• Title/Summary/Keyword: Workplace safety

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Analysis of Cause of Fire and Explosion in Internal Floating Roof Tank: Focusing on Fire and Explosion Accidents at the OO Oil Pipeline Corporation (내부 부상형 저장탱크(IFRT) 화재·폭발사고 원인 분석: OO송유관공사 저유소 화재·폭발사건을 중심으로)

  • Koo, Chae-Chil;Choi, Jae-Wook
    • Fire Science and Engineering
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    • v.34 no.2
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    • pp.86-93
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    • 2020
  • This study aims to maintain the safety of an outdoor storage tank through the fundamental case analysis of explosion and fire accidents in the storage tank. We consider an accident caused by the explosion of fire inside the tank, as a result of the gradual spreading of the residual fire generated by wind lamps flying off a workplace in the storage tank yard. To determine the cause of the accident, atmospheric diffusion conditions were derived through CCTV image analysis, and the wind direction was analyzed using computational fluid dynamics. Additionally, the amount of oil vapor inside the tank when the floating roof was at the lowest position, and the behavior of the vapor inside the tank when the floating roof was at the highest position were investigated. If the cause of the explosion in the storage tank is identified and the level of the storage tank is maintained below the internal floating roof, dangerous liquid fills the storage tank, and the vapor in the space may stagnate on the internal floating roof. We intend to improve the operation procedure such that the level of the storage tank is not under the Pontoon support, as well as provide measures to prevent flames from entering the storage tank by installing a flame arrester in the open vent of the tank.

Activity-Based Costing and Management Applied to Occupational and Environmental Health (산업보건 및 환경분야에 대한 활동기준원가계산 및 관리의 응용)

  • Park, Doo Yong;Brandt, Michael T.;Levine, Steven P.;Paik, Nam Won
    • Journal of Korean Society of Occupational and Environmental Hygiene
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    • v.6 no.1
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    • pp.144-155
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    • 1996
  • During the 1990s the workplace has grown more complex and business competition has increased world-wide. All organizations, whether for-profit or non-profit have been forced to respond to market changes. More advanced information and technology, greater product diversity, shorter product life cycles, increased quality requirements, more regulation oversight, decreasing productivity, more competitors, and increasing overhead costs have motivated organizations to focus on ways to deliver products cheaper, better, and faster. Many organizations are searching for ways to reduce costs through downsizing, reengineering business processes, implementing quality management, outsourcing, and improving cost management. Support departments that provide services internal to an organization such as human resources, legal, and environmental, safety, and health (ES&H) are often the first organization targeted for cost reduction and cost control initiatives because these functions are part of a rapidly increasing overhead cost. Recently, ES&H functions are incresingly being integrated into the business of business to contribute value to organization beyond mere compliance with ES&H regulations. The discussions and development of the ISO compatible Environmental Management Standards or Occupational Safety and Health Management Standards is another impetus to integrate ES&H function into the business of business. Thus, ES&H professional need new skills to analyze the cost of their function and communicate the value of the products and services they provide. In recent years, the need for and the importance developing cost management and business skills by ES&H professionals have been emphasized in the literature. Communicating with decision makers in terms of cost and value to the organization, and by using business language and business arguments is the first step toward effectively integrating ES&H activities into the business of business. Activity-based costing (ABC) is a cost management method that measures the cost of a product or service based on the actual use of resources by activities, and based on the actual amount of activities used to produce a product or service. ABC is recommended as a tool for managers of ES&H organizations to determine the cost of developing and providing ES&H products within a for-profit firm or non-profit agency. This paper discusses the trend of integration of ES&H functions into the mainstream of business activities within an organization. The general principles of treditional cost accounting are presented as a bases for understandging why and how ABC will provide more accurate estimates of cost. The principles and concepts of ABS are presented as a tool for determining more accurately the true cost of ES&H products and services.

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Railway Access Alarm System Using Infrared Distance Sensor and Wireless Communication (적외선 센서와 무선통신을 이용한 열차접근경보시스템 개발)

  • Hwang, Yun-Tae;Hwang, Sung-Tae;Lee, Yun-Sung;Kim, Do-Keun;Lee, Tae-Gyu
    • The Journal of the Korea Contents Association
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    • v.17 no.11
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    • pp.303-311
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    • 2017
  • Safety accidents in railway work continue to increase every year; Engineer's negligence, trackside worker's sensory deprivation and signalman's mistake are the main reasons of such incidents. We consider this problem by far the most urgent matter in railway work because of its steady increase and risk of taking a person's life. Based on that account, a new alarm system has developed, that is called Railway Access Alarm System, to allow railway workers to sense the access of trains with not only vision, but also hearing. The detector device of this system is installed on both sides of the track locating 1.5km from the workplace. When the train enters the place, the detector device can sense the entering, sending the detect sign of train to the alarm unit, then the alarm unit warns the workers by the LED lighting and sirens. This system has several advantages compared to previous systems. First, it recognizes the train at a long distance. Secondly, there is no need for wiring work since it is a wireless system. At last, the system works by rechargeable batteries and solar charger so that it is installed in the work places where there is no external power supply. Moreover, it is proven that the system is 100% reliable by the successful on-the spot inspection evaluating the capability.

A Study on the Status of Working Environment by Type of Working Processes in Manufacturing Industry of Parts and Accessories for Motor Vehicles and its Engines (경주지역 자동차 부품 제조업의 공정별 작업환경실태에 관한 연구)

  • Park, Sung-Jun;Lee, Won-Ho;Lee, Kwan;Moon, Deog-Hwan
    • Journal of Korean Society of Occupational and Environmental Hygiene
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    • v.15 no.2
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    • pp.90-103
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    • 2005
  • Objective: This study was carried out to assess the status of working environments, to improve the working environments, and to be helpful to prevent occupational disease. Methods: The authors measured the noise level, concentration of dust, heavy metals, organic solvents, and other chemicals at 95 industries (22 working processes) by type of working process in manufacturing industry of parts and accessories for motor vehicles and its engines from January to December 2003. Samples were measured and analyzed by regulations of Korea Ministry of Labor, manuals of National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) and Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA). Results: Results are as follows. 1. Major processes exceeding mean noise levels provided the American Conference of Governmental Industrial Hygienists (ACGIH) Threshold Limit Value (TLV) were shakeout [97.5 dB(A)]. shot-blast [94.2 dB(A)], pressing [92.9 dB(A)], crushing [91.2 dB(A)], and cleaning [90.6 dB(A)]. 2. Mean concentrations of dusts were not exceeded to the TLV. But concentration on some points of processes as like welding (6.50 mg/m3), foundry (5.24 mg/m3) were exceeded. 3. Mean concentrations of heavy metals were not exceeded to the TLV. 4. Mean concentrations of organic solvents and chemicals were not exceeded to the TLV. 5. Improving rate for working environment were significantly higher in industries with health manager than without (p<0.05), and by increasing the year of working environmental measurement (p<0.01). Conclusions: The results suggest that working processes of exceeding to the TLV will be needed rapid improvement of the working environment, and also the others will be needed positive management of the working environment. Health managers must be recommended to employ in the workplace, and further studies for relationship between working environment and health effects for the workers must be carried out.

Evaluation of Mixed Organic Solvent Exposures in Painting Plants (도료 제조업 근로자들의 복합유기용제 폭로농도에 관한 연구)

  • Choi, Ho Chun;Oh, Doe-Suk;Oh, Se-Min;Chung, Kyou-Chull
    • Journal of Korean Society of Occupational and Environmental Hygiene
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    • v.3 no.2
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    • pp.177-187
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    • 1993
  • The exposure levels of mixed organic solvents for 66 exposed workers in six paint manufacturing plants were evaluated. In 66 exposed workers and 30 control subjects, we also determined the concentrations of toluene and xylene metabolites, hippuric acid, ($o^-$, $m^-$, and $p^-$)methylhippuric acid. The results were as follow ; 1. Seven organic compounds, which on averge accounted for approximately 90% of the identified mass in each painting plants air samples, were selected for quantification : methyl ethyl ketone, ethyl acetate, methyl isobutyl ketone, toluene, butyl acetate, ethyl benzene, ($o^-$, $m^-$, $p^-$)xylene. 2. The average mixed organic solvent exposure levels in 66 points with workplce were 3.8ppm of MEK, 12.2ppm of ethyl acetate, 4.0ppm of MIBK, 28.7ppm of toluene, 3.8ppm of butyl acetate, 10.2ppm of ethyl benzene, 14.6ppm of xylene, respectively. 3. For the total 66 points with workplace, the rate of them of which mixed solvents in air was exceeded th TLV of 1.0 were obtained for 23%(15/66 point). 4. The concentrations of hippuric acid in urine of exposed group and control were $0.94{\pm}0.65g/g$ of creatinine, $0.16{\pm}0.11g/g$ of creatinine, respectively. 5. There was a linear correlation between the end shift hippuric acid acid levels in urine and exposed toluene in air : y=0.02079X+494.2, r=0.6488, n=55 y:hippuric acid in urine(mg/g of creatinine), x:toluene levels in air(ppb) Toluene levels of 100ppm in air have been caculated to hippuric acid of 2.57g/g of creatinine in urine. 6. There was a linear correlation between the end shift methylhippuric acid acid levels in urine and exposed xylene in air : y=0.01664X+31.6, r=0.7264, n=55 y:methylhippuric acid in urine(mg/g of crea.), x:xylene levels in air(ppb) Xylene levels of 100ppm in air have been caculated to methylhippuric acid of 1.69g/g of creatinine in urine.

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Microbiological Evaluation of Chilled Freshes Raw-fish Manufacturers before and after HACCP System Establishment (싱싱회류 생산업체의 HACCP 시스템 구축 전 후의 미생물학적 평가)

  • 박완희;이성학;정덕화
    • Journal of Food Hygiene and Safety
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    • v.19 no.2
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    • pp.74-83
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    • 2004
  • Raw-fish food contains a lot of moisture and is a high-protein food. It is a first-stage processed food taking a lot of manual work. Therefore, it is classified as a PHF food, very liable to cause a bacterial food-poisoning. But its manufacturers are usually small-sized and a systematic sanitation management is difficult to expect. But the manufacturer participating in this study produces chilled fresh raw-fish food. Fish are sliced into two fillets, which are packaged under vacuum, kept and distributed in refrigerators, and sold within a day. It is a newly-developed kind of raw-fish food, and a more improved kind of raw-fish food making possible a systematic sanitation management. The HACCP (Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Point) is a systematic and continuous process-control method which is very efficient for controling food sanitation and reducing the expenses. A new HACCP model has been developed to be applied to a large-sized chilled fresh raw-fish food manufacturer. To ascertain its efficiency, the baterial examination was done to its workplace and products. The significance test was done on its data by "SPSS 12.0 for Window" and "Mann-Whitney U Test". The numbers of bacteria on its final products were significantly different in flatfish and porgy. The number of bacteria tended to decrease in each time-differential sampling (P<.00l). The final food products showed no food-poisoning bacteria in all the time-differential tests and in all the samplings, which proves that the CCP of the HACCP system is under control. After the SSOP program was applied, no pathogenic bacteria were found in the work-place, and the kinds and numbers of bacteria decreased. The numbers of general bacteria and colon bacilli also showed a significant difference from those before the SSOP program in the filleting board (P<.05), in the skinning board (P<.0l), in the neck-removing knife (P<.05), and in the filleting knife (P<.01). The working equipments, periodically disinfected, also showed a significant difference in sanitary conditions (in the dehydrator, P<.05). The number of bacteria found on the food-touching surface was within the standard (below 500/l00 cm$^2$) After the SSOP program was applied, the general bacteria and colon bacilli were not found. The quality of water used in the food processing was also within the standard. The numbers of bacteria falling from the air in the work-place were negligible in all the samplings (<30CFU/l000ι). The staphylococci and fungi were not found.

An Empirical Study on Evaluation of Performance Shaping Factors on AHP (AHP 기법을 이용한 수행영향인자 평가에 관한 연구)

  • Jung, Kyung-Hee;Byun, Seong-Nam;Kim, Jung-Ho;Heo, Eun-Mee;Park, Hong-Joon
    • Journal of the Ergonomics Society of Korea
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    • v.30 no.1
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    • pp.99-108
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    • 2011
  • Almost all companies have paid much attention to the safety management ranging from maintenance to operation even at the stage of designing in order to prevent accidents, but fatal accidents continue to increase throughout the world. In particular, it is essential to systematically prevent such fatal accidents as fire, explosion or leakage of toxic gas at factories in order to not only protect the workers and neighbors but also prevent economic losses and environmental pollution. Though it is well known that accident probability is very low in NPP(Nuclear Power Plants), the reason why many researches are still being performed about the accidents is the results may be so severe. HRA is the main process to make preparation for possibility of human error in designing of the NPP. But those techniques have some problems and limitation as follows; the evaluation sensitivity of those techniques are out of date. And the evaluation of human error is not coupled with the design process. Additionally, the scope of the human error which has to be included in reliability assessment should be expanded. This work focuses on the coincidence of human error and mechanical failure for some important performance shaping factors to propose a method for improving safety effectively of the process industries. In order to apply in these purposes into the thesis, I found 63 critical Performance Shaping Factors of the eight dimensions throughout studies that I executed earlier. In this study, various analysis of opinion of specialists(Personal Factors, Training, Knowledge or Experience, Procedures and Documentation, Information, Communications, HMI, Workplace Design, Quality of Environment, Team Factors) and the guideline for construction of PSF were accomplished. The selected method was AHP which simplifies objective conclusions by maintaining consistency. This research focused on the implementation process of PSF to evaluate the process of PSF at each phase. As a result, we propose an evaluation model of PSF as a tool to find critical problem at each phase and improve on how to resolve the problems found at each phase. This evaluation model makes it possible to extraction of PSF succesfully by presenting the basis of assessment which will be used by enterprises to minimize the trial and error of construction process of PSF.

Study on about Emotional Labor Experience of Social Workers through Thematic Analysis : Focusing on Social Workers in P City Case (주제분석을 통한 사회복지 종사자의 감정노동 경험 연구: P시 사례를 중심으로)

  • Suh, Borahm
    • The Journal of the Korea Contents Association
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    • v.19 no.3
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    • pp.31-47
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    • 2019
  • This study analyzes the emotional labor experiences of 8 social workers in social welfare facilities and public institutions by thematic analysis method with interveiws with them. Six categories and Twenty two themes concerning the emotional labor experience were derived from the analysis. Six categories are as follows: 'work life as a target for anger', 'unsafe workplace', 'emotional labor that ruins life', 'overcoming hurt emotion', and 'living with emotional labor'. Social workers are constantly required to perform emotional labor providing services to clients in the field of practice, and they also suffer verbal abuse from clients. Social workers feel the pressure of work in the environment that does not tolerate mistakes and they must keep their safety on their own. In these cases, emotional labor has effects on the physical and mental health of workers. The problem of emotional labor is difficult to solve and there might not be no choice but to endure. This study suggests practical and policy measures for social workers based on the results of the analysis. Policy suggestions are as follows: safety assurance for social workers, establishment of base facilities for employee support, human rights education for employees, preparation of super vision system, and the provision of a mental health care system.

Potential Exposure of Nanoparticles from Laboratory to Office (실험실에서 사무실로의 나노입자의 잠재적 노출)

  • Shin, Hyeokjin;Kim, Younghun
    • Clean Technology
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    • v.28 no.2
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    • pp.123-130
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    • 2022
  • Nanoparticles are used in various fields such as chemistry, medicine, the environment, and information and communication. With the increasing use of engineered nanomaterials, exposure to nanoparticles is expected to increase in the workplace and the environmental media. However, while nanotechnology industries are expanding, research on the exposure assessment of nanomaterials to humans and the environment is only at a beginning stage. Especially, if nanoparticles with a size of 100 nm or less that are contained in nano-products are released unintentionally, they may pose potential risks to the human body through breathing or skin exposure. Therefore, in this work, the possibility of potential exposure of nanoparticles moving from the laboratory to the office was confirmed, and nanoparticle safety guidelines are proposed. A nano-collector was used to detect nanoparticles in the atmosphere, and through use of a scanning mobility particle sizer it was found that nanoparticle concentrations in the laboratory and the office tended to be similar. On the assumption that nanoparticles attached to a lab-coat move out of the laboratory, a lab-coat to which nanocarbon black was attached was shaken and the concentration of the remaining particles on the lab-coat determined. The results confirmed that sufficient amounts of nanoparticles attached to the lab-coat could move from the laboratory to the office along the path of a researcher; thus, safety guidelines for the handling of lab-coat nanoparticles are required.

Study on the Chemical Management - 2. Comparison of Classification and Health Index of Chemicals Regulated by the Ministry of Environment and the Ministry of the Employment and Labor (화학물질 관리 연구-2. 환경부와 고용노동부의 관리 화학물질의 구분, 노출기준 및 독성 지표 등의 특성 비교)

  • Kim, Sunju;Yoon, Chungsik;Ham, Seunghon;Park, Jihoon;Kim, Songha;Kim, Yuna;Lee, Jieun;Lee, Sangah;Park, Donguk;Lee, Kwonseob;Ha, Kwonchul
    • Journal of Korean Society of Occupational and Environmental Hygiene
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    • v.25 no.1
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    • pp.58-71
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    • 2015
  • Objectives: The aims of this study were to investigate the classification system of chemical substances in the Occupational Safety and Health Act(OSHA) and Chemical Substances Control Act(CSCA) and to compare several health indices (i.e., Time Weighted Average (TWA), Lethal Dose ($LD_{50}$), and Lethal Concentration ($LC_{50}$) of chemical substances by categories in each law. Methods: The chemicals regulated by each law were classified by the specific categories provided in the respective law; seven categories for OSHA (chemicals with OELs, chemicals prohibited from manufacturing, etc., chemicals requiring approval, chemicals kept below permissible limits, chemicals requiring workplace monitoring, chemicals requiring special management, and chemicals requiring special heath diagnosis) and five categories from the CSCA(poisonous substances, permitted substances, restricted substances, prohibited substances, and substances requiring preparation for accidents). Information on physicochemical properties, health indices including CMR characteristics, $LD_{50}$ and $LD_{50}$ were searched from the homepages of the Korean Occupational and Safety Agency and the National Institute of Environmental Research, etc. Statistical analysis was conducted for comparison between TWA and health index for each category. Results: The number of chemicals based on CAS numbers was different from the numbers of series of chemicals listed in each law because of repeat listings due to different names (e.g., glycol monoethylether vs. 2-ethoxy ethanol) and grouping of different chemicals under the same serial number(i.e., five different benzidine-related chemicals were categorized under one serial number(06-4-13) as prohibited substances under the CSCA). A total of 722 chemicals and 995 chemicals were listed at the OSHA and its sub-regulations and CSCA and its sub-regulations, respectively. Among these, 36.8% based on OSHA chemicals and 26.7% based on CSCA chemicals were regulated simultaneously through both laws. The correlation coefficients between TWA and $LC_{50}$ and between TWA and $LD_{50}$, were 0.641 and 0.506, respectively. The geometric mean values of TWA calculated by each category in both laws have no tendency according to category. The patterns of cumulative graph for TWA, $LD_{50}$, $LC_{50}$ were similar to the chemicals regulated by OHSA and CCSA, but their median values were lower for CCSA regulated chemicals than OSHA regulated chemicals. The GM of carcinogenic chemicals under the OSHA was significantly lower than non-CMR chemicals($2.21mg/m^3$ vs $5.69mg/m^3$, p=0.006), while there was no significant difference in CSCA chemicals($0.85mg/m^3$ vs $1.04mg/m^3$, p=0.448). $LC_{50}$ showed no significant difference between carcinogens, mutagens, reproductive toxic chemicals and non-CMR chemicals in both laws' regulated chemicals, while there was a difference between carcinogens and non-CMR chemicals in $LD_{50}$ of the CSCA. Conclusions: This study found that there was no specific tendency or significant difference in health indicessuch TWA, $LD_{50}$ and $LC_{50}$ in subcategories of chemicals as classified by the Ministry of Labor and Employment and the Ministry of Environment. Considering the background and the purpose of each law, collaboration for harmonization in chemical categorizing and regulation is necessary.