• Safety and Health at Work
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• v.6 no.4
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• pp.345-352
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• 2015

Background: Goal-oriented communication of risk of hazards is necessary in order to reduce risk of workers' exposure to chemicals. Adequate training of workers and enterprise priority setting are essential elements. Cleaning enterprises have many challenges and the existing paradigms influence the risk levels of these enterprises. Methods: Information on organization and enterprises' prioritization in training programs was gathered from cleaning enterprises. A measure of enterprises' conceptual level of importance of chemical health hazards and a model for working out the risk index (RI) indicating enterprises' conceptual risk level was established and used to categorize the enterprises. Results: In 72.3% of cases, training takes place concurrently with task performances and in 67.4% experienced workers conduct the trainings. There is disparity between employers' opinion on competence level of the workers and reality. Lower conceptual level of importance was observed for cleaning enterprises of different sizes compared with regional safety delegates and occupational hygienists. Risk index values show no difference in risk level between small and large enterprises. Conclusion: Training of cleaning workers lacks the prerequisite for suitability and effectiveness to counter risks of chemical health hazards. There is dereliction of duty by management in the sector resulting in a lack of competence among the cleaning workers. Instituting acceptable easily attainable safety competence level for cleaners will conduce to risk reduction, and enforcement of attainment of the competence level would be a positive step.

• Proceedings of the Korean Institute of Building Construction Conference
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• 2011.05b
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• pp.89-90
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• 2011

External wall cleaning is a task that is currently being performed by human workers. The recent surge in the number of high-rise buildings has led to such problems as difficulties in cleaning the wall, high risk to the specialized workers, and increased maintenance expenses. As a fundamental measure to perform external wall cleaning work in a safer manner, automation/mechanization has been on the rise. This research aims to classify façade types and analyze the performance requirements of a wall-cleaning robot, as preliminary research to develop a wall-cleaning robot. The replacement of specialized workers with robots is expected to improve both safety for workers and quality of cleaning.

• Journal of Preventive Medicine and Public Health
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• v.31 no.4 s.63
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• pp.628-643
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• 1998

To investigate the exposure levels of organic solvents and subjective symptoms of dry-cleaning workers, 77 male and 52 female dry-cleaning workers who had been worked in a small city of Chungnam province, and a large city, Taejon were selected for the study group. Air concentrations of organic solvents in the working environment were analyzed, and subjective symptoms of dry-cleaning workers were surveyed, from July to August 1996. The results obtained were as follows : 1. The concentrations of organic solvents in the working environment were within permissible TLV-TWA limits. 2. For the 13 symptom clusters, the most frequently complained symptom clusters were fatigue as 71.3%, and followed by depression and urinary disturbances as 53.5% and 51.9%. Other symptom clusters complained were below 50%. 3. Positive response rates of subjective symptoms were significantly higher in worker groups such as lived in a large city, female, higher education level, more frequently alcohol drinking, higher concentration of organic solvent in working environment, work in alone. 4. Workers who had used solvent B showed 2.3 point higher scores of subjective symptoms than those of solvent A. Of the subjective symptoms scores, amnesia and nervousness were higher in solvent B user group than solvent B user group. 5. As a result of factor analysis, 3 factors such as depression, urinary disturbance and neurologic disturbance were selected. 6. As a result of the logistic regression analysis, sex, the number of fellow workers, working time, region, job tenure, smoking, alcohol drinking, ventilating system, concentration of organic solvent in working environment and place of residence were selected for the related variables. For the conclusion, even though the concentrations of organic solvents in the working environments of dry-cleaning workers were within permissible limit of TLV-TWA, many dry-cleaning workers complained symptoms, such as fatigue, depression, urinary disturbances and so on. And the factors affecting to the symptoms of dry-cleaning workers were the number of fellow workers, work hours, region, job tenure, smoking and alcohol drinking.

• Proceedings of the Korean Institute of Building Construction Conference
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• 2016.05a
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• pp.85-86
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• 2016

Recently, needs for the window cleaning for 2~5 stories in a building has been increased but existing window cleaning work by workers is not easy to clean the windows. Therefore a demand for development of alternative techniques have been raised. The purpose of this study is to analyze feasibility of development of the guide rail-type cleaning device for cleaning window for the lower stories. For this, we analyze the status of the job, such as risk, limitations of by workers and examine the potential producer needs through interviewing field experts of the cleaning work. Futhermore, we define the required features of the window cleaning device and proposed the validity of the relised device development of the function.

• Environmental Analysis Health and Toxicology
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• v.9 no.1_2
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• pp.37-51
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• 1994

To evaluate the genotoxicities of workers exposed to glue and glue cleaning solution, ambient air monitoring of working place, animal study and human monitoring were carried out. By GC-MS analysis, air samples collected from shoesmaking plant were found to be toluene, xylene, cyclohexane, n-hexane, methyl ethyl ketone, trichloroethylene, butylacetate, isopropyl alcohol. Glue and glue cleaning solution from shoesmaking plant were applicated topically to the CD-1 mice. DNA was isolated from skin 24 hr following the application and analysed for DNA-adducts using the nuclease $P_1$version of $^{32}$P-postlabelling assay. RAL (Relative Adduct Labelling, adducts$10^8$ nucleotides) was significantly increased in a dose-dependent manner in the glue cleaning solution treated mice skin. Peripheral blood DNA-adducts of workers exposed to glue and glue cleaning solution were also analysed by the same method, but there were not significant differences in the peripheral blood DNA-adducts level between exposed and control workers. In addition, glue cleaning solution from shoes factory was evaluated for mutagenicity in the Salmonella plate incorporation assay using strains TA 100 and TA 1535 in the presence and absence of Arochlor 1254-induced rat liver S$_{9}$. There was evident mutagenicity for cleaning solution in TA 100 regardless of $S_9$, but TA 1535 showed positive only in the absence of $S_9$when predicted by Stead model of mutagenicity prediction (p=0.0000). The urine concentrates from workers and controls were also assayed for mutagenicity towards strain TA 100 of Salmonella typhimurium in the presence of $S_9$ using Kado's microsuspension assay, but their mutagenic activities were not found to be significant. These data suggest that shoesmaking workers are exposed to genotoxic compounds and need to be monitored by testing the mutagenicity of human urines. However, $^{32}$P-postlabelling application requires further validation for the routine monitoring of human exposure.osure.

• Journal of the Ergonomics Society of Korea
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• v.36 no.5
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• pp.411-420
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• 2017

Objective: The purpose of this study is to analyze the accident characteristics according to the gender of the injured workers in building cleaning and to reflect them in the Industrial Accident Prevention Policy. Background: An analysis of industrial accidents is an essential process for establishing systematic industrial accident prevention measures. In order to establish industrial accident prevention measures for workers effectively, it is necessary to analyze accident characteristics by job type for workers who do the same work. Method: In this study, we analyzed the accident characteristics of 1,645 janitors who were approved of work-related injuries in 2015. We also analyzed the characteristics according to gender by dividing them into worker-related factors and accident-related factors. Results: The accidents caused to the janitors showed different characteristics according to gender, age, work experience, agency of accident, and distribution of original cause materials. In other words, 70.2% occurred to workers over 60 years old and 56.2% occurred to unskilled workers with less than a year of work experience. In the case of accident pattern, 79.1% occurred in tripping (slip) hazards, and 68.2% of accidents occurred on the floor (including the ground) and the stairs, indicating that the accident occurred most frequently during cleaning work on the floor or stairs. Conclusion and Application: The results of the study on the accident characteristics of the janitors can be used as basic data for systematic preventive measures against accidents occurring to the elderly female workers in the service industry.

• Korean Journal of Occupational Health Nursing
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• v.24 no.3
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• pp.183-193
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• 2015

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to describe cleaning workers' working experiences in Korea. Methods: The data were collected in two focus-group interviews with 9 cleaning workers. The phenomenological analytic method suggested by Colaizzi was used to analyze the data. Results: Five theme clusters and thirteen themes emerged from the analysis. The first theme clusters, 'Dead-end choice' included Limits of elderly women workers, Financial difficulties, Lowered self-esteem. The second theme clusters, 'Facing with discriminatory working environments' included Fear and unfair working conditions. The third theme clusters, 'Potential health problems' included Physical overload, Repeated exposure to hazardous substances and Emotional labor. The fourth theme clusters, 'Excluded from protection of the law' included Gloomy reality and Sexual harassment. The fifth theme clusters, 'Desire to get out of social isolation' included Efforts to maintain the status, Desire to live confidently and Desire to change social recognition. Conclusion: The findings of the study provide understanding on cleaning workers' working experiences to explain by their vision and language and should ensure proper working conditions and environment to live a better life.

• Proceedings of the Korean Institute Of Construction Engineering and Management
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• 2006.11a
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• pp.669-673
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• 2006

Field works are decreasing gradually since advancement of industrial robots. Tunnel cleaning is a dangerous field work which can be solved only by introducingadvanced tunnel cleaning automation equipment. Industrial robots work tirelessly night and day without a loss in performance. Consequently, greatly reduce the costs of manufactured goods.So far only 200 construction robots are invented. Robots used for tunnel cleaning are not of high standard they always need additional workers for job to be done. Robots offer specific benefits to workers, industries and countries. If introduced correctly for tunnel cleaning, industrial robots can improve the quality of life by freeing workers from dirty, boring, dangerous and heavy labor. Development of advanced tunnel cleaning automation equipment is a must to overcome above issues. The benefits of robots to industry include improved management control, productivity and consistently high quality products. This research is a study on tunnel cleaning automation equipment and introducing advanced tunnel cleaning automation equipment.

• Journal of Korean Society of Occupational and Environmental Hygiene
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• v.33 no.4
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• pp.427-438
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• 2023

Objectives: This study aims to create a safer working environment by examining the working environment of cleanroom cleaning workers through a survey and comparing the differences in perception between workers and managers. Methods: The survey was written based on the working environment and the safety and health management system. In order to improve the quality of the study, we visited the sites in person and conducted an in-depth interview. SPSS Statistics 26 (IBM, USA) was used to analyze the data. Results: Based on the survey, differences were found in chemical used, MSDS sharing methods, risk factors during cleaning work, work environment measurement results, special health examination items, places considered dangerous, and work. Conclusions: It is necessary that there be different work environments and risk factors for cleanroom cleaning workers at respective workplaces. As a result of the survey, there was found to be a difference in perception between workers and managers, and both workers and managers should try to reduce this difference.

• Safety and Health at Work
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• v.13 no.4
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• pp.487-492
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• 2022

Objective: The exposure levels of disease-causing bacteria and germs were assessed on aircraft cleaning workers on multiple different aircrafts. Method: Five measuring points were selected depending on the aircraft types. Four aircraft cleaning agencies were selected for the test. Aircraft cleaning work was classified as intensive cleaning and general cleaning work. Ventilation in aircraft when sampling during the cleaning operation was categorized into forced ventilation and natural ventilation. The collection of airborne microorganisms was made through inertial impactors which were installed 1.5 meters above the bottom of the aircraft. The airborne bacteria and fungus growth badges were selected by Trytpic Soy Agar and Sabouraud Dextrose Agar. Results: The average concentrations of bacteria in the air were higher in the order of small, medium, and large airplanes. Rainy days had higher concentrations inside and outside the aircraft as compared to those in sunny days. Regarding ventilation, concentrations in natural ventilation were higher than concentrations in forced ventilation. According to the type of work, the concentrations in the intensive cleaning groups (cleaning one plane a day) were lower than those of the ordinary cleaning groups (cleaning several planes per day). Conclusion: The concentration levels of airborne bacteria and fungi in the aircraft surveyed were lower than the indoor environmental standards of Korea (800 cfu/m³ and 500 cfu/m³). The average concentrations of bacteria in the air and fungi in the air were highest in small aircraft owned by Company D.