• Journal of Korean Society of Occupational and Environmental Hygiene
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• v.19 no.3
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• pp.270-279
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• 2009

In order to check a necessity of health control for the laborers who are in use of mixed organic solvents in the printing industries, this study evaluated the use status of mixed organic solvents, health subjective symptoms on the exposure of the solvents, health hazard for each kind of printings for the employees who work for the printing industries located in Seoul and Gyeonggi. The study analyzed 228 sites and 311 people responded of the total 250 sites surveyed from March to September 2007, and obtained the following results; 1) Estimating the exposure of the mixed organic solvents, the study found that estimation of mixture(EM) was different for each kind of printings at a level of significance, excessiveness of EM was 7.5%, the highest, for gravure printing, 5.6% for screen printing, 4.7% for master printing, 2.9% for offset printing. 2) As to the mean scores of health subjective symptoms for each kind of printings, workers in screen printing showed high scores in every subjective symptom, of which symptom of central nervous system was 3.75, the highest, and the difference was statistically at a level of significance(p<0.01). 3) Results of the hazard analysis for carcinogens and non-carcinogens contained in the mixed organic solvents exposed to the workers showed that cancer risk of offset printing workers was $7.8{\times}10^{-9}$ for benzene, the mean cancer risk was $2.02.{\times}10^{-8}$ from Monte-Carlo simulation, and both risks did not exceed the US EPA permissible standard of $1{\times}10^{-6}$. The total hazard indices of the non-carcinogens estimated was 3.523, the highest, for gravure printing, 2.381 for master printing, 1.125 for screen printing, respectively, and all exceeded 1.

• Journal of Environmental Health Sciences
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• v.49 no.6
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• pp.362-371
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• 2023

Background: PM_2.5 pollution has been a persistent problem in South Korea, with concentrations consistently exceeding World Health Organization (WHO) guidelines. The aging of the population in the country further exacerbates the health impacts of PM_2.5 since older adults are more susceptible to the adverse effects of air pollution. Objectives: This study aims to evaluate how the health impact (premature death) due to long-term exposure to PM_2.5 in South Korea could change in the future according to the trend of change in the country's population structure. Methods: The study employs a relative risk function, which accounts for age-specific relative risks, to assess the changes in premature deaths by age and region at the average annual PM_2.5 concentration for 2022 and at PM_2.5 concentration improvement levels. Premature deaths were estimated using the Global Exposure Mortality Model (GEMM). Results: The findings indicate that the increase in premature deaths resulting from the projected population structure changes up to 2050 would significantly outweigh the health benefits (reduction in premature deaths) compared to 2012. This is primarily attributed to the rising number of premature deaths among the elderly due to population aging. Furthermore, the study suggests that the effectiveness of the current domestic PM_2.5 standard would be halved by 2050 due to the increasing impact of population aging on PM_2.5-related mortality. Conclusions: The study highlights the importance of considering trends in population structure when evaluating the health benefits of air pollution reduction measures. By comparing and evaluating the health benefits in reflection of changes in population structure to the predicted PM_2.5 concentration improvements at the provincial level, a more comprehensive assessment of regional air quality management strategies can be achieved.

• 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 Environmental Health Sciences
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• v.36 no.5
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• pp.402-410
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• 2010

The objectives of this study were to evaluate the air quality surrounding an indoor swimming pool, to estimate the cancer risk based on the airborne exposure to trihalomethanes (THMs), and to examine the ventilation efficiency by Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD). Chlorine and THMs were measured poolside, and in the staff room and reception area. The indoor swimming pool was modeled using the Airpak program, with ventilation drawings and actual survey data. Temperature, flow and mean age of the air were analyzed. Levels of chlorine poolside, and in the staff room, and reception area were $203\;{\mu}g/m^3$, $5\;{\mu}g/m^3$, and $10\;{\mu}g/m^3$, respectively. Chloroform was the dominant THM in all sampling sites and mean concentrations were $16.30\;{\mu}g/m^3$, $0.51\;{\mu}g/m^3$, and $0.06\;{\mu}g/m^3$ poolside, in the staff room and reception area, respectively. Bromodichloromethane and Dibromochloromethane levels were respectively estimated as $10.3\;{\mu}g/m^3$ and $1.7\;{\mu}g/m^3$ poolside, $1.3\;{\mu}g/m^3$ and $0.1\;{\mu}g/m^3$ in the staff room, and were not detected in the reception area. The cancer risks from inhalation exposure to THMs were estimated between $3.37{\times}10^{-7}$ and $1.84{\times}10^{-5}$. A short circulation phenomenon was observed from the supply air vents to the exhaust air vents located in the ceiling. A high temperature layer was formed within one meter of the ceiling, and a low temperature layer was formed under this layer due to the low velocity and high temperature of the supply air, and the improper locations of the supply air vents and exhaust air vents. The stagnation was evident at the above adult pool and the mean age of the air was 22 minutes. Disinfection by-products in the indoor swimming pool were present in higher concentrations than in the outdoor air. In order to increase the removal of pollutants, adjustment was required of the supply air volume and the supply/exhaust position.

• 한국무역상무학회:학술대회논문집
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• 2006.06a
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• pp.45-72
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• 2006

The Equator Principles are a set of voluntary environmental and social guidelines for ethical project finance. These principles commit banks and other signatories to not finance projects that fail to meet these guidelines. The principles were conceived in 2002 on an initiative of the International Finance Corporation and launched in 2003. Since then, dozens of major banks have adopted the Principles, and with these banks among them accounting for more than three quarters of all project loan market volume the Principles have become the de facto standard for all banks and investors on how to deal with potential social and environmental effects of projects to be financed. While regarding the Principles an important initiative, NGOs have criticised the Principles for not producing real changes in financing activities and for allowing projects to go through that should have been screened out by the Principles, such as the Sakhalin-II oil and gas project in Russia. In early 2006, a process of revision of the principles was begun. The Equator Principles state that endorsing banks will only provide loans directly to projects under the following circumstances: - The risk of the project is categorized in accordance with internal guidelines based upon the environmental and social screening criteria of the International Finance Corporation (IFC). - For all medium or high risk projects (Category A and B projects), sponsors complete an Environmental Assessment, the preparation of which must meet certain requirements and satisfactorily address key environmental and social issues. - The Environmental Assessment report addresses baseline environmental and social conditions, requirements under host country laws and regulations, applicable international treaties and agreements, sustainable development and use of renewable natural resources, protection of human health, cultural properties, and biodiversity, including endangered species and sensitive ecosystems, use of dangerous substances, major hazards, occupational health and safety, fire prevention and life safety, socio-economic impacts, land acquisition and land use, involuntary resettlement, impacts on indigenous peoples and communities, cumulative impacts of existing projects, the proposed project, and anticipated future projects, participation of affected parties in the design, review and implementation of the project, consideration of feasible environmentally and socially preferable alternatives, efficient production, delivery and use of energy, pollution prevention and waste minimization, pollution controls (liquid effluents and air emissions) and solid and chemical waste management. - Based on the Environmental Assessment, Equator banks then make agreements with their clients on how they mitigate, monitor and manage those risks through an 'Environmental Management Plan'. Compliance with the plan is required in the covenant. If the borrower doesn't comply with the agreed terms, the bank will take corrective action, which if unsuccessful, could ultimately result in the bank canceling the loan and demanding immediate repayment. - For risky projects, the borrower consults with stakeholders (NGO's and project affected groups) and provides them with information on the risks of the project. - If necessary, an expert is consulted. The Principles only apply to projects over 50 million US dollars, which, according to the Equator Principles website, represent 97% of the total market. In early 2006, the financial institutions behind the Principles launched stakeholder consultations and negotiations aimed at revising the principles. The draft revised principles were met with criticism from NGO stakeholders, who in a joint position paper argued that the draft fails by ignoring the most serious critiques of the principles: a lack of consistent and rigorous implementation.

• Journal of Environmental Health Sciences
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• v.40 no.6
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• pp.454-468
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• 2014

Objectives: This study was conducted to investigate the actual condition of the farm work environment and personal protective equipment as part of the effort to improve livestock work for the safety and health of poultry farmers and provide basic data for establishing plans to improve and develop personal protective equipment. Methods: For this purpose, a questionnaire survey on general information about stables, the poultry work environment, accidents, the wearing of work clothes and personal protective equipment, and the level of awareness related to personal protective equipment was conducted among 148 poultry farmers. Results: As a result, it was found that poultry workplace environment was exposed to such risks as fine dusts; organic dusts; poisonous gases; odorous substances; chicken excrement; contact with chickens, bacteria or viruses; and accidents related to machine operation. Thirteen percent of respondents suffered severe respiratory diseases, and the most frequently injured sites due to accidents were the hands (25.7%), knees (23.8%), arms (17.3%), and head (10.9%). The most frequent type of accident was collisions between the body and obstacles or machinery during movement (36.4%), followed by erroneous machine operation such as feeders and electric shocks (8.5%). Regarding the wearing of work clothes and personal protective equipment, 51.7% of the respondents wore worn-out clothing or everyday clothes, whereas only 32.0% wore work clothes. The percentage of farmers who wore proper protective equipment for the work environment during poultry work was 48.4%. The most frequently used type of protective equipment was boots (38.9%), followed by mask (36.7%), gloves (36.3%), appropriate work clothes (22.6%), quarantine clothes (17.6%), helmets (13.4%), and goggles (12.6%). The rate of wearing goggles was low because they were considered inconvenient and lowered work efficiency. Furthermore, they purchased everyday products available on the market for their personal protective equipment which were not appropriate for maintaining safety in an actual harmful environment and its consequent risks. As a result of the survey of the awareness level related to personal protective equipment, their levels of awareness of accidents and attitude proved to be average or higher, but the practice of wearing protective equipment and the level of knowledge and management of personal protective equipment were lower. Conclusion: This survey found that the wearing status of personal protective equipment among poultry farmers was insufficient even though they were exposed to risks. Most respondents were aware of the necessity of wearing personal protective equipment and of the potential for accidents, but they did not wear proper protective equipment. Their wearing rate was low due to a lack of knowledge about protective equipment, as well as the inconvenience of wearing it. Therefore there is a need to improve and develop specialized personal protective equipment for respiration, hands, and eyes, as well as work clothes that can protect farmers from major harmful matter that is generated in the poultry workplace. Based on the results of this investigation, we will conduct further studies on the required performance and design directions of personal protective equipment while collecting more objective data through field-oriented assessments.

• Health Policy and Management
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• v.16 no.1
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• pp.1-16
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• 2006

Recently, there has been prevailing of the combined utilization (CU) with herbs and prescribed drugs in medical therapies in the world. But the information about frequency, efficacy and safety of this CU has not well known in Korea, yet. This study aimed to identify the status of CU by Koreans, and to inquire which side effects of CU represent to those people. A self-completed questionnaire survey was performed through each health examination center in twenty general hospitals and one oriental hospital. Of the initial 2,100 health examinees, 1,851 were participated in this survey, resulting in a response rate of 88.1%. The proportion of CD was 26.3%. The most commonly mentioned reason of CD was 'to promote general health and well-being' (17l persons, 35.5%). The main route of taking CD was self-purchase at drugstore or at herbs market, followed by the prescription of (oriental)physicians. 33.0% (151 persons) of those who took the CD rated it as effective. 93 respondents (19.8%) were experienced several adverse effects including nausea, fatigue, and dizziness. The growing simultaneous use of herbal products and pharmaceutical drugs by Korean consumers may be continuously increased the risk of herb-drug interactions. The medical professionals should be provided with comprehensive and up-to-date information about potential benefits and risks of herbs and prescribed drugs. In the future studies it may be recommended to deal common cold, health promotion, indigestion, headache, and hypertension for the effect and safety of the CD by well-organized prospective study design.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Safety
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• v.24 no.4
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• pp.47-52
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• 2009

This study has been to examine the occupational exposure levels of Fluorouracil (5-FU) in a hospital and to investigate the most effective cleaning reagent for control. Fluorouracil is one of the cytotoxic drugs which are therapeutic agents used to treat cancer. The health practitioners working in the cytotoxic work room and oncology ward areas are exposed to adverse health risks like cytogenetic and DNA damage from cytotoxic drugs exposure by frequent skin contact from contaminated surfaces. Four kinds of cleaning reagents has been examined to degrade the 5-FU. It was found that 5-FU was only degraded soon after the reaction in 0.5%(w/v) NaClO solution. Therefore, 0.5%(w/v) NaClO solution has been chosen to decompose any residues on the contamination surfaces. A substantial level of contamination was found on the surfaces of cytotoxic work room and oncology ward areas. The contamination ranges of the surfaces in cytotoxic work room and oncology ward areas were from 2.0 to $13.8{\mu}g/m^2$ and 5.39 to $11.53{\mu}g/m^2$ respectively. Consequently, regulation of the occupational exposure limit, procedure of special cleaning, and the use of personal protective equipment are recommended during the manipulation and administration of the drugs to avoid skin contamination from cytotoxic drugs like 5-FU.

• Journal of Life Science
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• v.20 no.2
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• pp.314-320
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• 2010

As the nature of triathlons is competition in three successive sports, triathletes experience elevated levels of stress on the body that are absent in single-sport athletic events, and consequently there are more potential medical problems to prepare for. Triathletes can also experience problems such as hypothermia, heat illness, excessive exposure to ultraviolet radiation, musculoskeletal injuries and trauma, immunosuppression, and haemolysis. Depending on the potentiality of such above-listed problems occurring in any given race, race organizers will prepare preventative measures and treatments accordingly. Olympic distance is not the only triathlon racing distance. Sprints, which are normally around half the Olympic distance, are common distances, as well as Long (2 km swim, 80 km bike, 20 km run), Ironman (3.8 km swim, 180 km bike, 42 km run), and ultra-distance events varying in length. Races of longer duration normally result in a higher percentage of athletes experiencing the above-mentioned medical problems, as well as inducing additional health risks such as hyponatraemia. Minimizing the occurrences of serious health issues is possible through the following means: carefully preparing for the probable race-day weather conditions; proper management and organization of the race; preparing an extensive water-safety and ground-course safety plan; distributing necessary nutrition along the course; and stressing the importance for athletes to have proper knowledge concerning race nutrition, biomechanical technique, physical preparation, and utilization of safe equipment. While risks of competing in triathlon are many, the instances of such medical problems are not excessive, and the triathlon has a reputation of being a reasonably safe sport as long as athletes with high risk take added precautions.

• Korean Journal of Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences
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• v.50 no.2
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• pp.120-129
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• 2017

This study assessed the safety of raw oysters Crassostrea gigas for consumption during processing in a processing plant. Bacterial contamination (e.g., viable cell counts, coliform groups, Escherichia. coli and pathogenic bacteria) and chemical contamination (e.g., heavy metals and shellfish toxins) were measured on raw oysters, a processing equipment, employees and work areas. No total mercury, lead, paralytic shellfish poison, diarrheic shellfish poison or norovirus was detected in any post-harvested oyster samples. However, the cadmium level ranged from 0.1-0.2 mg/kg. The viable cell count, E. coli and coliform group levels in post-harvested oysters ranged from 4.00-4.54 log CFU/g, ND-210 MPN/100 g and 110-410 MPN/100 g, respectively. The viable contaminating cell counts on employees, equipment and work areas were in the range of $0.90-3.46log\;CFU/100cm^2$. Airborne bacteria in the work areas ranged from 0.60 to 1.81 log CFU/plate/15 min. Thus, no significant health risks were detected in the processing plant.