• Safety and Health at Work
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• v.11 no.1
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• pp.118-124
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• 2020

Background: The poultry industry in Pakistan has flourished since the 1960s; however, there are scarce data regarding the impact of occupational exposure on the pulmonary health of farm workers in terms of years working in the industry. The objective of the present study was to assess the effect of poultry environment on the health of occupationally exposed poultry farmers in countries of warm climatic regions, such as Pakistan. This study will also show the effect of exposure to poultry facilities on the health of poultry farmers in the context of low-income countries with a relatively inadequate occupational exposure risk management. Materials and methods: The lung function capacity of 79 poultry workers was measured using a spirometer. Along with spirometry, a structured questionnaire was also administrated to obtain information about age, height, weight, smokers/nonsmokers, years of working experience, and pulmonary health of farm workers. The workers who were directly involved in the care and handling of birds in these intensive facilities were considered and divided into four groups based on their years of working experience: Group I (3-10 months), Group II (1-5 years), Group III (6-10 years), and Group IV (more than 11 years). The forced vital capacity (FVC), forced expiratory volume in one second (FEV1) and the FEV1/FVC ratio were considered to identify lung function abnormalities. Statistical analysis was carried out using independent sample t test, Chi-square test, Pearson's correlation, and linear regression. Results: Based on the performed spirometry, 68 (86 %) of workers were found normal and healthy, whereas 11 (14 %) had a mild obstruction. Of the 11 workers with mild obstruction, the highest number with respect to the total was in Group IV (more than 11 years of working experience) followed by Group III and Group II. Most of the workers were found healthy, which seems to be because of the healthy survivor effect. For the independent sample t test, a significant difference was noticed between healthy and nonhealthy farmers, whereas Chi-square test showed a significant association with height, drugs, and working experience. Linear regression that was stratified by respiratory symptoms showed for workers with symptoms, regression models for all spirometric parameters (FVC, FEV1, and FEV1/FVC) have better predictive power or R square value than those of workers without symptoms. Conclusion: These findings suggest that lung function capacity was directly related to years of working experience. With increasing number of working years, symptoms of various respiratory problems enhanced in the poultry workers. It should be noted that most of the poultry workers were healthy and young, the rationale being that there is a high turnover rate in this profession. The mobility in this job and our finding of 86% of the healthy workers in the present study also proposed healthy worker survivor effect.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Safety
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• v.22 no.2 s.80
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• pp.59-66
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• 2007

As the need of handling heavy materials increases, various cranes are used in industries. However, the effectiveness of crane also entails industrial accidents such as falling, constriction etc. In fact, the number of fatal accidents caused by crane is still high in Korea. To find out the causes of the accidents in terms of human error, we developed a man-machine system model that consists of two axes; human information processing and crane life cycle. In the human information processing dimension, we simplified it as five functions; sensing and perception, decision making and memory, response etc. In the crane life cycle dimension, we divided it into nine phases; design, production, operation etc. For the 152 fatal accident records during 1999-2006 years, we classified them into 45 cells made by two axes. Then we identified the preceding causes of the classified crane accident based on performance shaping factors. As the results of statistical analysis, the overall trend of crane fatal accidents was described. For the cause analysis, wrong decision making in work plan phase shows the highest frequency. Next, the poor information input in crane operation followed in accident frequency. In ergonomics view, the problems of interface design in displays and controls made 11.8% of fatal accidents. Following the analysis, several ergonomic design guidelines to prevent crane accidents were suggested.

• Journal of Korean Society of Occupational and Environmental Hygiene
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• v.28 no.2
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• pp.230-239
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• 2018

Objective: The purpose of this study is to identify the kinds and exposure levels of health hazards in the metalworking process in relation to acute poisoning accidents caused by methanol in 2016. Methods: The number of industries, workplaces, exposed workers, regional distribution, and exposure level of health hazards in metalworking process were investigated based on employee exposure assessment database provided by KOSHA (the Korea Occupational Safety and Health Agency), which was collected from workplace hazard evaluation programs in Korea. Exposure metrics for methanol were assessed by RCR (risk characterization ratio). Results: The numbers of processes, workplaces, and exposed workers of metalworking, which include CNC (computer numerical control) were 25, 14,405, and 169,102 respectively. The numbers of samples of chemical hazards including methanol were 91,325, and it was found that workers in metalworking were exposed to 249 kinds of chemical hazards. There were 16 kinds of special controlled substances including beryllium. It is estimated that the number of workplaces involving CNC process was 2,537, and the number of exposed workers was 27,976. In CNC process, the total number of workplaces handling methanol was 36, and 298 workers were estimated to be exposed. There was no exceeded that surpassed the OEL and 49% of samples were below the limit of detection. Methanol exposure concentrations in Gyeonggido Province were statistically significantly higher than in other areas (p <0.0001). Conclusions: In the metalworking process including CNC, there is exposure to a wide variety of health hazards. There was no sample exceeding the OEL for methanol. Therefore, it is necessary to recognize the limits of the employee exposure assessment system and urgently improve measures to prevent the occurrence of events like methanol poisoning.

• Journal of the Korean Recycled Construction Resources Institute
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• v.7 no.2
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• pp.174-186
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• 2019

This paper reviews the development condition of nanomaterials used in concrete over years. The definitions of nanomaterial, nanotechnology, and nano-concrete are reviewed. The impacts of nanomaterials on cementitious material in the point of advantages and disadvantages are analyzed. Moreover, this paper analyzes and classifies the nanomaterials into the extra quality enhancement and modification to plain cementitious composite. Indeed, the outstanding properties of the embedded nanomaterials can be introduced to concrete such as the mechanical improvement, pore structure refinement, hydrate acceleration, and smartness modifying of self-cleaning, and/or self-sensing. Before the full potential of nanotechnology can be realized in concrete applications, various techniques have to be solved including proper dispersion, compatibility of the nanomaterials in cement, processing, manufacturing, safety, handling issues, scale-up, cost, the impact on the environment and human health.

• Journal of the Korea Safety Management & Science
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• v.15 no.4
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• pp.123-129
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• 2013

Among various manual materials handling tasks, pushing/pulling was known to be one of the risk factors for the low back and shoulder musculoskeletal disorders (MSDs). This study was conducted to find out an optimal solution set of the handle height and distance for 4-wheel cart with two vertical handles. Ten male college students participated in the pushing force measurement experiment. The face-centered cube design, one of the central composite designs, was applied for the experiment, and the isometric voluntary pushing force was measured in 9 treatment conditions. The second order response surface model was predicted by using the pushing strength as a response variable, and the handle height and distance as independent factors. According to the 2nd order response model, the handle height and distance showed nonlinear relationship with the isometric pushing strength. To maximize the 2nd order response model (pushing force), the handle height and distance were optimized. The optimal handle height was 'xyphoid process height - stature', and the optimal handle distance was '$1.25{\times}shoulder$ width'. When calculated using the anthropometric data of the subjects of this study, the optimal handle height was $115.4{\pm}3.4$ cm, slightly higher than the elbow height, and the handle distance was $52.9{\pm}2.3$ cm.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Safety
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• v.39 no.1
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• pp.55-61
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• 2024

In response to the COVID-19 pandemic, the logistics industry in Korea has rapidly been expanding, with offline demand concentrating on online platforms owing to the development of digital infrastructure. This has increased the workload of courier drivers considerably, along with labor intensity. A delivery driver died recently from overwork due to the continuous increase in delivery volume, which raises social concerns. Delivery drivers work long hours, (over 12 hours) and are greatly affected by weather conditions, such as snow, rain, heat waves, and cold waves. In addition, they lack a fixed workplace; perform atypical work handling workpieces of various sizes, weights, and shapes; and spend a large amount of time driving as part of their work. This work involves a high level of tension and requires attention and concentration. Despite the frequency of industrial accidents in the courier industry, studies on safety and health to quantitatively analyze and systematize the work of courier workers are very scarce. Therefore, to define the work process necessary for investigating the harmful factors in delivery service and the work analysis, this study conducted interviews and on-site surveys to analyze the unit work of the delivery service by targeting delivery workers. In other words, a framework of unit work for work analysis was presented to enable research and analysis by considering the aforementioned characteristics of the courier industry. The process was broadly divided into work, transport, storage, delay, and inspection. Work was divided into loading, sorting, unloading, and door subcategories, and transportation was divided into vehicle, cart, and walking subcategories as well as 10 small processes. Moreover, 22 unit works were again drawn by conducting field surveys and interviews. The risk of unit work derived from this study was ergonomically evaluated, and the ergonomic analysis revealed that uploading and transportation were the most dangerous. The results of this study could be used as basic data for preventing industrial accidents among courier workers, whose work has increased with the logistics volume and the development of the logistics industry.

• Journal of Environmental Health Sciences
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• v.36 no.5
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• pp.343-350
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• 2010

This study was performed to investigate laboratory workers' exposures to airborne nanoparticles at a university laboratory where acid treatment experiments were conducted on the surfaces of engineered carbon nanotubes (CNTs). The surface area concentrations, number concentrations, and mass concentrations of airborne nanoparticles were measured at personal breathing zones (PBZs) for various tasks using direct reading instruments. For all three metrics, airborne nanoparticle concentrations during the experiments were higher than background levels measured before and after the experiments for all three metrics. Among the various tasks that were performed as part of these experiments, one task that involved filtering a mixture of acid and CNTs showed the highest concentrations in all three metrics, with concentrations of $116.6\;{\mu}m^2$/cc, 24320 pt/cc, and $9.0\;{\mu}g/m^3$, respectively. Nanoparticle surface area concentrations measured at a representative area fluctuated with those at the PBZs in the laboratory. This result indicates that nanoparticles generated during the experiments were not just limited to the PBZs of the workers but were also present throughout the room, potentially exposing co-located workers. CNTs were detected by a transmission electron microscope in an air sample collected while handling the CNTs. All the tasks were performed inside fume hoods, with the sliding sashes open to their required heights. It was noted that the capture velocities of the fume hoods were much lower than the American National Standards Institute (ANSI)'s recommendation level (0.4 to 0.6 m/s). In conclusion, this study showed that, due to inadequate control, laboratory researchers performing acid treatment experiments on surfaces of CNTs were exposed to airborne nanoparticles generated during the tasks.

• Journal of the Korean Institute of Gas
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• v.27 no.4
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• pp.43-49
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• 2023

Hydrofluoric acid is a less acidic substance than hydrochloric acid, nitric acid, and sulfuric acid, but it is one of the most dangerous substances for humans. In recent years, it has become an indispensable substance in industries such as chemical plants and the semiconductor industry, and although it is a threat to the human body, its use is increasing for various purposes, and the amount of use is constantly increasing due to the expansion and development of the industry. The dangers of hydrogen fluoride have been highlighted since the 2012 accident, which led to a more than fivefold increase in management standards for handling facilities. Hydrogen fluoride converts to hydrofluoric acid when exposed to the air, which can be fatal to humans. This study simulates the effects of a release of a toxic substance in the workplace, even though a protection layer has been provided to minimize the damage caused by the released toxic substance, and recommend ways to control the risk to workers in the event of a release in the workplace.

• Journal of the Korean Institute of Gas
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• v.27 no.1
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• pp.63-69
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• 2023

Although Korea is the world's No. 1 semiconductor producing country, most studies are conducted with risk assessment for simple material risks due to the closedness of the site for industrial protection. In terms of industrial safety, a monitoring system such as a gas detector to determine the leakage of hazardous substances has been established, but research on effectively discharging harmful gastritis substances in case of leakage has only recently begun. Semiconductor manufacturing facilities (gas boxes) where a large amount of flammable materials are handled are currently being safety managed by using a gas detector and blocking the air inlet. It is difficult to dilute in a short time in case of leakage of flammable substances. Therefore, in this study, based on various criteria, the size of the duct according to the size of the gas box is determined and the appropriate size of the air inlet is studied to minimize the exhaust performance requirement without exposing hazardous chemicals to the outside in the event of a flammable leak. We want to do an optimal exhaust design.

• Journal of Korean Society of Occupational and Environmental Hygiene
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• v.15 no.2
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• pp.124-134
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• 2005

To investigate the exposure effect of polynuclear aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), we measured airborne total PAHs as an external dose, urinary 1-hydroxypyrene (1-OHP) as an internal dose of PAHs exposure, and analyzed the relationship between urinary 1-OHP concentration and PAHs exposure. The study population contained 44 workers in steel-pipe coating and paint manufacture industries. The airborne PAHs was obtained during survey day, and urine were sampled at the end of shift. Personal information on age, body weight, height, eniployment duration, smoking habit, and alcohol consumption was obtained by a structured questionnaire. Airborne PAHs were analyzed by the gas chromatograph with mass selective detector. Urinary 1-OHP levels were analyzed by the high performance liquid chromatograph with ultraviolet wavelength detector. For statistical estimation, t-test, ${\chi}^2$-test, analysis of variance, correlation analysis, arid regression analysis were executed by SPSS/PC (Windows version 10). The mean of environmental total PAHs was $87.8{\pm}7.81{\mu}g/m^3$. The mean concentration ($526.5{\pm}2.85{\mu}g/m^3$) of workers in steel-pipe coating industries using coal tar enamel was the higher than that ($17.5{\pm}3.36{\mu}g/m^3$) of workers in paint manufacture industries using coal tar paint. The mean of urinary 1-OHP concentration ($51.63{\pm}3.144{\mu}\;mol/mol$ creatinine) of workers in steel-pipe coating industries was the higher than that ($2.33{\pm}4.709{\mu}\;mol/mol$ creatinine) of workers in paint manufacture industries. The mean of urinary 1-OHP concentration of smokers was the higher than that of non-smokers. There was significant correlation between the urinary concentration of 1-OHP and the environmental concentration of PAHs (r=O.S48, p<0.001), pyrene(r=0.859, p<0.001), and urinary cotinine (r=0.324, p<0.05). The regression equation between the urinary concentration of 1-OHP in ${\mu}g/g$ creatinine($C_{1-OHP}$) and airborne concentration of PAHs (or pyrene) in ${\mu}g/m^3$ ($C_{PAHs}$ or Cpyrene) is: Log ($C_{1-OHP}$)=-0.650+0.889×Log($C_{PAHs}$), where $R^2=0.694$ and n=38 for p<0.001.Log ($C_{1-OHP}$)=1.087+0.707${\times}$Log(Cpyrene), where $R^2=0.713$ and n=38 for p<0.001. From the results of stepwise multiple regression analysis about 1-OHP, significant independents were total PAHs and urinary cotinine (adjusted $R^2=0.743$, p<0.001). In this study, there were significant correlation between the urinary concentration of 1-OHP and the airborne concentration of PAHs. The urinary 1-OHP was effective index as a biomarker of airborne PAHs in workplace. But it was influenced by non-occupational PAHs source, smoking.