• Journal of the Korean Society of Safety
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• v.29 no.5
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• pp.136-145
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• 2014

This article has compared the level of activities of occupational safety and health in workplace among sub-sectors of manufacturing industry in order to set the priority for policy intervention. Data of manufacturing industry in the survey on the current status of occupational safety and health was used with factor analysis and radar graphic method. Authors have categorized sub-sectors of manufacturing industry into four categories, attained group, active group, neglected group, and passive group based on injury rate, level of safety and health activities. The neglected group may be the first target group for occupational safety and health policy guiding some detailed occupational safety and health activities. Limitation of this study is that cross sectional data was analyzed. The long term effect could not be analyzed.

• Safety and Health at Work
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• v.1 no.2
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• pp.140-148
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• 2010

Objectives: Determining the work-relatedness of lung cancer developed through occupational exposures is very difficult. Aims of the present study are to develop a decision tree of occupational lung cancer. Methods: 153 cases of lung cancer surveyed by the Occupational Safety and Health Research Institute (OSHRI) from 1992-2007 were included. The target variable was whether the case was approved as work-related lung cancer, and independent variables were age, sex, pack-years of smoking, histological type, type of industry, latency, working period and exposure material in the workplace. The Classification and Regression Test (CART) model was used in searching for predictors of occupational lung cancer. Results: In the CART model, the best predictor was exposure to known lung carcinogens. The second best predictor was 8.6 years or higher latency and the third best predictor was smoking history of less than 11.25 pack-years. The CART model must be used sparingly in deciding the work-relatedness of lung cancer because it is not absolute. Conclusion: We found that exposure to lung carcinogens, latency and smoking history were predictive factors of approval for occupational lung cancer. Further studies for work-relatedness of occupational disease are needed.

• Animal cells and systems
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• v.13 no.2
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• pp.127-132
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• 2009

We have examined the hypothesis that the Gly972Arg variant of the insulin receptor substrate 1 (IRS1) gene is associated with the components contributing to overweight (obesity) and metabolic syndrome. We describe IRS1 genotype frequencies in 274 Korean men. The frequencies of Gly972Gly (GIG) and Gly972Arg (G/A variant) of the IRS1 gene were 88.3% and 11.7%, respectively, and the differences in frequencies between the overweight (BMI$\geq$25kg/m$^2$) group and non-overweight (BMI<25kg/m$^2$) group were statistically significant. The subjects with G/A variant of IRS1 gene in non-overweight had significantly higher level of visceral fat thickness and adiponectin/leptin ratio than those with GIG alleles. In overweight group, the subjects with G/A variant of IRS1 gene also showed significantly higher level of insulin than those with GIG alleles. These results suggest that the IRS1 genetic polymorphism is involved in the occurrence of overweight, as well as metabolic syndrome.

• Korean Journal of Occupational Health Nursing
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• v.23 no.4
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• pp.245-253
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• 2014

Purpose: School foodservice employees (SFEs) could be exposed to the risk of musculoskeletal disease and of job stress due to their job characteristics. This study was to evaluate the level of job stress and the prevalence of work-related musculoskeletal symptoms (WRMS) in Seoul city's SFEs, and to determine associations between job stress and WRMS. Methods: The study design was cross-sectional, and 975 SFEs were recruited. Self-administered questionnaire included the 'Korean occupational stress scale-short form' and the 'KOSHA GUIDE H-9-2012' instrument to evaluate the job stress and WRMS, respectively. SFEs' medians of job stress were compared to the reference values of published study in Korean workers. Results: The participants reported greater levels of job demand and physical environment than the general Korean population. WRMS were reported in 89.0% of participants at any body part, and 41.1% were presumed to need for medical intervention. High levels of job demand and of physical environment were significantly associated with WRMS. Conclusion: Subscales of job demand and physical environment were relatively high in SFEs and those were related to the occurrence of WRMS. To reduce the WRMS prevalence, a job stress management program focused on job demand and physical environment may be required.

• Environmental Analysis Health and Toxicology
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• v.24 no.2
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• pp.127-136
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• 2009

We have investigated the genotoxicity of 3 chemicals, aluminum oxide, calcium oxide, sodium tetraborate using mammalian erythrocyte with micronucleus induction. It was performed using 9 week male ICR mice. At 24 hours after treatment with 3 chemicals with oral route, mice were sacrificed and bone marrow cells were prepared for smear slides. As a result of counting the micronucleated polychromatic erythrocyte (MNPCE) of 2,000 polychromatic erythrocytes (PCE), all treatment groups did not show statistically significant increase than negative control group. And there was no clinical sign related with injection of the 3 chemicals. It was concluded that the 3 chemicals did not induce micronucleus in the bone marrow cells of ICR mice, and these results indicate that the 3 chemicals have no mutagenic potential under the condition in each studies.

• Safety and Health at Work
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• v.2 no.1
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• pp.17-25
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• 2011

Objectives: In this study, the in vitro mammalian chromosomal aberration (CA) assay was conducted to gain additional information concerning the hazards associated with the use of cyclopentane and ammonium nitrate. While these two chemicals had already been tested by many methods, they had not been studied in the CA test. Methods: The assay was performed using the ovarian infantile cell (CHO-K1 cell), by the direct method (-S9) and by the metabolic activated method (+S9 mix). Results: Using the direct method, the 7 dosages in a 48 hour treatment group did not show that the frequency of CA is proportion to the dosage addition. The frequency of CA is not proportion to the dosage addition for a 6 hour treatment using the metabolic activated method. Conclusion: From these findings, it was decided that the 2 chemicals do not induce chromosomal aberrations under the tested conditions.

• Safety and Health at Work
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• v.3 no.4
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• pp.278-286
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• 2012

Objectives: Authors investigated the pattern of the rate of occupational injuries and illnesses (ROII) at the level of enterprises in order to build a network for exchange of experience and knowledge, which would contribute to workers' safety and health through safety climate of workplace. Methods: Occupational accidents were analyzed at the manufacturing work site unit. A two step clustering process for the past patterns regarding the ROII from 2001 to 2009 was investigated. The ROII patterns were categorized based on regression analysis and the patterns were further divided according to the subtle changes with Mahalanobis distance and Ward's linkage. Results: The first clustering of ROII through regression analysis showed 5 different functions; 29 work sites of the linear function, 50 sites of the quadratic function, 95 sites of the logarithm function, 62 sites of the exponential function, and 54 sites of the sine function. Fourteen clusters were created in the second clustering. There were 3 clusters in each function categorized in the first clustering except for sine function. Each cluster consisted of the work sites with similar ROII patterns, which had unique characteristics. Conclusion: The five different patterns of ROII suggest that tailored management activities should be applied to every work site. Based on these differences, the authors selected exemplary work sites and built a network to help the work sites to share information on safety climate and accident prevention measures. The causes of different patterns of ROII, building network and evaluation of this management model should be evaluated as future researches.

• Journal of Korean Society of Occupational and Environmental Hygiene
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• v.28 no.3
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• pp.312-318
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• 2018

Objectives: This study is aimed to illustrate the status of the occupational accident rate, fatality rate, and musculoskeletal disorder rate by safety and health management type in workplaces. Methods: In order to analyze the status of the occupational accident rate, fatality rate, and musculoskeletal disorder rate of different safety and health management types in workplaces, selected data from the Occupational Safety and Health Research Institute were used. Results: The occupational accident rate in workplaces where safety and health managers had been appointed was lower than in those where safety and health management was entrusted to other organizations, while the result was the opposite in regards to the fatality rate per 10,000 workers caused by accident. However, the occupational fatality rate per 10,000 workers in workplaces where safety and health managers have other roles was 426% higher than those where safety and health management was entrusted to other organizations. Moreover, the musculoskeletal disorder rate of the workplaces where safety and health managers have other roles was 15% higher than those where health management was entrusted to other organizations. Conclusions: It is necessary to review the effectiveness of systems in which safety and health managers can concurrently engage in other roles.

• 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.21 no.3
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• pp.123-127
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• 2011

Objectives: The purpose of this study was to investigate the status of asbestos-containing materials (ACMs) used on ships and to consider measures for preventing worker exposure to asbestos fibers. Methods: A total of 17 ships including 16 ships under repair and a ship under construction at shipyards in Korea were investigated. Bulk samples were collected from suspected ACMs on engine exhaust pipes, boiler steam pipes, generator exhaust pipes, and etc. in ships in order to identify the presence of ACMs. Types and contents of asbestos were determined using polarized light microscopy (PLM). Results: ACMs were found from 14 ships out of 17 ships investigated. Only chrysotile asbestos was found from all samples. ACMs were mainly found from samples collected at the exhaust pipes of the engine, generator and incinerator, and boiler steam pipes where exhaust gases or steam of high temperature pass through. In most cases, types of ACMs were asbestos-containing fabrics such as asbestos tape. Friable ACMs were also found in some cases. Use of ACMs on ships was relevant to built time and owner of the ships rather than type and tonnage of the ships. Conclusions: ACMs were found from most ships built prior to 2000s. Therefore, measures for preventing asbestos-related diseases such as preparation of asbestos map on the ship and installation of warning signs, hazard communication with workers (ship-repairing workers, engine room workers and etc.), and follow-up for worker's health management are needed.