• Journal of Korean Society of Occupational and Environmental Hygiene
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• v.27 no.1
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• pp.46-58
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• 2017

Objectives: Particulate matter (PM) at construction sites mostly originates from either construction activities or the atmospheric environment. This study was conducted to evaluate the exposure level to PM and the contribution ratio of atmosphere sources at construction sites. Methods: We reviewed literature and governmental systems related to PM exposure in occupational settings and summarized them. In the field evaluation, five construction sites and one golf course were selected: two from Gyeonggi-do Province and four from North Gyeongsang-do Province. For each site, personal samples from outdoor construction workers and area samples from the outdoor area around the construction site office were collected according to construction work types. PM concentrations reported from nearby National Ambient Air Monitoring Stations were recorded. Respirable dust concentrations, respirable silica concentrations, and several metal concentrations including Cd, Cr, Pb, and As were monitored over four months. In the end we suggested how to manage particulate matter exposure at construction sites. Results: There was little literature reporting on exposure levels of construction workers to PM. Respirable dust concentrations measured in Gyeonggi-do Province were higher than those measured in North Gyeongsang-do Province. The geometric means of respirable dust concentrations in personal samples and area samples were $37.89{\mu}g/m^3$ and $92.86{\mu}g/m^3$, respectively. The respirable dust concentrations were higher than the PM concentrations reported from nearby National Ambient Air Monitoring Station. The geometric means of respirable silica concentrations of personal samples and area samples were $1.3{\mu}g/m^3$ and $1.1{\mu}g/m^3$, respectively. All metal concentrations were lower than 10% of individual Korean occupational exposure limits. Conclusions: Assuming that personal samples consisted of ambient PM and dust originating from work activities and area samples only collected ambient PM, we concluded that the dust exposure of outdoor construction workers originated 40.8% from the atmosphere and 59.2% from construction activities. PM exposure at construction sites should be controlled by employers, as in the case of outdoor heat stress. The Korean government needs to consider setting an occupational exposure limit for respirable dust.

• Journal of Preventive Medicine and Public Health
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• v.35 no.1
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• pp.76-82
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• 2002

Objective : To investigate the relationships of occupational class, educational level and deprivation with mortality in Korea Methods : This study used existing South Korean national data on occupation, educational level, and deprivation and death. Mortality was investigated using registered death data from 1993 to 1997 obtained from the Korean National Statistics Office (NSO) with denominators drawn from the 1995 Census. Statistical analysis consisted of poisson regression modeling and multilevel analysis. Results : The lower occupational class (manual workers) group had a higher mortality rate than the higher occupational class (non-manual workers) group Educational level, and deprivation were both inversely related withand mortality. Occupation was strongly associated with education. Area-based deprivation indicators and individual indices for social class made an independent contribution to the mortality risk. Conclusions : The findings of this study suggests that the relationships of occupational class, educational level and deprivation with mortality appears to be stronger in Korea than in European countries.

• Journal of Korean Society of Occupational and Environmental Hygiene
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• v.29 no.3
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• pp.336-342
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• 2019

Introduction: An unexpected death was reported in a beginner immediately after starting the work at a plating factory. After the incident, air sampling was performed using a simulation of the situation as it had been at the time. Methods: To evaluate the airborne concentration of hydrogen cyanide, a total of six samples were collected: one personal sample, three area samples, and two background samples (office and outdoors). Hydrogen cyanide measurement was performed according to the standard sampling protocol recommended by the U.S. NIOSH (National Institute of Occupational Safety and Health). Results: The highest concentration of hydrogen cyanide was 0.938 ppm measured in a sample collected from the plating bath area with local exhaust ventilation. This value was approximately 20% of the ceiling occupational exposure limit. The personal sample showed a concentration of 0.135 ppm. Samples collected near the bath in which the incident occurred and a dehydrator showed hydrogen cyanide concentrations of 0.236 ppm and 0.101 ppm, respectively. Hydrogen cyanide was not detected in the background samples (office and outdoors). Conclusions: It is necessary to use proper ventilation systems and respirators in plating factories to prevent acute poisoning. Furthermore, it is important to educate and train new workers dealing with toxic substances.

• Safety and Health at Work
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• v.13 no.2
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• pp.227-234
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• 2022

Background and Purpose: In 2021, lung cancer in school food workers was first recognized as an occupational cancer. The classification of the carcinogenicity of cooking fumes by International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) was based on Chinese epidemiological data. This study aimed to determine the hazard levels of school cooking fumes in Korea. Materials and Methods: Based on public school cafeterias in one area, 25 locations were selected for the survey according to the number per school type, ventilation states, and environmental pre-assessments of cafeterias. Two inside cooking areas using a heat source and one outside cooking area were selected as control measurement points. Measurements of CO, CO₂, polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), and total volatile organic compounds (TVOCs), including benzene, formaldehyde, and particulate matter (PM10, PM2.5, PM1, respectively), were taken. The concentrations and patterns of each substance in the kitchens were compared with the outdoor air quality. Result: Known carcinogens, such as the concentrations of PAHs, formaldehyde, TVOC (benzene), and particulate matter in school cooking fumes, were all detected at similar or slightly higher levels than those found outside. Additionally, substances were detected at relatively low concentrations compared to the Chinese cooking fumes reported in the literature. However, the short-term exposure to high concentrations of CO (or composite exposure with CO₂) and PM2.5 in this study were shown. Conclusion: The school cooking fumes in South Korea was a relatively less harmful than Chinese cooking fumes, however short-term, high exposure of toxic substances can cause a critical health effect.

• 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.

• Journal of The Korean Society of Integrative Medicine
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• v.9 no.1
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• pp.91-100
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• 2021

Purpose : This study aims to investigate the awareness of occupational therapists among managers and directors of adult day care centers in Korea to explore the cause of the low employment rate of these therapists and offer the results as basic data that can be used to expand occupational therapy at adult day care centers. Methods : This study collected data by conducting an online questionnaire with managers and directors of adult day care centers located in Seoul, Busan, Incheon, Daejeon, Gwangju, and Ulsan. A total of 70 completed questionnaires were divided into two groups a 'group with experience in occupational therapy information (OT experience)' and a 'group with no experience in occupational therapy information (OT inexperience)' and analyzed. Results : First, the 'OT experience' was found to have higher levels of awareness of the scope of work of occupational therapists than the 'OT inexperience'. Second, significant differences were found in the degree of awareness and necessity of occupational therapists and plans to employ occupational therapists later between the 'OT experience' and the 'OT inexperience'. Third, it was shown that there were significant correlations between whether the respondents were familiar with occupational therapy and the degree of awareness and necessity of occupational therapists and plans to employ occupational therapists later. Conclusion : Based on these findings, the following measures are recommended to expand the area of occupational therapy in adult day care centers, the need for occupational therapists should be mentioned in the health and welfare-related education for workers at these adult day care centers, policies such as a medical fee system for occupational therapy at these adult day care centers should be prepared.

• Korean Journal of Occupational Health Nursing
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• v.20 no.1
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• pp.83-92
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• 2011

Purpose: This is a descriptive study that provides basic material to improve occupational health nurses' work conditions and industrial performance status. Methods: The 955 nurses who participated in the training program to understand the purpose of this study from January 2009 to December 2010 conducted by the Korean Association of Occupational Health Nurses agreed to be subjects for the study. The questionnaire included the general characteristics, work conditions and performance of occupational health management. The data were analyzed using descriptive statistics, t-test, ANOVA, and multiple regression analysis. Results: Occupational health management performance of the subjects averaged 3.11 points and detailed area by health management 3.64 points, environment management 2.91 points and occupational management 2.77 points. Health management performance of those factors affecting the duration of occupational health nurse (${\beta}$=.199), type of industry (${\beta}$=.126), average annual income (${\beta}$=-.277) to 11.4% (F=3.175, p<.001) were found to be a significant determinant. Conclusion: Occupational health nurses are the core workforce of occupational health through the prevention of occupational disease and industrial accidents. Findings of this study can be an important resource to increase appropriate occupational health nurses' work conditions and performance of occupational health management.

• Journal of Korean Society of Occupational and Environmental Hygiene
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• v.23 no.1
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• pp.11-19
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• 2013

Backgrounds: Occupations are grouped on the basis of similarity in tasks and duties performed. Standard occupational classification (SOC) is a tool for organizing all professions into a clearly defined set of groups according to the tasks and duties undertaken in the respective jobs. Objectives: The major objective of this study is to comprehensively review how a SOC system is used in occupational and safety fields such as surveillance, exposure monitoring, occupational epidemiological study, management of carcinogens and analysis of occupational accidents. Methods: We summarized the cases, policies and regulations used in SOC systems in advanced countries and as they appear in articles Results: We found that SOC systems have been widely used in various areas of occupational safety and health in the US, the UK, Finland, and the EU. In general, it is highly common to use SOC in the analysis of occupational accidents and diseases and to identify factors causing those accidents. The SOC system is also used not only for surveillance of exposure to hazardous agents and occupational health, but to manage carcinogens. In order to adjust the effects of a particular job, SOC is used in the general population health area. The Ministry of Employment and Labor (MOEL) has never used or introduced an SOC system. There have been no cases of the application of a SOC system to either the occupational safety and health field or to health surveillance for the general population in Korea. Conclusions: We suggested a need to introduce an SOC system in several occupational safety and health activities, such as work environment measurement, analysis of occupational accidents, specific physical examination and surveillance systems, etc.

• Journal of Korean Society of Occupational and Environmental Hygiene
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• v.6 no.1
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• pp.17-27
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• 1996

This study was designed to survey exposure levels of formaldehyde among workplaces in some plywood industries and to compare three sampling methods including the impinger method(IM, NIOSH method No. 3500), the solid sorbent tube method(SS, NIOSH method No. 2541), and the passive bubbler monitor method(PB, SKC). The survey was conducted in seven particle board manufacturing factories, two resin manufacturing factories and two plywood manufacturing factories in Incheon area during the period from March 6 to April 20, 1995. The workplaces included were the hot/cold press, the roller/spreader, the soaking/drying, and the reaction/mixing areas. The results were as follows; 1. The average(GM, GSD) concentrations of formaldehyde by sampling methods were 0.11(4.43) ppm by IM, 0.27(2.03) ppm by SS, and 0.29(2.04) ppm by PB, respectively. The concentrations by 1M method were statistically very significantly lower than those of SS and PB methods, particularly at low air borne concentrations of formaldehyde (p<0.001). 2. The area average concentrations of formaldehyde by workplaces measured with PB bubblers were 0.23(2.08) ppm from the press, 0.23(1.77) ppm from the spreader, 0.24(1.51) ppm from the soaking, and 0.46(1.96) ppm from the reaction areas, respectively. The personal average concentrations of formaldehyde by workplaces measured with PB bubblers were 0.30(1.77) ppm from the press, 0.33(1.54) ppm from the spreader, 0.36(1.46) ppm from the soaking, and 0.84(1.19) ppm from the reaction areas, respectively. 3. No statistically significant differences of formaldehyde concentrations among workplaces except the reaction area(p<0.001) were found. 4. Formaldehyde concentrations from personal samples were higher than those of from area sam pies in all workplaces studied. But no statistically significant differences of formaldehyde concentrations both area and personal samples were found. In conclusion, this study found that although formaldehyde concentrations in some plywood industries in Incheon area were below the regulatory limit of 1 ppm, they were over the limits recommended by NIOSH and ACGIH. This study also suggests that the impinger method may underestimate true formaldehyde concentrations. It implies that there will be more workplaces not meeting current regulatory limit if either the solid sorbent or passive bubbler methods were used instead of the impinger method. It is suggested that passive monitors will be a reasonable alternative for area and personal sampling of formaldehyde if the accuracy and validity of passive monitors be verified before use.

• Journal of the Korea Safety Management & Science
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• v.15 no.3
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• pp.83-91
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• 2013

The purpose of this study was to compare the exposure levels to emotional labor, occupational and socio-psychological stress, and fatigue for workers engaged in the fields of beauty business (make-up, skin, nail, and hair). For this purpose, a survey was carried out and a statistical analysis was performed for 813 persons As a result, emotional labor was found to be linked with 3 factors of emotional control, emotional dissonance, and positive emotional expression. The exposure level of emotional control was found to be high in the area of hair care and that of positive emotional expression was high in the area of nail care. Based on evaluation of Occupational Stress Scale(KOSS), the stress were found to be highest among workers engaged in the field of make-up and lowest among those in the field of nail. The exposure level of psychosocial stress was found to be the highest in the area of make-up and the lowest in the area of nail care. The exposure level of fatigue was found to be the highest in the area of make-up and the lowest in the area of nail care, showing a difference in the exposure level of stress by area of beauty business. The study confirmed that there is a difference in the exposure level related to emotional labor, job stress, psychosocial stress, and fatigue by area of beauty business.