• Safety and Health at Work
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• v.11 no.1
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• pp.109-117
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• 2020

Background: Ammonia and hydrogen sulfide are harmful gases generated during aerobic/anaerobic bacterial decomposition of livestock manure. We evaluated ammonia and hydrogen sulfide concentrations generated from workplaces at livestock farms and determined environmental factors influencing the gas concentrations. Methods: Five commercial swine farms and five poultry farms were selected for monitoring. Real-time monitors were used to measure the ammonia and hydrogen sulfide concentrations and environmental conditions during the manure-handling processes. Monitoring was conducted in the manure storage facility and composting facility. Information on the farm conditions was also collected through interview and walk-through survey. Results: The ammonia concentrations were significantly higher at the swine composting facilities (9.5-43.2 ppm) than at other manure-handling facilities at the swine and poultry farms, and high concentrations of hydrogen sulfide were identified during the manure agitation and mixing process at the swine manure storage facilities (6.9-19.5 ppm). At the poultry manure-handling facilities, the ammonia concentration was higher during the manure-handling processes (2.6-57.9 ppm), and very low hydrogen sulfide concentrations (0-3.4 ppm) were detected. The air temperature and relative humidity, volume of the facility, duration of manure storage, and the number of animals influenced the gas concentrations. Conclusion: A high level of hazardous gases was generated during manure handling, and some levels increased up to risk levels that can threaten workers' health and safety. Some of the farm operational factors were also found to influence the gas levels. By controlling and improving these factors, it would be possible to protect workers' safety and health from occupational risks.

• Safety and Health at Work
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• v.10 no.3
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• pp.327-335
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• 2019

Background: There have been some concerns related to manual handling of large items in industry. Manual handling operations of large sheet metal may expose workers to risks related to efficiency as well as occupational safety and health. Large sheet metals are difficult to move and burdensome to lift/transfer, and handling the sharp sheet edges may result in contact stress and/or cut injuries on the workers. Methods: Through observation, interview, and immersive simulation activities, a few problems related to current handling of sheet metals were identified. A sheet metal trolley-lifter was then designed and fabricated to address these issues. A pilot study on the use of the developed trolley-lifter for handling sheet metals was conducted to compare between the new and traditional handling methods. Results: The pilot study of the trolley-lifter showed promising results in terms of improving the cycle time, manpower utilization, and working postures compared with the traditional handling method. Conclusion: The trolley-lifter offers an alternative solution to automation and a mechanized assistive device by providing a simple mechanism to assist the handling of sheet metals effectively and safely.

• Journal of the Korea Safety Management & Science
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• v.16 no.4
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• pp.1-9
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• 2014

The occupational health and safety accidents were continuously increased during handling, usage and manufacturing the chemical materials according to increase of small and medium sized enterprises in domestic industries. These accidents mainly resulted from insufficient occupational health and safety management and deteriorative facilities and focused on corresponding operation to minimize the damage of accidents after occurrence. But, it was required that we grasped the occurrence causes of occupational health and safety risk in handling, usage and manufacturing the chemical materials and develop the adequate corresponding operation and system according to the possible occurrence of occupational health and safety risk. This study deals with the development of risk assessment model to derive the risk and important risk of occupational health and safety and then help to construct the self-controlled occupational health and safety system for small and medium sized enterprises handling the chemical materials.

• Safety and Health at Work
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• v.9 no.4
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• pp.372-380
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• 2018

The manual handling of people (MHP) is known to be associated with high incidence of musculoskeletal disorders for aged care staff. Environment-related MHP interventions, such as appropriate seated heights to aid sit-to-stand transfers, can reduce staff injury while improving the patient's mobility. Promoting patient mobility within the manual handling interaction is an endorsed MHP risk control intervention strategy. This article provides a narrative review of the types of MHP environmental controls that can improve mobility, as well as the extent to which these environmental controls are considered in MHP risk management and assessment tools. Although a range of possible environmental interventions exist, current tools only consider these in a limited manner. Development of an assessment tool that more comprehensively covers environmental strategies in MHP risk management could help reduce staff injury and improve resident mobility through auditing existing practices and guiding the design of new and refurbished aged care facilities.

• Journal of the Ergonomics Society of Korea
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• v.28 no.3
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• pp.17-25
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• 2009

This study was aimed to analyze of characteristics of Musculoskeletal disorders (MSDs) based on the industrial accident statistics which were extracted from the Ministry of Labor. In this study all MSDs cases in 2007, 7,723 cases, were investigated. First of all, for the analysis of a wide view point concerning the characteristics of MSDs, We have inspected characteristics of the user population (i.e. age, gender, employed periods, etc.). Secondly, work-related risk factors such as repetitive motions, awkward postures, manual material handling were analyzed in terms of disease code, injured part of body, types of business, etc. Next, characteristics of handling of heavy materials were analyzed according to weight, types of handling, agency of cause, etc. Finally, we have compared and analyzed the features between the period of hospitalization and other variables. In addition to that we also conducted statistics analysis. The study results showed that there were significant characteristics of MSDs that could be used as basis data for the MSDs prevention policy.

• International Journal of Safety
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• v.4 no.2
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• pp.43-46
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• 2005

The construction workers might be at the risk of many occupational injuries and illnesses. To protect workers from various hazards, industrial health and hygiene systems were specified for the construction workers by law. It is important to know the actual health and safety(H&S) conditions by tasks and the characteristics of injuries and illnesses of construction workers. This study was designed to investigate the actual conditions of construction workers exposed to various harmful substances and work elements including evaluation of health status of each worker and general H&S system. Questionnaire was sent to 600 construction workers nationwide and totally 367 people responded to it having 61.67% of response rate. The common construction hazards were dust(29.6%), noise(19.3%), repetitive motions(12.0%), handling excessive heavy materials(11.2%) in order. The repetitive motions and handling heavy materials related to muscle disorders accounted for 23.2%. The accident and injury types were in order of overexertion, falling, overturning, dropping or flying, electric shock, collision, etc.

• Safety and Health at Work
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• v.11 no.3
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• pp.372-377
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• 2020

Infection risks of handling specimens associated with severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) by public health laboratory services teams were assessed to scrutinize the potential hazards arising from the work procedures. Through risk assessments of all work sequences, laboratory equipment, and workplace environments, no aerosol-generating procedures could be identified except the procedures (mixing and transfer steps) inside biological safety cabinets. Appropriate personal protective equipment (PPE) such as surgical masks, protective gowns, face shields/safety goggles, and disposable gloves, together with pertinent safety training, was provided for laboratory work. Proper disinfection and good hand hygiene practices could minimize the probability of SARS-CoV-2 infection at work. All residual risk levels of the potential hazards identified were within the acceptable level. Contamination by gloved hands was considered as a major exposure route for SARS-CoV-2 when compared with eye protection equipment. Competence in proper donning and doffing of PPE accompanied by hand washing techniques was of utmost importance for infection control.

• Journal of Environmental Health Sciences
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• v.46 no.4
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• pp.423-432
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• 2020

Objectives: In this study, we analyzed the current state of delivery containers and packages and established handling guidelines to safely transport delivery containers and packages for use in research, testing, and examination reagents. Methods: Handling guidelines were revised in such categories as maintenance of the handling facilities, storage, loading and unloading, containers and packages, transportation, etc. In addition, we analyzed the current state of domestic sales for hazardous chemicals used for research, testing, and examination reagents, and investigated the handling guidelines related to delivery transportation in the USA, EU, and Japan by chemical property. Results: There are 6,160 companies selling hazardous chemicals. Among them, the 476 companies selling reagents for use in research, testing, and examination were investigated. Total amounts handled reached 425,000 tons, contributing to 0.2% of the total. For delivery transportation, internal containers and packaging was specified for chemical properties as follows: within 1 L for flammable gas, within 5 L for flammable liquid, and within 18 L for others. In addition, the maximum size of the outer package was set within 130 cm for total length, width, and height, and no dimension of the packaging could exceed 60 cm. Sixty-four hazardous chemicals with explosiveness or acute inhalation toxicity were prohibited for delivery transportation. Conclusion: Specified handling guidelines for inner and outer containers as well as packaging were regulated for delivery transportation of hazardous chemicals used for reagents. In addition, 64 hazardous chemicals were prohibited for delivery transportation. These are designed to prevent transportation accidents involving hazardous chemicals for reagents and thus protect the safety and health of transporters who handle hazardous chemicals.

• Journal of Environmental Health Sciences
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• v.46 no.2
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• pp.232-244
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• 2020

Objectives: The purpose of this study is to develop a management system for the safe handling of chemicals and related health management based on reporting under the Chemical Control Act (CCA). It is used to search handling information by constructing data linked to the name of companies, chemicals, products, etc. Methods: Due to the differences in submission periods for each reporting regulation of the Chemical Control Act, the data used is as follows: A statistical survey collected 26,222 companies in 2014 and 2016, Pollutant Release Transfer Registers (PRTR) collected 4,234 companies in 2015-2017, performance reports by handlers of hazardous chemical substances collected 14,658 companies in 2016-2018, and declarations for import of toxic chemicals collected 892 companies in 2016-2017. The total information on 36,080 companies is standardized based on company ID, name, business registration number, address, and more. The data were classified into information such as company, chemical, and product name and amounts handled and released, and then extracted according to criteria to establish relationships among classified information. Results: A search service was developed for handling information on chemical substances for reporting data by linking four reporting data: statistical survey, PRTR, performance report by handler of hazardous chemical substances, and declaration for import of toxic chemicals under the CCA. It was composed of five menus to search by regulation type, reporting regulation, companies and chemicals, and system management. Conclusion: It is necessary to use data linked by company, region, and chemical to respond and to prevent chemical accidents. In addition, these items can be utilized to perform handling and safety management of chemicals according to whether regulations under the CCA may be implemented.

• Journal of Korean Society of Occupational and Environmental Hygiene
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• v.25 no.1
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• pp.27-35
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• 2015

Objectives: To investigate safety and health management, conditions in factories or facilities handling radiation-generating devices and radioactive isotopes were reviewed in terms of regulations of radiation safety control in Korea. Radiation exposure levels generated at those facilities were directly measured and evaluated for establishing an effective safety and health management plan. Methods: Government organizations with laws and systems of radiation safety and health were investigated and compared. There are three laws governing radiation-related employment such as occupational safety and health acts, nuclear safety acts, and medical service acts. We inspected 12 workplaces as research objects:four workplaces that manufacture and assemble semiconductor devices, three non-destructive inspection workplaces that perform inspections on radiation penetration, and five workplaces in textile and tire manufacturing. Monitoring of radiation exposure was performed through two methods. Spatial and surface monitoring using real-time radiation instruments was performed on each site handling radiation generating devices and radioactive isotopes in order to identify radiation leakage. Results: According to the occupational safety and health act, there is no legal obligation to measure ionizing radiation and set dose limits. This can cause confusion in the application of the laws, because the scopes and contents are different from each other. Surface dose rates in radiation generating devices such as implanters, thickness gages and accelerators, which were registered according to nuclear safety acts, using surveymeters, and seven of 36 facilities(19.4%) exceeded the international standards for surface radiation dose of $10{\mu}Sv/hr$. Conclusions: The results showed that occupational health and safety acts require a separate provision for measuring and assessing the radiation exposure of workers performing radiation work. Like noise, ionizing radiation will also periodically be controlled by including it in the object factors of work-environment measurement.