terms of heavy metal content in swage sludge, the sludge in incinerating facilities other than the sludge in the D incinerating facility containing industrial water waste, was examined in order to satisfy the ocean contamination standard and fertilizer specifications. Most of the items were shown to have satisfied the emission tolerance standards in the latter part of the prevention facilities(The average elimination rate was over 90%). Therefore, it is concluded that swage sludge containing high-concentrate heavy metals needs to be incinerated rather than recycled as fertilizer.

• Journal of Korean Society of Occupational and Environmental Hygiene
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• v.21 no.4
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• pp.215-221
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• 2011

Objectives: This study was conducted to evaluate the exposure level of hazardous chemical agents for dental technicians in Ulsan. Methods: We measured airborne total dusts and metals such as Nickel, Manganese, Cobalt, and Chromium in 10 dental laboratories by the NIOSH Methods 0500 and 7300, respectively. Methyl methacrylate (MMA), a key ingredient in acrylic resin, was also monitored using passive samplers for long-term sampling and Tenax tubes for short-term sampling. Results: Measured levels of all items were below 10% of the Korean exposure limit except for Nickel. The geometric mean concentration and geometric standard deviation of total dust, Nickel, and MMA were $0.14mg/m^3$ (2.16), $165.3{\mu}g/m^3$ (3.31), and 0.2 ppm (2.5) respectively. Airborne Nickel concentration of two dental laboratories exceeded the exposure limit ($1000{\mu}g/m^3$). The major emission sources of Nickel were metal trimming and casting processes. Conclusions: We found that Nickel, a carcinogen, should be controled most urgently to protect dental technicians.

• Korean Chemical Engineering Research
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• v.56 no.2
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• pp.212-221
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• 2018

Process safety incidents and loss events can be prevented if we identify and adequately take measures on process safety incident precursors in a timely manner. If we look into and take action against the process safety hazard factors causing the incident in the refinery and petrochemical plant, major process safety incidents can be prevented through eliminating or decreasing hazardous factors. We conducted a survey for the major process safety incident precursor to look specifically into the potential process safety hazardous factors of refineries and petrochemical plants in the Yeosu chemical complex. A self-assessment checklist, which was published by Center for Chemical Process Safety "Recognizing catastrophic incident warning signs in the process industry" on major incidents warning sign, was used for the survey. Through this survey, the major process safety incident leading indicators in the process industry were found by process safety management elements, and each site and/or facility can use these leading indicators for activities for process safety incident prevention. In addition, we proposed action items required to eliminate the root cause of those process safety incident leading indicators.

• Toxicological Research
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• v.31 no.3
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• pp.227-240
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• 2015

Recent amendment on the Food Sanitation Act in Korea mandated the Minister of Food & Drug Safety to secure the scientific basis for management and reevaluation of standards and specifications of foods. Especially because the current food safety control is limited within the scope of 'Farm to Market' covering from production to retail in Korea, safety control at the plane of true 'Farm to Fork' scope is urgently needed and should include 'total diet' of population instead of individual food items. Therefore, 'Total Diet Study (TDS)' which provides 'closer-to-real' estimates of exposure to hazardous materials through analysis on table-ready (cooked) samples of foods would be the solution to more comprehensive food safety management, as suggested by World Health Organization and Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations. Although the protection of diets from hazards must be considered as one of the most essential public health functions of any country, we may need to revisit the value of foods which has been too much underrated by the meaningless amount of some hazardous materials in Korea. Considering the primary value of foods lies on sustaining life, growth, development, and health promotion of human being, food safety control should be handled not only by the presence or absence of hazardous materials but also by maximizing the value of foods via balancing with the preservation of beneficial components in foods embracing total diet. In this regard, this article aims to provide an overview on TDS by describing procedures involved except chemical analysis which is beyond our scope. Also, details on the ongoing TDS in Korea are provided as an example. Although TDS itself might not be of keen interest for most readers, it is the main user of the safety reference values resulted from toxicological research in the public health perspective.

• Journal of Korean Society on Water Environment
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• v.28 no.3
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• pp.473-478
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• 2012

To protect human health and manage increasing hazardous chemicals in stream area, it is necessary to expand water quality hazardous items based on risk assessment with proper monitoring data. Also, it is essential to set up the suitable monitoring frequency to produce reliable exposure data to derive water quality guidelines. However, there has been no harmonized monitoring frequency for risk assessment in both domestic and international monitoring systems. In addition, the monitoring frequency for risk assessment has been selected as 'Research needs' in the International Conference on Deriving Environmental Quality Standards for the Protection of Aquatic Ecosystems (EQSPAE) of 2011. In this study, Cases of UNEP/WHO, EU, European countries, USEPA, ANZECC/ARMCANZ, CCME, Japan, and Korea were analyzed to propose the monitoring frequency for risk assessment. Monitoring frequencies depending on environmental conditions, monitoring object, measurement parameters, and monitoring duration were extensively collected. We observed that a monthly monitoring has been applied at most of organizations including EU, USEPA, and UNEP/WHO. In this study, monitoring frequency of minimum 6 times during 3 years were proposed to conduct the risk assessment based on the current domestic status. However, it is necessary to make agreements among interested parties, and perform additional studies about optimal monitoring frequency to protect the aquatic ecosystem and human health in Korean rivers and streams.

• Journal of the Korean Society for Environmental Technology
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• v.19 no.6
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• pp.586-599
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• 2018

To learn about the discharge facility management of industrial complexes and the discharge characteristics of water pollutants in drainage, 11 sites were selected, including 16 discharge companies of Hanam Industrial Complex and High-Tech Scientific Industrial Complex and 4 drainages of the industrial complexes. Through the analysis, it was found that 12(75 %) of the 16 discharge companies had specific hazardous substances other than those registered at the time of installation and registration of the wastewater discharge facilities. In terms of other pollutants, 11 of the 16 companies(about 69 %) were found to have pollution items that differed from those included in approved and reported items lists. In addition, Formaldehyde, Mn, Zn, and Ba were discharged from 11 out of the 16 companies. Significantly, one of the specific hazardous water pollutants, Cu, was detected in all discharge facilities at levels from 0.029 to 0.929 mg/L. Even in major complexes drainages and the main stream of the Yeongsangang. As, Dichloromethane, and Chloroform were detected. However, it cannot be conclusively claimed that it is probable that these substances were actually discharged from the above facilities because research was only done in a limited range(Class 1 to Class 3), and therefore, further research is required. In the future, it will be necessary to expand the research scope of the discharge companies in order to establish a database of water pollutants, and to improve permits and reported items based on discharged substances.

• Journal of Korean Society of Environmental Engineers
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• v.38 no.1
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• pp.14-24
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• 2016

Information on the lists of pollutants from industrial wastewater discharge are essential not only to specify the key pollutants to be managed in permission process but to design the treatment facilities by the dischargers. In this study, wastewater quality analysis was conducted for three industrial categories including the specified hazardous water pollutants. The general description of the wastewater occurrence, major sources, treatment facilities are also investigated to obtain integrated database on the pollutant inventories for the industrial categories. In addition Based on the analysis of raw wastewater and final effluent, the detected pollutant items are confirmed by analyzing their presence in the raw or supplement materials, the potential of formation as byproducts, and the possibility of inclusion as impurities. The three industrial categories include petrochemical basic compounds, basic organic compounds, and thermal power generation. The water pollutants emitted from petrochemical basic compound manufacturing facilities are 31 items including 16 specified hazardous water pollutants. Basic organic compound manufacturing facilities discharge 30 kinds of pollutants including 14 specified hazardous water pollutants. Thermal power generation facilities emit 20 pollutants, 8 specified hazardous water pollutants among them. These substances were decided as emission inventories of water pollutants finally through the probability evaluation. The compounds detected for each categories are screened through investigation on the possible causes of their occurrence and confirmed as the final water pollutant inventories.

• Journal of Korean Public Health Nursing
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• v.12 no.2
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• pp.12-26
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• 1998

The occupational health problems are the major issue in the modern industrial society. Especially the small scale industries have many hazardous factors and not any occupational health programs in itself. Fortunately. the government-funded subsidiary program was developed and carried out in the past six years in our country. The purposes of this study were to find out the actual condition of the occupational health personnel's accomplishments for the government-funded subsidiary program for small scale industries and to provide basic data for setting up more developed subsidiary occupational health program. Data were collected through 6 kinds of service records review. These service records were written by 3 occupational health personnels were attached to the one subject center of KIHA. were undertaken during March to December, 1997. at 95 small scale industries which were applied the government-funded subsidiary occupational health program. Results were as follows 1. Concerning 95 small scale industries showed characteristics of a typical small scale industry. 2. A doctor visited in industries total 190 times per year, average 19 industries per month, twice per year and industry. A hygienist visited in industries total 378 times per year, average 38 industries per month, four times per year and industry. A nurse visited in industries total 477 times per year. average 47 industries per month, 5 times per year and industry. 3. 3 occupational health personnels accomplished total 3,869 items. A doctor accomplished total 539 items per year, each time 3 items In an industry. A hygienist accomplished total 1.581 items per year, each time 4 items in an industry. A nurse accomplished total 1.749 items per year, each time 4 items in an industry. 4. The major contents of doctor's accomplishment were 'health consultation for suspicious worker with general & occupational disease', 'a check of the workplace & special health education', 'guidance of special medical examination in the second half of year', etc. The major contents of hygienist's accomplishment were 'pretest & guidance of planning for evaluation of working environment'. 'evaluation for ventilating facilities & suporting self inspection', 'guidance of MSDS recording & chemicals management', etc. The major contents of nurse's accamplishment were 'health counseling of general & special medical examination results'. 'health education of preventing occupational disease & health disorder'. 'guidance of subsidiary program planning', 'selecting & guidance of health monitor', etc. It was concluded that the occupaional health personnels implemented the subsidiary program according to the order of health management guide. The current health management guide of subsidiary occupational health program in which the fixed contents, visiting number & periods is not desirable. That guide is left the characteristics of small scale industries out of consideration. It is suggested that occupational health management guide should be developed according to the general & environmental characteristics of each small scale industry, and on the other hand, the more specific guide for each occupational health personnel should be developed.

• Journal of the Korea Safety Management & Science
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• v.25 no.2
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• pp.17-28
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• 2023

This study aimed to verify the validity of the evaluation items and weight determination of the indoor environmental safety area, which has the most frequent accidents, among the safety certification evaluations of educational facilities by the Ministry of Education of the Republic of Korea, which has been conducted since May 2021. As a preceding study, the evaluation items of the school safety evaluation checklist being implemented in the US state of Vermont were compared, and the causes of accidents judged by teachers in the accident experiences written by 200 Korean teachers were compared with the safety certification evaluation items belonged to the Ministry of Education. In addition, research literature using the AHP analysis technique on safety risks of elementary and secondary schools in China and safety evaluation index study cases of 539 elementary school children in Indonesia were analyzed. Through these preceding studies, measures to add and adjust evaluation items were derived and the validity and importance rankings of evaluation items were calculated through AHP questionnaires to teachers and safety experts. In addition, a survey was conducted on 104 ordinary people to verify the results of expert analysis. As a result of expert AHP analysis, 'safety education and disaster response training (.396)' was the highest priority for the relative importance of the first layer, followed by 'safety measures (.387)' and 'building materials'. Safety (.216)' was found to be the highest priority. In the overall importance ranking of the 13 second-tier screening items, safety accident prevention education had the highest priority and disaster preparedness training ranked second, proving that the Ministry of Education's review weight was underestimated. In addition, slip and collision accident countermeasures, which were not in the existing Ministry of Education review items, ranked 4th, laboratory practice room safety measures ranked 6th, and sanitation, cleanliness, hazardous substance management, and cafeteria/cooking room safety measures ranked 9th, indicating a significant level of importance. Referring to the importance ranking, which is the result of this study, it is suggested that it is necessary to review the weight of each review item again.