• Atmosphere
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• v.33 no.2
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• pp.297-306
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• 2023

Celebrating its 60th anniversary, this study suggests the future vision of the Korean Meteorological Society (KMS) for the next 60 years. The vision is "to advance atmospheric science and technology that contributes to human society as well as protect people from not only climate change risks but also weather, climate, and environmental disasters". Based on the suggestions from its members, this study proposes the KMS future development plan as follows. The first plan is to strengthen in leading the development and growth of atmospheric sciences in Korea, especially to improve weather, climate, and environment forecasts and to reduce uncertainty in future climate projections. The second is to enhance interaction not only among its members in academy, Korea Meteorological Administration and related organizations, meteorological industry, and science communicators but also with other related fields such as energy, water resources, agriculture, fishery, and forestry. The third is to enhance in nurturing young scientists by supporting domestic and international networks and training the state-of-the-art sciences, and to create opportunities for young scientists to advance into a wider field. The last is to expand its international activities for solving the challenges facing mankind, such as climate change risks and weather, climate, and environment disasters. The KMS should also continue the efforts to establish an integrative platform for leading fundamental and interdisciplinary research in weather, climate, and environment.

• Journal of Preventive Medicine and Public Health
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• v.56 no.1
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• pp.31-40
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• 2023

Objectives: This study investigated the effect of cognitive impairment on the association between social network properties and mortality among older Korean adults. Methods: This study used data from the Korean Social Life, Health, and Aging Project. It obtained 814 older adults' complete network maps across an entire village in 2011-2012. Participants' deaths until December 31, 2020 were confirmed by cause-of-death statistics. A Cox proportional hazards model was used to assess the risks of poor social network properties (low degree centrality, perceived loneliness, social non-participation, group-level segregation, and lack of support) on mortality according to cognitive impairment. Results: In total, 675 participants (5510.4 person-years) were analyzed, excluding those with missing data and those whose deaths could not be verified. Along with cognitive impairment, all social network properties except loneliness were independently associated with mortality. When stratified by cognitive function, some variables indicating poor social relations had higher risks among older adults with cognitive impairment, with adjusted hazard ratios (HRs) of 2.12 (95% confidence interval [CI], 1.34 to 3.35) for social nonparticipation, 1.58 (95% CI, 0.94 to 2.65) for group-level segregation, and 3.44 (95% CI, 1.55 to 7.60) for lack of support. On the contrary, these effects were not observed among those with normal cognition, with adjusted HRs of 0.73 (95% CI, 0.31 to 1.71), 0.96 (95% CI, 0.42 to 2.21), and 0.95 (95% CI, 0.23 to 3.96), respectively. Conclusions: The effect of social network properties was more critical among the elderly with cognitive impairment. Older adults with poor cognitive function are particularly encouraged to participate in social activities to reduce the risk of mortality.

• Safety and Health at Work
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• v.13 no.4
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• pp.401-407
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• 2022

Background: The present study aimed to digitally evaluate the risk of overwork-related adverse effects (OrAEs) among employees from various occupational categories in Taiwan. Methods: Anonymous data of employees from seven companies/factories providing occupational health services were analyzed. The studied population comprised 5505 employees, and the data analyzed included employment duration, working hours, shift work schedules, and health checkup results. The risk for OrAEs was assessed by an index, Karo index (0-4, the larger the value, the higher the risk for OrAEs) obtained using a risk matrix made up of cardiocerebral and occupational risk factors. Karo index values of 3 and 4 were categorized as at high risk for OrAEs (h-OrAEs). Results: The 5505 employees had an average employment duration of 8.5 years and a mean age of 39.4 years. The prevalence rates for h-OrAEs of the seven companies/factories ranged from 3.9% to 34.2%. There were significant differences in prevalence rates for h-OrAEs between employees of retail stores and high-tech manufacturing factories. Multivariate analysis results indicated that workers of high-tech manufacturing factories had significantly higher risk for h-OrAEs compared with retail store workers. Conclusion: In terms of satisfying health risk management and legal requirements in Taiwan, the newly issued Karo index, which covers a wide range of occupational risk factors, can serve as an assessment and a warning tool for managing the risk of OrAEs in workplaces. To reduce risks for h-OrAEs, active and prudent control of cerebrocardiovascular risks and working hours is recommended.

• Journal of Digital Convergence
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• v.14 no.7
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• pp.175-184
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• 2016

The purpose of the study focuses on increasing dangers of using smartphones while driving recently, and then is to come up with measures to reduce traffic accidents caused by using devices like a smartphone. This study conducted a survey of drivers using their smartphones while driving to understand risks caused by using a smartphones while operating vehicles. Results showed that a lot of activities may lead to distracted driving, such as texting, making phone calls, using GPS or road maps, game, etc. In this paper, we presented that functions of smartphone should be controlled partially while driving for safe driving performance. These results suggest that using IoT-based smart devices like a beacon and a smartphone application implemented, tentatively called "Safe driving solution", while driving can reduce traffic accidents. Thus, in order to effectively prevent dangerous driving due to the use of smartphones, a "Safe driving solution" which restricts all functions except for calls and driver assistance functions is suggested.

• Journal of Digital Convergence
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• v.11 no.12
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• pp.169-183
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• 2013

As the issue of selling wine online has been raised in an attempt to implement FTA programs in a more effective way, wine will be available online in the near future in Korea. Thus, this study aimed at identifying key factors which will contribute to reduce various kinds of risks perceived by online customers, and investigating the structural relationships between those factors and perceived risks. Site quality of online wine shop(information quality, system quality), trust in online wine shop were selected as key predictors of perceived risks and research model was established using those factors. Data were collected from those who have experienced in using online wine store, and the research model was tested using valid data. Results of testing research hypotheses using data from survey respondents showed that information and system quality exerted an impact on trust in online wine shop. It was proven that information and system quality posited an impact on time risk whereas they was not related to performance and psychological risk. In addition, trust in online wine shop was shown to be related to time risk, performance risk, and psychological risk.

• Journal of Radiation Protection and Research
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• v.29 no.3
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• pp.187-196
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• 2004

The health effects resulting from severe accidents of typical 1,000MWe KSNP(Korea Standard Nuclear Plant) PWR and typical 600MWe CANDU(CANada Deuterium Uranium) plants were estimated and compared. The population distribution of the site extending to 80km for both site were considered. The releaese fraction for various source term categories(STC) and core inventories were used in the estimation of the health effects risks by using the MACCS2(MELCOR Accident Consequence Code System2) code. Individuals are assumed to evacuate beyond 16km from the site. The health effects considered in this comparative study are early and cancer fatality risk, and the results are presented as CCDF(Complementary Cumulative Distribution Function) curves considering the occurrence probability of each STC's. According to the results, the early and cancer fatality risks of PHWR plants we lower than those of PWR plants. This is attributed the fact that the amount of radioactive mateials that released to the atmosphere resulting from the postulated severe accidents of PHWR plants are smaller than that of PWR plants. And, the dominating initiating event of STC that shows maximum early and cancer fatality risk is SGTR(Steam Generator Tube Rupture) for both plants. Therefore, the appropriated actions must be taken to reduce the occurrence probability and the amounts of radioactive materials released to the environment in order to protect the public for both PWR and PHWR plants.

• Safety and Health at Work
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• v.8 no.1
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• pp.99-104
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• 2017

Background: Workers laboring in steel industries in tropical settings with high ambient temperatures are subjected to thermally stressful environments that can create well-known risks of heat-related illnesses and limit workers' productivity. Methods: A cross-sectional study undertaken in a steel industry in a city nicknamed "Steel City" in Southern India assessed thermal stress by wet bulb globe temperature (WBGT) and level of dehydration from urine color and urine specific gravity. A structured questionnaire captured self-reported heat-related health symptoms of workers. Results: Some 90% WBGT measurements were higher than recommended threshold limit values ($27.2-41.7^{\circ}C$) for heavy and moderate workloads and radiational heat from processes were very high in blooming-mill/coke-oven ($67.6^{\circ}C$ globe temperature). Widespread heat-related health concerns were prevalent among workers, including excessive sweating, fatigue, and tiredness reported by 50% workers. Productivity loss was significantly reported high in workers with direct heat exposures compared to those with indirect heat exposures ($x^2=26.1258$, degrees of freedom = 1, p < 0.001). Change in urine color was 7.4 times higher among workers exposed to WBGTs above threshold limit values (TLVs). Conclusion: Preliminary evidence shows that high heat exposures and heavy workload adversely affect the workers' health and reduce their work capacities. Health and productivity risks in developing tropical country work settings can be further aggravated by the predicted temperature rise due to climate change, without appropriate interventions. Apart from industries enhancing welfare facilities and designing control interventions, further physiological studies with a seasonal approach and interventional studies are needed to strengthen evidence for developing comprehensive policies to protect workers employed in high heat industries.

• Korean Journal of Construction Engineering and Management
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• v.23 no.4
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• pp.15-25
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• 2022

As the incidence and mortality of serious disasters in the construction industry are the highest, various efforts are being made in Korea to reduce them. Among them, risk assessment is used as data for disaster reduction measures and evaluation of risk factors at the construction stage. However, the existing risk assessment involves the subjectivity of the performer and is vulnerable to the domestic construction site. This study established a DB classification system for risk assessment with the aim of early identification and pre-removal of risks by quantitatively deriving risk factors using BIM in the risk assessment field and presents a methodology for risk assessment using BIM. Through this, prior removal of risks increases the safety of construction workers and reduces additional costs in the field of safety management. In addition, since it can be applied to new construction methods, it improves the understanding of project participants and becomes a tool for communication. This study proposes a framework for deriving quantitative risks based on BIM, and will be used as a base technology in the field of risk assessment using BIM in the future.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Marine Environment & Safety
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• v.29 no.4
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• pp.389-394
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• 2023

In recent years, use of machine automation is rising in the industry. Ships also obtain machine condition information from sensor as digital information. However, on ships, crew members regularly surveil the engine room to check the condition of equipment and their information through analog gauges. This is a time-consuming and tedious process and poses safety risks to the crew while on surveillance. To address this, engine room surveillance using an autonomous mobile robot is being actively explored as a solution because it can reduce time, costs, and the safety risks for crew. Analog gauge reading using an autonomous mobile robot requires digitization for the robot to recognize the gauge value. In this study, image processing techniques were applied to achieve this. Analog gauge images were subjected to image preprocessing to remove noise and highlight their features. The center point, indicator point, minimum value and maximum value of the analog gauge were detected through image processing. Through the straight line connecting these points, the angle from the minimum value to the maximum value and the angle from the minimum value to indicator point were obtained. The obtained angle is digitized as the value currently indicated by the analog gauge through a formula. It was confirmed from the experiments that the digitization of the analog gauge using image processing was successful, indicating the equivalent current value shown by the gauge. When applied to surveillance robots, this algorithm can minimize safety risks and time and opportunity costs of crew members for engine room surveillance.

• Journal of the Korea Academia-Industrial cooperation Society
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• v.21 no.8
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• pp.342-347
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• 2020

Recently, as the collaborative robot has been introduced into the domestic industrial robot market, it is installed mainly in the manufacturing industry. Collaborative robots are subject to the safety regulations of industrial robots by Article 93 of the Safety Inspection of the Industrial Safety and Health Act. The sites where collaborative robots are to be installed must perform risk assessments for robots-humans, work environments, and work methods and reduce the risks according to ISO 10218-2 and ISO 12100. On the other hand, because it is early in the introduction of collaborative robots, new risks for collaborative robots have not been issued, and risk assessments are unfamiliar and difficult to apply in the workplace. The risk assessment of collaborative robots aims to identify and reduce the risk of a high probability of occurrence by focusing on the abnormal behavior of humans, human errors, equipment defects, and interlock functions. In this study, a risk assessment was applied to a domestic automobile parts production plant, and improvement measures were drawn. This risk assessment is expected to be useful for improving the safety of small businesses by continuously discovering risk assessment examples of collaborative robots.