• 방사선산업학회지
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• 제18권2호
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• pp.117-126
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• 2024

This study aims to identify high exposure tasks among the tasks performed in domestic nuclear power plants as a basis for developing training programs to improve the efficiency of workers' work. To this end, we first analyzed the exposure status of radiation work in domestic nuclear power plants. Radiation tasks in nuclear power plants were categorized, collective doses were investigated, and the collective doses were calculated based on the collective doses, and representative high exposure tasks were identified. We found that the collective and individual doses in domestic nuclear power plants are continuously decreasing, but there is an imbalance of exposure among workers. In terms of work classification, nuclear power plants are managed in 236 work codes based on light water reactors and 181 work codes based on heavy water reactors, depending on the work equipment and location. Among the total work codes, 23 codes have an annual average dose exceeding 10 μSv, and based on this, 10 representative high exposure tasks were derived. The representative high exposure tasks were selected as S/G nozzle dam work, S/G debris removal work, nuclear instrumentation system, S/G eddy current detection work, and insulation work. The results of this study are expected to serve as an important basis for reducing the exposure of workers in nuclear power plants and improving work efficiency.

• Nuclear Engineering and Technology
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• 제56권5호
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• pp.1874-1879
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• 2024

Owing to strict radiation safety management in Korean nuclear power plants (NPPs), most radiation workers receive very low radiation doses, even lower than the annual dose limit for the general public. However, the occupational dose distribution indicates that some Korean NPP workers receive a relatively higher dose than the average dose. This inequity in radiation exposure could be reduced by providing customized radiation protection measures, such as dose constraints, to workers receiving relatively higher doses. In this study, dose normalization was performed to identify the highest radiation exposure work in Korean pressurized water reactors (PWRs). The results show that most of the occupational exposure in Korean PWRs occurs during the planned maintenance period. Finally, the three highest radiation exposure tasks in Korean PWRs were identified: nozzle dam installation and removal, eddy current testing, and man-way opening and closing.

• Journal of Radiation Protection and Research
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• 제30권1호
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• pp.17-25
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• 2005

원자력 발전의 안정성이 사회적 문제로 제기된 이후 작업종사자에 대한 작업 중 방사선 피폭량에 대한 관심이 높아지고 있다. 현재의 방법에 의하면 방사선 작업 계획의 수립 시 작업 공간 내 선량률이 일정하다는 가정 하에 피폭선량을 예측하므로 작업 경로에 따른 피폭선량의 변화에 대한 고려가 이루어지지 않고 있다. 본 연구에서는 작업자와 선원과의 거리가 고려되 수정된 방사선 피폭량 계산식을 이용하여 방사성 폐기물 저장시설에서의 작업 중 작업경로 변화에 따른 방사선 피폭량을 계산하였다. 이 계산식을 이용하여 주어진 작업 공간과 선원 조건하에서 작업 중 방사선 피폭량을 최소로 하는 최적 작업경로를 탐색할 수 있는 수치해석 알고리즘을 제안하였다. 이를 위하여 2차원 작업공간에서 무한개의 작업경로를 유한개의 경로로 근사화하고 근사화된 모든 작업경로 중 피폭선량이 최소가 되는 작업경로를 탐색하였다. 또한, 3차원 그래픽 기술과 Java 프로그래밍을 이용한 가상작업 시뮬레이션 프로그램을 개발하고 작업 공간의 선량률 가시화 및 가상 작업 시뮬레이션을 수행하여 방사선 작업 계획의 수립을 위한 도구로서의 가능성을 검토하였다. 수치해석 계산과 시뮬레이션 과정을 통하여 최적 작업경로는 작업자와 선원과의 거리를 증가시키고 작업 시간을 단축시킬 수 있는 경로로 제시되었고, 이를 바탕으로 방사선 피폭량은 작업시간뿐만 아니라 작업자와 선원간의 거리에 영향을 받음과 최적화된 방사선 방호를 위해 작업경로가 고려되어야 함을 확인하였다.

• 대한인간공학회지
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• 제24권2호
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• pp.71-77
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• 2005

In spite of the importance of nuclear power as one of major electric energies in Korea, the nuclear safety has become the most serious social issue in the operation of the nuclear power plant. In this paper, a virtual work simulation program was developed to predict exposure dose during radiation work in radwaste storage. The work simulation program was developed. using $Java ^{TM}$applet and VRML-virtual reality modeling language. A numerical algorithm to find the optimal work path which minimize exposure dose during the given work, was developed and exposure dose on the optimal work path was compared with that on the shortest path. Comparing with the shortest path for the given work, the predicted optimal path consumed longer work time by II% but reduced total exposure dose by 46%. The simulation result showed that the exposure dose depended on not only work time, but also the distance between the worker and the radiation source. The developed simulation program could be a useful tool for the planning of radioactive waste work to increase the radiation safety of workers.

• 방사선산업학회지
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• 제11권1호
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• pp.47-54
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• 2017

Compared to other occupations, there is a greater risk of exposure to radiation due to the use of radioisotopes in nuclear medicine for diagnostic evaluations and therapy. To consider ways to reduce exposure dose for those in nuclear medicine involved in injection work and elution work among radiation workers as well as for sanitation workers and trainees among frequent workers an investigation into exposure dose and situational analysis from changes in yearly exposure dose evaluations, changes in work environment and changes in forms of inspection were conducted. Exposure dose measurements were taken by using EPD MK2 worn during working hours for one injection worker, one elution worker, two sanitation workers, and one trainee at a general hospital in the Seoul area for three days from July 18th to 20th 2016. Radiation from radioisotopes which are a part of nuclear medicine can significantly affect not only radiation workers who deal with radioisotopes directly but also frequency works as well. According to this study the annual dose limit for elution workers and injection workers were considered safe as the amount of exposure was not large enough to have a significant effect. The limits of this study consist in the duration of this study and the quantity of participants. Also there was a limitation of the measurement device involving accumulated exposure, where the EPD MK2 cannot check the changes in exposure according to a particular activity.

• Journal of Radiation Protection and Research
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• 제47권2호
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• pp.93-98
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• 2022

Background: This study aims to derive the characteristics of each work type for industrial radiography based on empirical evidence through expert advice and a survey of radiation workers of various types of industrial radiography. Materials and Methods: According to a Korean report, work types of industrial radiography are classified into indoor tests, underground pipe tests, tests in a shielded room (radiographic testing [RT] room test), outdoor field tests, and outdoor large structure tests. For each work type, exposure geometry and radiation sources were mainly identified through the expert advice and workers' survey as reliable empirical evidence. Results and Discussion: The expert advice and survey results were consistent as the proportion of the work types were high in the order of RT room test, outdoor large structure test, underground pipe test, outdoor field test, and indoor test. The outdoor large structure test is the highest exposure risk work type in the industrial radiography. In most types of industrial radiography, radiation workers generally used ¹⁹²Ir as the main source. In the results of the survey, the portion of sources was high in the order of ¹⁹²Ir, X-ray generator, ⁶⁰Co, and ⁷⁵Se. As the exposure geometry, the antero-posterior geometry is dominant, and the rotational and isotropic geometry should be also considered with the work type. Conclusion: In this study, through expert advice and a survey, the external exposure characteristics for each work type of industrial radiography workers were derived. This information will be used in the reconstruction of organ dose for health effects assessment of Korean radiation workers.

• Journal of Radiation Protection and Research
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• 제28권2호
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• pp.127-135
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• 2003

The primary contributors to the total occupational radiation exposure in operating nuclear power plants are operation and maintenance activities doting refueling outages. The Advanced Power Reactor 1400 (APR1400) includes a number of design improvements and plans to utilize advanced maintenance methods and robotics to minimize the annual collective dose. The major radiation exposure reduction features implemented in APR1400 are a permanent refueling pool seal, quick opening transfer tube blind flange, improved hydrogen peroxide injection at shutdown, improved permanent steam generator work platforms, and more effective temporary shielding. The estimated average annual occupational radiation exposure for APR1400 based on the reference plant experience and an engineering judgment is determined to be in the order of 0.4 man-Sv, which is well within the design goal of 1 man-Sv. The basis of this average annual occupational radiation exposure estimation is an eighteen (18) month fuel cycle with maintenance performed to steam generators and reactor coolant pumps during refueling outage. The outage duration is assumed to be 28 days. The outage work is to be performed on a 24 hour per day basis, seven (7) days a week with overlapping twelve (12) hour work shifts. The occupational radiation exposure for APR1400 is also determined by an alternate method which consists of estimating radiation exposures expected for the major activities during the refueling outage. The major outage activities that cause the majority of the total radiation exposure during refueling outage such as fuel handling, reactor coolant pump maintenance, steam generator inspection and maintenance, reactor vessel head area maintenance, decontamination, and ICI & instrumentation maintenance activities are evaluated at a task level. The calculated value using this method is in close agreement with the value of 0.4 man-Sv, that has been determined based on the experience aid engineering judgement. Therefore, with the As Low As Reasonably Achievable (ALARA) advanced design features incorporated in the design, APR1400 design is to meet its design goal with sufficient margin, that is, more than a factor of two (2), if operated on art eighteen (18) month fuel cycle.

• 제어로봇시스템학회:학술대회논문집
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• 제어로봇시스템학회 1997년도 한국자동제어학술회의논문집; 한국전력공사 서울연수원; 17-18 Oct. 1997
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• pp.1884-1887
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• 1997

The increasing concern over radiation exposure in the nuclear industry has fostered agrressive efforts to reduce the levels of radiation exposure. One area of the effot to reduce the radiation exposure is the development of a remote radiation monitoring system. Remote radiation monitoring can serve many benificaial functions reduce exposure to radiation by plant personnel, impruve the quality of the data that is collected and recognize the radiation environment easily. Radiation mapping system gives a good information that represents radiation level distribution. The system we have developed consists of a data acquistion parts, mobile robot and remote control parts. Data acquisition parts consist of radiation detection module and vision acquistion module which collect radiation data, visiion data and distance information. In remote control parts, the acquision data are processed and displayed. We have constructed radiation mapping image by overlaying the vision and radiation data. The radiation mapping techniques for displaying the results of the survey in an easily comprehendable form will facilitate a better understanding of the radiation environment in the facility. This system can reduce workers radiation exposure and aid to help work plan, so it has significant benifits in cost and safety.

• 의료법학
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• 제22권3호
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• pp.97-124
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• 2021

의료기관에는 진단용 방사선 발생장치를 취급하는 방사선사, 의사, 치과의사, 치과위생사 등 방사선 관계 종사자가 있다. 그리고 간호사, 간호조무사 등 방사선진료를 보조하거나 방사선 검사실로 환자이송 등을 하는 업무 보조자들이 있다. 방사선 관계 종사자는「의료법」 등에 의해 방사선 피폭관리가 이루어지고 있으나 방사선 진료업무 보조자 등은 이에 대한 법적 근거가 없는 실정이다. 또한 진단용 방사선 피폭관리는 의료법령에 의해 규율되고 있고, 치료용 방사선과 핵의학검사에 의한 방사선 피폭관리는「원자력안전법」의 규율을 받고 있다. 이에 진단용 방사선에 의한 피폭관리를 개선하기 위하여「의료법」 상 진단용 방사선 피폭관리에 관한 규정과「원자력안전법」 상 관련 규정들을 비교·검토하여 보았다. 그 결과로 얻은 주요 내용은 다음과 같다. 첫째, 진단용 방사선에 의한 피폭관리 대상으로 방사선 관계 종사자 외에 방사선 피폭 우려가 있는 간호사, 간호조무사, 임상실습 학생 등을 포함시켜 입법적으로 해결할 필요가 있다. 둘째,「원자력안전법」에서처럼 진단용 방사선 관계 종사자가 임신이 확인된 경우에는 피폭선량 한도를 명문으로 규정해야 한다. 셋째,「진단용 방사선 발생장치의 안전관리에 관한 규칙」의 개인피폭선량계의 종류에 관한 규정을 현실에 맞게 개정할 필요가 있다. 넷째, 방사선 관계 종사자, 방사선작업종사자와 수시출입자에 대한 건강진단의 검사항목은 동일해야 할 것으로 보인다. 다섯째, 의료기관에서 진단용 방사선뿐만 아니라 치료용 방사선과 핵의학을 포함한 의료용 방사선 전체를 하나의 법체계에서 통일하여 규율하는 것이 필요하다고 본다.

• Safety and Health at Work
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• 제12권4호
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• pp.445-451
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• 2021

Background: This study aimed to evaluate the reliability and validity of the self-administered questionnaire for Korean radiation workers. Methods: From May 24, 2016, to June 30, 2017, 20,608 participants completed the questionnaire, providing information on sociodemographics, lifestyle, work history and practices, medical radiation exposure, and medical history, which was linked to the National Dose Registry and the National Cancer Registry. The validity of the questionnaire was evaluated using the responses of 20,608 workers, and reliability was evaluated using the responses of 3043 workers who responded to the survey twice. Results: Responses concerning demographic characteristics and lifestyle showed reliability with a moderate-to-high agreement (kappa: 0.43-0.99), whereas responses concerning occupation and medical radiation exposure had a wide range of agreement (kappa: 0.05-0.95), possibly owing to temporal variability during employment. Regarding validity, responses to the question about the first year of employment had an excellent agreement with the national registry (intraclass correlation coefficient = 0.9); however, responses on cancer history had a wide range of agreement (kappa: 0.22-0.85). Conclusion: Although the reliability and validity of the questionnaire were not distinguished by demographic characteristics, they tended to be low among participants whose occupational radiation exposure was minimal. Overall, the information collected can be reliable for epidemiological studies; however, caution must be exercised when using information such as medical exposure and work practices, which are prone to temporal variability.