• 한국산업보건학회지
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• 제30권3호
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• pp.256-269
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• 2020

Objectives: Everyone has been affected in some way by the COVID-19 pandemic, while some workers face threats to their health due to their jobs as well as worries about spreading the virus to intimate family members. With these concerns in mind, this study aims to identify occupations more vulnerable to COVID-19 and suggests the necessity of providing proper control measures against the risks in a timely manner in Korea. Methods: Daily briefing reports by the Korea Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (KCDC) were compiled (n=120) between January 20 and May 31, 2020. A total of 11,486 confirmed cases were included, which were sorted by occasion, area, and occupation. Among them, 2,411 cases were classified with specific occasions and/or areas of infection, while only 544 cases were determined with identifiable occupations. Guidelines for biological hazard management and COVID-19 guidelines for workplaces from domestic and international bodies were enlisted and compared. Results: It is unsurprising to find that healthcare professionals are experiencing the most immediate threat from COVID-19. In addition, service workers with face-to-face practices or indirect contact are also facing high risks. Religion facilities and eating places (dining, drinking bar, café, etc.,) follow. Guidelines and manuals for biological hazards are still lacking in Korea compared to the US and EU. Workplace manuals for managing COVID-19 are neither as comprehensive as the approaches of NIOSH's hierarchy of controls nor inclusive enough for minimizing secondary or tertiary suffering. Conclusions: The COVID-19 crisis is still ongoing and there is no doubt there will be more such events in the future. This analysis suggests that occupational health professionals, amid a pandemic including COVID-19, are urged to anticipate emerging risks related to all sorts of occupations, identify vulnerable workers and working environments, and plan and take actions to protect workers' health.

• 한국산업보건학회지
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• 제23권1호
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• pp.20-26
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• 2013

Objectives: This study was conducted to evaluate the health risk of workers exposed to butyl glycidyl ether to prevent them from developing occupational diseases. Methods: The workplaces that coat floor with epoxy were selected and the samples were collected and analyzed with NIOSH 1616 Method. We calculate workplace reference concentration using with NOAEL estimated by the study of Anderson et al. in 1978. Risk was calculated by the ratio of exposure to workplace reference concentration. Monte-Carlo simulation was performed to derivate the median, cumulative 90%, and cumulative 95% value by using Crystal Ball. Results: Butyl glycidyl ether is a skin, eye irritator and can result in central nervous system depression, allergic reaction. NOAEL was 38 ppm and workplace reference concentration was calculated as 0.73 ppm corrected with uncertainty factors. Geometric mean was 1.152 ppm and geometric standard deviation was 1.522 by the workplace environment measurement. The median, cumulative 90%, and cumulative 95% value of risk were calculated as 1.617, 1.934, and 2.092, respectively. Conclusions: Not only cumulative 90% and cumulative 95% value but also the median of risk is higher than 1.0 by the risk characterization, so it can do a lot of harm to workers. Therefore, the process of derivating workplace reference concentration and the appropriacy of the uncertainty factors should be re-examined.

• 한국산업보건학회지
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• 제31권4호
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• pp.540-548
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• 2021

Introduction: Preplacement health examination (PHE) is performed when a worker starts a certain work task which is designated as having occupational risks by the Ministry of Employment and Labor (MOEL). All data related to health examination except PHE are reported to the MOEL by the law. This study has been performed to understand the status of PHE at certain workplaces. Methods: PHE data gathered in a university hospital were analyzed and they were followed with results of the special health examination (SHE) in 2019 and 2020. Those who were evaluated as unfit to work as it was, were interviewed directly or indirectly through an occupational health manager to follow up the management status of their recognized health problems. Results: The unfit to work (unFTW) rate of PHE was 2.8%, and was not different according to the size of workplace or having occupational health service. The major cause of unfit to work was the uncontrolled life-style diseases such as hypertension and diabetes. The rate of SHE followed by PHE was 31.1%. It was not different by the unFTW rates, however, they were different according to having a full time in-house occupational health manager. Thirty-one among 71 examinees who were evaluated as unFTW underwent SHE after controlling their health condition and were finally evaluated as fit to work. Nineteen among 31 started to take medicine and eight have been placed in the work without designated risks. Conclusion: PHE can be used for new workers, who may have unknown or uncontrolled life-style diseases, to be asked to manage life-style diseases as well as work-related risks such as shift work. In order to have a better tracking system for work-related risks, the information of PHE should be analyzed together with other data from health examination.

• 한국산업융합학회 논문집
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• 제24권6_2호
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• pp.899-908
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• 2021

It is expected that the global market for vessel repair and remodeling will grow up to the scale of about 25 billion dollars by 2023. Korea's shipbuilding industry is leading the world with its international competitiveness in design and production technology. The actual status of vessel repair industry, however, is poor as there are only two or three companies for vessel repair that can deal with large vessels in the area of Gyeongnam. The reason is that civil complaints are filed severely about environmental problems and environment-related regulations are so strict that it is fairly hard to get governmental approval for the operation of a vessel repair workplace. Domestic vessel repair companies mainly target small- and medium-sized vessels. There are only few workplaces that can carry out regular examination or repair work on large vessels such as LNG vessels, and due to the high price of vessel repair, most of the domestic repair work on large vessels including LNG vessels tends to be snatched by markets in Southeast Asia or China. Despite the tremendous domestic demand of Korea that has established the world's first shipbuilding industry and world's sixth biggest harbor infrastructure, its vessel repair industry can be said to be in very poor condition. In order to vitalize vessel repair industry, this study is aimed to analyze the environmental influence of vessel repair workplaces in Gyeongnam where vessel repair companies are concentrated and suggest standard processes by analyzing vessel repair processes precisely.

• 한국가스학회지
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• 제28권1호
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• pp.35-43
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• 2024

산업 및 과학기술의 고도화로 인해 신규 화학물질 수와 사용량은 꾸준히 증가하고 있으며 이에 따른 화학물질 안전관리의 중요성이 사회적으로 부각됨에 따라 국민적 요구가 높아지고 있다. 정부적인 차원에서 화학물질의 안전관리에 대해 부처별로 역할을 구분하여 관리하고 있으나 시설 노후화 및 취급 부주의 등의 문제로 매년 화학물질로 인한 사고가 빈번하게 발생되고 있는 실정이다. 국내에서 발생한 화학물질 관련 사고사례를 바탕으로 사고 유형을 분석한 결과, 누출·폭발·화재·기타 등의 순으로 사고가 발생하고 있으며 사고의 원인은 시설결함, 안전관리 미준수로 순으로 분석되었다. 본 연구에서는 화학물질 중 불산을 취급하고 있는 사업장을 대상으로 HAZOP을 통해 취급공정에 대한 유해위험요인을 파악하여 Bow-Tie를 활용한 위험성평가를 수행하였다. 본 연구 결과를 바탕으로 동종·유사 사업장의 화학사고 예방을 위한 안전관리 계획을 개선할 수 있을 것이며 이를 통해 화학사고를 사전에 예방할 수 있는 화학안전관리 체계의 선진화에 기여할 수 있을 것으로 기대된다.

• Environmental Analysis Health and Toxicology
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• 제31권
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• pp.11.1-11.6
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• 2016

Objectives A hazard assessment of di(2-ethylhexyl) phthalate (DEHP), a commonly used workplace chemical, was conducted in order to protect the occupational health of workers. A literature review, consisting of both domestic and international references, examined the chemical management system, working environment, level of exposure, and possible associated risks. This information may be utilized in the future to determine appropriate exposure levels in working environments. Methods Hazard assessment was performed using chemical hazard information obtained from international agencies, such as Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development-generated Screening Information Data Set and International Program on Chemical Safety. Information was obtained from surveys conducted by the Minister of Employment and Labor ("Survey on the work environment") and by the Ministry of Environment ("Survey on the circulation amount of chemicals"). Risk was determined according to exposure in workplaces and chemical hazard. Results In 229 workplaces over the country, 831 tons of DEHP have been used as plasticizers, insecticides, and ink solvent. Calculated 50% lethal dose values ranged from 14.2 to 50 g/kg, as determined via acute toxicity testing in rodents. Chronic carcinogenicity tests revealed cases of lung and liver degeneration, shrinkage of the testes, and liver cancer. The no-observed-adverse-effect level and the lowest-observed-adverse-effect level were determined to be 28.9 g/kg and 146.6 g/kg, respectively. The working environment assessment revealed the maximum exposure level to be $0.990mg/m^3$, as compared to the threshold exposure level of $5mg/m^3$. The relative risk of chronic toxicity and reproductive toxicity were 0.264 and 0.330, respectively, while the risk of carcinogenicity was 1.3, which is higher than the accepted safety value of one. Conclusions DEHP was identified as a carcinogen, and may be dangerous even at concentrations lower than the occupational exposure limit. Therefore, we suggest management of working environments, with exposure levels below $5mg/m^3$ and all workers utilizing local exhaust ventilation and respiratory protection when handling DEHP.

• 한국입자에어로졸학회지
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• 제7권4호
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• pp.113-121
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• 2011

The aerosol nanoparticles are suspected to be exposed to workers in nanomaterial manufacturing facilities. However, the exposure assessment method has not been established. One of important issues is to characterize background level of nanoparticles in workplaces. In this study, intensive aerosol measurements were made at a $TiO_2$ manufacturing laboratory for five consecutive days in May of 2010. The $TiO_2$ nanoparticles were manufactured by the thermal-condensation process in a heated tube furnace. The particle number size distribution was measured using a scanning mobility particle sizer every 5 min, in order to detect particles ranging from 14.5 to 664 nm in diameter. Total particle number concentration shows a severe diurnal variation irrespective of manufacturing process, which was governed by nanoparticles smaller than 50 nm in diameter. During the background monitoring periods, significant peak concentrations were observed between 2 p.m. and 3 p.m. due to the infiltration of secondary aerosol particles formed by photochemical smog. Although significant increase in nanoparticle concentration was also observed during the manufacturing process twice among three times, these particle peak concentrations were lower than those observed during the background measurement. It is suggested that the investigation of background particle contamination is needed prior to conducting main exposure assessment in nanomaterial manufacturing workplaces or laboratories.

• Environmental Analysis Health and Toxicology
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• 제22권1호
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• pp.91-101
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• 2007

The new chemicals are developed and circulated without the verified toxicity data. So, the accidents and occupational diseases, such as explosion, fire, suffocation about deadly poisons etc. are frequently to workers. Classifications of chemicals suited with guideline and an offer of correct chemical information data are the molt important thing for the establishment of suitable chemical management system. The GHS (Globally Harmonized System of classification and labeling of chemicals) is based with the chemical classifications and unification plan. The warning symbol and phrases are established for improvements of chemical information data system. According to these unified and improved systematic form of data, and the chemical information data, the workplaces will be presented many chemical safety and risk data correctly. In this paper, we will present constructions and accomplishment contents-based chemical management of workplace through development of chemical information data and the nice using for new chemical investigation and risk assessment of chemicals in workplaces.

• 대한치과기공학회지
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• 제20권1호
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• pp.61-89
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• 1998

Having taken as cause of dental technicians separation from their service a variety of individual idiosyncrasies, function-related factors, external environment factors, functional satisfaction, organizational commitment, and intention to remain, the present study conducted a mail questionnaire poll and interviews on those dental technicians who are mow in the service with private dental technical workshops and dental technical workshops in general hospitals and private dental clinics. The resultant findings from analysis of the repondent's general characteristics of cause of separation form service were revealed, as follows : 1) It was shown that the higher the academic career, the considerably higher cause of position commitment among causes of individual idio-syncrasies, reflecting a statistically significant result(P<0.05) 2) The less the number of working hours as viewed from the average number of working hours per day, the higher the positive emotion, reflecting a significant relation(P<0.01) 3) Causes from performing duties among function-related causes diclosed a statistically significant relation among marital status, career, monthly income, and positions(P<0.01) 4) Causes from wages showed a statistically significant relation in the average number of working hours per day(P<0.01), monthly income(P,0.05), and positions(P<0.05) 5) Causes from supervision exposed a significant relation in workplaces(P<0.01) 6) Causes from promotion represented a significant relation in positions(P<0.001) 7) Causes from opportunnities for taking a job as seen from external environment causes also disclosed a statistically significant relation in workplaces(P<0.05) 8) Reponsibility for family sustenace reflected a statistically significant relation in sex, age, marital status, career, monthly income, work fields, term of employment, positions, and experience of separation(P<0.001) 9) Functional satisfaction showed a statistically significant relation in marital status, career, monthly income, and the average number of hours a day(P<0.05) 10) Oraganizational commitment disclosed a statistically significant relation in work experience, monthly income, term of employment, positions(P<0.05) and the average number of working hours a day(P<0.001) 11) The intention to remain indicated a statistically significant relation in age, marital status, work experience, monthly income, positions(P<0.001) and term of employment. the average number of working hours a day(P<0.01), and in the performing work field(P<0.05)

• 한국환경과학회지
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• 제28권4호
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• pp.455-464
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• 2019

BAT-AEL(Best Available Techniques Associate Emission Level) is the basis for establishing permissible emission standards for the workplace. Therefore, it is necessary to formulate a regulated BAT-AEL setting methodology that is generally applicable to all relevant industries. For the BAT-AEL settings, various factors should be considered such as the pollutants item, whether the workplace is subject to integrated pollution prevention and control, whether BAT is applicable, the basic data type, the emission classification system, and the suitability of the collected data. Among these factors, it is the most important factor to establish the classification system for the emitting facilities such that the emission characteristics of an industrial facility and its pollutants can be effectively reflected. Furthermore the target of the survey workplace should adhere to the BAT guidelines, even if it is a workplace that is subject to an the integrated environmental system. Certified data (SEMS, TMS, cleanSYS, WEMS, etc.) can be used to prioritize the classification system for the emission facility and the emission levels of pollutants. However, the self-measured data, daily logs, and questionnaire data from the workplace can also be used upon agreement of the relevant TWG. The collected data should only be used only when the facility is operating normally. Data that have been determined to be outliers or inappropriate validation methods should also be excluded. The BAT-AEL can be establish by adhering to the following procedure: 1) investigate all relevant workplaces with in the industry, 2)select workplaces for integrated management, 3)Identify BAT application, 4)identify whether BAT is generally applicable, 5)establish a classification system for emitting facilities, 6)collection available data, 7)verify conformity, 8)remove of outliers, 9)prepare the BAT-AEL draft, 10)deliberate, and 11) perform the confirmation procedure.