• Safety and Health at Work
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• v.5 no.2
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• pp.106-111
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• 2014

Background: The manufacture of paint involves a variety of processes that present with medical hazards. Safety initiatives are hence introduced to limit hazard exposures and promote workplace safety. This aim of this study is to assess the use of available control measures/initiatives in selected paint factories in Lagos West Senatorial District, Nigeria. Methods: A total of 400 randomly selected paint factory workers were involved in the study. A well-structured World Health Organization standard questionnaire was designed and distributed to the workers to elicit information on awareness to occupational hazards, use of personal protective devices, and commonly experienced adverse symptoms. Urine samples were obtained from 50 workers randomly selected from these 400 participants, and the concentrations of the heavy metals (lead, cadmium, arsenic, and chromium) were determined using atomic absorption spectroscopy. Results: The results show that 72.5% of the respondents are aware of the hazards associated with their jobs; 30% have had formal training on hazards and safety measures; 40% do not use personal protective devices, and 90% of the respondents reported symptoms relating to hazard exposure. There was a statistically significant (p < 0.05) increase in the mean heavy metal concentrations in the urine samples obtained from paint factory workers as compared with nonfactory workers. Conclusion: The need to develop effective frameworks that will initiate the integration and ensure implementation of safety regulations in paint factories is evident. Where these exist, there is a need to promote adherence to these practice guidelines.

• Proceedings of the Korean Environmental Health Society Conference
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• 2005.06a
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• pp.373-377
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• 2005

The work of hairdressers includes washing, coloring, bleaching, permanent waving, conditioning, and cutting hair. Hairdressers are subjected to a number of physical and toxicological hazards. The toxicological hazards are those resulting from exposure to a wide range of chemicals and from chemicals are usually classified active processes. In this study, twenty beauty shops were selected to assess the exposure to indoor air pollutants such as VOCS and particulate matter($PM_{10}$) during one month from September 1 to September 30, 2003. Indoor air quality of beauty shops might be worse by vehicle emissions because the beauty shops were generally located near roadways. Personal exposures to VOCs and PM lo were related to indoor concentrations of beauty shops. According to the questionnaire, hairdressers complained of sore throat, eye irritation, and nervousness as physical symptoms. Conclusively, customers as well as workers in the beauty shops might be highly exposed to air pollutants from indoor sources and outdoor sources. Therefore, proper management methods should be taken to improve the indoor air quality in beauty shops.

• Journal of Korean Society of Occupational and Environmental Hygiene
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• v.1 no.2
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• pp.192-199
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• 1991

Biological exposure indices (BEI) of toluene, perchloroethylene (PCE) and methyl ethyl ketone (MEK) for Korean workers were studied respectively. Environmental exposures in workplace to organic solvent were measured by personal sampling. Blood toluene, blood perchloroethylene, urinary trichloroacetic acid and urinary MEK were determined by headspace gas chromatography. Urinary hippuric acid were determined by HPLC and corrected by creatinine. BEIs for Korean workers were calculated as the levels of determinants which are correspond to permissible exposure limits in Korea. Blood toluene level of 2.2mg/l and urinary hippuric acid level of 1.7g/g creatinine are correspond to an exposure of 100 ppm toluene. Blood PCE concentration of 1.6mg/l and urinary trichloroacetic acid concentration of 2.9mg/l are correspond to an exposure of 50ppm PCE. Urinary MEK concentration of 1.0mg/l is correspond to an exposure of 200ppm of MEK. BEIs for Korean workers determined in this study are very different to ACGIH's BEI as urinary determinants are much lower and blood determinants are much higher than ACGIH's BEI.

• Journal of Korean Society of Occupational and Environmental Hygiene
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• v.15 no.3
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• pp.221-231
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• 2005

In this study, occupational exposures to man-made mineral fibers (MMMFs) including glass wool, rock wool, and continuous glass filament fibers were determined and evaluated on the American Conference of Governmental Industrial Hygienists (ACGIH) Threshold Limit Value (TLV). A total of 171 personal samples collected from 4 glass wool fiber, 2 rock wool fibers, 4 continuous filament glass fiber products manufacturing and a glass fiber and rock wool insulations using industries, and determined respirable fibers concentrations using the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) Method 7400, "B counting rule. The fiber concentrations of samples from workers installing thermal insulations in a MMMF using industry showed the highest value: geometric mean (GM) = 0.73 f/cc and maximum = 2.9 f/cc, 70% of them were above the TLV, 1 f/cc. Workers' exposure level (GM= 0.032 f/cc) in the rock wool manufacturing industries was significantly higher than those of glass wool (GM=0.012 f/cc) and continuous filament glass fibers (GM=0.010 f/cc) manufacturing industries (p<0.01). No samples were more than the TLV in the MMMF manufacturing industries. There was a significant difference among companies in airborne fiber levels.

• Journal of Radiation Protection and Research
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• v.46 no.3
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• pp.120-126
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• 2021

Background: This paper aims to evaluate the clinical utility and radiation dosimetry, for the mobile X-ray imaging of patients with known or suspected infectious diseases, through the window of an isolation room. The suitability of this technique for imaging coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) patients is of particular focus here, although it is expected to have equal relevance to many infectious respiratory disease outbreaks. Materials and Methods: Two exposure levels were examined, a "typical" mobile exposure of 100 kVp/1.6 mAs and a "high" exposure of 120 kVp/5 mAs. Exposures of an anthropomorphic phantom were made, with and without a glass window present in the beam. The resultant phantom images were provided to experienced radiographers for image quality evaluation, using a Likert scale to rate the anatomical structure visibility. Results and Discussion: The incident air kerma doubled using the high exposure technique, from 29.47 µGy to 67.82 µGy and scattered radiation inside and outside the room increased. Despite an increase in beam energy, high exposure technique images received higher image quality scores than images acquired using lower exposure settings. Conclusion: Increased scattered radiation was very low and can be further mitigated by ensuring surrounding staff are appropriately distanced from both the patient and X-ray tube. Although an increase in incident air kerma was observed, practical advantages in infection control and personal protective equipment conservation were identified. Sites are encouraged to consider the use of this technique where appropriate, following the completion of standard justification practices.

• Korean journal of communication and information
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• v.78
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• pp.7-34
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• 2016

The purpose of this study is to examine the factors that influence the risk perception of reality on social media. Specifically, we analyzed how exposure to risk issues through media and bridging/bonding social capital influence social and personal risk perception. Here, we categorized risk issues into infectious diseases, sex crimes, and radioactive contamination. Findings are as follows. The effect that the type of media and social capital have on risk perception vary depending on the risk issues. Regarding issues of disease and radiation, bridging social capital had a positive effect on social risk perception whereas bonding social capital had a negative effect on personal risk perception. In the case of sex crimes, bonding social capital affected both social and personal risk perception negatively, and an interaction effect between exposures and social capital could be found. The significance of this study is that it considers both media variables from previous studies and social capital variables essential to social media studies and combines the two in order to study the factors that influence risk perception.

• Journal of Korean Society of Occupational and Environmental Hygiene
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• v.4 no.1
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• pp.33-42
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• 1994

This study was carried out to assess worker exposure to vinyl chloride monomer (VCM) and to present control measures in the factories processing and producing polyvinyl chloride (PVC) resin. The conclusion remarks are as follows. Only two personal samples in the factory ("E") processing polyvinyl chloride resin were analysed to be 27.6 ppm and 12.6 ppm, respectively. But, these concentration exceed 1 ppm, Permissible Exposure Limits (PEL) of OSHA. So, worker's exposure to VCM at "E" factory should be reevaluated. In "A", "B" and "C" factory producing polyvinyl chloride resin, the average worker's exposures to VCM were 0.12 ppm, 0.86 ppm and 1.23 ppm, respectivery. Worker exposure to VCM at distillation and dry process was higer than other processes at "A" factory. The average exposure concentration of worker at polymerization process of "B" and "C" factory was 1.23 ppm, and 1.46 ppm respcetively. These concentration exceed 1 ppm, Permissible Exposure Limits of OSHA. Control room of "B" and "C" factory had 0.91 ppm and 0.65 ppm of worker's exposure concentration respectively. "A" factory was evaluated to be "acceptable", but "B" and "C" factories were evaluated to be "not acceptable", by the workplace exposure assessment program of AIHA. Process other than bagging and control room of "A" factory was evaluated to "not acceptable". Immediate correction measures for preventing workers from exposure to VCM should be performed in the factories or process that were evaluated to be "not acceptable". After these control measures are taken, worker exposure to VCM must be reevaluated through personal air monitoring. Control measures presented by this study are complete sealing of connecting pipe lines, flanging, packing, bolting and nutting. Periodic leak test for leak parts is also required. And positive pressure facility should be constructed at control room of "B" and "C" factory. Fresh air through cleaner such as HEPA filter should be supplied to control room. In addition to these control measures, periodic personal monitoring for evaluating worker exposure to VCM should be performed.

• Journal of Environmental Science International
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• v.22 no.1
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• pp.47-57
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• 2013

Studies evaluating the health effects of hazardous air pollutants assume that people's exposure to typical pollutant level is the same as specific regional pollutant level. However, depending on social and demographic factors, time-activity pattern of people can vary widely. Since most people live in indoor environments over 88% of the day, evaluating exposure to hazardous air pollutants is hard to characterize. Objective of this study was to estimate the exposure levels of university students of $NO_2$, VOCs(BTEX) and $PM_{10}$ using the scenarios with time-activity pattern and indoor concentrations. Using data from time-use survey of National Statistical Office in 2009, we investigated time-activity pattern of university students and hourly major action. A total of 1,057 university students on weekday and 640 on weekend spent their times at indoor house 13.04 hr(54.32%), other indoors 7.70 hr(32.06%), and transportation 2.36 hr(9.83%). Indoor environments in which university students spent their times were mainly house and school. Air pollutants concentrations of other indoor environments except house and school such as bar, internet cafe and billiard hall were higher than outdoors, indicating that indoor to outdoor ratios were above 1. According to three types of exposure scenarios, exposure to air pollutants could be reduced by going home after school.

• Journal of environmental and Sanitary engineering
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• v.14 no.4
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• pp.85-92
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• 1999

Indoor air quality tends to be the dominant contributor to personal exposure because most people spend over 90% of their time indoors. For some contaminants, exposure to indoor air poses a potentially greater health threat than outdoor air exposures. Indoor nitrogen dioxide ($NO_2$) levels are mainly affected gas range, flue gas spillage, kerosene heaters, wood-burning appliances and cigarette smoke. In addition, indoor $NO_2$ levels are influenced by such house characterization as surface reaction and air exchange rate. In this study, the measurements of indoor and outdoor $NO_2$ concentrations were taken using identical protocols, and information was collected on housing characteristics using identical questionnaires in 14 houses out of 15 houses for daily 30 daily 30 days in Brisbane, Australia.The usage of gas range was the most contributing factor in indoor $NO_2$ concentration in relation to house characteristics. Average indoor and outdoor ratios of NO2 concentration in electronic and gas cooking houses were $0.6{\pm}0.1$ and $0.9{\pm}0.2$, respectively. The frequency distributions of $NO_2$ concentration in each house were approximately log-normal Geometric mean of indoor $NO_2$ concentrations of electronic and gas cooking houses for daily 30 days ranged from 2.5 ppm to 11.5 ppm with a mean 6.8 and from 4.7 ppm to 28.6 ppm with a mean 15.6 ppm, respectively. The $NO_2$ concentrations between electronic and gas cooking houses were significantly different (p<0.05). Since each house has different life-style and house characteristics, sampling interval to measure the $NO_2$ levels was recommended above 7 days.

• Safety and Health at Work
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• v.2 no.1
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• pp.39-51
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• 2011

Objectives: This study was designed to evaluate exposure levels of various chemicals used in wafer fabrication product lines in the semiconductor industry where work-related leukemia has occurred. Methods: The research focused on 9 representative wafer fabrication bays among a total of 25 bays in a semiconductor product line. We monitored the chemical substances categorized as human carcinogens with respect to leukemia as well as harmful chemicals used in the bays and substances with hematologic and reproductive toxicities to evaluate the overall health effect for semiconductor industry workers. With respect to monitoring, active and passive sampling techniques were introduced. Eight-hour long-term and 15-minute short-term sampling was conducted for the area as well as on personal samples. Results: The results of the measurements for each substance showed that benzene, toluene, xylene, n-butyl acetate, 2-methoxy-ethanol, 2-heptanone, ethylene glycol, sulfuric acid, and phosphoric acid were non-detectable (ND) in all samples. Arsine was either "ND" or it existed only in trace form in the bay air. The maximum exposure concentration of fluorides was approximately 0.17% of the Korea occupational exposure limits, with hydrofluoric acid at about 0.2%, hydrochloric acid 0.06%, nitric acid 0.05%, isopropyl alcohol 0.4%, and phosphine at about 2%. The maximum exposure concentration of propylene glycol monomethyl ether acetate (PGMEA) was 0.0870 ppm, representing only 0.1% or less than the American Industrial Hygiene Association recommended standard (100 ppm). Conclusion: Benzene, a known human carcinogen for leukemia, and arsine, a hematologic toxin, were not detected in wafer fabrication sites in this study. Among reproductive toxic substances, n-butyl acetate was not detected, but fluorides and PGMEA existed in small amounts in the air. This investigation was focused on the air-borne chemical concentrations only in regular working conditions. Unconditional exposures during spills and/or maintenance tasks and by-product chemicals were not included. Supplementary studies might be required.