• Safety and Health at Work
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• v.15 no.2
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• pp.208-212
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• 2024

Background: Traffic accidents involving professional drivers have serious societal repercussions. Unique occupational stressors and health risks exacerbate the likelihood of traffic accidents among professional drivers. This study explores the association between presenteeism-impaired work performance due to working while unwell-and traffic accident risk among professional taxi drivers in Japan. Methods: A prospective cohort study was conducted from June 2022 to February 2023, involving taxi drivers from a single company in Fukuoka Prefecture, Japan. Presenteeism was assessed using the Work Functioning Impairment Scale (WFun). Primary outcome involved the number of self-reported minor traffic accidents. The incidence rate ratio (IRR) of minor traffic accident occurrences was estimated using a Poisson regression analysis, adjusted for confounders including sex, age, and driving experience. Results: Of 838 targeted drivers, 435 were included in the analysis. Higher baseline work functioning impairment was associated with a significant trend of increasing IRR of minor traffic accidents (p for trend = 0.045). A dose-response relationship was seen between the degree of presenteeism and incidence rate of minor traffic accidents. Conclusion: Higher levels of presenteeism were associated with an increased risk of traffic accidents among taxi drivers. The findings underscore the need for socio-economic support and prioritized health management to mitigate traffic accident risk among professional drivers. This study highlights the importance of managing non-critical health issues alongside serious health conditions for safer driving practices among professional drivers in Japan.

• 한국지구물리탐사학회:학술대회논문집
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• 2003.11a
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• pp.536-539
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• 2003

The Dongjung Au-Ag-Cu mine area was seriously contaminated with As and heavy metals-Cd, Cu, Hg, Mn, Pb and Zn etc. Those elements were highly accumulated in plants grown at farmland as well as farmland soil. Stream waters and groundwater which has been used as drinking water around the mine site contain high levels of heavy metals, especially As. As a result of human health risk assessment using EHS(Extraction of Heavy metals in Stomach and Small intestine) test for bioaccessible contents of heavy metals, there is a potential of cancer and adverse effects on human health for the residents of the mine area.

• Safety and Health at Work
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• v.14 no.4
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• pp.483-487
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• 2023

The objectives of the study were to explore the employment factors associated with long working hours, known as a risk factor for various health outcomes. The study relied on the national representative data of the 2013 French working conditions survey and a study sample of 23,378 full-time employees. Long working hours were defined by the threshold of 48 hours a week following the European Working Time Directive. The prevalence of long working hours was higher among men (13.5%) than among women (8.5%). Employees of the private sector, with permanent work contract, in small companies, and men in the services had a higher prevalence of exposure. This prevalence increased with educational and occupational levels. Our findings may help decision-makers to define preventive strategies. More research is needed to improve our knowledge of the employment factors associated with long working hours, as there may be strong differences between countries.

• Microbiology and Biotechnology Letters
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• v.50 no.1
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• pp.51-62
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• 2022

Lactobacillus rhamnosus SKG34 (LrSKG34), a potential probiotic strain, was successfully isolated from Sumbawa Mare's milk. Our previous studies showed that the strain is resistant to gastrointestinal conditions, possesses antioxidant activity, and lowers blood cholesterol levels. Further clarification of the potential probiotic characteristics and safety assessment are necessary. This study aimed to evaluate the adhesion of LrSKG34 to Caco-2 cell monolayers and its effect on mucosal integrity in vitro. We also examined the LrSKG34 safety profile based on antimicrobial susceptibility testing, haemolytic activity determination, Caco-2 cell monolayer translocation evaluation, and in vivo investigation of the effect of LrSKG34 on the physiology, biochemical markers, and histopathological appearance of major organs in an animal model. LrSKG34 attached to Caco-2 cell monolayers and maintained mucosal integrity in vitro. The typical resistance of lactobacilli to ciprofloxacin, gentamicin, vancomycin, trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole, and metronidazole was confirmed for LrSKG34. No haemolytic activity was observed on blood agar plates, and no LrSKG34 translocation was observed in Caco-2 cell monolayers. Administration of LrSKG34 to Sprague-Dawley rats did not adversely affect body weight. No abnormalities in hematological parameters, serum biochemistry levels, or histopathological structures of major organs were observed in LrSKG34-treated rats. Collectively, the results implicate LrSKG34 as a promising and potentially safe probiotic candidate for further development.

• Journal of Korean Society of Industrial and Systems Engineering
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• v.22 no.53
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• pp.79-88
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• 1999

This paper presents an integral model for product safety and product liability resulting from a defective product. The essence of the paper is the process of supply of manufacturing products which satisfy the product liability and the product safety in terms of consumers expectation levels. The main criteria of the product safety is the hazard level which involves in the severity and frequency. The proposed model shows the process to supply the manufactured products under the conditions that they are suitable in comparison of hazard level and safety level established by each company. If the product do not meet the safety level, this paper proposes that four different types of PL and PS countermeasures for the risk types are forward, respectively.

• Toxicological Research
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• v.34 no.4
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• pp.343-354
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• 2018

Aluminum oxide nanoparticles ($Al_2O_3$ NPs) are among the most widely used nanomaterials; however, relatively little information about their risk identification and assessment is available. In the present study, we aimed to investigate the potential toxicity of $Al_2O_3$ NPs following repeated inhalation exposure in male Sprague-Dawley rats. Rats were exposed to $Al_2O_3$ NPs for 28 days (5 days/week) at doses of 0, 0.2, 1, and $5mg/m^3$ using a nose-only inhalation system. During the experimental period, we evaluated the clinical signs, body weight change, hematological and serum biochemical parameters, necropsy findings, organ weight, and histopathology findings. Additionally, we analyzed the bronchoalveolar lavage fluid (BALF), including differential leukocyte counts, and aluminum contents in the major organs and blood. Aluminum contents were the highest in lung tissues and showed a dose-dependent relationship in the exposure group. Histopathology showed alveolar macrophage accumulation in the lungs of rats in the $5mg/m^3$ group during exposure and recovery. These changes tended to increase at the end of the recovery period. In the BALF analysis, total cell and neutrophil counts and lactate dehydrogenase, tumor necrosis factor-${\alpha}$, and interleukin-6 levels significantly increased in the 1 and $5mg/m^3$ groups during exposure. Under the present experimental conditions, we suggested that the no-observed-adverse-effect level of $Al_2O_3$ NPs in male rats was $1mg/m^3$, and the target organ was the lung.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Safety
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• v.38 no.4
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• pp.32-38
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• 2023

Job stress factors are factors that induce biological, psychological, and behavioral responses in individuals when they encounter mental and physical stimuli in the workplace. According to occupational safety and health standards, employers are responsible for the health consequences of job stress when workers engage in activities that result in high levels of physical fatigue and mental stress. Such activities include long working hours, shift work (including night shifts), driving vehicles, and operating precision machinery. Therefore, precautionary measures should be implemented. Following the COVID-19 epidemic, the logistics industry in Korea has experienced rapid growth owing to the shift from offline to online platforms facilitated by advanced digital infrastructure. Consequently, this study conducted a survey to analyze job stress factors among delivery workers. The survey utilized a Korean job stress factor assessment tool comprising 43 items and analyzed job stress factors considering the work characteristics of the courier business field obtained from responses provided by 421 courier workers nationwide. The survey analysis revealed that the physical environment, job demands, and job autonomy exhibited higher stress indices among Korean workers. Furthermore, the younger the age, the higher the stress on job demands, whereas the higher the age, the higher the stress on relationship conflict, job instability, and workplace culture. In addition, daytime delivery work was associated with higher stress levels in job demands and job instability compared with nighttime delivery work. These findings can serve as foundational data for reducing and preventing job stress among courier workers, whose workload has increased owing to the growth of the logistics industry.

• Korean journal of aerospace and environmental medicine
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• v.31 no.3
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• pp.64-67
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• 2021

When the COVID-19 crisis hit air transport, the whole aviation industry was affected. The change in the behavior of passengers following the COVID-19 crisis, travel restrictions and the ensuing economic crisis have resulted in a dramatic drop in demand for airline services. The COVID-19 pandemic, with all its associated consequences, has had a significant impact on the mental health and well-being of pilots, which could impact operational safety. As the number of international flights has decreased, pilots are exposed to high levels of psychological stress such as job instability, reduced income and increased risk of infection during flight work. Psychological stress lowers work performance and threatens aviation safety. The pilot needs mental health management during the COVID-19 pandemic, but psychological support is weak. For pilot mental health management, it is important to raise awareness about mental health and to continuously respond. To this end, it is necessary to foster a safe and trustworthy culture in which mental health issues are discussed freely and solved together without hiding them. They should also support the establishment of a peer support program that is easily accessible and that allows pilots to discuss their issues with confidence.

• Journal of Korean Society of Occupational and Environmental Hygiene
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• v.3 no.1
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• pp.100-109
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• 1993

This study was performed to evaluate the asbestos exposure levels and variations in textile, brake lining manufacturing and slate manufacturing industries. For this study, fifteen plants of brake lining manufacturing industry, 7 plants of textile industry, and 2 plants of slate manufacturing industry were selected and surveyed. Geometric means (GMs) of airborne asbestos concentrations in textile, brake lining manufacturing, and slate manufacturing industries were 1.42 f/cc(0.07-6.1O f/cc), 0.19 f/cc(<0.01-2.67 f/cc) and 0.08 f/cc(0.02-0.67 f/cc), respectively. In textile industry overall GMs of airborne asbestos concentrations in plants with less than 50 workers and in plants with more than 50 workers were 1.60 f/cc and 0.3 f/cc, respectively. Therefore, the size of plant showed some difference in the airborne asbestos concentrations. Three out of 7(42.9%) exceed the Korean standard, 2 f/cc, and every plant exceed the USA standard, 0.2 f/cc of the OSHA-Permissible Exposure Level(OSHA-PEL). Especially, one plant showed the highest average concentration of 2.87 f/cc. In brake lining manufacturing industry, the plants with less than 50 workers showed 0.22 f/cc. The plants with more than 50 workers showed 0.18 f/cc. All plants showed the exposure level below the Korean standard. Five of 15 (33.3%) were above the OSHA-PEL. One plant showed the highest average concentraton of 0.84 f/cc. In slate manufacturing industry, the average exposure level was 0.08 f/cc, and all of the plants were below the Korean standard and the OSHA-PEL.

• Journal of Environmental Health Sciences
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• v.42 no.3
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• pp.213-223
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• 2016

Objectives: This study was designed to assess the level of physical exposure to heavy metals among residents who live around a Chungcheongnam-do Province industrial complex and to provide baseline data on the effects and harms of heavy metals on the human body by comparing their exposure levels to those of people from control regions. Methods: We measured blood lead and cadmium levels and urine mercury and chromium levels and conducted a survey among 559 residents from the affected area and 347 residents of other areas. Results: Blood lead and cadmium levels and urine mercury levels were significantly higher in the case region than among those in the control region (p=0.013, p<0.001, p<0.001, respectively). In the thermoelectric power plant area, blood cadmium and urine mercury levels were significantly higher than in the control region (p<0.001, p<0.001, respectively). In the steel mill and petrochemical industry areas, blood cadmium level was significantly higher than that in the control region (p<0.001). Dividing groups by the reference level of blood cadmium ($2{\mu}g/L$), the odds ratios between the case and control regions were 2.56 (95% CI=1.83-3.58), 3.11 (95% CI=2.06-4.71) for the thermoelectric power plant area, 1.78 (95% CI=1.19-2.65) for the steel mill area and 4.07 (95% CI=2.40-6.89) for petrochemical industry area. Conclusion: This study showed that the levels of exposure to heavy metals among residents living near a Chungcheongnam-do Province industrial complex were significantly higher than those in the control region. This seems to be attributable to exposure to heavy metals emissions from the industrial complex. Further research and safety measures are required to protect residents' health.