• Journal of Environmental Health Sciences
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• v.33 no.1 s.94
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• pp.1-10
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• 2007

This study accomplished to grasp the present condition of HAPs and to examine efficiently carcinogenic and non-carcinogenic health effects through health risk assessment in new apartments from June, 2004 to May,2005. Moreover, we performed uncertainty analysis by Monte-Carlo analysis to control uncertainty of exposure factors. The major results obtained from this study were as follows. Firstly, cancer risk of formaldehyde for male was $1.67{\times}10^{-5}$ in CTE in point estimation. Cancer risk of formaldehyde was showed $2.94{\times}10^{-3}$ in RME that applied worst case used results of 95 percentile in point estimation. It exceeds $10^{-6}$ of guide line in US EPA. Moreover, cancer risks of formaldehyde for female were $3.98{\times}10^{-5}$ in CTE and $3.93{\times}10^{-3}$ RME. Secondly, every hazard index for non-carcinogenic pollutants was less than 1 of permitted standards in CTE. However, in RME of male, hazard indexes of 1,2-Dichloropropane and Toluene were 1.3 and 2.0, respectively. Hazard indexes of 1,2-Dichloropropane and Totuene for female in RME were 1.7 and 2.6, respectively.

• Journal of Korean Society of Occupational and Environmental Hygiene
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• v.30 no.3
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• pp.280-291
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• 2020

Objectives: Hazard classification is a controversial issue in the new MSDS system in which chemical companies have to prepare and submit MSDS for chemicals that they manufacture or import to the competent authorities according to the amended Occupational Safety and Health Act. The aim of this study is to suggest how to apply and manage harmonized hazard classification criteria and results by investigating current hazard classification systems and trends. Methods: The domestic issues about different hazard classification criteria and results were investigated by reviewing the literature and business outcomes regarding KOSHA. We also checked official and unofficial reports from the UN to understand international discussion about the topic. Chemical hazard classification results from agencies providing chemical information were analyzed to compare a harmonized rate between classifications. Furthermore, a field survey of a few chemical companies was conducted. Results: Under the related competent authorities, an integrated standard proposal was developed to harmonize the domestic hazard classification criteria. Although harmonized chemical information is strongly needed, we recognized the uncertainty and difficulty of harmonized hazard classification from the UN global list project review. In practice the harmonization rate of the classification was generally low between the classification in KOSHA, MoE, and EU CLP. Among hazard classes, health hazards largely led the disharmony. The field survey revealed a change of perception that the main body of chemical information production is manufacturers. Approaches and solutions about hazard classification issues differed depending on business size, types of chemical handling, and other factors. Conclusions: We proposed reasonable ways by time and step to apply hazard classification in the new MSDS system. Chemical manufacturers should make and offer chemical information including responsible hazard classifications. The government should primarily accept these classifications, evaluate them by priority, and support or supervise workplaces in order to communicate reliable chemical information.

• Journal of Environmental Health Sciences
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• v.46 no.4
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• pp.470-479
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• 2020

Objectives: The Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic has caused the death of 740,000 people around the world as of August 12, 2020. Foot-and-Mouth Disease, Avian Influenza, and African Swine Fever are serious livestock diseases. Government agencies in Korea have provided ingredient information and usage instructions for disinfectants used to counter those infectious diseases. The purpose of this study was to provide information on the chemical ingredients in disinfectant products used against COVID-19 and certain livestock diseases. Methods: We collected information from the Korean government. The Central Disaster Management Headquarters and Central Disease Control Headquarters provided information on disinfectant products used against COVID-19. The Animal and Plant Quarantine Agency of Korea provided information on efficacy-certified disinfectant products for use against selected livestock diseases. Health hazard and environmental hazard information on the ingredients in the disinfectants was collected from the Korea Occupational Safety & Health Agency's Material Safety Data Sheets, and toxicity value information was collected from United States Environmental Protection Agency's CompTox Chemicals Dashboard. Results: There were 76 COVID-19 disinfectant products in use, and the most common ingredients were benzalkonium chloride (51%), alkylbenzyl dimethyl ammonium (30%), and ethanol (3%). There were 216 livestock disease disinfectant products comprised of 89 acidic, 88 oxidic, 30 aldehydic, three alkaline, and six other products. Among the 49 active ingredients used in the disinfectants that were investigated, health and environmental hazard information was provided for many of them, but only 20 chemicals had official toxicological information. Conclusion: Since the disinfectants included numerous chemicals, an understanding of their chemical characteristics could be critical to prevent unintended human or environmental exposure.

• Toxicological Research
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• v.28 no.3
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• pp.173-178
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• 2012

This study investigated the human health risks of trichloroethylene from Industrial Complex A. The excessive carcinogenic risks for central tendency exposure were $1.40{\times}10^{-5}$ for male and female residents in the vicinity of Industrial Complex A. The excessive cancers risk for reasonable maximum exposure were $2.88{\times}10^{-5}$ and $1.97{\times}10^{-5}$ for males and females, respectively. These values indicate that there are potential cancer risks for exposure to these concentrations. The hazard index for central tendency exposure to trichloroethylene was 1.71 for male and female residents. The hazard indexes for reasonable maximum exposure were 3.27 and 2.41 for males and females, respectively. These values were over one, which is equivalent to the threshold value. This result showed that adverse cancer and non-cancer health effects may occur and that some risk management of trichloroethylene from Industrial Complex A was needed.

• Journal of Environmental Health Sciences
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• v.46 no.4
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• pp.410-422
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• 2020

Objectives: According to the Act on Registration, Evaluation, Etc. of Chemicals, new and existing chemicals must be registered by 2030. In addition, industries need to submit hazard data as an attachment during the registration process. Therefore, we constructed a nationwide chemical database to support small industry by providing hazard data and original sources. During the process, we developed a new standard procedure for minimizing errors and increasing reliability. Methods: We analyzed the categories of errors and the cause of the errors through the verification results of the 2019 project. We present an improved database construction methodology and system. Results: Errors are categorized according to their causative factors into simple, technical, and structural type errors. Simple errors arise simply because of decreased concentration or negligence in following the instructions. Technical errors are caused by a discrepancy between the professional field and the type of data. Structural errors indicate systemic errors such as incomplete forms on the excel database or ambiguity in the guidelines. Lessons from the errors collected in the 2019 project are used to update the procedures for database authorization and technical guidelines. The main update points are as follows; 'supplementation of review process', 'giving regular training to external reviewers', 'giving additional information to authors, like physico-chemical properties of substances, degradability, etc.', 'amendment of excel form', and 'guideline upgrades'. Conclusions: We conducted this study with the aim of improving the accuracy and reliability of the database of hazard information for chemical substances. The new procedures and guidelines are now being used in the 2020 project for construction of a hazard information database for Korea.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Safety
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• v.28 no.3
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• pp.88-94
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• 2013

In university laboratories, areas of studies are becoming diverse and complicated according to the development of the industry. New forms of potential risk factors are increasing and they are unlike existing ones. In addition, many students are conducting various experiments in the laboratory. Therefore, they could be exposed to risk more often. Despite these risks, people do not recognize university lab safety activities properly and observe safety precautions. They are exposed to various laboratory accidents continually. In this study, we do not apply the present diagnosis method, checklist, but the safety assessment that is widely used in industry. Then we can find lots of hazard that checklist method could miss. This study will use the 4M and Hazard & Operability to design a new Laboratory safety assessments method.

• Journal of Korean Society of Occupational and Environmental Hygiene
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• v.22 no.1
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• pp.73-81
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• 2012

Object: The aim of this study is to suggest a list of priority chemicals for the Hazard & Risk Evaluation of Chemicals (HREC) controlled by the Industrial Safety and Health Act (ISHA). Method: Screening assessment was done for 642 chemicals whose exposure threshold limit values were set by the Ministry of Employment and Labor (MOEL). Hazard data were collected from Korea Occupational Safety & Health Agency (KOSHA) and/or other toxicity database. Exposure data were obtained from KOSHA internal database. The hazard and exposure scores of chemicals were listed by order of priority in accordance with GHS classification and exposure index data. Result: From the result of screening risk assessment for 642 chemicals, we extracted a list of 13 priority chemicals for HREC performed by the ISHA. A priority list of 27 chemicals which have carcinogen, mutagen and/or reproductive toxicity but not controlled by the ISHA was suggested for additional evaluation as "chemicals for special management".

• Journal of Korean Society of Occupational and Environmental Hygiene
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• v.28 no.4
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• pp.406-415
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• 2018

Objective: The purpose of this study was to investigate the hazards of cosmetic ingredients in Korea. Methods: An Excel database of cosmetic ingredients was developed on a website(Korea Cosmetic Ingredient Dictionary) and used for a hazard assessment based on Tox-free, a database containing toxic information such as on carcinogens, mutagens or reproductive toxicants(CMRs) and endocrine disrupting chemicals(EDCs), as well as other regulated chemicals in Korea. Results: A total of 16,605 chemicals were registered with the cosmetic ingredient dictionary and 308 of them were identified as either CMRs or EDCs. CMRs included formaldehyde and nickel gluconate, and EDCs included parabens, benzophenon, styrene, and toluene. Reproductive toxicants such as xylene, zinc chloride, toluene, and formaldehyde were regulated by the Occupational Safety and Health Act and the Act on the Registration and Evaluation, etc. of Chemical Substances(the Chemical Control Act). Conclusions: Regulations on cosmetics components should be strengthened, and the right to know about cosmetics containing hazardous chemicals should be guaranteed.

• Journal of Korean Society on Water Environment
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• v.24 no.2
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• pp.247-259
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• 2008

The utilization of a variety of hazard chemicals bears risks to human health and ecosystem. The increasing usage of various chemicals indicates the greater emission of those chemicals to water system, and the subsequent deterioration of water quality. Water system is vulnerable to many pollutants, however, there are limitations of managing a range of hazard chemicals based on insufficient legal foundations. Therefore it is needed to select hazard chemicals that can be potentially discharged into water system, and subsequently to classify a wide range of existing chemicals for better management of those chemicals. In this study, the 259 candidate chemicals of concern were selected from the lists of the toxic released inventory chemicals (148), hazard concern candidate chemicals (106), and wastewater effluent standard candidate chemicals (116). We suggested the category 1, 2, 3 and 4 of hazard chemicals potentially discharged into water system. The assessment factors considered for the classification were hazard potential, persistence and emission to water body. This work was conducted as a part of the project entitled 'Development of integrated methodology for evaluation of water environment', and the results were used to develop the monitoring lists of hazard chemicals in four major rivers in Korea.

• Journal of Environmental Health Sciences
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• v.31 no.5 s.86
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• pp.431-443
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• 2005

This study was performed to investigate the perceptions of the opinion leaders, such as government officials, researchers, NGO workers, and journalists on the risks of endocrine disrupters (EDs) and genetically modified organisms (GMOs) as well as the related policies on these two hazards or potential hazards. The opinion leaders generally considered the EDs as the most serious hazard among twenty-one environmental health hazards in Korea, and agreed that the EDs would continuously be the most serious hazard. On overall average, the GMOs were ranked the 11th among the twenty-one health hazards. Further investigation indicated that the GMOs were variously ranked by the group of respondents: they were ranked the 2nd by the NGO workers, the 7th by the journalists, the 9th by the researchers and the 11th by the government officials. In general, the respondents considered the dioxin as a hazard with the highest risk while the GMOs were considered less hazardous. The opinion leaders considered that although the risks of the GMOs and EDs were not fully verified, the risks should be controlled through the legislation. The EDs and GMOs should be separately regulated for the time being, while the EDs should put under more strengthened regulation. It is recommended that a web-site containing the information on the EDs and the GMOs be prepared for the journalists. In addition, a training program in relation to the EDs and the GMOs needs to be organized by the Korean Press Foundation and the Korea Food and Drug Administration to educate the journalists. A committee consisting of government officials, scientists, and NGO workers needs to be established, and it should provide framework of future policies and public relations programs.