• 대한디지털의료영상학회논문지
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• 제11권2호
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• pp.79-84
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• 2009

Recently, there has been a rapid increase of interest in u-Health systems or instruments. The importance of testbeds has been discussed deeply also. However, beyond laboratory or ward environments, testbeds covering metropolitan area cannot be found easily. Moreover, there has been few papers which discuss the results of testbed operations for various instruments in different age groups. In this paper, the results of testbed which operated in Daegu metropolitan area are discussed and improvement directions to strengthen the competitiveness are proposed using user analysis. In particular, the results of trial services using the u-Life support instruments (medication reminder, falling safety phone, bio-patch and shirts, etc) for super aging societies in the near future are discussed.

• Safety and Health at Work
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• 제1권1호
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• pp.51-60
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• 2010

Objectives: The level of benzene exposure in the petrochemical industry during regular operation has been well established, but not in turnaround (TA), where high exposure may occur. In this study, the characteristics of occupational exposure to benzene during TA in the petrochemical companies were investigated in order to determine the best management strategies and improve the working environment. This was accomplished by evaluating the exposure level for the workers working in environments where benzene was being produced or used as an ingredient during the unit process. Methods: From 2003 to 2008, a total of 705 workers in three petrochemical companies in Korea were studied. Long- and short-term (< 1 hr) samples were taken during TAs. TA was classified into three stages: shut-down, maintenance and start-up. All works were classified into 12 occupation categories. Results: The long-term geometric mean (GM) benzene exposure level was 0.025 (5.82) ppm (0.005-42.120 ppm) and the short-term exposure concentration during TA was 0.020 (17.42) ppm (0.005-61.855 ppm). The proportions of TA samples exceeding the time-weighted average, occupational exposure level (TWA-OEL in Korea, 1 ppm) and the short-term exposure limit (STEL-OEL, 5 ppm) were 4.1% (20 samples of 488) and 6.0% (13 samples of 217), respectively. The results for the benzene exposure levels and the rates of exceeding the OEL were both statistically significant (p < 0.05). Among the 12 job categories of petrochemical workers, mechanical engineers, plumbers, welders, fieldman and scaffolding workers exhibited long-term samples that exceeded the OEL of benzene, and the rate of exceeding the OEL was statistically significant for the first two occupations (p < 0.05). Conclusion: These findings suggest that the periodic work environment must be assessed during non-routine works such as TA.

• Safety and Health at Work
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• 제10권4호
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• pp.476-481
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• 2019

Background: Mystery shopping is a method in which a company monitors quality of service and employee conduct and compliance with regulations using an evaluator posing as a customer. It is a typical tool of customer-centered bureaucratic control insofar as it provides overall and standardized evaluation of intangible elements of customer service as well as physical elements of service environments. The purpose of this study is to examine how mystery shopping is related to the health status of service workers in South Korea. Methods: Data from semistructured interviews with 15 workers were collected from January to April 2019 to obtain information on service worker experiences with mystery shopping. Data were analyzed using the constant comparison method. Results: Mystery shopping limits worker autonomy and stiffens the workplace environment by standardizing and monitoring labor processes for service workers. In addition, mystery shopping heightens work stress through increased labor intensity. Five mechanisms by which mystery shopping affects service worker health are identified and comprise (1) multifaceted and multilayered surveillance, (2) evaluator subjectivity and irrational requirements, (3) standardized rules combined with high pressure to achieve sales, (4) self-esteem degradation because of evaluator results, and (5) musculoskeletal disorders because of strict adherence to labor processes based on evaluator results. Conclusion: Mystery shopping as an evaluation method should be reconsidered not only in terms of health problems but also in terms of organizational efficiency and issues of human rights.

• Safety and Health at Work
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• 제11권2호
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• pp.127-135
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• 2020

A safe work environment is crucial in high-risk industries, such as construction refurbishment. Safety incidents caused by uncertainty and unexpected events in construction refurbishment systems are difficult to control using conventional safety management techniques. Resilience engineering (RE) is proposed as an alternative to traditional safety management approaches. It presents a successful safety management methodology designed to deal with uncertainty in high-risk work environments. Despite the fact that RE resides in the safety domain, there is no common set of RE indicators to measure and assess resilient in the work environment. The main aim of this research is to explore RE indicators that have been identified as important in developing and assessing the resilient work environment in high-risk industries, particularly in construction refurbishment. Indicators have been attained through a systematic literature review of research and scholarly articles published between the years 2004 and 2019. The literature review explored RE indicators in various industries. Descriptive analysis and co-occurrence-based network visualization were used for data analysis. The findings revealed 28 RE indicators in 11 different high-risk industries. The results show that the four commonly used indicators were: top-management commitment, awareness, learning, and flexibility, all of which have a strong relationship with RE. The findings of this study are useful for stakeholders when making decisions concerning the most important RE indicators in the context of their research or practice as this would avoid the ambiguity and disparity in the identification of RE indicators.

• 한국산업보건학회지
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• 제31권2호
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• pp.128-137
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• 2021

Objectives: The purpose of this study is to propose a smart work environment management service model that can measure and maintain work environments in real time. Methods: How existing private consignment business is being carried out was identified and a simpler method was applied to the model. Results: Common support was provided according to the Korea Standard Industrial Classification. Hazards suitable for the relevant industry classification were selected and information on safety and health education, etc. was provided. Theme-specific support provides services focusing on hazards that can be measured through applications. Hazards are evaluated by applying new standards divided into 'Good', 'Average', 'Inadequate', and 'Faulty'. Conclusions: This model is designed to help employers identify health and safety conditions in small businesses where it is difficult to hire health and safety professionals. Using the app proposed in this study, anyone can easily measure their work environment at any time.

• 한국산업보건학회지
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• 제10권1호
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• pp.74-92
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• 2000

This study was performed to evaluate the working conditions In construction workers through measurements of working environments and to improve the working conditions and to design the appropriate environmental and health management system. The results of measurement for working environments in construction work are as following: 1. The excess rate of noise and dust concentration in express highway construction, road construction, building construction and interior painting was 28.6% and 24.5% respectively. 2. The excess rate of mixed organic solvents concentration in interior painting was 39.3%. 3. The chain type bulldozer has the highest level of vibration; the excess rate was 85.7%, and among the vibration instruments, the level of left hand's vibration of all vibrators exceeded the criterion and in the case of drilling all the level of vibration exceeded the criterion in both hands. On the basis of the results in this research the environmental and health management system for construction workers must be considered. Therefore, it is necessary to be introduced the special medical examination and measurement of working environments in construction industry. In defining "the working place" of Article 39 of Enforcement regulations of industrial safety and health act, the word "indoors" should be deleted. Then the eligible industry for measurement of working environment must be extended. And it is also necessary for construction industry to be performed group health management service by agencies such as other manufacturing industry.

• 한국안전학회지
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• 제18권4호
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• pp.148-154
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• 2003

There are now the plating process that have many hazardous factor cause of the using numerous noxious chemical and bad working environments. The purpose of the study is to make a selection of suitable safety evaluation method that can analyze and righteously find with numerous hazardous factor of the plating process. And another purpose is to systematically adjust the risk of plating process by comprehension of the role of process, equipment, and source material. Therefore, these studies are carried out in the following three investigations of this report. The first research understands the injurious human health and environment by analyzing hazardous material based on the MSDS. To evaluate the safety of process and compartment, the second research is proposed the security secure counterproposal by using the FMEA and the HAZOP. The final research is devoted to systematically analyze the hazard by applying for reasonable guide word and doing the HAZOP for hazardous factor in specific process.

• 한국CDE학회논문집
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• 제19권2호
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• pp.157-168
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• 2014

In this paper, HSE (Health and Safety Environments) research with smart device and biometrics is conducted for the worker's HSE enhancement in the manufacturing shop floor. Today, various kinds of smart devices are popularized extensively. In addition, the wearable type devices are being introduced such as google glass very recently. Smart device of werable type is exptected to bring great opportunity out in terms of HSE functionality. Smart devices of phone or tablet type are being used for on-line work between control center and manufacturing shop floor by virtue of wireless communication. However, those devices are not appropriate for detecting of worker's physical senses such as temperature and pulse. In this paper, we developed a glass type smart device and required funictions for HSE enhancement with the investigation of biometrics technology. Also, required sensors are investigated for the detecting of temperature, pulse and noxious gasses. Smart device of glass type has advantages in that most senses of personnel are gathered around faces, and also it's possible to detect neutral axis of body because the wearing location is fixed. We expect that the proposing HSE product of glass type smart device could contribute the enhancement of the HSE of manufacturing shop floor.

• Safety and Health at Work
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• 제9권4호
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• pp.468-472
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• 2018

Background: Firefighters are required to use self-contained breathing apparatus (SCBA), which impairs ventilatory mechanics. We hypothesized that firefighters have elevated arterial $CO_2$ when using SCBA. Methods: Firefighters and controls performed a maximal exercise test on a cycle ergometer and two graded exercise tests (GXTs) at 25%, 50%, and 70% of their maximal aerobic power, once with a SCBA facemask and once with protective clothing and full SCBA. Results: Respiratory rate increased more in controls than firefighters. Heart rate increased as a function of oxygen consumption ($V_{O_2}$) more in controls than firefighters. End-tidal $CO_2$ ($ETCO_2$) during the GXTs was not affected by work rate in either group for either condition but was higher in firefighters at all work rates in both GXTs. SCBA increased $ETCO_2$ in controls but not firefighters. Conclusions: The present study showed that when compared to controls, firefighters' hypoventilate during a maximal test and GXT. The hypoventilation resulted in increased $ETCO_2$, and presumably increased arterial $CO_2$, during exertion. It is proposed that firefighters have altered $CO_2$ sensitivity due to voluntary hypoventilation during training and work. Confirmation of low $CO_2$ sensitivity and the consequence of this on performance and long-term health remain to be determined.

• 한국학교보건학회지
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• 제33권3호
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• pp.194-202
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• 2020

Purpose: The purpose of the study was to develop educational materials on field practice safety based on existing field practice data and accident cases regarding vocational high schools and apply them to identify their impact. Methods: The existing data, accumulated since 2010, on field practices of vocational high schools were analyzed, and educational materials regarding field practices were developed by six experts. 195 students in three vocational high schools were surveyed before and after being taught with the materials. The survey asked about their knowledge of industrial safety and health and attitudes toward industrial safety and health. Results: As a result of the study, harmful environments for field practices of vocational high schools were physical, chemical, ergonomic, and emotional labor, and the consequences were accidents, death by overwork, musculoskeletal diseases, etc. The materials covered students' rights and how to respond to workplace accidents in the 1st round, how to organize a workshop in the 2nd round, workplace safety and health signs in the 3rd round, prevention of musculoskeletal diseases in the 4th round, management of physical risk factors in 5th round, management of hazardous chemicals in 6th round, wearing and managing protective equipment in 7th round, first aid depending on the situation in the 8th round, CPR and defibrillator in the 9th round, sexual harassment in the 10th round, and prevention of sexual violence in the 11th round. After completing the education, their knowledge of industrial safety and health increased significantly from 6.52 points to 7.01 points. Conclusion: The results of this study suggest: first, to statistically organize the data on accidents that have occurred during field practices of vocational high schools; second, to develop a systematic curriculum for high school 1st to 3rd graders on accidents that may happen during field practices of vocational high schools.