• Journal of Preventive Medicine and Public Health
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• v.47 no.5
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• pp.253-257
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• 2014

Arsenic is a ubiquitous, naturally occurring metalloid that may be a significant risk factor for cancer after exposure to contaminated drinking water, cigarettes, foods, industry, occupational environment, and air. Among the various routes of arsenic exposure, drinking water is the largest source of arsenic poisoning worldwide. Arsenic exposure from ingested foods usually comes from food crops grown in arsenic-contaminated soil and/or irrigated with arsenic-contaminated water. According to a recent World Health Organization report, arsenic from contaminated water can be quickly and easily absorbed and depending on its metabolic form, may adversely affect human health. Recently, the US Food and Drug Administration regulations for metals found in cosmetics to protect consumers against contaminations deemed deleterious to health; some cosmetics were found to contain a variety of chemicals including heavy metals, which are sometimes used as preservatives. Moreover, developing countries tend to have a growing number of industrial factories that unfortunately, harm the environment, especially in cities where industrial and vehicle emissions, as well as household activities, cause serious air pollution. Air is also an important source of arsenic exposure in areas with industrial activity. The presence of arsenic in airborne particulate matter is considered a risk for certain diseases. Taken together, various potential pathways of arsenic exposure seem to affect humans adversely, and future efforts to reduce arsenic exposure caused by environmental factors should be made.

• Journal of agricultural medicine and community health
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• v.31 no.2
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• pp.119-144
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• 2006

The Korea rural health study, a large prospective cohort study, the objectives of this study are exploration for potential causes of agricultural injuries and diseases among farmers. Current medical research suggests that they may have higher rates of some traumatic injuries, pesticide poisoning, infectious diseases, musculoskeletal diseases, asthma and other respiratory diseases. This study is designed to identify occupational, lifestyle, and environmental factors of workplace that may affect the rate of diseases in farming population. Round 1, initial cohort recruitment, will begin in 2006 and conclude in 2009. Round 2, follow-up will begin in 2010 and conclude in 2014. Approximately 54,000 persons will be selected to study population. Nested case-control studies and case-crossover studies will be conducted for getting to the bottom of agriculture-related diseases. Recruitment and follow-up are conducted in collaboration with multi-centers. As data on the exposures and health outcomes of this study population are collected and analyzed in 2014. This study will be evaluated by public health experts for effort, achievement, adequacy of performance, efficacy, process of study and so on. The author expects that this cohort study may reduce agricultural injuries and diseases and will provide information that agricultural workers can use in making decisions about their health. Also, this study will be significant basis for strengthening the competitiveness of agriculture in Korea.

• Journal of Korean Society of Occupational and Environmental Hygiene
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• v.20 no.1
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• pp.47-52
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• 2010

Green tobacco sickness (GTS) is known as an occupational disease among tobacco harvesters, and a form of acute nicotine intoxication by the absorption of nicotine through the skin from the wet green tobacco plant. On the assumption that GTS may occur by inhalation as well as absorption of nicotine, we measured the airborne nicotine concentration in tobacco field and the processing room of tobacco leaves. We measured the airborne nicotine concentrations in the tobacco field and processing room between 13 and 30 July 2008. All sampling and analyses of airborne nicotine were conducted according to the manual of analytic methods of NIOSH 2551, and we sampled 2 times at 11 points in the tobacco field by area sampling. The sampling in the processing room of tobacco leaves was conducted at 3 points, and earlymorning dew was collected from the tobacco by wringing the moisture into specimen bottles. The airborne nicotine concentration [geometric mean (geometric standard deviation)] in the tobacco field in the P.M. was higher [49.2 mg/$m^3$ (1.3)] than the A.M. concentration [43.4 mg/$m^3$ (1.4)]. Similarly, the nicotine concentration in the processing room of tobacco leaves was 224.4 mg/$m^3$ (1.2), and the concentration of nicotine in the dew was 64.7 mg/${\ell}$ (1.7). Based on our results, the airborne nicotine concentration in the tobacco field and the processing room of tobacco leaves were 100 and 400 times higher than the occupational recommended values (TLV-TWA of 0.5 mg/$m^3$), respectively. In the future, it is hoped that epidemiologic studies and environmental measurements will be conducted for GTS which occurs by inhalation of nicotine. If GTS is confirmed to occur by inhalation of nicotine, respiratory and dermal protective equipment must be distributed.

• Journal of Korean Society of Occupational and Environmental Hygiene
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• v.31 no.1
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• pp.83-93
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• 2021

Objectives: 'Confined space' was only defined in the Safety and Health Regulations as a place where oxygen deficiency and hydrogen sulfide must be dealt with at the time of the initial enactment (1982). The danger of fire and explosion were added in 2003. We will compare and review the regulations related to confined space work under the current safety and health rules alongside regulations in other countries and prepare a plan to improve the system through enhanced clarity and execution. Methods: In a comparison of systems for the prevention of suffocation in confined spaces in major countries (Germany, United States, Japan) different concepts of the definition of confined spaces in different countries apparently due to differences in each country's legal implementation system, accident analysis methods, the status of safety and health implementation in workplaces, the precautions against actual confined space work, and the definition of confined spaces were found to be not much different between Korea and the other foreign countries. Results: In the case of Germany and the United States, a confined space is defined as a contextual concept rather than a place, so more careful attention is needed from operators or enclosed space managers as it is often necessary to judge the actual workplace. In the case of Korea and Japan, the interior of the place is mainly defined as a place, especially in the case of Japan, which concentrates on oxygen deficiency and hydrogen sulfide poisoning. Conclusions: For measures to improve regulations on the prevention of suffocation accidents in Korea, I would like to propose three major measures to improve the system in the rules on domestic industrial safety and health standards. It is necessary to prepare and provide a guide to ensure that the 18 types of confined spaces currently defined as confined spaces are clearly understood by field management supervisors or workers.

• Journal of agricultural medicine and community health
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• v.37 no.4
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• pp.223-232
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• 2012

Objectives: The objective of this study was to identify the relationship between fish consumption and blood mercury levels in a sample of adult Koreans. Methods: The study subjects were 299 residents of Busan (male: 65, female: 234) and 185 residents of Namhae (male: 69, female: 116), South Korea. Demographic characteristics, current smoking, current drinking, fish consumption per week, past history of amalgam treatment, and residential district were recorded by trained interviewers in June and July, 2009. We considered a portion of fish to be equivalent to 70 gm weight, and calculated amounts of fish consumed per week. Using chi-square tests, t-tests, ANOVA, and multiple linear regression analysis, we estimated the relationships between blood mercury levels and amount of fish consumed per week and other factors. Results: The mean blood mercury level of our subjects was 6.61 ${\mu}g/L$, higher than the criterion defined by the United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) (5.8 ${\mu}g/L$). In multiple linear regression analysis, residential district and amount of fish consumed per week were associated with blood mercury levels. However, marital status, current drinking, and gender, and age were not associated with blood mercury levels. Conclusions: In conclusion, we suggest the implementation of systematic and periodic population-based studies to decrease the risks of mercury poisoning among South Koreans who consume fish as a regular part of the diet.

• Industry Promotion Research
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• v.8 no.4
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• pp.37-46
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• 2023

Due to the aging, advancement, and complexity of chemical facilities, non-routine work such as facility inspection, repair, or maintenance work is increasing. Of the 1,483 accidents that occurred over the past 10 years at chemical product manufacturing sites subject to PSM, accidents that occurred during non-routine work accounted for 56% (932 Cases) of the total. It can be seen that more accidents occur during non-routine work than during routine work. In particular, in order to improve the economy and efficiency of factory operation, there are cases where some facilities are stopped without stopping the entire factory and then inspection, repair, or maintenance work is performed while isolated from the operating facilities. Therefore, first, a safe isolation method must be selected by establishing an isolation standard (Baseline Isolation Standard) based on the chemicals handled, operating conditions, and risk level of the equipment in the chemical plant. Second, since current domestic laws and standards do not suggest the need for specific quarantine standards, it is necessary to institutionalize the preparation of quarantine standards. Technical and institutional improvements are needed to prevent fires, explosions, and poisoning accidents caused by leaks of chemical substances.

• Fire Science and Engineering
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• v.31 no.1
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• pp.18-25
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• 2017

Each country tries to prevent major industrial accidents at industrial sites, such as fire and explosion as well as poisoning incidents, and regulation of the management of chemicals is being enhanced in all sectors. In particular, in the case of laboratories, a variety of chemicals have been developed and handled in accordance with the development of science and technology. On the other hand, the accident probability at laboratories is higher than at industrial sites, because many different kinds of chemicals are handled in the laboratory but in very small amounts and chemical, physical, and biological studies have been carried out in limited spaces. Recently, the accident probability at laboratories was found to be higher as convergence/integration studies were carried out beyond the academic arena. Therefore, in this study, a survey of chemical management was conducted to prevent accidents due to chemicals targeting the laboratory safety coordinator using the FGI (focus group interview) method. The building plan of a chemical management system was suggested based on the results of the survey.

• Journal of The Korean Society of Clinical Toxicology
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• v.4 no.2
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• pp.175-179
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• 2006

Welders are exposed to a number of hazards including metal fumes, toxic gases, electricity, heat, noise, and radiation such as ultraviolet and infrared light. We encountered a patient who developed non-cardiogenic pulmonary edema within a day after cutting copper pipe with an oxyethylene torch. The patient was a 26-year-old welder. He complained of dyspnea, generalized myalgia, and febrile sensation the following morning. The patient's chest X-ray and chest CT scan showed extensively distributed and ill-defined centrilobular nodules. Both his symptoms and chest X-ray abnormalities improved spontaneously. We attributed the patient's symptoms to non-cardiogenic pulmonary edema due to nitrogen dioxide, reasoning that: 1) the pipe consisted only of copper, according to material safety data sheet (MSDS); 2) a previous report in the literature demonstrated increased nitrogen dioxide levels under similar conditions; 3) the patient's clinical course and radiologic findings were very reminiscent of non-cardiogenic pulmonary edema following accidental exposure to nitrogen dioxide.

• 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 the Korean Society of Industry Convergence
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• v.26 no.5
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• pp.845-853
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• 2023

The Ministry of Employment and Labor announced a roadmap for reducing serious accidents to create a "safe and healthy workplace, happy Korea" and ordered a risk assessment for all work processes in all workplaces on November 30, 2022. Accordingly, even workplaces that handle new chemicals must conduct risk assessment when introducing new chemicals, but the risk assessment techniques currently proposed by the government focus on preventing conventional accidents such as falls, getting caught, and bumping. Currently, there is a Chemical Hazard Risk Management (CHARM) technique that is most commonly used for chemical risk assessment, but in small and medium-sized businesses that lack professional manpower related to chemical substances, there are many technical terms in the technique and it is difficult to interpret, so its utilization is very low. Therefore, the purpose of this study is to present a method that can make risk assessment easier and simpler before handling new chemicals so that it can be used well in small and medium-sized businesses that lack professional manpower related to chemical substances. Through actual cases, the method of using CHARM was confirmed step by step, and based on this, risk reduction establishment and execution methods were derived. Based on the results of this study, it is expected that it will be used as the best tool for preventing accidents such as acute poisoning when handling chemicals in small and medium-sized workplaces that lack professional manpower related to chemical substances and make every effort to protect workers' health.