• Journal of Korean Society of Occupational and Environmental Hygiene
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• v.33 no.2
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• pp.230-246
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• 2023

Objectives: The climate crisis has arrived and heat-related illnesses are increasing. It is necessary to discover new high-heat risk industries and understand the environment . It is also necessary to prioritize risks of industries that have not been included in the management target to date. The study was intended to monitor and evaluate the thermal risk of high-priority workplaces. Methods: A prioritization method was developed based on five factors: occurrence of and death due to heat-related illnesses, work environment monitoring, indoor work rate, small heat source, and limited heat dissipation. it, was applied to industrial accidents caused by heat-related illnesses. Wet bulb temperature index and apparent temperature were measured in July and August at 24 workplaces in seven industries and assessed for thermal risk. Results: The wet bulb temperature index was in the range of 23.8~31.9℃, and exposure limits were exceeded in the growing of crops, food services activities and accommodation, and building construction. The apparent temperature was in the range of 26.8~36.7℃, and exceeded the temperature standard for issuing heatwave warnings in growing of crops, food services activities and accommodation, warehousing, welding, and building construction. Both temperature index in growing of crops and building construction were higher than the outside air temperature. Conclusions: In the workplace, risks in industries that have not be controlled and recognized through existing systems was identified. it is necessary to provide break times according to the work-rest time ratio required during dangerous time period.

• Journal of the Korea Institute of Construction Safety
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• v.4 no.1
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• pp.1-8
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• 2021

COVID-19, which is currently in vogue, is a pandemic with the largest number of deaths since the establishment of the "World Health Organization". It is also expected to have a significant impact on countless construction projects. After COVID-19 hit the construction industry, the risk that they needed to cover, decreased every year. However, the prolonged COVID-19 increased the risks of air delays, material supply, and economic losses. The exact measurements will be needed to be identified and the risks of the current construction projects must have a mitigated risk with a greater proportion. Therefore, the purpose of this study is to analyze and identify the risks that have influenced construction projects to the domestic construction companies due to COVID-19. Based on the risks of the previous construction projects, risk case studies, and risks related to COVID-19, are extracted through surveys, weights. Each risk factor are calculated based on the AHP analysis technique. Thus, it is expected that the results of the risk research on construction projects will change due to COVID-19. It will be presented to cope with the current situation and later pandemic situations.

• Journal of the Korean Institute of Gas
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• v.27 no.4
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• pp.1-11
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• 2023

The size of the OLED material market is expected to grow from $1.1 billion in 2019 to $2.3 billion in 2023, with an average annual sustainable growth of more than 19%. Among the facilities mainly used by OLED material manufacturers, accidents such as fire, explosion, and leakage frequently occur when using filtration equipment, so it is necessary to improve the risk when using filtration equipment. In this study, it was divided into four main processes, namely, assembly and disassembly process, filtration process, wet cake recovery process, and washing process in order to derive the risks associated with the use of filtration equipment. Hazard factors were derived by conducting accident case investigations, preliminary interviews, and surveys. For the analysis of questionnaire results, statistical analysis such as frequency analysis and Pearson chi-square test analysis was performed using SPSS 21, and risk improvement measures were suggested using the analyzed results. It is expected that this study will serve as a basis for dealing with safety and risk factors that may occur as the size of the OLED market expands.

• Journal of Korean Society of Occupational and Environmental Hygiene
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• v.22 no.1
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• pp.32-41
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• 2012

Objectives: Information of chemical in electronics industry has not been known enough, although workers' health hazards by chemicals in this industry have been regarded serious. The who always contribute to reveal and control the health hazards and risks in electronics industry have not been the industry but the occupational or environmental victims and grassroot organizations. The similar phenomena can be observed in Korea. Methods: The experiences of individual workers on the occuapational safety and health in semiconductor factory were heard separately and integrated with related literatures. Results:: The first part of this article is largely based on the memories and experiences of individual workers of semiconductor factories, mainly from S semiconductor. Common features of those experiences can be a good resource for detail understanding of the workplace, especially under the situation without any transparent disclosure of information by the governments or the companies. The second part of this article deals with several factors to be considered for control of exposure in workplace; characteristics of workplace and workforce, types of chemicals used, and the way of using the chemicals. Then the current social issues on work-relatedness of cancers of S semiconductor workers are presented briefly. Conclusions: As a conclusion, current OSH situations and issues in Korean electronics industry raise the need of changes in OSH culture. General adaptation of precautionary principle, internalization of costs, and extended responsibility of producers are needed urgently. The OSH professionals both in public and private sectors should support these agendas under their social obligation to protect workers' health.

• Safety and Health at Work
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• v.10 no.3
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• pp.327-335
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• 2019

Background: There have been some concerns related to manual handling of large items in industry. Manual handling operations of large sheet metal may expose workers to risks related to efficiency as well as occupational safety and health. Large sheet metals are difficult to move and burdensome to lift/transfer, and handling the sharp sheet edges may result in contact stress and/or cut injuries on the workers. Methods: Through observation, interview, and immersive simulation activities, a few problems related to current handling of sheet metals were identified. A sheet metal trolley-lifter was then designed and fabricated to address these issues. A pilot study on the use of the developed trolley-lifter for handling sheet metals was conducted to compare between the new and traditional handling methods. Results: The pilot study of the trolley-lifter showed promising results in terms of improving the cycle time, manpower utilization, and working postures compared with the traditional handling method. Conclusion: The trolley-lifter offers an alternative solution to automation and a mechanized assistive device by providing a simple mechanism to assist the handling of sheet metals effectively and safely.

• Safety and Health at Work
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• v.14 no.4
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• pp.488-491
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• 2023

This study aims to ascertain occupations potentially at greatest risk of exposure to SARS-CoV-2 based on pre-lockdown working conditions in France. We combined two French population-based surveys documenting workplace exposures to infectious agents, face-to-face contact with the public, and working with colleagues just before the pandemic. Then, for each 87-level standard French occupational grouping, we estimated the number and percentage of the French working population reporting these occupational exposure factors, by gender, using survey weights. As much as 40% (11 million) of all workers reported at least two exposure factors. Most of the workers concerned were in the healthcare sector. However, army/police officers, firefighters, hairdressers, teachers, cultural/sports professionals, and some manual workers were also exposed. Women were overrepresented in certain occupations with potentially higher risks of exposure such as home caregivers, childminders, and hairdressers. Our gender-stratified matrix can be used to assign prelockdown work-related exposures to cohorts implemented during the pandemic.

• Safety and Health at Work
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• v.4 no.4
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• pp.187-196
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• 2013

Background: Health, safety, and well-being (HSW) at work represent important values in themselves. It seems, however, that other values can contribute to HSW. This is to some extent reflected in the scientific literature in the attention paid to values like trust or justice. However, an overview of what values are important for HSW was not available. Our central research question was: what organizational values are supportive of health, safety, and well-being at work? Methods: The literature was explored via the snowball approach to identify values and value-laden factors that support HSW. Twenty-nine factors were identified as relevant, including synonyms. In the next step, these were clustered around seven core values. Finally, these core values were structured into three main clusters. Results: The first value cluster is characterized by a positive attitude toward people and their "being"; it comprises the core values of interconnectedness, participation, and trust. The second value cluster is relevant for the organizational and individual "doing", for actions planned or undertaken, and comprises justice and responsibility. The third value cluster is relevant for "becoming" and is characterized by the alignment of personal and organizational development; it comprises the values of growth and resilience. Conclusion: The three clusters of core values identified can be regarded as "basic value assumptions" that underlie both organizational culture and prevention culture. The core values identified form a natural and perhaps necessary aspect of a prevention culture, complementary to the focus on rational and informed behavior when dealing with HSW risks.

• Safety and Health at Work
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• v.11 no.2
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• pp.193-198
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• 2020

Background: Medical laboratory workers are frequently exposed to a wide range of chemicals. This exposure can have adverse effects on their health. Furthermore, a knowledge lack of the chemical risk increases the likelihood of exposure. The chemical risk assessment reduces the risk of exposure to hazardous chemicals and therefore, guarantees health and safety of the workers. Method: The chemical risk assessment was conducted using a modified INRS method, according to the new CLP Regulation, of 11 unit laboratories in a Moroccan medical laboratory. Observation of each workstation and analysis of safety data sheets are key tools in this study. Results: A total of 144 substances and reagents that could affect the health of the analytical technicians were identified. Among these products, 17% are concerned by the low priority risk score, with 55% concerned by the average priority risk score and 28% concerned by the high priority risk score. This study also enabled to better identify the chemical agents that have restrictive occupational exposure limit value and controls were conducted to this effect. On the basis of the results obtained, several corrective and preventive measures have been proposed and implemented. Conclusion: Risk assessment is essential to ensure the health and safety of workers and to meet regulatory requirements. It enables to identify all the risky manipulations and to adopt appropriate preventive measures. However, it is not a one-time activity but it must be continuous in order to master the changes and thus ensure the best safety of all.

• Nuclear Engineering and Technology
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• v.50 no.7
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• pp.1168-1172
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• 2018

This study went beyond making an indicator simply based on theoretical arguments, and explored a wide spectrum of different types of perceptions about energy safety to make a concept of energy safety for the Korean society. The energy safety schemata of people can be divided into three types. Type1 is concern about multi-level risks-responsibility-centric, type2 is concern about security and personal burden-expertise-centric, and type3 is concern about health and personal burden-responsibility-centric. Questions were designed on the basis of the characteristics, differences and commonalities of the three types of perceptions, explored through the Q methodology, and Koreans' perception of nuclear safety was examined. Based on the results of this research the following components of trust in nuclear safety were derived, risk perception, responsibility, honesty, expertise and procedural justification. The items for specifically evaluating them were developed, and factor analysis was conducted, and as a result, the validity of each item was proven. The components of the nuclear safety trust indicator do not exist independently, but influence each other continuously through interactions. For this reason, rather than focusing on any one of them, laws and systems must be improved first so that they can move together in one big frame.

• Safety and Health at Work
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• v.12 no.3
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• pp.396-402
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• 2021

Background: Styrene is one of the aromatic compounds used in acetonitrile-butadiene-styrene (ABS) producing petrochemicals, which has an impact on health of workers. Therefore, this study aimed to investigate the health risks of styrene emitted from the petrochemical industry in Iran. Methods: Air samples were collected based on NIOSH 1501 method. The samples were analyzed by the Varian-cp3800 gas chromatograph. Finally, risk levels of styrene's health effects on employees were assessed by the quantitative method of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (U.S. EPA) and the semiquantitative way by the Singapore Occupational Safety and Health Association. Results: Based on the results, the employees had the highest average exposure to styrene vapors (4.06 × 10^-1mg.(kg - day)^-1) in the polybutadiene latex (PBL) unit. Therefore, the most top predictors of cancer and non-cancer risk were 2.3×10^-4 and 7.26 × 10^-1, respectively. Given that the lowest average exposure (1.5 × 10^-2mg.(kg - day)^-1) was in the dryer unit, the prediction showed a moderate risk of cancer (0.8 × 10^-6) and non-cancer (2.3 × 10^-3) for the employees. The EPA method also predicted that there would be a definite cancer risk in 16% and a probable risk in 76% of exposures. However, according to the semiquantitative approach, the rate of risk was at the "low" level for all staff. The results showed that there was a significant difference (p < 0.05) between the units in exposure and health risk of styrene (p < 0.05). Conclusion: Given the high risk of styrene's health effects, appropriate control measures are required to reduce the exposure level.