• Annals of Occupational and Environmental Medicine
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• v.34
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• pp.9.1-9.13
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• 2022

Background: Long working hours causes several health risks, but little is known about its effects on the liver. This study aimed to examine the correlation between working hours and abnormal liver enzyme levels. Methods: We used data from the Korea National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey IV-VII. For the final 15,316 study participant, the information on working hours was obtained through questionnaires, and liver enzyme levels, consisting of serum levels of aspartate aminotransferase (AST) and alanine aminotransferase (ALT), through blood tests. The relationship between weekly working hours and abnormal levels of liver enzymes was analyzed using multiple logistic regression, and a trend test was also conducted. Results: In male, working ≥ 61 hours per week was significantly associated with elevated AST and ALT levels compared with working 35-52 hours per week. Even after adjusting for covariates, the odds ratios (ORs) of abnormal AST and ALT increased by 1.51 (95% confidence interval: 1.20-2.05) and 1.25 (1.03-1.52), respectively, and a dose-response relationship was observed. This association was more prominent among the high-risk group, such as those aged > 40 years, obese individuals, worker on non-standard work schedule, pink-collar workers, or temporary worker. No correlation was observed in female. Conclusions: Long working hours are associated with abnormal liver function test results in male. Strict adherence to statutory working hours is necessary to protect workers' liver health.

• Journal of Korean Society of Occupational and Environmental Hygiene
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• v.3 no.1
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• pp.68-77
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• 1993

To evaluate efficiencies of the local exhaust systems installed in chromiun and nickel eletroplating tanks, specifications of each tank and general performances of the local exhaust systems were measured in 16 electroplating plants from July 3 to November 24, 1992. Airborne concentrations of total chromium, hexa-chromium and nickel were also measured, Most of the local exhaust systems installed in electroplating plants were inadequately designed. Average capture velocities of local exhaust systems in chromium and nickel tanks were 0.45 m/sec and 0.29 m/sec. Average slot velocities in chromium and nickel tanks were 7.30 m/sec and 2.87 m/sec repectively. Both average capture and solt velocities were in noncompliance with the standards recommened by American Conference of Governmental Industrial Hygienists (ACGIH) and National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH), Exhausted air volume was insufficient in all local exhaust systems surveyed. Worker exposure levels to total chromium, hexa-chromium and nickel were $43.0{\mu}g/m^3$, $1.7{\mu}g/m^3$ and $9.3{\mu}g/m^3$, which were below the Korean Standard and U.S. Occupational Health and Safety Administration (OHSA) Permissible Exposure Limit(REL). However, Worker exposure level to hexa-chromium exceeded the NIOSH Recommended Exposure Limit(REL) of $1{\mu}g/m^3$. As the result of Scheffee's multiple comparions, worker exposure levels to all metals were significantly different between two groups by the management state of existing local exhaust systems (p<0.05). However, Difference between a group with local exhaust systems which were poorly managed and another group without local exhaust system was satatistically non-significant.

• Annals of Occupational and Environmental Medicine
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• v.35
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• pp.26.1-26.15
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• 2023

Background: The objective of this study is to investigate the differences in incidence rates of targeted diseases by classification of occupations among construction workers in Korea. Methods: In a subject-based cohort of the Korean Construction Worker's Cohort, we surveyed a total of 1,027 construction workers. As occupational exposure, the classification of occupations was developed using two axes: construction business and job type. To analyze disease incidence, we linked survey data with National Health Insurance Service data. Eleven target disease categories with high prevalence or estimated work-relatedness among construction workers were evaluated in our study. The average incidence rates were calculated as cases per 1,000 person-years (PY). Results: Injury, poisoning, and certain other consequences of external causes had the highest incidence rate of 344.08 per 1,000 PY, followed by disease of the musculoskeletal system and connective tissue for 208.64 and diseases of the skin and subcutaneous tissue for 197.87 in our cohort. We especially found that chronic obstructive pulmonary disease was more common in construction painters, civil engineering welders, and civil engineering frame mold carpenters, asthma in construction painters, landscape, and construction water proofers, interstitial lung diseases in construction water proofers. Conclusions: This is the first study to systematically classify complex construction occupations in order to analyze occupational diseases in Korean construction workers. There were differences in disease incidences among construction workers based on the classification of occupations. It is necessary to develop customized occupational safety and health policies for high-risk occupations for each disease in the construction industry.

• Journal of Korean Society of Occupational and Environmental Hygiene
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• v.25 no.1
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• pp.1-12
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• 2015

Objectives: The major objectives of this study are to review the U.S. Standard which affected Korean worker's Right-to-Know Standard and to propose the way of improving the reliability of MSDS and labels. Methods: To review the U.S. Standard historically, we used the Federal Register, other criteria documentation and peer-reviewed literatures. Then we analysed major issues in the historical debatement on the worker's Right-to-Know Standard. Results: Korean MSDS Standard benchmarked the U.S. Hazard Communication Standard which finally established by President Reagan in 1983. Reagan's Hazard Communication Standard was aimed to preempt States Right-to-Know Acts for chemical industry and not to improve the awareness of workers on chemical hazards. Too much protection on trade secrets and low reliability of hazard information were key problems of the U.S. Standard. Conclusions: We recommend some ways to improve Korean MSDS and Label Standard. First, A new analysis frame is needed to understand the U.S Standard. Second, hazard identification is the key element of reliable information and chemical name and CAS number should be on the label of the container. Third, trade secrets should be limited to low hazardous substances and be permitted by government before the chemical product is on the market.

• Journal of the Society of Disaster Information
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• v.19 no.3
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• pp.519-531
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• 2023

With the aim of preventing safety accidents at construction sites, the company aims to create safe behaviors intended through variables called smart safety and health activities to help reduce industrial accidents. Purpose: It analyzes how smart safety and health activities affect accidents caused by unsafe behavior and changes in worker behavior, which is the root cause, and verifies the hypothesis that it helps prevent safety accidents and protect workers' lives. Method: Smart safety and health activities were selected as independent variables (X), and intended safety and anxiety, which are workers' behavioral intentions, were set as dependent variables (Y), attitude and subjective norms, and planned behavioral control as parameters (M). Exploratory factor analysis, discriminant validity analysis, and intensive validity analysis of safety and health activities were used to analyze the scale's reliability and validity. To verify the hypothesis of behavior change, the study was verified through Bayesian model analysis and MC simulation's probability density distribution. Result: It was found that workers who experienced smart safety and health activities at construction sites had the highest analysis of reducing unstable behavior and performing intended safety behavior. The research hypothesis that this will affect changes in worker behavior has been proven, the correlation between variables has been verified in the structural equation and path analysis of the research analysis, and it has been confirmed that smart safety and health activities can control and reduce worker instability. Conclusion: Smart safety and health activities are a very important item to prevent accidents and change workers' behavior at construction sites.

• Journal of Korean Public Health Nursing
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• v.16 no.2
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• pp.454-468
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• 2002

Historically, women's health needs have been viewed primarily as reproductive, and all other health needs have been dealth with without considering their responses to disease and treatment(Strickland & Giger, 1994). It has mostly been through the efforts of women's group, especially health care team, that more recognition has been given to the overall health of women worker in recent years. The purpose of this study was to examine the depression, self-esteem and health practice in order to identify health care strategies to improve health promotion among women workers in small workplace. The consisted of 94 women workers who work at small manufacturing industry. The data were collected from January to February, 2002. The instruments for this study was Rogenburgs self-esteem scale, Zung s depression self-reporting scale and Breslow & Enstrom s health habits scale. The analysis of data were performed with frequency, percentage, t-test, ANOVA. $\chi^2$ test, pearson correlation and multiple regression using SPSS Win 10.1 program. 1. The average depression score was 1.87 which is relatively low and the average self-esteem score was 2.75 which is relatively moderate. The total mean score for health practice was 4. 10(range 0-7) which is relatively high moderately. 2. Health practice had not a statistically significant correlation with depression and self-esteem, but the depression had a statistically significant correlation with self-esteem(r=-.401, p=.000). 3. There was not a significant difference In depression, self-esteem and health practice according to the general characteristics 4. There was a significant difference in sub category of health practice according to the status of living with family and status of marriage. As far as the health practice of women workers living with family practiced better health than women workers no living with family concerning breakfast(p=.03) and as far as the health practice of women workers no living with family practiced better health than women workers living with family concerning sleeping time(p=.04). There was a significant difference in breakfast(p=.04), smoking(p=.00), and BMI(p=.05) according to the status of marriage. 5. The major factor was age and explained for $7\%$ of health practice. The repeated study should be carried out to figure out the health practice and its related factors of female workers at small manufacturing industry.

• Proceedings of the Safety Management and Science Conference
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• 2008.11a
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• pp.29-34
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• 2008

• Journal of Korean Society of Occupational and Environmental Hygiene
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• v.10 no.2
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• pp.124-139
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• 2000

This study was performed to investigate monoacetylbenzidine(MABZ) and benzidine(BZ) hemoglobin adducts among workers who worked at benzidine based dye manufacturing company, and exposed by benzidine and benzidine based dye. The hemoglobin adducts were compared with work environment assessment result for evaluating the usefulness of biological monitoring. The mean BZ hemoglobin adducts among the first synthesis worker's hemoglobin adducts were $40.69{\mu}gBZ/g$ Hb and those of dry and packing workers were $22.14{\mu}gBZ/g$ Hb. The mean of MABZ hemoglobin adducts among 1st synthesis workers were $255.84{\mu}gMABZ/g$ Hb, dispersion worker's hemoglobin adducts were $76.17{\mu}gMABZ/g$ Hb and synthesis worker's hemoglogin adducts were $28.66{\mu}gMABZ/g$ Hb. Work environment assessment results during past 3 years were $0.0065mg/m^3$ and $0.5659mg/m^3$ of benzidine based dye concentration in ambient air of drying and packing only. Dye producing process was categorized by the possibility of exposure to benzidine and benzidine based dye. BZ and MABZ hemoglobin adducts were $19.55{\mu}gBZ/g$ Hb, $119.80{\mu}gMABZ/g$ Hb among workers who exposed by benzidine dihydrochloride and $16.32{\mu}gBZ/g$ Hb, $316.56{\mu}gMABZ/g$ Hb among workers who exposed by benzidine based dye. BZ hemoglobin adducts were not detected among control group and MABZ hemoglobin adducts were $5.33{\mu}gMABZ/g$ Hb. The differences between control and other exposed group was statistically significant. But there was no statistically significant differences between benzidine dihydrochloride exposed process and benzidine based dye exposed group. BZ and MABZ hemoglobin adducts were $2.23{\mu}gBZ/g$ Hb, $76.17{\mu}gMABZ/g$ Hb and $3.46{\mu}gBZ/g$ Hb, $21.33{\mu}gMABZ/g$ Hb. So hemoglobin adducts of MABZ were 5 ~ 30 time higher than those of BZ(P<0.003). Above results indicate that work environment assessment didn't detected benzidine and benzidine based dye in ambient air but biological monitoring detected those of hemoglobin adducts. Two group's hemoglobin adducts exposed benzidine dihydrochloride and benzidine based dye were high level but wasn't statistically significant and those were not detected in control group.

• Research in Community and Public Health Nursing
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• v.11 no.1
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• pp.117-126
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• 2000

For basic data to develop health management program of female workers. this study was intended to characterize factors affecting health problems of women at workplace which has less than 50 workers by Cornell Medical Index(CMI). 195 items of CMI questionnaire were simplified to 57 items which were composed of 35 items concerning physical health problems and 22 items concerning mental health problems. The data was collected during 6 months from July 10 to December 30 and analyzed with frequency, percentage, t-test and ANOVA. The 107 female workers included in this study was characterized to be mainly twenties(64.5%), single(69.2%) and working at production position(89.7%). The most frequent physical problem was fatigability and the next, neurological system and cardiovascular system. Main mental complaints were inadquacy. anger and tension. When the health problems were reviewed according to its general characteristics, anger in young age, adaptiveness in single and respiratory complaints in self-recognized unhealthy group were prevalent. According to life styles. the prevalent complaints were musculoskeletal one in alcoholic group and cardiovascular one in group who are sleeping just for four to five hours. The appropriateness of each items of CMI should be evaluated to reveal the reasons why meaningful results could not come from many items of this questionnaire. The repeated study should be carried out to figure out the health problems and its related factors of female workers at small scale workplace. Also, exercise program and abstinence from drinking and smoking should be carried out for female worker's health.

• Journal of Korean Public Health Nursing
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• v.8 no.1
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• pp.63-72
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• 1994

The purpose of this study was to estimate the industrial worker's knowledge, attitude, and practice about occupational health and to provide the basic data for the development of industrial health services. The study was undertaken from January 15 to January 30, 1993. 549 industrial workers at the Industrial Complex located in Chonbuk Province were participated in this study. The results were as follows; 1. The Knowledge, Attitude and Practice leveles of Workers about Occupational Health. The levels were measured by five point scale. The mean score of knowledge was 2. 59 point out of 4. The mean score of attitude was 2.37 point out of 4. The mean score of practice was 2. 38 point out of 4. 2. The analysis of their knowledge" attitude, and practice about general characteristics. 1) There was significant difference among different age groups. $(P{\leqq}0.0001)$ -. The group of age 25-29 was the highest value in knowledge and attitude. -. The group of age over 50 was highest value in practice. 2) There was significant difference between sexual groups in all items. -. Male workers were higher than Female workers in all items. (P=0.0000) 3) There was significant difference according to the marital status in all items. -. Married workers were higher than Single workers in all items. (P = 0.0000) 4) There was significant difference among different groups of educational level in attitude and practice. (P<0.05) The value was positivly correlated to their educational level. 5) There was significant difference among the groups of job-part in knowledge and practice. (P=0.000, P=0.031) -. Office workers were higher than Production workers in all items. 6) There was significant difference among different group of job experience in knowledge and attitude. (P=0.0000. P=0.0387) The value was positively correlated to the years length of job experience. 7) There was significant difference among the groups of different monthly income in all items. (P=0.000) The value was positively correlated to their monthly income.