• Safety and Health at Work
• /
• 제2권4호
• /
• pp.348-354
• /
• 2011

Objectives: This cross-sectional study was performed in the Dental School of Prince of Songkla University to ascertain noise exposure of dentists, dental assistants, and laboratory technicians. A noise spectral analysis was taken to illustrate the spectra of dental devices. Methods: A noise evaluation was performed to measure the noise level at dental clinics and one dental laboratory from May to December 2010. Noise spectral data of dental devices were taken during dental practices at the dental services clinic and at the dental laboratory. A noise dosimeter was set following the Occupational Safety and Health Administration criteria and then attached to the subjects' collar to record personal noise dose exposure during working periods. Results: The peaks of the noise spectrum of dental instruments were at 1,000, 4,000, and 8,000 Hz which depended on the type of instrument. The differences in working areas and job positions had an influence on the level of noise exposure (p < 0.01). Noise measurement in the personal hearing zone found that the laboratory technicians were exposed to the highest impulsive noise levels (137.1 dBC). The dentists and dental assistants who worked at a pedodontic clinic had the highest percent noise dose (4.60 ${\pm}$ 3.59%). In the working areas, the 8-hour time-weighted average of noise levels ranged between 49.7-58.1 dBA while the noisiest working area was the dental laboratory. Conclusion: Dental personnel are exposed to noise intensities lower than occupational exposure limits. Therefore, these dental personnel may not experience a noise-induced hearing loss.

• 한국환경보건학회지
• /
• 제36권5호
• /
• pp.391-401
• /
• 2010

A reduction in risk of occupational exposure to chemical hazards within the workplace has been the focus of attention both through industry initiatives and legislation. The aims of this study were to develop an exposure matrix by industry and process, and to apply this matrix to control the risk of occupational exposure to Dichloromethane (DCM). The exposure matrix is a tool to convert information on industry and process into information on occupational risk. The exposure matrix comprised industries and processes involving DCM, based on an exposure database provided by KOSHA (the Korean Occupational Safety and Health Agency), which was gathered from a workplace hazards evaluation program in Korea. The risk assessment of the exposure matrix was performed using Hallmark risk assessment tool. The results of the risk assessment were indicated by a Danger Value (DV) calculated from the combination of hazard rating (HR), duration of use rating (DUR), and risk probability rating (RPR) of exposure to the chemical, and were divided into four control bands which were related to control measures. The applicability of the risk assessment of the exposure matrix was evaluated by a field study, and survey of the employees of the exposure matrix groups. Among 45 industries examined, this study found that greater attention should be paid to two industries: the manufacture of other optical instruments and photographic equipment, and the manufacture of printing ink, and to one process among 47 examined, the packing process in the manufacture of printing ink, because these were regarded as carrying the highest risk. This tool of a risk assessment for the exposure matrix can be applied as a general exposure information system for hazard control, risk quantification, setting the occupational exposure limit, and hazard surveillance. The exposure matrix includes workforce data, and it provides information on the numbers of exposed workers in Korea by agent, occupation, and level of exposure and risk.

• 한국산업보건학회지
• /
• 제15권1호
• /
• pp.19-26
• /
• 2005

In previous report, we presented that petroleum based solvents used in dry cleaning shop was almost similar to stoddard solvent defined by ACGIH and NIOSH, and the occupational exposure standard of stoddard solvent could be used in total exposure assessment of those solvents. The specific aim of the this study was to evaluate of the solvent exposure used in commercial dry cleaning shops by using occupational exposure standard of stoddard solvent. We conducted first survey of 8 self-employed dry cleaning shops and 5 factory type dry cleaning shops from July to August, and second survey of the same shops from October to November in 2002. The exposure concentration to the solvent during loading and unloading activity of vented dry cleaning machine was 489.2ppm(GM), 270.3ppm(GM), respectively, which was almost excursion limit(500ppm) of ACGIH, and exceed the ceiling limit(312ppm) of NIOSH. The time-weighted average (TWA) worker exposure to the solvent was 21.3ppm(GM) at self-employed shops, 20.7ppm(GM) at factory type shops on first survey, and 31.1ppm(GM), 33.7ppm(GM), respectively on second survey. The TWA exposure concentration of workers with spotting and cleaning machine operating job was 25.4ppm(GM), which was 2.9 times higher than the TWA exposure concentration, 8.8ppm(GM) of press workers. All TWA exposure concentrations was lower than OEL(100ppm) of stoddard solvent. We found that the most heavy exposure process at dry cleaning was loading, unloading process, and the vent of dry cleaning machine was the main emission source for workers exposure to petroleum based solvent.

• Safety and Health at Work
• /
• 제9권3호
• /
• pp.356-359
• /
• 2018

This case report attempts to present a case of acute toxic hepatitis in fire extinguisher manufacturing workers exposed to 2,2-dichloro-1,1,1-trifluoro-ethane (HCFC-123) in August 2017 in Korea. Twenty-two-year-old male workers were exposed to HCFC-123 for 1.5 hours one day and for 2.5 hours the other day, after which one worker died, and the other recovered after treatment. The workers were diagnosed with acute toxicity of hepatitis. However, exposure levels of HCFC-123 were not known with no work environment measurement done. Therefore, this study was conducted to estimate the exposure concentration of HCFC-123 via a job simulation experiment. In the simulation, the HCFC-123 exposure concentration was measured with the same working practice and working time as with the workers aforementioned. As a result, the workers who infused HCFC-123 into storage tanks were estimated to be exposed to HCFC-123 at a concentration of $20.65{\pm}10.81ppm$, and a mean concentration of area samples within a working radius were estimated as $70.30{\pm}18.10ppm$. Valve assembly workers working on valves of a fire extinguisher filled with HCFC-123 were exposed to HCFC-123 at concentrations of $91.65{\pm}4.03ppm$ and $115.55{\pm}7.28ppm$, respectively, in the simulation, and area samples simulated within the working radius were also found to be high with concentrations of $122.75{\pm}91.15ppm$ and $126.80{\pm}60.25ppm$, respectively. Nitrogen gas packing workers, who did not handle HCFC-123 directly, were exposed to the agent at a concentration of $71.80{\pm}8.49ppm$. These results suggest that exposure to HCFC-123 at high concentrations for 1.5-2.5 hours caused acute toxic hepatitis in two workers.

• 대한지역사회영양학회지
• /
• 제11권2호
• /
• pp.240-252
• /
• 2006

A survey was implemented to suggest basic data for assuring the safety of cooked foods in foodbank operations. A questionnaire consisted of total 48 items including general characteristics, basic inputs and perceived importance/performance of sanitary management. One hundred twenty-eight responses among the 267 nationwide foodbanks were used for the statistical analysis. About forty-one percent of foodbanks was operated a period of 1-3 years and 43.0% of them were managed by social welfare organizations. The number of staff was only 0.5 person per operation with the whole responsibility and 1.0 with additional work, and thus most of the work was managed by volunteers. Job satisfaction was shown to be moderate and was affected by specialty and salary mostly. The facilities and equipment in foodbanks were not enough to operate and freezers/refrigerators were the top priority to supplement. Most of the respondents attended a nationwide level sanitary education program (79.7%); but complained not enough frequency of education (90%). The sanitary status of the donated foods was considered as satisfactory but some safety practices had to be improved, including personnel expenses and operating costs in the district level, a sanitary awareness of the donors and a general management of the facilities arid equipment. An assessment on sanitary management resulted in an overall average of 4.45 out of 5 points in importance and 3.85 in performance showing the high level of sanitation perception in foodbank managers. From the IPA analysis, the fields found to be improved were sanitation management during cooking and temperature control as well as cleanliness and sanitation of both transport vehicle and refrigerator/freezer. To secure the food safety in foodbanks, consequently, personnel support, supplement of facilities and equipment, intense sanitation education and development of sanitation management program is needed.

• Safety and Health at Work
• /
• 제2권3호
• /
• pp.236-242
• /
• 2011

Objectives: To determine the feasibility of predicting static and dynamic peak back-compressive forces based on (1) static back compressive force values at the lift origin and destination and (2) lifting speed. Methods: Ten male subjects performed symmetric mid-sagittal floor-to-shoulder, floor-to-waist, and waist-to-shoulder lifts at three different speeds (slow, medium, and fast), and with two different loads (light and heavy). Two-dimensional kinematics and kinetics were captured. Linear regression analyses were used to develop prediction equations, the amount of predictability, and significance for static and dynamic peak back-compressive forces based on a static origin and destination average (SODA) backcompressive force. Results: Static and dynamic peak back-compressive forces were highly predicted by the SODA, with R2 values ranging from 0.830 to 0.947. Slopes were significantly different between slow and fast lifting speeds (p < 0.05) for the dynamic peak prediction equations. The slope of the regression line for static prediction was significantly greater than one with a significant positive intercept value. Conclusion: SODA under-predict both static and dynamic peak back-compressive force values. Peak values are highly predictable and could be readily determined using back-compressive force assessments at the origin and destination of a lifting task. This could be valuable for enhancing job design and analysis in the workplace and for large-scale studies where a full analysis of each lifting task is not feasible.

• 한국직업건강간호학회지
• /
• 제12권1호
• /
• pp.71-79
• /
• 2003

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to describe the status of maternity protection in the industries for the development of educational database used by occupational health nurses (OHNs). Method: 100 OHNs were purposively sampled and they were charged in the occupational health manager of their own industries. Data were collected by the postal mail, the response rate was 53.0%, and analysis rate was 43.0%. Result: The results were as follows; 1. Most of subjects responded there was the institutionalization of a special holiday for woman workers (97.7%) and 90 days maternity leave (95.4%). Otherwise, the numbers of industry were smaller in the case of providing the breast-feeding time, temporary rest from office for child raring, restriction of hazard job, night job, and over time. The application rates were lower than the rate of institutionalization of all maternity protection items. 2. There were significant differences in institutionalization of maternity protection by the activity of the trade union. And the numbers of the industry applying the maternity protection were significantly different by the area and the types of industry. 3. Most OHNs responded 17 subjects were needed to the maternity protection education for women workers. Conclusion: It would be needed to develop the maternity protection education database in base of the status of maternity protection in the industries and the need of maternity protection education. The role of OHNs for maternity protection was expected to activate.

• 대한통합의학회지
• /
• 제10권1호
• /
• pp.27-38
• /
• 2022

Purpose : This study is aimed to develop and validate the clinical practice education program and clinical competence scale of occupational therapy student. Methods : The development of the clinical practice education program used the delphi technique method, which had a total of five steps. Based on the occupational therapist's job analysis, the first stage assessed the importance of 21 experts, and the second stage examined the importance of 19 new specialists to derive constitutive factors. In the third stage, in-depth interviews were conducted with three experts based on the derived factors, and in the fourth stage, the final clinical practice education program was derived. In the final stage, the details of the clinical training program were drawn up based on the themes and were reviewed by two experts. Structured and unstructured interviews were conducted with 43 job experts. Results : The expert survey through the delphi technique was conducted three times, and content analysis and descriptive statistics were conducted to examine the distribution of responses. The final 11 educational program topics and contents were derived. Topics are confirmation of client information, evaluation and intervention, cognitive therapy, spinal cord injury, brain injury, musculoskeletal disorders, pediatric occupational therapy, interventions in activities of daily living, driving rehabilitation, vocational rehabilitation, occupational therapy assessment tool, safety training and management. Conclusion : The clinical practice education program reduce the difference between school education and clinical education of occupational therapy student. Occupational therapy helps college student understand occupational therapy practices and improve the quality of clinical education. Through more research and supplementation of clinical practice education programs in the future, it is suggested that clinical practice education be successfully operated in various practice institutions and used as basic data for designing and evaluating useful educational models.

• Journal of Trauma and Injury
• /
• 제36권4호
• /
• pp.385-392
• /
• 2023

Purpose: This study investigated the epidemiology, management, outcomes, and postoperative disabilities of degloving soft tissue injuries (DSTIs) treated at a tertiary care center in northern India. Methods: A prospective study of patients with DSTIs was conducted over 15 months. The type of degloving injury, the mechanism of injury, and any associated injuries were analyzed using the World Health Organization Disability Assessment Schedule (WHODAS) 2.0 along with the management, outcomes, and disabilities at a 3-month follow-up. Results: Among 75 patients with DSTIs, the average age was 27.5 years, 80.0% were male, and 76.0% had been injured in traffic accidents. The majority (93.3%) were open degloving injuries. Lower limbs were affected most often (62.7%), followed by upper limbs (32.0%). Fractures were the most commonly associated injuries (72.0%). Most patients required more than two procedures, including secondary debridement (41.3%), split skin grafting (80.0%), flap coverage (12.0%), or vacuum-assisted closure (24.0%), while five patients underwent conservative management for closed degloving injuries. Postoperative complications included surgical site infections (14.7%) and skin necrosis (10.7%). Two patients died due to septic shock and multiple organ dysfunction syndrome. The mean length of hospital stay was 11.5±8.1 days, with injuries affecting the lower limbs and perineum requiring longer hospital stays. The mean WHODAS 2.0 disability score at 3 months was 19. Most patients had mild disabilities. Time away from work depended largely upon the site and severity of the injury. Approximately 75% of patients resumed their previous job or study, 14% changed their job, and 8% stopped working completely due to residual disability. Conclusions: DSTIs are common injuries in trauma and management is challenging. Although open DSTI are clinically evident at secondary survey, closed degloving injuries may be missed in the primary survey, necessitating a high index of suspicion, thorough clinical examination, and protocol-based management. Primary preventive strategies (e.g., road safety protocols, preplacement training, and proper protective equipment in industries) are also needed to reduce the incidence of these injuries.

• 지역사회간호학회지
• /
• 제28권1호
• /
• pp.44-54
• /
• 2017

Purpose: The purpose of this study is to analyze health status of women working in traditional marketplace and their needs for public healthcare services. Methods: A descriptive survey of 500 women working at three traditional marketplaces was conducted. Results: street vendors' health status were much poorer than store merchants'. Furthermore, psychosocial factors like job stress and depression were increased in street venders. Thus, the public healthcare programs required by them included exercise programs (28.2%) and health checkup (26.8%). In addition, 31.2% of the participants reported that they needed visiting nursing care services. The rate of occupational health and safety or employment insurances was as low as 10.8%. Conclusion: Effective interventions including psychosocial factors for women workers at traditional marketplaces need to be developed based on these results. Also, it is recommended that public health care services such as outreach services and visiting nursing care services for women working at traditional marketplaces be provided. Furthermore, institutional provisions such as insurances for protecting these vulnerable groups' health are needed.