• Korean Journal of Occupational Health Nursing
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• v.21 no.2
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• pp.125-133
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• 2012

Purpose: This study is to identify factors associated with performance of occupational health services in small-sized workplaces in Korea. Methods: The data were collected from a random sample of 1,158 occupational health managers working for small-sized workplaces across the nation in which occupational health services were supported by Korean Industrial Health Association. A structured questionnaire was self-administrated by occupational health managers about characteristics of workplaces, occupational health managers, and performance level of occupational health services. Results: Stepwise multiple regression analyses revealed that factors associated with performance of occupational health services in small-sized workplaces included supervisor being designated, occupational health manager having received safety and health training, and employer's concern with activities of health management. Conclusion: Government should make efforts to raise the level of employer's concern to occupational health activities. And it is needed to promote health managing staff as a core personnel to self-management for occupational health system.

• Safety and Health at Work
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• v.5 no.2
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• pp.53-59
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• 2014

Background: In a safety perspective, efficient knowledge management is important for learning purposes and thus to prevent errors from occurring repeatedly. The relationship between knowledge exchange among employees and safety behavior may be of particular importance in distributed organizational systems where similar high-risk activities take place at several locations. This study develops and tests hypotheses concerning the relationship between knowledge exchange systems usage, knowledge exchange in the organizational system, and safety compliance. Methods: The operational context of the study is petroleum drilling and well operations involving distributed high-risk activities. The hypotheses are tested by use of survey data collected from a large petroleum operator company and eight of its main contractors. Results: The results show that safety compliance is influenced by use of knowledge exchange systems and degree of knowledge exchange in the organizational system, both within and between units. System usage is the most important predictor, and safety compliance seems to be more strongly related to knowledge exchange within units than knowledge exchange between units. Conclusion: Overall, the study shows that knowledge management is central for safety behavior.

• The Journal of the Korea institute of electronic communication sciences
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• v.18 no.4
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• pp.701-708
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• 2023

Local governments are required to take measures to prevent occupational accidents under Articles 4(2) and 4(3) of the Occupational Safety and Health Act, and this study suggested the necessity of establishing an IT-based integrated safety and health information sharing system for serious accident reduction and safety and health management through the case of Incheon Metropolitan City. Recently, as local governments have established labor and health ordinances and basic plans, the need for an independent integrated safety and health management system based on local industrial characteristics has increased. It is necessary to establish a cooperation and support system with basic local governments and hub institutions, share integrated safety and health information with related institutions and organizations, and play a pivotal role in regional safety and health management by managing occupational accident statistics and implementing basic policies. The system through local governments' safety and health management will reduce serious accidents in the region, and the comprehensive safety and health management system for small businesses and projects ordered by local governments will strengthen the operability of the site, which will be effective in preventing critical accidents and industrial accidents.

• Proceedings of the Safety Management and Science Conference
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• 2012.04a
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• pp.399-407
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• 2012

• Journal of Korean Society of Occupational and Environmental Hygiene
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• v.10 no.1
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• pp.179-207
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• 2000

Hazardous organic solvents management as prescribed by presidential decree in Korea is reviewed. The status of import, manufacture, and circulation of organic solvents was investigated. Problems inherent in the management of organic solvents in the electroplating, metal degreasing, and dry cleaning industries were discussed. The chemical substance management system in Korea was compared to those of foreign organizations. A walk-through check list was developed and then used to assess the actual conditions and potential hazards of chemical substances in these industries. The questionnaire could be used to develop a chemical management system and protect workers from hazardous substances. Based on the results of the site survey, MSDSs were not integrated appropriately into the workers education and were not readily accessible to employees. In the case of the dry cleaning industry, the new dry cleaning solvent used as a substitute includes a lot of potentially hazardous organic solvents. This research is preliminary. It is recommended that a national survey be performed to better identify the current situation. Because chemical substances are regulated by thirteen laws in seven executive branches, management systems often overlap, resulting in ineffective control. Using the above results, a model for managing chemical substances was developed. This will more efficiently provide MSDS information to workers covered by the presidential decree and allow the construction of a management system database for better cooperation with the executive branches in Korea.

• Safety and Health at Work
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• v.2 no.2
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• pp.87-96
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• 2011

In 1967, the problem of occupational lead exposure came to public attention in Korea. Since then, regular progress has been made in lowering workplace lead exposures, instituting new workplace controls, and implementing health examinations of exposed workers. Past serious lead poisoning episodes made it possible to introduce biological monitoring programs on a voluntary basis in high-lead-exposure facilities in Korea. Industry-specific occupational health services for lead workers in Korea during the last 22 years can be categorized into three phases. During the first phase (1988-1993), efforts were directed at increasing awareness among workers about the hazards of lead exposure, biological monitoring of blood zinc protoporphyrin began, and a respiratory protection program was introduced. During the second phase (1994-1997), a computerized health management system for lead workers was developed, blood-lead measurement was added to biologic monitoring, and engineering controls were introduced in the workplace to lower air-lead levels to comply with air-lead regulations. Finally, during the third phase (1998-present), a new biomarker, bone-lead measurement by X-ray fluorescence, was introduced. Bone-lead measurement proved to be useful for assessing body burden and to demonstrate past lead exposure in retired workers. Occupational health service practice for lead workers, including the industry-specific group occupational health system, has brought considerable success in the prevention of lead poisoning and in reducing the lead burden in Korean lead workers during the last several decades. The successful achievement of prevention of lead poisoning in Korea was a result of the combined efforts of lead workers, employers, relevant government agencies, and academic institutes.

• Journal of Korean Society of Occupational and Environmental Hygiene
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• v.26 no.3
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• pp.237-252
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• 2016

Objectives: This study was conducted in order to improve the current understanding of rare earths(RE) and to provide supporting data for establishing occupational health policies by reviewing the toxicological data and issues caused by the use of RE compounds in various fields. Methods: To evaluate the potential toxicity of RE from the viewpoint of occupational health, we summarized extensive reviews of relevant articles in the toxicology(animals and cells), occupational health and safety, and epidemiologic literature. Results: Although occupational RE exposure occurs extensively from ore mining and refining to end users in various industrial applications, epidemiologic study has not been performed among workers up to now. Bioaccumulation and adverse effects of RE have also been mentioned in ore mining regions and nearby residences, but safety standards for each process are insufficient. Moreover, because new commercial recycling technology will soon be applied to various industries, regulation and policies are needed for preventing abuse of recycling. In the results of animal toxicity for a few REs(mostly cerium, lanthanum, and gadolinium), toxicities of liver, lung, blood, and the nervous system were identified due to oxidative stress, but study of long-term RE exposure is required. Understanding the dual effect for RE and discovery of biomarkers pose a scientific challenge in further mechanism studies. Conclusions: In the future, additional hazard evaluation based on animal experiments is required, alongside continuous research for developing analytical methods and discovering biomarkers. Finally, RE occupational health and safety management needs to be integrated into the sustainable use of these materials.

• Safety and Health at Work
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• v.13 no.4
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• pp.408-414
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• 2022

Background: This study aimed to determine and define the elements of an Fatigue Risk Management System (FRMS) diagnostic tool to assist an organization in systematically assessing its level of implementation of an FRMS. Methods: A modified Delphi process was used involving 16 participants with expertise in sleep science, chronobiology, and fatigue risk management within occupational settings. The study was undertaken in two stages 1) review of elements and definitions; 2) review of statements for each element. Each stage involved an iterative process, and a consensus rule of ≥ 60% was applied to arrive at a final list of elements, definitions, and statements. Results: Stage 1: a review of elements (n = 12) and definitions resulted in a final list of 14 elements and definitions with a consensus of ≥ 60% achieved after 2 Delphi rounds. Stage 2: a review of statements (n = 131) resulted in a final list of 119 statements with a consensus of ≥ 60% achieved after 2 Delphi rounds. Conclusion: The final FRMS diagnostic tool will enable an organization to systematically assess the level of implementation of their current FRMS and identify gaps and opportunities to reduce risk.

• Journal of Korean Society of Occupational and Environmental Hygiene
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• v.32 no.2
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• pp.129-136
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• 2022

Objectives: Given the real problems at industrial sites related to the Serious Accident Punishment Act (SAPA), it has become controversial as a particularly important issue in terms of occupational safety and health. I intend to examine in detail what are the problems and how to approach them. Methods: The contents of SAPA were reviewed focusing on whether its provisions conform to the principles of occupational safety and health, whether they fit the related legal theory, and whether they are effective for accident prevention. The purpose of this study is to examine whether there is a problem with SAPA from the perspective of the effectiveness of accident prevention by combining occupational safety & health management theory, and legal theory. Results: In order to ensure the effectiveness of SAPA, it should be revised to increase the predictability and implementation of safety and health measure standards. Otherwise, it is expected that there will be not only economic and social costs in the short term, but also side effects that disrupt the safety law system, resulting in a considerable number of post-mortem conditions in the mid- to long term. Conclusions: It is easy to see in comparative law that raising the legal punishment alone does not have the effect of preventing industrial accidents. SAPA should be revised as soon as possible in the direction of faithfully and elaborately reorganizing the standards for safety and health measures.

• Journal of Korean Society of Occupational and Environmental Hygiene
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• v.22 no.2
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• pp.140-148
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• 2012

Objectives: This study was performed to provide harmonized guidelines on health and environmental classification criteria and its results of chemicals in Korea. Methods: Firstly, The history of GHS implementation in UN and Korea was reviewed. Secondly, the differences in classification criteria on health and environmental hazards among UN GHS and two Korean government agencies, Korea Ministry of Employment and Labour (KMoEL) and Korea Ministry of Environmental (KMoE). The classification results were compared between classifications of Korea Occupational Safety and Health Agency (KOSHA) based on KMoEL and classifications of Korea National Institute of Environmental Research (KNIER) based on KMoE. Finally, an inter-agency harmonization on the classification criteria and the results was suggested by comparing the classification results of 5 chemicals; Benzene, carbon disulfide, formaldehyde, toluene-2,4-diisocyanate, and trichloroethylene. Results: KMoEL and KMoE revised regulations on chemical management and published a Notices on GHS classification criteria according to UN GHS document. However, the hazard to the ozone layer contained in the latest edition of UN GHS document published in 2011 was not included yet. The differences in classifications of 5 chemicals between KOSHA and KNIER were 36.2% in health hazards and 23.4% in environmental hazards, respectively. In conclusion, we suggested that a new revision be needed to include newly contained hazard and inter-agency working party be organized to harmonize classification results.