• Annals of Occupational and Environmental Medicine
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• v.35
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• pp.35.1-35.11
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• 2023

Background: Cardio-cerebrovascular diseases (CVDs) are the most common cause of death worldwide. Various CVD risk assessment tools have been developed. In South Korea, the Korea Occupational Safety & Health Agency (KOSHA) and the National Health Insurance Service (NHIS) have provided CVD risk assessments with health checkups. Since 2018, the KOSHA guide has stated that NHIS CVD risk assessment tool could be used as an alternative of KOSHA assessment tool for evaluating CVD risk of workers. The objective of this study was to determine the correlation and agreement between the KOSHA and the NHIS CVD risk assessment tools. Methods: Subjects of this study were 17,485 examinees aged 20 to 64 years who had undergone medical examinations from January 2021 to December 2021 at a general hospital. We classified subjects into low-risk, moderate-risk, high-risk, and highest-risk groups according to KOSHA and NHIS's CVD risk assessment tools. We then compared them with cross-analysis, Spearman correlation analysis, and linearly weighted kappa coefficient. Results: The correlation between KOSHA and NHIS tools was statistically significant (p-value < 0.001), with a correlation coefficient of 0.403 and a kappa coefficient of 0.203. When we compared risk group distribution using KOSHA and NHIS tools, CVD risk of 6,498 (37.1%) participants showed a concordance. Compared to the NHIS tool, the KOSHA tool classified 9,908 (56.7%) participants into a lower risk category and 1,079 (6.2%) participants into a higher risk category. Conclusions: In this study, KOSHA and NHIS tools showed a moderate correlation with a fair agreement. The NHIS tool showed a tendency to classify participants to higher CVD risk group than the KOSHA tool. To prevent CVD more effectively, a higher estimation tool among verified CVD risk assessment methods should be selected and managements such as early intervention and treatment of risk factors should be performed targeting the high-risk group.

• Journal of Korean Society of Occupational and Environmental Hygiene
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• v.20 no.3
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• pp.147-155
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• 2010

This study was conducted to investigate the benzene exposure levels in coal chemical and petrochemical refining industries during BTX turnaround (TA) processes where benzene was being produced. Three companies producing benzene were selected, one coal chemical and two petrochemical industries. TA processes were classified into three stages: shut down, maintenance, and start up. Data was analyzed by classifying the refining method into 2 groups (Petrochemistry, Coal chemistry) for 823 workers. Comparing the data from petrochemical industries with data from a coal chemical refining industry, while benzene concentration levels of long-term samples during TA were not statistically different (p> 0.05), those levels of short-term samples were significantly different (p< 0.001). About 4.79 % of data in petrochemical industries exceed the occupational exposure limits (OELs) of benzene, 1 ppm. In a coal refining methods, about 15.7% exceeded the benzene OELs. The benzene concentrations in maintenance and start up stage of TA for petrochemical refineries were higher than those in a coal chemical refinery (p <0.01). These findings suggest that the coal chemical refining site requires more stringent work practice controls compare to petrochemical refining sites during TA processes. Personal protective equipments including organic respirators should be used by TA workers to protect them from benzene overexposure.

• Journal of the Korea Safety Management & Science
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• v.16 no.3
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• pp.295-304
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• 2014

The purpuse of this study is to find factors on the recognition by people involved in occupational safety and health of KOSHA 18001, the need of KOSHA 18001 certification, and the compliance by each medical institution with KOSHA 18001 review standards to help medical institutions introduce and use OSHMS. There was a survey of people involved in occupational safety and health at 300 local general hospitals with 100 or more beds that were registered with the Korean Hospital Association in 2012. The survey included the recognition of KOSHA 18001, the need of certification and the compliance by medical institutions of the occupational safety and health. A total of 132 people responded, of which an analysis of 126 cases was conducted except 6 cases poor in information.

• Proceedings of the Korea Institute of Fire Science and Engineering Conference
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• 2007.04a
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• pp.236-239
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• 2007

• Proceedings of the Korea Institute of Fire Science and Engineering Conference
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• 2006.04a
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• pp.329-334
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• 2006

• Proceedings of the Korea Institute of Fire Science and Engineering Conference
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• 2006.04a
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• pp.335-340
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• 2006

• Journal of the Korean Society of Safety
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• v.19 no.4 s.68
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• pp.86-93
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• 2004

Through this study we have reviewed the implementation model, certificate criteria and the formation of KOSHA 18001 Safety and Health Management System and have compared and examined with OHSAS 18001 Certificate. In the course of the 1st questionnaires which have been participated by the concerned Safety and Health Staffs(such as Project Mannager, Site Supervisior, Safety Engineers) of the local construction sites, actual condition of application for KOSHA 18001 has been scrutinized and examined. And as a result, we presented the improved model by digging out the problems. The improved model has been applied for about eight months in local construction sites and the effectiveness has been carefully compared and examined before and after the application of the improvement model through the 2nd questionnaires by the relevant staffs (such as Project Manager, Site Supervisor, Safety Engineer and Project Engineers of the Coordinated Sub-Contractors).

• Safety and Health at Work
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• v.1 no.1
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• pp.98-101
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• 2010

This study explored the health hazard of those exposed to methylene chloride by assessing its atmospheric concentration when a tear gas mixture was aerially dispersed. The concentration of methylene chloride ranged from 311.1-980.3 ppm (geometric mean, 555.8 ppm), 30 seconds after the dispersion started. However, the concentration fell rapidly to below 10 ppm after dispersion was completed. The concentration during the dispersion did not surpass the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health 'immediately dangerous to life or health' value of 2,300 ppm, but did exceed the American Conference of Governmental Industrial Hygienists excursion limit of 250 ppm. Since methylene chloride is highly volatile (vapor pressure, 349 mmHg at $20^{\circ}C$), the post-dispersion atmospheric concentration can rise instantaneously. Moreover, the o-chlorobenzylidenemalononitrile formulation of tear gas (CS gas) is an acute upper respiratory tract irritant. Therefore, tear gas mixtures should be handled with delicate care.

• Safety and Health at Work
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• v.1 no.1
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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.

• Journal of Korean Society of Occupational and Environmental Hygiene
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• v.19 no.1
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• pp.30-38
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• 2009

The objective of this study was to evaluate the effects of occupational exposure to styrene on the components of metabolic syndrome. We surveyed 263 employees, among whom 117workers we ere chronically exposed to styrene in glass-reinforced plastic boat manufacturing factories and 146 controls had never been occupationally exposed to styrene as will as hazardous chemicals. The general and job characteristics such as age, smoking and drinking habit, working hours and duration were not significant different except sleeping hours(p<0.05). Among the components of metabolic syndrome, the systolic blood pressure, total cholesterol, HDL-cholesterol and fasting glucose were significantly higher in exposed workers. On multiple logistic regression analysis for the components of metabolic syndrome, waist circumference was insulin (OR=1.129), blood pressure was MA(OR=14.724), fasting glucose(OR=1.191) and metabolic syndrome(OR=1.110) were significantly associated with insulin. The mean concentration of airborne styrene was $ 38.1{\pm}40.1$ ppm, blood concentrations of glucose and insulin and levels of HOMA-IR in over 50 ppm exposed group were higher than in blow 50 ppm exposed group. These results suggested that the exposure of styrene affects blood pressure, fasting glucose and insulin levels and that dysfunction and/or declination in glucose and insulin metabolism might induced ultimately insulin resistance and metabolic syndrome.