• Journal of Environmental Health Sciences
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• v.45 no.2
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• pp.173-185
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• 2019

Objectives: The objectives of this study are to evaluate the accuracy and precision of exposure model ECETOC TRA v.3.1 by comparing model predictions with repeated exposure measurements in Korean workplaces and to investigate the applicability of ECETOC TRA to Korean workplace exposure assessment in K-REACH. Methods: Measured values and work conditions for 14 kinds of chemicals collected from exposure field surveys conducted at 10 companies in Korea were utilized for this study. All possible process categories (PROCs) considered to be relevant to each work process classification were selected and applied to ECETOC TRA as major determining parameters. In order to quantify the accuracy of the model, the lack of agreement (bias, relative bias, precision) was calculated and the risk ratios for each exposure situation between estimated and measured were also compared. Results: The estimated values varied between five and 25 times according to the PROCs for all exposure situations (ESs) based on tasks/chemicals. The results showed that most of the estimated values were below the measured values, and just 13 of 53 tasks were above the measured values. The overall bias and precision were $-2.91{\pm}1.62$ with ECETOC TRA, and we found that ECETOC TRA showed a low level of conservatism when applied to Korean workplaces, similar to previous studies. Conclusions: This study demonstrates that the existed PROC codes have limitations in fully covering various ESs in Korea. In order to improve the applicability of ECETOC TRA in K-REACH, the addition of new PROCs for Korean industries are necessary.

• The Journal of the Korea Contents Association
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• v.20 no.9
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• pp.397-413
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• 2020

Humor is often considered as a positive phenomenon, and thus frequently employed as an impression management technique for individuals. However, humor may create unexpected outcomes in terms of impression management. This study investigates the relationship between humor and impression management of individuals within three South Korean organizations. A qualitative methodology is employed and data collected through participant observation and semi-structured interviews. Findings suggest that humor may be used more frequently by workers in superior positions, and it may be dangerous for individuals in subordinate positions to initiate humor, as negative impressions such as lack of professionalism and work competence may be crafter through humor. In particular, traditional Confucian values and expectations may lead to perceptions that humor is inappropriate and even rude when it is used by individuals in subordinate positions. However, humor may help to craft an independent identity, and help alter user's impressions as desired. This suggests that while perceptions towards humor as an impression management tool may embed significant risks, humor may help individuals to influence their impressions and diverge from a stereotypical expectations and impressions of workers(according to their hierarchical status), which may be interpreted in multiple ways. This implies that organizations should be careful in encouraging workers to use humor as an impression management tactic, as the relational outcomes may be complex, depending on the cultural understanding of hierarchy and relationships between communicators.

• Journal of Korean Society for Atmospheric Environment
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• v.25 no.5
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• pp.410-419
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• 2009

Generally, air pollutant emission at workplace is estimated by two methods: indirect methods using emission factors and direct methods based on CEMS (Continuous Emission Monitoring System). CAPSS (Clean Air Policy Support System) is a representative indirect method and the national air pollutant database of Korea. However, characteristics of some workplaces may create a gap between CAPSS and CEMS data. For improving of emission data accuracy, emission data of CEMS (named CleanSYS) equipped at 138 target workplaces were compared with those of CAPSS. As a result, $SO_x$ and $PM_{10}$ emission levels obtained by CAPSS were lower than those of CleanSYS. $SO_x$ and $PM_{10}$emission ratios were 61.5% and 71.2% lower respectively, showing the biggest gaps. On the other hand, $NO_x$ emission of CAPSS was higher by 10.4%. $SO_x$ showed the biggest difference in 'Energy industry combustion' and $NO_x$ did in 'Production Process' within the SCC category. $PM_{10}$ presented a large gap in 'Manufacturing industry combustion.' The differences in $SO_x$ between the two systems occurred because some large-size facilities lack pollution controllers or efficient pollution controllers. Based on this study, CAPSS emission database of Korea will improve accuracy through adopting CEMS emission system, which enables more efficient national atmospheric policies and workplace management.

• Journal of Korean Society of Occupational and Environmental Hygiene
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• v.11 no.1
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• pp.42-47
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• 2001

The purpose of this study was to investigate for filtration efficiency of several dust masks, comparing with filtration efficiency certified by KOSHA(Korea Occupational Safety & Health Agency), and to require of the right use of protective respirators. Using a welding fume generator and chamber, several dust masks, which were widely used in the workplaces in korea, were tested for their filtering efficiency for stainless steel arc welding fume. The filtration efficiency testing system consisted of a welding fume generator, a chamber and a filtration unit. The filtration unit was made of a mask which was inserted into the sampling cassette and another sampling cassette, which contained mixed cellulose ester filter paper. These two cassettes were connected with tubing. Stainless steel arc welding fume generator was delivered into an chamber. The welding fume in the chamber was passed into the filtration unit with flow rate of 30 liter/min. The welding fume filtration efficiency was evaluated by gravimetric measurement. Metal concentrations in the welding fume before and after filtration were measured with inductive coupling plasma analyzer. Following results were obtained: Filtration efficiency of welding fume for common hygienic mask was 63.82% and the average efficiencies for A, B, C, D, E, F and G masks were 94.62%, 96.58%, 83.20%, 82.76%, 77.25%, 86.55% and 93.22%, respectively. Our results indicate that dust masks used widely in the welding workplaces in korea are not proper for protecting worker's health and then the use of fume mask should be required.

• Journal of the Korean Society for Marine Environment & Energy
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• v.16 no.4
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• pp.268-275
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• 2013

For marine pollution prevention, Korea Coast Guard has enforced the self-check system on excellent workplace of marine facilities and ships since 2007 as part of the government policy for deregulation of administrative inspection. The self-check system had much effect amid interest from the workplaces and with their participation and cooperation. But the system has become stagnant because KCG has missed the proper timing to reflect the social and environmental change, marine workers' consciousness changes and the transformation of its relevant inner organization in the operation of the system for several years. To accommodate the changes of internal and external environments, this study surveyed 332 workers of ships and marine facilities through questionnaire about the self-check system for marine pollution prevention, reflected on the system, and focused on how to improve the existing system effectively. To increase the effect of self-check system, the enhancement of public relations efforts and improvements in marine pollution control system for ships of 5 gross tons and above are necessary. In addition, for relieving the burdens of business activity and visit inspection by KCG on excellent workplaces of ships and marine facilities, Marine Environment Management Act is needed to be amended so that the self-check system can be reflected in its amendment.

• Journal of Preventive Medicine and Public Health
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• v.47 no.3
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• pp.144-149
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• 2014

Objectives: Nicotine is a natural alkaloid and insecticide in tobacco leaves. Green tobacco sickness (GTS) is known as a disease of acute nicotine intoxication among tobacco farmers. Until now, GTS has been recognized globally as a disease that results from nicotine absorption through the skin. However, we assumed that GTS might also result from nicotine inhalation as well as absorption. We aimed to measure the airborne nicotine concentrations in various work environments of Korean tobacco farmers. Methods: We measured the nicotine concentrations in the tobacco fields, private curing barns, and joint curing barns of farmers from July to October 2010. All sampling and analyses of airborne nicotine were conducted according to the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health manual of analytic methods. Results: The airborne nicotine concentrations (geometric mean [geometric standard deviation]) in the tobacco field were $83.4mg/m^3$ (1.2) in the upper region and $93.3mg/m^3$(1.2) in the lower region. In addition, the nicotine concentration by personal sampling was $150.1mg/m^3$. Similarly, the nicotine concentrations in the private curing barn, workers in curing barns, the front yard of the curing barn, and in the joint curing barn were $323.7mg/m^3$(2.0), $121.0mg/m^3$(1.5), $73.7mg/m^3$(1.7), and $610.3mg/m^3$(1.0), respectively. Conclusions: The nicotine concentration in the workplaces of tobacco farmers was very high. Future studies should measure the environmental concentration of nicotine that is inhaled by tobacco farmers.

• Journal of Korean Society of Occupational and Environmental Hygiene
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• v.1 no.2
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• pp.117-127
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• 1991

The exposure level of chromium and nickel for chrome and nickel plating workers were evaluated. Chromium and nickel concentrations in serum from 82 exposed workers and 66 controls, who were not exposed occupationally to metals, were analyzed by flameless atomic absorption spectrophotometry. The results were as follows : 1. The recovery percent of chromium and nickel concentrations in personal air samples were 95-108.2%, 88.0-107.7%, precisions (C.V., %) were 2.7-3.1%, 2.1-4.4%. respectively. 2. The recovery percent of chromium and nickel concentrations in serum were 93.6-106.4%, 91.3-107.9% and precisions (C.V. %) were 1.1-7.6%, 2.4-5.4% respectively. 3. The exposure level of chromium and nickel concentrations in the place of preparation process were $2.0{\pm}2.00{\mu}g/m^3$, chromplating were $35.7{\pm}53.07{\mu}g/m^3$, $2.8{\pm}3.42{\mu}g/m^3$, nickelplating were $4.6.0{\pm}5.8{\mu}g/m^3$, $18.62{\pm}4.41{\mu}g/m^3$, and covering were $2.9{\pm}2.02{\mu}g/m^3$, $1.1{\pm}0.47{\mu}g/m^3$ respectively. There were significant difference of concentrations for chromium and nickel in workplaces by groups statistically. 4. Chromium concentrations in serum of exposed group and control were $0.68{\pm}0.399{\mu}g/l$, $1.41{\pm}0.748{\mu}g/l$, respectively. There were significant difference of concentrations for chromium and nickel in serum by groups statistically. 5. Chromium and nickel concentrations in serum of exposed group were not significant by workplaces.

• Journal of Korean Society of Occupational and Environmental Hygiene
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• v.17 no.3
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• pp.254-260
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• 2007

Trichloroethylene(TCE) is widely used as a degreasing solvent in workplaces. TCE is primarily toxic to the nervous system, however, systemic disorder like Stevens-Johnson syndrome has been recently reported in small-scale factories, where the government has had limited information of chemical use. A survey was performed to investigate the actual condition of using TCE and to provide practical information to occupational health service agencies and professionals. This survey was carried out on 103 factories out of 430 factories which were conducted periodic work environment measurement for TCE. Degreasing was the most popular reason for using TCE in Korea, which reached to 94%. TCE was also used as a solvent for rubber in the coating or molding process, and adhesives in the bonding process. Metal fabrication was the most common as 23%, followed by assembling automobile parts (17%), and machinery (12%). Workers exposed to TCE during full-shift were 52% while 48% were exposed during short period of the shift or intermittently. Manual or semi-automatic work occupied 87% while automatic work was just 13%. Though automatic work by a closed system was generally lower exposed to TCE, compared to manual work, it can cause a high exposure when the maintenance system is improper. Semi-automatic work especially like open-top degreasing process can cause a high exposure when local exhaust system with condensing and refrigerating coils in the degreaser does not work well. In conclusion, the survey showed nationwide status of TCE exposure in various aspects. It can be used to monitor workplaces and workers exposed to TCE to prevent occupational diseases.

• Journal of Korean Society of Occupational and Environmental Hygiene
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• v.19 no.3
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• pp.307-320
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• 2009

This study was conducted not only to review airborne asbestos levels reported in workplaces in Korea, but also to analyze their levels according to various characteristics All asbestos concentration reported as either geometric mean (GM) and geometric standard deviation (GSD) or ranges were transformed to arithmetic mean to estimate exposure level. In addition, weighted arithmetic means (WAMs) were calculated to weigh asbestos levels based on the different number of samples. Differences of asbestos levels among several characteristics such as industry type, decade, operation and sampling and analytical methods were analyzed using analysis of variance (ANOVA). The number of articles studying asbestos levels from workplaces was found to be 9 including two report types. Five of those were reported prior to 1990s and rest of them after 1990s. Only several industries such as asbestos textile, asbestos cement, brake-lining repair shops were studied, while various industries using asbestos or asbestos containing materials (ACMs) were not studied. ANOVA found that asbestos exposure levels (WAM = 5.26f/cc) reported from textile industry were significantly higher than those from other industries (cement = 0.63f/cc, brake-lining = 0.2f/cc - 0.47f/cc) (p < 0.0001). Average exposure levels studied prior to the 1990s (3.13f/cc) were found to be significantly higher than that (0.86f/cc) after the 1990s (p<0.0001). All WAMs reported until the 1994 were found to be higher than the current occupational exposure limits (0.1f/cc). This study recommends that retrospective exposure to asbestos based on various industry types and operations should be assessed.

• Research in Community and Public Health Nursing
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• v.5 no.1
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• pp.5-29
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• 1994

In recent years, interests in health promotion have been stimulated by the epidemiological transition from infectious to chronic diseases as lead ing causes of death, the aging of the population, rapidly escalating health care costs, and epidemiologic findings linking individual risk to morbidity and mortality. It is not surprising that the workplace has been targeted as a promising setting for health promotion. In Korea, national attention to the opportunities for workplace health promotion began in the first 1990s. But there is no in depth study to identify the relating factors to the health promotion program in the workplace. The objective of this study is behavioral and physical characteristics to find that in crease the person's risk for a range of health problems and to analysis other characteristics to influence the degree of his/her intention to change health behavior. In addition, this study is purposed to present the process of planning health promotion program in the workplace. To accomplish these objectives, one workplaces was selected. And 363 employees in those workplaces were served as subjects for the study. Major findings in this study are as follows. (1) They have many risk factors such as smoking, drinking, lack of sleep, law rate of regular exercise, irregular eating, stress. (2) Some of the health risk factors such as smoking, drinking, and stress have the negative correlation to the intention to change. (3) Among cognitive and socio-environmental factors, significant predictors to the intention are attitude and social support. (4) In the cluster analysis to segment the target population in to homogeneous unit, three clusters of lifestyle are specified. (5) Smoking cessation and exercise program are planned for the risk group to change their behavior.