• Journal of Korean Society of Occupational and Environmental Hygiene
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• v.20 no.4
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• pp.225-235
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• 2010

This study was aimed to assess the status of working environment, health care management status and cause of exposure in manufactories using dimethylformamide (DMF). For the purpose, airborne concentration of DMF in the workplaces and N-methylformamide (NMF) in worker's urine were measured with job type and process. In addition, management of local exhaust ventilation system (LEV) and personal protective equipment (PPE) was evaluated at 35 work places (107 workers) located in Busan and Gimhae area. Mean DMF concentrations in work places by job type and process were of high level measured in printing and record media reproduction (5.23 ppm) and flaking process (2.48 ppm). Workers in adhesive job were measured a large amount of urine NMF (21.59 mg/${\ell}$). 98.1% of DMF handling workers were provided respirators, but 67.3% of those workers used them. The main reasons for not using respirators were inconvenience and difficulty of breathing. Airborne concentrations of DMF were higher in the workplaces in which LEVs were working abnormally, but there was not statistically significant. In addition, the urine NMF levels were correlated with management of LEV within the workers who did not use the respirators (p<0.048). These results implied that LEV should be installed and maintained properly to protect the workers from the exposure to DMF. Management of PPE should be also necessary to protect the workers from chemical hazards.

• Journal of dental hygiene science
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• v.20 no.3
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• pp.171-177
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• 2020

Background: Maintaining a skilled workforce by minimizing the turnover of competent dental hygienists is very important for securing dental competitiveness. Therefore, it is necessary to find a predictor of turnover and lower turnover intention. To understand dental hygienist turnover, it is necessary to study the resilience, a positive factor of personal characteristics and job embeddedness that induces residual tissue. The purpose of this study was to investigate the effect of dental hygienists' job embeddedness and resilience on turnover intention. Methods: A survey was conducted on licensed dental hygienists nationwide, from March 19 to July 19, 2020. T-test and one way ANOVA analysis were performed to compare the job embeddedness, resilience, and turnover intention according to the general characteristics. Pearson's correlation analysis was performed to identify the correlation between job embeddedness, resilience, and turnover intention. Multiple regression analysis was performed to determine the effect on the turnover intention. Results: Job embeddedness was the highest with link and resilience scoring 3.57 and 4.16, respectively. The turnover intention scored 3.53. Among the general characteristics, age, marriage, total dental clinic career, education degree, and position showed statistically significant differences in job embeddedness, resilience, and turnover intention. Suitability, link, and sacrifice of job embeddedness were shown to affect the degree of turnover intention, with an explanatory power of 26.2%. Conclusion: In order to reduce the dental hygienists' turnover intention, job embeddedness and resilience should be increased. Thus, measures should be undertaken for professional and systematic program development and human resources management.

• Journal of dental hygiene science
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• v.23 no.4
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• pp.361-368
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• 2023

Background: This study aims to investigate the perceptions of dentists and dental hygienists regarding quality dental job conditions and to identify differences in perceptions based on job type. Methods: As a result of conducting face-to-face and online surveys, data from a total of 132 people were analyzed. In order to investigate the perception of quality job conditions, the importance of a total of 13 items was investigated, and the work policies and job satisfaction of the current workplace were examined. Since the data did not follow a normal distribution, a non-parametric test, the Mann-Whitney U test, was performed. Results: Both dentists and dental hygienists perceived income and working hours to be of priority importance for quality job conditions. Dental hygienists valued holiday support and welfare, human relations, and personal development potential more than dentists (p<0.05). Looking at differences by job type, dental hygienists rated all conditions as more important than dentists except income, indicating a statistically significant difference (p<0.05). In terms of the work policies, 96.2% of the practices in the study were required to have the four types of social security contributions, but fewer had flexible working hours (19.7%), healthcare support (23.5%), and incentives (25.0%). Of the participants, 60.6% had parental leave available at their workplace, and dental hygienists had statistically significantly higher job satisfaction when parental leave was available (2.57 points) than when it was not (p<0.05). Conclusion: Quality dental jobs are an important factor in keeping workers happy and maintaining an efficient practice. Dental practice owners need to pay attention to the quality of jobs required by the dental workforce, provide flexible working hours and welfare programs such as parental leave, and create a workplace atmosphere and human resource management system that supports the use of these programs.

• Journal of Environmental Health Sciences
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• v.39 no.5
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• pp.465-473
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• 2013

Objectives: This study was undertaken to analyze Staphylococcus aureus from cultivation environments for agricultural products and to confirm antibiotic resistance and enterotoxin genes for the isolated S. aureus. Methods: A total of 648 samples were collected from apple, peach, ginseng and balloon flower farms. S. aureus was isolated from soil, agricultural water, personal hygiene elements (hands, gloves and clothes) and work utensils (boxes). Results: S. aureus was detected in a total of 25 samples and 72 strains were isolated. The resistance rate of the isolated S. aureus strains was confirmed at 33.3%, with 24 resistant strains among the total of 72. Fourteen different patterns types were found, and three pattern types (NV, OX, VA) were confirmed most frequently. As result of the detection of enterotoxin gene type, four gene types (sea: 1, sed: 4, seg: all isolated S. aureus, sei: all isolated S. aureus) were analyzed among a total of nine types. Conclusions: This study demonstrates that personal hygiene techniques should be properly managed, such as washing and sterilization before or after work, because agricultural contamination by S. aureus frequently developed through improper management.

• Journal of the East Asian Society of Dietary Life
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• v.19 no.2
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• pp.256-264
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• 2009

This study investigated the status of foodservice operations and perceived performance of management for school dietitians in the Kyunggi area. According to the results, the perceived performance of dietitians for cooking management presented an overall average of $3.90{\pm}0.61$, and carrying out examination and preservation of food was the highest among all sectors with $4.83{\pm}0.49$. The area of cross contamination marked a total average of $4.15{\pm}0.67$, and the perceived performance of serving management was lower than the sanitary management of cooking and cross contamination with $3.64{\pm}0.75$. The most recognized cause on foodborne illness was food materials (44.6%). Sanitary level, the temperature of most foods, and the personal hygiene of workers were also important causes of foodborne illness.

• The Korean Journal of Food And Nutrition
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• v.34 no.1
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• pp.123-131
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• 2021

This study investigated the current status of foodservice management and the importance and performance of foodservice management according to the level of knowledge of workers. A survey was conducted between February 2015 and March 2015 for 329 foodservice workers at Community Child Centers in Chungbuk Area. Of these respondents, the majority (78.4%) of them were females. Most of them were in their 40s (40.4%) or 50s (33.4%). If the respondent's correct answer rate of knowledge was 0~50% or 51~100%, the respondent was classified into a 'Low Group (LG, n=175)' or a 'High Group (HG, n=154)'. Among a total of 14 foodservice management questions, 6 items (personal hygiene: 1 item; food material: 2 items; and food processing: 3 items) had relatively higher performance scores for workers in HG than for workers in LG. As a result of Importance-Performance analysis, 'Use different knives and cutting boards for fish, meat, and vegetables' was a variable of high importance but low performance. It was found that improvement was most urgently needed. Results of this study can be used to derive important items for improving foodservice management and policy development for foodservice workers at Community Child Centers.

• Journal of Environmental Health Sciences
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• v.45 no.5
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• pp.434-442
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• 2019

Objectives: This study was performed in order to report the epidemiological features of a food poisoning outbreak caused by multiple pathogens in a high school in Chungcheongnam-do Province, Korea in April 2019 and to suggest measures to prevent a similar incidence. Methods: A total of 39 patients with diarrhea were examined. Environmental samples were obtained from 6 food handlers, 4 food utensils, 72 preserved foods served during the food poisoning outbreak, 9 door handles, 10 drinking water samples from water dispensers, and 6 ground water samples from water taps. These analyzed to detect viruses and bacteria. Results: Among the 39 patients, 21 cases (53.8%) of enteroaggregative E. coli (EAEC), 7 cases of Staphylococcus aureus (17.9%), and 17 cases of norovirus (43.6%) were positive, and in 16 of the cases a co-infection with at least one other pathogen were observed. EAEC was assumed to be transmitted from contaminated drinking water because it was also detected in the water sample from a water dispenser in the dormitory. Staphylococcus aureus was isolated only in the fecal samples of patients, meaning it was not possible to trace its origin. The genotype of norovirus detected in the drinking water and ground water was consistent with that isolated from patients, and it was determined that the norovirus infection originated from the school's water environment. Conclusions: These findings indicate that a lack of environmental hygiene management related to school meals caused the food poisoning incident. In particular, a lack of management of drinking water, water supply, and personal hygiene should be pointed out. This should be urgently addressed and continuous monitoring should be carried out in the future. In addition, students and staff should be educated and trained to improve their personal hygiene.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Radiology
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• v.10 no.5
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• pp.351-358
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• 2016

This study surveyed the health professionals in Busan with regard to their awareness of nosocomial infection control. According to the conclusion of this study, first, the level of awareness and performance of personal hygiene management, equipment sanitation management, and cleaning and environmental management increased as the level of education decreased. Also, when it comes to personal hand-washing, the level of awareness was higher among workers in primary, secondary and other medical institutions, where as the level of performance was higher among the group of medical practitioners. The differences were statistically significant at a significance level of .001. Medical practitioners also showed a higher level of awareness and performance of hospital sanitation management, which was statistically significant. Overall, as the level of awareness was lower than the level of performance, it seems that individuals need to thoroughly practice infection control, and realistic improvement measures need to be devised.

• Journal of Korean Society of Occupational and Environmental Hygiene
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• v.33 no.1
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• pp.12-18
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• 2023

Objectives: Personal protective equipment (PPE) is an essential means for protecting workers against hazardous agents or risks that threaten their safety and health. Governmental organizations related to safety and health in the workplace regulate the PPE rules to protect workers and to minimize damage from hazardous agents. This study discussed current PPE rules overseen by the Korea Ministry of Environment and explores future perspectives on the matter. Methods: This study was based on a review of PPE regulations with which every stakeholder should comply in the workplace. Both South Korean regulations enforced by the Ministry of Employment and Labor and the Ministry of Environment and cases from other countries were reviewed. Results: Regulations related to the PPE required for handling chemical substances in the workplace are enforced by the Occupational Safety and Health Act, Enforcement Decree, Enforcement Rules, and Notification of Protective Equipment Certification under the Ministry of Employment and Labor. The Ministry of Environment also regulates the PPE standards for 97 substances requiring preparation for accidents and adjustment of work conditions, but a recent amendment (partially amended on September 30, 2022) loosened some unreasonable or excessive provisions. It requires workers simply to carry or otherwise keep PPE handy instead of wearing it for some tasks in which hazardous chemicals are not handled directly. Conclusions: It is important to regularly review provisions that need to be improved or supplemented to help all stakeholders. Considerations should be also made to build a reasonable regulatory system that can induce more mature safety management in each workplace.

• Journal of Korean Society of Occupational and Environmental Hygiene
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• v.30 no.2
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• pp.174-184
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• 2020

Objectives: The purpose of this study was to improve the working environment by identifying the work satisfaction of the cleaning workers of the aircraft and measuring and assessing the harmful factors of the cleaning process. Methods: We asked 23 cleaning companies for questionnaires and got 100 answers from 5 companies. The A-E Airline health manager has been contacted to establish a site survey schedule. The in-flight and lounge were measured using direct reading equipment. The harmful factor to be measured are noise, dust, temperature, volatile organic compound, total airborne bacteria, and total airborne bacteria. Results: Uncomfortable positions when replacing blanket, cleaning the table, and cleaning the floor have been identified as factor that reduce work satisfaction. Noise when replacing newspapers and cleaning toilets has been identified as a factor that lowers work satisfaction. Temperature and humidity were found to reduce work satisfaction during in-flight disinfection. Measurements of aircraft cabin and lounge with direct read equipment have shown that none of the items exceed the exposure criteria. Conclusions: As a result of measuring direct-reading equipment, no items exceeded the exposure criteria for each harmful factor. A clear survey of the working environment is required based on the results, and additional research is needed using personal sample measurement.