• 한국산업보건학회지
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• 제21권3호
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• pp.123-127
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• 2011

Objectives: The purpose of this study was to investigate the status of asbestos-containing materials (ACMs) used on ships and to consider measures for preventing worker exposure to asbestos fibers. Methods: A total of 17 ships including 16 ships under repair and a ship under construction at shipyards in Korea were investigated. Bulk samples were collected from suspected ACMs on engine exhaust pipes, boiler steam pipes, generator exhaust pipes, and etc. in ships in order to identify the presence of ACMs. Types and contents of asbestos were determined using polarized light microscopy (PLM). Results: ACMs were found from 14 ships out of 17 ships investigated. Only chrysotile asbestos was found from all samples. ACMs were mainly found from samples collected at the exhaust pipes of the engine, generator and incinerator, and boiler steam pipes where exhaust gases or steam of high temperature pass through. In most cases, types of ACMs were asbestos-containing fabrics such as asbestos tape. Friable ACMs were also found in some cases. Use of ACMs on ships was relevant to built time and owner of the ships rather than type and tonnage of the ships. Conclusions: ACMs were found from most ships built prior to 2000s. Therefore, measures for preventing asbestos-related diseases such as preparation of asbestos map on the ship and installation of warning signs, hazard communication with workers (ship-repairing workers, engine room workers and etc.), and follow-up for worker's health management are needed.

• 한국산업보건학회지
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• 제28권1호
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• pp.35-42
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• 2018

Objectives:본 연구의 목적은 석면함유물질의 사용 특성을 조사하고, "환경부고시 제2016-230호 석면건축물의 위해성 평가 방법"을 적용하여 위해성평가를 실시하였다. Methods:서울 및 경인지역에 위치한 건축물 100개소를 선정하였으며, 지역의 구분은 서울 29개, 인천 20개, 경기 51개이다. 건축연도는 1970년대 3개, 1980년대 11개, 1990년대 42개, 2000년대 44개로 구분하여 조사하였다. 고형시료의 분석은 고효율 필터가 부착된 후드 내에서 입체현미경을 이용하여 전처리 과정을 거쳐 편광현미경으로 분석하였으며, 분석결과가 함유율 1% 초과인 경우에 석면함유물질(Asbestos-Containing Materials, ACMs)을 석면으로 규정하였다. 석면건축자재의 위해성 평가 방법 및 기준은 "환경부고시 제2016-230호 석면건축물의 위해성 평가 방법"을 참고하여 석면함유물질에 노출된 위해성 등급은 세 가지 단계(높음, 중간, 낮음)로 평가하였다. Results: 건축물 100개소 중 30개소, 고형시료 416개 중 36개(8.6%)에서 석면함유물질이 있는 것으로 나타났다. 1990년대에 지어진 건축물 42개 중 18개에서 석면이 높은 비율로 검출되었으며, 2000년대에 지어진 건물 44개 중 7개에서 가장 낮은 비율로 검출되었다. "환경부고시 제2016-230호 석면건축물의 위해성 평가 방법"에 따라 평가를 실시한 결과, 2개 건축자재의 위해성평가 등급은 "중간"으로 나타났으며, 28개의 건축자재는 "낮음" 으로 나타났다. Conclusion: 석면은 정부에 의해 규제되고 있어 적극적으로 관리를 하여야 하고, 다양한 상황에서 얻은 데이터가 뒷받침하는 석면 노출 위해성 평가방법을 도입하여 시행이 필요할 것이다. 개인이 소유하고 있는 건물의 경우 건축주가 석면 노출의 위해성을 인지하고 있어야 할 것이다.

• 한국산업보건학회지
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• 제19권3호
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• pp.307-320
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• 2009

This study was conducted not only to review airborne asbestos levels reported in workplaces in Korea, but also to analyze their levels according to various characteristics All asbestos concentration reported as either geometric mean (GM) and geometric standard deviation (GSD) or ranges were transformed to arithmetic mean to estimate exposure level. In addition, weighted arithmetic means (WAMs) were calculated to weigh asbestos levels based on the different number of samples. Differences of asbestos levels among several characteristics such as industry type, decade, operation and sampling and analytical methods were analyzed using analysis of variance (ANOVA). The number of articles studying asbestos levels from workplaces was found to be 9 including two report types. Five of those were reported prior to 1990s and rest of them after 1990s. Only several industries such as asbestos textile, asbestos cement, brake-lining repair shops were studied, while various industries using asbestos or asbestos containing materials (ACMs) were not studied. ANOVA found that asbestos exposure levels (WAM = 5.26f/cc) reported from textile industry were significantly higher than those from other industries (cement = 0.63f/cc, brake-lining = 0.2f/cc - 0.47f/cc) (p < 0.0001). Average exposure levels studied prior to the 1990s (3.13f/cc) were found to be significantly higher than that (0.86f/cc) after the 1990s (p<0.0001). All WAMs reported until the 1994 were found to be higher than the current occupational exposure limits (0.1f/cc). This study recommends that retrospective exposure to asbestos based on various industry types and operations should be assessed.

• 한국산업보건학회지
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• 제21권3호
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• pp.139-145
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• 2011

Objectives: This investigation is purposed to evaluate the airborne asbestos concentrations in the public buildings having asbestos containing materials(ACMs) in Seoul. Methods: The Seoul Metropolitan Government carried out an asbestos survey to the city-owned public buildings to identify the level of risk exposure, classified into low, moderate and high risk. To evaluate the airborne concentration of asbestos, 11 sampling sites in ten buildings based on the survey were selected. The air samples from the eleven sites were analyzed by Phase Contrast Microscopy(PCM) and Transmission Electron Microscopy (TEM), and compared the analytical results from the both. Results: 1. The airborne fiber concentrations by PCM were less than the detection limit($7f/mm^2$) in 9(82%) out of 11 sampling sites. The highest concentration was 0.0043 f/cc, but it was below the guideline value for indoor air quality(0.01 f/cc), proposed by the Ministry of Environment, Korea. 2. In two sampling sites, having moderate risk level, the chrysotile was identified and showed it's concentrations of 0.0102 s/cc and 0.0058 s/cc, less than $5{\mu}m$ lengths. 3. The ACMs identified in the two sampling sites were a packing material(65% of chrysotile) in mechanical area and a thermal system insulation(5% of chrysotile) in a boiler room. Having more possibility of asbestos emission in the mechanical area, it would be required to set up and carry out the asbestos management plan. Conclusions: Based on the result of this study, the airborne asbestos concentrations in the public buildings with ACMs were generally lower than the guideline value for indoor air quality. There are widespread concerns about the possible health risk resulting from the presence of airborne asbestos fibers in the public buildings. Most of the previous studies about airborne asbestos analysis in Korea were performed based on PCM method that asbestos and non-asbestos fibers are counted together. In the public and commercial buildings, having ACMs, it is suggested that the asbestos be analyzed by TEM method to identify asbestos due to concerns about asbestos exposure to workers and unspecified people.

• 한국산업보건학회지
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• 제27권4호
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• pp.423-432
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• 2017

Objectives: This study was conducted to evaluate asbestos handling history of workers at automobile manufacturing plants in Korea. Methods: National regulations on asbestos and Korea Occupational Safety and Health Agency(KOSHA) database on the information of asbestos containing products were reviewed. We investigated asbestos related materials from one automobile manufacturing plant. Material safety data sheets(MSDS) collected in 2010, work environment monitoring results reported from 2000 to 2013, trade union reports and asbestos survey reports were reviewed. We also interviewed workers with long career and did walk-through survey. Results: The Ministry of Labor in Korea has permitted asbestos manufacturing since 1990. In 1997, the use of crocidolite and amosite asbestos were banned. In 2007, the Korean government announced a total ban on the manufacturing, importation and use of all kinds of asbestos, which took full effect in 2009. A total of 174 asbestos products information from KOSHA database was analyzed. Extruded cement panel for building, special brake for crane farm machinery, gasket, joint sheet and thermal insulator were produced until 2007. From automobile manufacturing plant survey, we confirmed that asbestos containing materials(ACM) such as gasket, heating induction materials have been used until 2011. Asbestos containing building materials(ACBM) such as bamlites, slate and ceiling tex were reported at 122 asbestos dismantling projects in 2014. Conclusion: Although the use of all kinds of asbestos were banned from 2009, ACMs and ACBMs installed before 2009 were still found at automobile manufacturing plant until 2011 and 2014 respectively. In particular, asbestos slates should be managed because most of slates had not been removed until 2014.