• Safety and Health at Work
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• 제11권3호
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• pp.372-377
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• 2020

Infection risks of handling specimens associated with severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) by public health laboratory services teams were assessed to scrutinize the potential hazards arising from the work procedures. Through risk assessments of all work sequences, laboratory equipment, and workplace environments, no aerosol-generating procedures could be identified except the procedures (mixing and transfer steps) inside biological safety cabinets. Appropriate personal protective equipment (PPE) such as surgical masks, protective gowns, face shields/safety goggles, and disposable gloves, together with pertinent safety training, was provided for laboratory work. Proper disinfection and good hand hygiene practices could minimize the probability of SARS-CoV-2 infection at work. All residual risk levels of the potential hazards identified were within the acceptable level. Contamination by gloved hands was considered as a major exposure route for SARS-CoV-2 when compared with eye protection equipment. Competence in proper donning and doffing of PPE accompanied by hand washing techniques was of utmost importance for infection control.

• Genomics & Informatics
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• 제3권4호
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• pp.159-165
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• 2005

The Korean Twin Register (n=154,783 pairs) was reported in 2002 as the first nationwide twin study in Korea and the largest study in Asia. The Twin Register has the information of disease outcomes since 1990, and basic clinical and questionnaire data from biennial health examination provided by Korea National Health Service. The author attempted to calculate some of the genetic parameters of cancers in this population. Common cancers in Korea known to have familial aggregation (colon and breast) and cancers of which familial aggregation is unclear (stomach cancer) were examined for their familial recurrence risks. There were 699 stomach cancers, 438 breast and 491 colorectal cancers cases in the twin register between 1991 and 2003. Like-sex twins showed recurrence risks (${\lambda}_{LS}$) of 5.1 (95% CI 3.7-6.9) for stomach cancers, 15.5 (95% CI1 0.9-20.2) for female breast cancers, and 28.1 (95% CI 23.5-34.4) for colon cancers. Colorectal cancers of female like-sex twins show significantly higher familial recurrence risk 40.7 (95% CI 34.6-47.4), suggesting higher genetic contribution in women than in men. The results show increased familial risks compared with previous studies from the same register and are largely compatible with other studies. The data of the Twin Register could be used for estimating population level genetic parameters, as well as base of the various studies.

• Safety and Health at Work
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• 제5권3호
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• pp.140-146
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• 2014

Background: Young male and female workers are over-represented in statistics concerning negative outcomes of poor work environment and risky work. Young workers often have low awareness of risk, a lack of safety training, and inadequate introduction to the work. The aim of this study was to identify the knowledge and experiences of pupils of vocational schools concerning potential work environment risks in their future work. Methods: The study design was a dual one, and included a questionnaire and focus group interviews. The study group consisted of 239 pupils from 10 upper secondary schools, who were graduating pupils in four vocational programs: the Industrial Technology Programme, the Restaurant Management and Food Programme, the Transport Programme, and the Handicraft Programme (in which students specialize in wood products). The upper secondary schools were located in the central region of Sweden. Results: The pupils had limited knowledge that employers must, by law, conduct risk analyses and prevent risks. Many felt that they themselves are mainly responsible for performing their tasks safely. Pupils in all programs mentioned acute risk as the greatest risk at work. The theoretical education about safety at work was provided in the $1^{st}$ year of the 3-year vocational programs. Conclusion: A systematic approach to pupils' training in work environment, which is a basis for a safe and healthy workplace, is lacking. The study findings indicate that pupils are offered knowledge far from that intended by laws and by state-of-the-art occupational health risk research.

• Safety and Health at Work
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• 제8권4호
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• pp.371-377
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• 2017

Background: Social status might be a determinant of occupational health inequalities. This study analyzed the effects of social status on both work environments and health outcomes. Methods: The study sample consisted of 27,598 wage employees aged 15 years and older from among the Korean Working Condition Survey participants in 2011. Work environments included atypical work, physical risks, ergonomic risks, work demands, work autonomy, social supports, and job rewards. Health outcomes comprised general health, health and safety at risk because of work, the World Health Organization-5 Well-being Index, work-related musculoskeletal disease, and work-related injury. Multivariable logistic-regression models were used to identify the associations between social status and work environments and health outcomes. Results: Employees in the demographically vulnerable group had lower occupational status compared with their counterparts. Low social status was largely related to adverse work environments. Especially, precarious employment and manual labor occupation were associated with both adverse work environments and poor health outcomes. Conclusion: Precarious and manual workers should take precedence in occupational health equity policies and interventions. Their cumulative vulnerability, which is connected to demographics, occupational status, adverse work environments, or poor health outcomes, can be improved through a multilevel approach such as labor market, organizations, and individual goals.

• Safety and Health at Work
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• 제13권2호
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• pp.163-169
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• 2022

Background: It is estimated that about 13 million artisanal and small-scale miners carry out their activities under harsh, precarious, unfriendly, and risky conditions. Yet, our understanding of the extent to which these workers use personal protective equipment (PPE) and navigate through the various risks and hazards they face is still limited. This article has two main objectives. First, it explores the extent of usage of PPE among artisanal and small-scale miners for the prevention of hazards and risks. Second, it examines the coping strategies used by these miners as a response to experiences of occupational injuries and risks Methods: A cross-sectional survey of small-scale miners was conducted in six communities across three districts in Ghana, West Africa. The mixed methods approach was adopted. A total of 148 small-scale miners participated in the study. Six focus group discussions (FGDs) were held across the six communities. The data were analysed using descriptive statistics. Chi-square tests were used to analyse the relationship between some socio-demographic characteristics (sex, age, and educational background) and the usage of PPE. Open-ended questions and responses from FGDs were analysed based on the content and verbatim quotations from miners. Results: Findings suggest that 78% of the miners interviewed do not use the appropriate PPE citing reasons such as cost, and their personal discomfort associated with use of PPE. There was no significant relationship between socio-demographic characteristics (i.e., sex, age, education and major mining activity) and the usage of PPE. The study further revealed four main coping strategies used by miners to handle the risks. These are rest, taking unprescribed medication and hard drugs, registration with health insurance scheme and savings and investments. Conclusion: This study shows that very few artisanal miners use PPE despite the significant hazards and risks to which they are exposed. The study recommends to the government to put in place measures to ensure that miners adhere to health and safety regulations before undertaking mining activities. This means that health and safety plans and use of PPE should be linked to the license acquisition process for miners.

• 약학회지
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• 제57권1호
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• pp.8-17
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• 2013

The objective of this study is investigation of contamination levels and transfer rate of heavy metals and assessment of health risk effects in animal medicines. A total of sixteen items with 148 samples were obtained for this investigation from major herbal medicine producing areas and herbal markets from 2011 to 2012. Inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometer method was conducted for the quantitative analysis of Pb, Cd and As. In addition, the mercury analyzer system was conducted for that of Hg without sample digestion. The average contents of heavy metals in animal medicines were as follows : 1.55 mg/kg for Pb, 0.28 mg/kg for Cd, 0.70 mg/kg for As and 0.047 mg/kg for Hg respectively. The average contents of heavy metals in decoctions were as follows : 0.03 mg/kg for Pb, 0.01 mg/kg for Cd, 0.17 mg/kg for As and 0.003 mg/kg for Hg respectively. The average transfer rates of heavy metals from animal medicines to decoctions were 1.9% for Pb, 3.6% for Cd, 24.2% for As and 6.0% for Hg respectively. Cancer risks of animal medicines and decoctions through slope factor by ministry of environment republic korea and environmental protection agency was $1.36{\times}10^{-6}$ and $2.50{\times}10^{-8}$ for Pb and $7.46{\times}10^{-5}$ and $1.98{\times}10^{-5}$ for As (assuming that the total arsenic content was equal to the inorganic arsenic) respectively. The hazard index of heavy metals in animal medicines and decoctions was below recommended hazard index as 0.52 and 0.05 respectively. Taken together, cancer risks about Pb and hazard indexes of animal medicines and decoctions indicate that the majority of samples except for some samples with relative high contents of heavy metals were safe. But cancer risks about As of animal medicines indicate that the majority of samples were not relatively safe.

• 한국산업보건학회지
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• 제29권3호
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• pp.278-288
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• 2019

Objectives: The objectives of this study are to summary controversy over health risks among semiconductor workers, to review major cancer risk results conducted in semiconductor operation and to evaluate occupational health activities in Korea for controlling hazardous agents generated in semiconductor operations Methods: Major occupational health issues that has been social controversies among semiconductor workers since 2007 were reviewed through an extensive literature, report and article review. Results: Since a female semiconductor worker aged 22 died from leukemia in 2007, job-association of a number of former semiconductor workers with various types of cancer and rare diseases have been denied by the Korea Workers' Compensation and Welfare Service (KWCWS), but some of them were later awarded compensation as an occupational disease by the administrative court. Two epidemiologic cancer risk studies conducted in Korea found increased risks in leukemia and non-Hodgkin's lymphoma among semiconductor workers. Various legal occupational health activities taken in semiconductor industry were found to fail to assess a complex characteristics of semiconductor operations, such as drastic changes in chemical use, processes, and technology, multiple exposure. National compensation regulation also showed the limitation to evaluate job-association of semiconductor workers who had worked in semiconductor operation. Conclusions: National legal measures should be taken to improve several occupational health activities and duties for protecting workers. In addition, the KWCWS program should be revised so that all workers who meet minimal job or environment associations can be compensated.

• 대한예방의학회:학술대회논문집
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• 대한예방의학회 1994년도 교수 연수회(환경)
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• pp.23-56
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• 1994

Recent criticisms of the conduct and use of risk assessment by regulatory agencies have led to a wide range of proposed remedies, including changes in regulatory statutes and the development of new methods for assessing risk. The mandate to this Committee was more limited. Our objective was to examine whether alterations in institutional arrangements or procedures, particularly the organizational separation of risk assessment from regulatory decision-making and the use of uniform guidelines for inferring risk from available scientific information, can improve federal risk assessment activities. Before undertaking to determine whether organizational and procedural reforms could improve the performance and use of risk assessment in the federal government, the Committee examined the state of risk assessment and the regulatory environment in which it is performed. In this chapter, we define risk assessment and differentiate it from other elements in the regulatory process, analyze the types of judgments made in risk assessment, and examine its current government context. Because one chronic health hazard, cancer, was highlighted in the Committee's congressional mandate and has dominated public concern about public health risks in recent years, most of our report focuses on it. Furthermore, because activities in four agencies--the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA), and the Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC)--have given rise to many of the proposals for changes in risk assessment practices, our review focuses on these four agencies. The conclusions of this report, although directed primarily at risk assessment of potential carcinogens as performed by these four agencies, may be applicable to other federal programs to reduce health risks.

• 한국직업건강간호학회지
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• 제29권4호
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• pp.235-246
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• 2020

Purpose: In Korea, the proportion of female workers among occupational injury is steadily increasing. The purpose of this study was to identify the workplace risk factors that threaten the safety and health of the female workers. Methods: Qualitative study was conducted, using focus group interview. Data were collected from five focus groups of eighteen female workers who were working in the manufacturing, health service, and educational service industries. Results: The seven themes of occupational safety and health risks of women workers are as follows: 1) Workplace with various risks; 2) Sliding, falling, burning, and cutting accidents; 3) Chronically lasting musculoskeletal symptoms; 4) Chemicals that may be harmful to workers; 5) Unprotected infectious disease; 6) Psychological safety accidents(Relationship conflict and emotional labor); 7) Loud, hot, stuffy, scary, and tired. Conclusion: The Occupational Safety & Health (OSH) Act should be rearranged gender sensitively and women's participation in the OSH decision-making process should be guaranteed. OSH education should be properly implemented in the field, and support should be provided for women workers in small businesses. A supportive organizational culture for marriage, pregnancy and childbirth should be established, and the working environment should be provided safely, taking into account gender differences.

• 식품보건융합연구
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• 제4권2호
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• pp.1-5
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• 2018

Background: the self-regulating in adolescent's smokers as prevention is one of the lines of the work team in the consultation of Ceasing Tobacco. Objective: to identify the factors of risks that impact in the self-regulation to prevent the tobacco in adolescents. The investigation embraced one period from March 2017 to September 2018. Method: a descriptive study of traverse court was used. Registered to 31 students for sampling intentional non probabilistic, of an universe of 50 adolescent students. It was used empiric methods; clinical histories, interviews structured and the questionnaire. Conclusion: the female sex prevailed, where 54,8 % between the 12 to 19 years of age. Results: the incidence the factors of risks that impact in the self-regulation to prevent the tobacco in adolescents are the group contagion with 54,7 %, family problems for a 29,0 % and situational depression with 16,1 %, where it is necessary the self-regulation that should have the adolescents in the life.