• Safety and Health at Work
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• 제11권4호
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• pp.537-542
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• 2020

Background: Personal protective equipment (PPE) has been designed in such a way to reduce accident rates. Unfortunately, existing PPE is rather ineffective as it is not able to provide warning signals when hazard is around. The integration of intelligent systems is envisaged to increase the efficiency of existing PPE. Methods: This project designed a safety vest incorporated with metal detectors which can provide immediate warning to the field workers when there is metal hazard around. This product has greater freedom of design via smart manufacturing as it involves the assembly of few commercially available parts into a single entity. Briefly, the metal detector is a do it yourself (DIY) kit, and the safety vest is purchasable from any local market. The DIY kit was connected to a copper coil and being sewed into the safety vest. Results: The metal detector induces beeping sound when there is metal hazard around. A total of 121 engineering students were introduced to the prototype before being requested to answer a survey associated with the design. Respondents have rated >3.00/5.00 for the design simplicity, ease of usage, and light weight. Meanwhile, respondents suggested that the design should be further improved by increasing the metal detection range. Conclusion: It is envisaged that the introduction of this smart safety vest will allow the workers to carry out their duties securely by reducing the accident rates. Particularly, such design is expected to reduce workplace accident especially during night time at construction sites where the visibility is low.

• 한국컴퓨터정보학회논문지
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• 제27권5호
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• pp.181-188
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• 2022

본 연구는 치과병원에서 진료 시 발생하는 소음특성을 NR-곡선, PSIL에 적용하여 소음수준 및 적절한 대화거리를 산정한 결과를 제시하고자 실시하였다. 치과병원에서 치료 시 소음특성을 분석한 결과 소음에 의한 건강 보존한계 값인 60dB(A)을 초과하고 고주파 성분의 소음도가 높은 것으로 분석되었다. NR곡선에 적용하여 평가한 결과 일부 치료 시 작업장 소음기준을 초과하고 근무자와 환자 사이에 이루어지는 대화에 대한 회화방해도 수준을 분석한 결과 보통크기의 소리일 경우 0.13m~0.42m, 큰 소리일 경우 0.26m~0.85m 정도 인 것으로 분석되어 환자와 근무자 간의 정확한 의사전달을 위하여 가급적 1m 이내의 거리에서 대화가 이루어지는 것이 바람직 할 것으로 판단된다. 병원의 의료서비스 질의 향상을 도모하고 치과공포를 감소시키기 위하여 근무자에게 방음보호구를 지급하고 소음 발생원(진료 시 사용되는 치료기기) 및 수음원(환자 및 근무자)에 대한 방음대책도 필요 할 것으로 판단된다.

• 한국간호교육학회지
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• 제28권4호
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• pp.368-377
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• 2022

Purpose: This study was conducted to develop and test the effects of a coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) education program for nursing students. Methods: This study used a non-equivalent control group pretest-posttest design. A total of 71 undergraduate nursing students who had completed a fundamental nursing course and were in their third or fourth year of university participated in this study (experimental group n=38, control group n=33). The COVID-19 education program was developed according to the stages of analysis, design, development, implementation, and evaluation. The program consisted of three weekly sessions that each lasted about two hours. The data were collected from February 26 to March 26, 2022 and were analyzed using the chi-squared, Fisher's exact, and independent t-tests. Results: Knowledge about COVID-19, knowledge about personal protective equipment and attitudes toward COVID-19 were not significantly different between the experimental and control groups. However, significant differences were found between the experimental and control groups regarding their confidence in COVID-19 patient nursing care (t=3.02, p=.004). Conclusion: It was confirmed that the developed program was effective in enhancing the confidence of nursing students in performing nursing for COVID-19. Therefore, it is proposed that the education program developed in this study be used as part of an infection control education program to improve nursing students' abilities to respond to emerging infectious diseases, including COVID-19.

• 임상간호연구
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• 제15권2호
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• pp.115-126
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• 2009

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to assess the frequency and characteristics of occupational blood and body fluid exposure for operating room personnel during surgical procedures and identify risk factors. Methods: A self-report questionnaire was used to survey 519 operating room personnel who participated in 132 surgeries in an acute care hospital in Seoul between April 12 and 20, 2006. Results: The response rate was 82% (530/646) and analyzed total 519 except for improper 11 questionnaires. Exposure rate was 45.5% (60/132) during operations and 20.4% (106/519) for operating room personnel. By job categories, the exposure rate was as follows; anesthesiologists and nurses 31.2% (44/141), operators and assistants 22.1% (32/145), circulating nurses 12.0% (11/92), scrub nurses 11.4% (14/123). The mucous membrane-eye exposure with a high risk of transmitting infection was 6.6% (7/106) and the most frequent route of exposure was blood and body fluid touching unprotected skin. In multivariate analysis, the risk factors of exposure were services, duration of operation, a patient who had a peripheral arterial catheter line, and job category. Conclusion: Educational programs and appropriate use of personal protective equipment are necessary to prevent operating room personnel from being exposed to blood and body fluid.

• Nuclear Engineering and Technology
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• 제55권1호
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• pp.1-11
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• 2023

To protect people and the environment from environmental radiation, the Act on Protective Action Guidelines against Radiation in the Natural Environment was formulated in Korea in 2011. This law regulates matters related to radiation safety that can be encountered in life. In accordance with this law, radiation monitoring equipment is operated at major airports and ports across the country, ensuring radiation monitoring of imported cargo. Currently, six ministries conduct radiation monitoring of imported cargo: the Nuclear Safety and Security Commission; the Korea Customs Service; the Ministry of Food and Drug Safety; the Ministry of Environment; the Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs; and the Korea Forest Service. Each ministry designates the relevant cargo items for radiation monitoring. The objective of this study was to comprehensively review the Korean radiation monitoring system for imported cargo and identify the areas and scopes of improvement. This paper also proposes a new law and an integrated supervision plan, which involves establishing a dedicated department to enhance the efficiency and professionalism of the national radiation monitoring system for imported cargo. The review will contribute to the development of a more sophisticated national radiation monitoring system for imported cargo.

• 수산해양기술연구
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• 제58권2호
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• pp.185-192
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• 2022

Fisheries is known as a high-risk industry in Korea, and various efforts have been made to reduce occupational accidents. Trap fisheries represent crustacean production, accounting for 4.7% of total fisheries production and 10.7% of its production value, which is classified as a relatively high-risk industry. With the disaster insurance payment data of the National Federation of Fisheries Cooperatives (NFFC) from 2016 to 2020, the accident rate of the entire fishery, the accident rate of trap fisheries, and the type of disasters in the past five years were analyzed. As a result, the average fishery accident rate for the past five years was 5.31%, but it was high at 6.15% for coastal trap fisheries and 5.59% for offshore trap fisheries. Slips and trips, struck by objects and contact with machinery were the most common types of the accident according to the characteristics of the work, and hand injuries were analyzed the most. Additional efforts, including education for accident prevention, development of personal protective equipment and improvement of the working environment, are needed to prevent accidents caused by repeated types of disasters.

• Safety and Health at Work
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• 제13권4호
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• pp.379-386
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• 2022

Emergency medical services (EMS) personnel are at high risk for adverse mental health outcomes during disease outbreaks. To support the development of evidence-informed mitigation strategies, we conducted a scoping review to identify the extent of research pertaining to EMS personnel's mental health during disease outbreaks and summarized key factors associated with mental health outcomes. We systematically searched three databases for articles containing keywords within three concepts: EMS personnel, disease outbreaks, and mental health. We screened and retained original peer-reviewed articles that discussed, in English, EMS personnel's mental health during disease outbreaks. Where inferential statistics were reported, the associations between individual and work-related factors and mental health outcomes were synthesized. Twenty-five articles were eligible for data extraction. Our findings suggest that many of the contributing factors for adverse mental health outcomes are related to inadequacies in fulfilling EMS personnel's basic safety and informational needs. In preparation for future disease outbreaks, resources should be prioritized toward ensuring adequate provisions of personal protective equipment and infection prevention and control training. This scoping review serves as a launching pad for further research and intervention development.

• 디지털융복합연구
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• 제20권3호
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• pp.367-376
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• 2022

본 연구의 목적은 코로나19 방역상황에 투입된 공중보건의사(PHD)의 업무 수행 현황을 조사하고, 향후 효과적인 국가 감염병 방역을 위한 공중보건의사 지원방안을 제시하는 것이다. 연구결과, 공중보건의사는 주로 검체채취, 문진 및 진료, 치료를 수행했던 것으로 나타났다. 방역에 투입된 공중보건의사의 39%는 음압시설이 없는 곳에서 근무했고, 개인 보호 장비와 복리후생 지원도 열악했던 것으로 나타났다. 또한 높은 감염위험성, 정신적 고통, 의사결정과정에서 배제, 공무원과의 갈등, 업무지침 문제, 사전교육 부족 등을 경험한 것으로 조사되었다. 따라서 향후 효과적인 감염병 관리를 위해서는 공중보건의사에게 적절한 직급 부여, 방역 관련 의사결정 과정 참여, 적절한 보상과 규정 명시, 교육과 정신건강 지원이 필요하다.

• Journal of Chest Surgery
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• 제56권2호
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• pp.128-135
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• 2023

Background: Pneumonia caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 can cause acute respiratory distress syndrome, often requiring prolonged mechanical ventilation and eventually tracheostomy. Both procedures occur in isolation units where personal protective equipment is needed. Additionally, the high bleeding risk in patients with extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO) places a great strain on surgeons. We investigated the clinical characteristics and outcomes of percutaneous dilatational tracheostomy (PDT) in patients with coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) supported by ECMO, and compared the outcomes of patients with and without ECMO. Methods: This retrospective, single-center, observational study included patients with severe COVID-19 who underwent elective PDT (n=29) from April 1, 2020, to October 31, 2021. The patients were divided into ECMO and non-ECMO groups. Data were collected from electronic medical records at Ajou University Hospital in Suwon, Korea. Results: Twenty-nine COVID-19 patients underwent PDT (24 men [82.8%] and 5 women [17.2%]; median age, 61 years; range, 26-87 years; interquartile range, 54-71 years). The mean procedure time was 17±10.07 minutes. No clinically or statistically significant difference in procedure time was noted between the ECMO and non-ECMO groups (16.35±7.34 vs. 18.25±13.32, p=0.661). Overall, 12 patients (41.4%) had minor complications; 10 had mild subdermal bleeding from the skin incision, which was resolved with local gauze packing, and 2 (6.9%) had dislodgement. No healthcare provider infection was reported. Conclusion: Our PDT approach is safe for patients and healthcare providers. With bronchoscopy assistance, PDT can be performed quickly and easily even in isolation units and with acceptable risk, regardless of the hypo-coagulable condition of patients on ECMO.

• 국제학술발표논문집
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• The 6th International Conference on Construction Engineering and Project Management
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• pp.127-131
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• 2015

In spite of the socio-economic benefits of the construction industry, it accounts for many deaths, injuries and illnesses in many countries. In developing countries like Vietnam, the situation is even worse. Health and safety (H&S) management plays a crucial role in the efforts to improve H&S performance as it contributes to mitigating the risks of occupational injuries and illnesses. However, within the wider H&S literature in Vietnam, there is no insight into the current state of affairs of H&S management, particularly in terms of the management practices that need attention in order to improve H&S management across the construction sector. This study therefore presents the findings of an inquiry into the H&S management practices of contractors in Vietnam. The study employed a questionnaire survey which yielded 58 responses from contractors, particularly those operating in Southern Vietnam. Some commonly implemented H&S management practices by the contractors are: provision of personal protective equipment (94%), allocation of H&S supervisor on site (90%), and displaying of company H&S policy on construction sites, company website, and head/branch offices (86%). Some of the less implemented practices are: networking/engaging with other companies/institutions (e.g. government offices) about H&S issues (39%), rewarding workers for safe work behaviour (39%), reviewing and updating H&S plans (48%), and displaying regulatory H&S posters on site (45%). The findings have provided some insight into the current state of affairs of the H&S management practices of contractors in Southern Vietnam and could thus inform efforts by industry stakeholders to improve the aspects of H&S management that are lagging.