• 한국산업보건학회지
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• 제25권3호
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• pp.285-293
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• 2015

Objectives: This study was conducted in order to ascertain the important factors for SMEs in managing the risks of chemicals and to suggest a government role in strengthening the responsibility of small and medium enterprises(SMEs) as employers. Methods: About 100 enterprises were surveyed in Incheon. A questionnaire for employers and walk-through surveys by occupational hygienists were performed at each enterprise. Results: The results showed that most employers thought chemicals were not hazardous but chemical management was needed. When employers determine how to manage chemicals, they rely heavily on personal experience and rather less on information from the government or experts. However, if employers think the chemicals are hazardous, they do more to manage the chemicals. Conclusions: When employers think chemicals are hazardous, risk assessment would be an effective tool to control chemical hazards in SMEs. Employers' position on chemical hazards is very important. Since the government is the initiator, it is the government who develops messages for SMEs, such as "Chemicals are hazardous and management can reduce the risk of chemicals." Governmental messages can play an invaluable role in strengthening the responsibility of SME employers to manage chemical hazards.

• 한국지하수토양환경학회지:지하수토양환경
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• 제28권5호
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• pp.59-67
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• 2023

This review examined the current administrative policies and guidelines for management of reclaimed soils after remediation processes and proposed practical strategies to improve the potential value of the remediated soil as a resource. Three management practices are proposed to facilitate more efficient recycling of remediated soil; obligatory use, quality certification, and tracking of the remediated soils. If properly implemented in utilization of remediated soil, these strategies could contribute to enhancing public safety by assuring soil quality. Such administrative tools, for both suppliers and demanders, are expected to mitigate potential risks associated with the transactions of remediated soil. To enhance the quality assurance process, a soil quality certification combined with the soil health assessment index was proposed. The systematic integration of the suggested practices with soil health assessment can allow to produce optimal results, encompassing affordability, efficiency, and accessibility, which helps establishing more robust 'Remediated Soil Recycling Management System (RSRMS)'. Subsequent researches should be conducted to develop more effective policies that incorporate soil health assessment tools. The proposed management practices for remediated soil, coupled with soil health assessment, can be a pioneering effort to achieve such goals. By fostering an environmentally friendly policies, the sustainable utilization of remediated soil can be attained. Overall, the proposed strategies can provide a sound framework for responsible and sustainable soil management practices.

• 한국치위생학회지
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• 제20권3호
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• pp.269-279
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• 2020

Objectives: Previous studies have reported inconsistent findings in the association between dental diagnostic X-ray exposure and thyroid cancer. This study was a meta-analysis of case-control studies evaluating the association between exposure to dental radiation and the thyroid cancer risk. Methods: We searched the PubMed and EMBASE databases to identify studies on dental radiation and thyroid cancer risks that were published up to September 2018. Quality of studies was assessed using the Newcastle-Ottawa scale. A fixed-effects model was used to estimate pooled odds ratios (ORs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) using STATA 14.0. Potential publication biases were evaluated using Egger's test and Begg's funnel plot. Results: From the literature search, we included six case-control studies in this meta-analysis. The meta-analysis using the fixed-effects model found that dental X-ray exposure was associated with 2.34 times increased risk for thyroid cancer (OR=2.34, 95% CI=1.79-3.21). There was no heterogeneity in the data (p=0.662, I² =0%). Egger's test showed that there was no publication bias (p=0.532). Conclusions: This meta-analysis confirmed the association of dental X-ray exposure and thyroid cancer risk. The current results underscore the importance of applying safety regulations at dental clinics to protect thyroid glands during dental radiography examinations.

• 문화기술의 융합
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• 제8권5호
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• pp.723-728
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• 2022

고용노동부 자료에 의하면 최근 건설 현장에서 발생 되는 사고는 대부분 신규 근로자, 외국인 근로자, 고령 근로자 등 취약근로자에서 일어나고 있다. 이러한 취약근로자들은 건설 현장의 특성상 현장에 존재하고 있는 많은 위험에 대한 인지력 부족 때문에 사고로 이어지는 경우가 많다. 따라서 현장에서 발생 되는 사고를 줄이기 위해서는 취약근로자에 관한 관심과 관리가 필요하다. 본 연구는 IPA 분석을 통해서 취약근로자에 대한 안전의식수준, 안전관리 우선순위을 파악하고자 하였다. 신규근로자는 현장에 이른 시일 내에 적응할 수 있도록 해야 하며 외국인 근로자의 경우 언어소통 문제로 수시확인이 필요한 것으로 조사되었다. 고령 근로자의 경우 건강 상태를 점검해야 하며 정해진 업무 이외에 다른 업무를 수행하고 있는지를 확인하는 것이 필요한 것으로 분석되었다.

• 한국환경보건학회지
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• 제49권4호
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• pp.218-227
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• 2023

Background: Since 2019, the Ministry of Environment has implemented a seasonal fine dust management system from December to March, targeting high PM_2.5 levels with the aim of reducing PM_2.5 concentrations and protecting public health. The focus of improving the seasonal management system lies in the atmospheric PM_2.5 levels. Considering the primary goal of protecting public health, it is necessary to analyze the policy effects from an exposure perspective rather than a concentration-based approach. Objectives: This study aims to quantitatively assess the improvement of indoor PM_2.5 levels and the health impacts of the seasonal management system by comparing the periods before and during its implementation in residential environments. Methods: PM_2.5 concentrations within residential environments in a metropolitan area were measured using an optical particle counter (IAQ-C7, K-weather, Ltd, Korea) at one-minute intervals during the pre-implementation period (November 21~25, 2022) and during the implementation period (December 19~23, 2022). Based on the measured PM_2.5 concentrations, a quantitative evaluation of cancer and mortality risks was conducted according to age and gender. Results: The results of comparing indoor and outdoor PM_2.5 concentrations before and during the implementation of the seasonal management system showed a decrease of approximately 56.6% and 47.9%, respectively. Health risk assessments revealed that both the safety-limit-based and safety-target-based Hazard Quotients (HQ) exceeded the threshold of 0.1 for children under 19 years of age, both before and after the implementation. The mortality risk decreased by approximately 47.9% after the implementation, with children aged 0-9 showing the highest mortality risk at 0.9%. Conclusions: The findings of this study confirmed the positive health impacts of the seasonal management system across all age groups, particularly children under 19 who are more vulnerable to fine dust exposure.

• Journal of Plant Biotechnology
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• 제5권1호
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• pp.13-17
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• 2003

Biotechnology is certainly one of the major landmarks in the 20th century history of science. It may produce enormous utility to human beings, but at the same time, it carries huge potential risks to the environment and public health. Thus, with a view to securing safety for the environment and public health in relation to the development and use of living modified organisms (LMOs), the Cartagena Protocol on Biosafety was adopted, in which a regulation Procedure as to the transboundary movements, transportation, handling, and use of LMOs were drawn up. In order to prepare for the entry into force of the Protocol, the Republic of Korea legislated the "Act on the Transboundary Movements of living modified organisms(hereinafter referred as the 'Act')" in Mar 2001, and has pre-announced the enactments of the enforcement ordinance and the enforcement regulation to the Act. Pursuant to the Act, the Ministry of Commerce, Industry and Energy, as a Competent National Authority, is making efforts to implement domestic biosafety schemes in cooperation with other bio-related government ministries. In order for these efforts to reap fruits, industry, academia, and research institutions should cooperate with one another, and civic groups and NGOs should narrow the differences in opinions and timely respond to the fast-changing situations. Focusing on the precautionary principle, the Protocol puts a great emphasis on the importance of information sharing amongst countries, and the Act also follows this principle. In order to gurantee biosafety, countries around the world, including the ROK, agreed to establish National Biosafety Clearing, designed to provide the information on the export/import of LMOs, R'||'&'||'Ds, risk assessment, safety control, etc. and register it on the CBD Central Biosafety Clearing House.e.

• 한국컴퓨터정보학회논문지
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• 제28권8호
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• pp.165-174
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• 2023

본 연구는 국내 근로환경조사 자료를 이용하여 조사 시기에 따른 제조업 종사자의 유해·위험요인 노출과 결근과의 관련성을 확인하였다. 이에 2011년도(3차), 2017년도(5차), 2020년도(6차)의 유해·위험요인 동일문항에 대하여 제조업 종사자 8,318명을 대상으로 분석하였다. 업무 관련 유해·위험인자와 결근과의 관련성을 보면 2011년도에 비하여 2020년도에 진동, 소음, 높은 온도, 먼지 등의 흡입, 증기흡입, 화학물질 취급, 감염물질 취급에서 노출 시간 3/4 이상이 결근에 영향을 미치는 것으로 나타났다. 결론적으로 업무 관련 유해·위험요인에 대해서는 조사시기가 증가함에 따라 비노출이 증가함을 알 수 있었고 업무 관련 유해·위험요인의 노출 시간이 결근에 영향을 미친다는 것을 확인할 수 있었다.

• 대한조선학회논문집
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• 제60권5호
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• pp.367-374
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• 2023

As the Fourth Industrial Revolution accelerating, countries worldwide are developing technologies to digitize and automate various industrial sectors. Building smart factories not only reduces costs through improved process productivity but also allows for preemptive identification and removal of risk factors through the practice of Health, Safety, and Environment (HSE) management, thereby reducing industrial accident risks. In this study, we visualized pressure, temperature, power, and wind speed data measured in real-time via a monitoring GUI, enabling field managers and workers to easily access related information. Through the work environment monitoring system developed in this study, it is possible to conduct economic analysis on per-unit basis, based on the digitization of production management elements and the tracking of required resources. By implementing HSE in shipyards, potential risk factors can be improved, and gas and electrical leaks can be identified, which are expected to reduce production costs.

• Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences
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• 제25권12호
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• pp.626-636
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• 2022

Shellfish are exoskeleton-bearing aquatic invertebrates that consume various organic and inorganic substances floating in seawater through filter feeding. Heavy metals are known as absorbed and accumulated in seawater. Some of the toxic heavy metals are highly accumulated in seawater, and exposure to them can cause a variety of risks to the human body. Since Koreans like to eat seafood, they are more likely to be exposed to contaminated seafood with heavy metals. In this study, nine types of heavy metals were analyzed on ten different shellfish species in the coastal area of South Korea. The risk assessment was also done on shellfish in which heavy metals were detected. Zinc (Zn) and copper (Cu) were identified at an average of 56.7 mg/kg (6.70 to 466 mg/kg) and 13.2 mg/kg (0.064 to 143 mg/kg), respectively. Lead (Pb) average of 0.208 mg/kg (0.000750 to 1.02 mg/kg), cadmium (Cd) average of 0.454 mg/kg (0.0388 to 1.56 mg/kg) and mercury (Hg) average of 0.0266 mg/kg (0.00548 to 0.174 mg/kg) were identified. Additionally, arsenic (As), chromium (Cr), nickel (Ni), and silver (Ag) were also identified as average concentrations of 4.02 (0.460 to 15.0 mg/kg), 0.167 (< limit of quantification [LOQ] to 0.820 mg/kg), 0.281 (< LOQ to 1.46 mg/kg), and 0.158 mg/kg (< LOQ to 1.15 mg/kg). The result indicates that the monitoring results of heavy metals in most shellfish satisfied the Korean standard. However, Pb and Cd have exceeded some foreign standards, such as the United States and the EU. The permissible human exposure calculated using the heavy metal intake and detection amount was lower than the Joint FAO/WHO Expert Committee on Food Additives human safety standard, and the risk of heavy metals from shellfish consumption was at an acceptable level.

• 한국식품위생안전성학회지
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• 제31권4호
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• pp.258-263
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• 2016

본 연구는 식품접객업소 등에서 사용되는 94건의 물수건(위생처리업소 39건, 식품접객업소 55건)에 대하여 위생지표세균, 중금속, 염소부산물 등에 대한 안전성을 조사하였다. 중금속 안전성 조사결과 납은 불검출 ~ 0.41 mg/kg(불검출 75건), 비소는 불검출 ~ 0.25 mg/kg(불검출 93건), 카드뮴은 불검출 ~ 0.01 mg/kg(정량한계 미만 7건, 불검출 87건), 수은은 0.003 mg/kg ~ 0.09 mg/kg, 6가크롬은 모든 시료에서 검출되지 않았다. 이 중 납의 검출량이 가장 많았으나, 가장 높은 검출량인 0.41 mg/kg조차 납 규격기준(20 mg/kg 이하)의 2.1%로 매우 낮은 수준이었다. 미생물 안전성의 경우 대장균은 모든 시료에서 음성이었으며, 일반세균수는 43건 양성이고, 그 중 24건은 규격기준을 초과하였다. 물수건의 포장상태는 세균의 오염 및 물수건 간의 교차오염에 큰 영향을 끼치는 것으로 확인할 수 있었다. 포장에 따른 미생물 오염 비교결과는 덕용포장이고 개봉포장일 때 세균의 오염이 가장 높았다. 수거 시 위생물 수건의 수분함량과 미생물의 상관관계를 확인해본 결과 유의성은 없었으며, 각 시료별 수분함량은 50.0% ~ 77.0% (평균 61.9%)이었다. 물수건 소독에 사용되는 염소화합물로부터 유래되는 염소부산물(클로라이트, 클로레이트)은 88건 중 17건(19.3%)에서 검출되었다. 본 연구결과는 물수건의 제조업 및 식품접객업 종사자의 교육 및 안전관리정책의 기초자료로 활용할 수 있을 것으로 생각된다.