• Journal of Korean Society of Occupational and Environmental Hygiene
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• v.32 no.4
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• pp.340-349
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• 2022

Objectives: The importance of MSDS is emphasized for communicating hazardous information due to the increase in the types and usage of chemical substances. The purpose of this study is to assess the reliability of MSDS by collecting and examining paint thinners commercially available in South Korea. Methods: Twenty-five paint thinners were purchased at paint stores and the provision of MSDS was checked. Quantitative and qualitative analysis was performed on the chemical constituents of the thinners using GC-MSD and GC-FID. Reliability was evaluated by the MSDS collection rate for the paint thinners and calculating the rate of matching between laboratory analysis results and the contents and composition of chemical constituents given in the MSDS. Results: Unlike a study conducted in 2006, MSDS were provided for all 25 thinners. As a result of qualitative analysis using GC-MSD, 104 chemical substances were detected. The substances with the highest detection rate were identified in the order of toluene, butyl acetate, acetone, xylene, and ethyl benzene. A component matching rate of 41% was found by comparing the differences between the number of substances detected in laboratory testing and the number of substances listed in the MSDS. Benzene, a carcinogen not listed in the MSDS, was detected in two thinners produced by a small company. The detected benzene contents were 0.039 and 0.040%. When benzene is used, it should be strictly handled according to the Industrial Safety and Health Act. However, since it is not listed on the MSDS, it is judged that benzene was not being managed as a carcinogen in the workplaces where it is used. Conclusions: Since the reliability of MSDS, which play an important role in hazard communication, was evaluated to be low, it is necessary to systematically and continuously secure this reliability. In particular, carcinogens should be managed more strictly.

• Geomechanics and Engineering
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• v.37 no.1
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• pp.65-72
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• 2024

Water ingress poses a common and intricate geological hazard with profound implications for tunnel construction's speed and safety. The project's success hinges significantly on the precision of estimating water inflow during excavation, a critical factor in early-stage decision-making during conception and design. This article introduces an optimized model employing the gene expression programming (GEP) approach to forecast tunnel water inflow. The GEP model was refined by developing an equation that best aligns with predictive outcomes. The equation's outputs were compared with measured data and assessed against practical scenarios to validate its potential applicability in calculating tunnel water input. The optimized GEP model excelled in forecasting tunnel water inflow, outperforming alternative machine learning algorithms like SVR, GPR, DT, and KNN. This positions the GEP model as a leading choice for accurate and superior predictions. A state-of-the-art machine learning-based graphical user interface (GUI) was innovatively crafted for predicting and visualizing tunnel water inflow. This cutting-edge tool leverages ML algorithms, marking a substantial advancement in tunneling prediction technologies, providing accuracy and accessibility in water inflow projections.

• Safety and Health at Work
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• v.15 no.1
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• pp.96-101
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• 2024

Background: Silicosis among workers who fabricate engineered stone products in micro or small-sized enterprises (MSEs) was reported from several countries. Workplace exposure data of these workers at high risk of exposure to respirable crystalline silica (RCS) dust are limited. Methods: We surveyed workers performing cutting, shaping and polishing tasks at 6 engineered stone fabricating MSEs in Sydney, Australia prior to regulatory intervention. Personal exposure to airborne RCS dust in 34 workers was measured, work practices were observed using a checklist and worker demography recorded. Results: Personal respirable dust measurements showed exposures above the Australian workplace exposure standard (WES) of 0.1 mg/m³ TWA-8 hours for RCS in 85% of workers who performed dry tasks and amongst 71% using water-fed tools. Dust exposure controls were inadequate with ineffective ventilation and inappropriate respiratory protection. All 34 workers sampled were identified as overseas-born migrants, mostly from three linguistic groups. Conclusions: Workplace exposure data from this survey showed that workers in engineered stone fabricating MSEs were exposed to RCS dust levels which may be associated with a high risk of developing silicosis. The survey findings were useful to inform a comprehensive regulatory intervention program involving diverse hazard communication tools and enforcing improved exposure controls. We conclude that modest occupational hygiene surveys in MSEs, with attention to workers' demographic factors can influence the effectiveness of intervention programs. Occupational health practitioners should address these potential determinants of hazardous exposures in their workplace surveys to prevent illness such as silicosis in vulnerable workers.

• The Journal of Korea Institute of Information, Electronics, and Communication Technology
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• v.10 no.5
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• pp.372-379
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• 2017

Software reliability factor during the software development process is elementary. Case of the infinite failure NHPP for identifying software failure, the occurrence rates per fault (hazard function) have the characteristic point that is constant, increases and decreases. In this paper, we propose a reliability model using the chi - square distribution which depends on the degree of freedom that represents the application efficiency of software reliability. Algorithm to estimate the parameters used to the maximum likelihood estimator and bisection method, a model selection based on the mean square error (MSE) and coefficient of determination($R^2$), for the sake of the efficient model, were employed. For the reliability model using the proposed degree of freedom of the chi - square distribution, the failure analysis using the actual failure interval data was applied. Fault data analysis is compared with the intensity function using the degree of freedom of the chi - square distribution. For the insurance about the reliability of a data, the Laplace trend test was employed. In this study, the chi-square distribution model depends on the degree of freedom, is also efficient about reliability because have the coefficient of determination is 90% or more, in the ground of the basic model, can used as a applied model. From this paper, the software development designer must be applied life distribution by the applied basic knowledge of the software to confirm failure modes which may be applied.

• The Journal of the Institute of Internet, Broadcasting and Communication
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• v.20 no.2
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• pp.149-155
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• 2020

The Korea Highway Traffic Authority provides statistics that analyze the causes of traffic accidents that occurred since 2015 using the Traffic Accident Analysis System (TAAS). it was reported Through TAAS that the driver's forward carelessness was the main cause of traffic accidents in 2018. As statistics on the cause of traffic accidents, 51.2 percent used mobile phones and watched DMB while driving, 14 percent did not secure safe distance, and 3.6 percent violated their duty to protect pedestrians, representing a total of 68.8 percent. In this paper, we propose a system that has improved the advanced driver assistance system ADAS (Advanced Driver Assistance Systems) by utilizing CNN (Convolutional Neural Network) among the algorithms of Deep Learning. The proposed system learns a model that classifies the movement of the driver's face and eyes using Conv2D techniques which are mainly used for Image processing, while recognizing and detecting objects around the vehicle with cameras attached to the front of the vehicle to recognize the driving environment. Then, using the learned visual steering model and driving environment data, the hazard is classified and detected in three stages, depending on the driver's view and driving environment to assist the driver with the forward and blind spots.

• Journal of Food Hygiene and Safety
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• v.31 no.2
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• pp.74-84
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• 2016

Literacy on food additives of elementary school teachers (ET) and nutrition teachers (NT) could be influential factor on safe dietary education for school children. Therefore, the perceptions and information needs on food additives were surveyed from 351 elementary school teachers and nutrition teachers in metropolitan area of Korea, and the basic data for the promotion of risk communication on food additives among them were obtained. Compared to ET who consider 'taste' (39.1%) as the most important factor while purchasing food, NT considered 'safety' (68.1%) first (p < 0.001). Among the food labelling items, the level of understanding on food additives was the lowest both in ET (3.53) and NT (4.17), and NT showed better levels of understanding overall on food labels. Both ET and NT regarded hazardous factors of food as environmental pollutants, foodborne pathogens, and food additives in order, and tended to select 'no additives' or 'no artificial color' products while purchasing processed food. Although NT answered that they know all food additives had been passed the evaluation of safety and effectiveness tests (100%) and have standards of use (81.9%), majority of them (87.5%) believed the consumption of food additives are harmful on human health. ET (75.2%) also regarded food additives as dangerous materials. Above results suggested the necessity of proper and enough risk communication for both ET and NT. Both ET and NT wanted to have information on the safety or hazard of food additives. Most preferred media to get the information on food additives was TV (3.80) among ET and lecture (3.65) among NT. ET and NT trusted hospital, research institution/universities or the personnels working in these institutions as the provider of information on food additives. The result that the trust levels of ET and NT on government were relative low suggested the weakness of risk communication in Korean government. Although ET and NT answered that they do not trust mass media, their behaviors were affected by them such as reading food labels in ET (39.4%) and reducing the consumption of food additives in NT (50%). They also indicated mass media's problem of sensitive approach on food additives and asked the urgent reaction of government by providing sound information through experts on food additives. Above results revealed that ET and NT have different perceptions and information needs on food additives, therefore, proper risk communication should be provided for them to serve as dietary educators for elementary school children.

• KSCE Journal of Civil and Environmental Engineering Research
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• v.32 no.4D
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• pp.291-303
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• 2012

In order to lead safe driving, it is better to provide dynamic and detailed information on how the driver using the relevant road should behave as concerning movements of individual car rather than providing monotone and static information of reducing of speed to unspecified drivers. Assuming road and communication of highway where real-time collection and transfer of information on vehicles and road traffic status is possible, the purpose of this study was to provide real-time safe distance by considering road traffic condition such as road condition and driving condition, travel speed and distance between preceding/following vehicles. We intended to provide basic information about dangerous situation by defining different values of condition based column ($C_{condition}$) in accordance with the road surface condition, based on which Real-time Safety Distance Index(RSDI) is to be calculated comprehensively reflecting speed of preceding and following vehicles, distance between vehicles, vertical alignment and road surface condition on the scope of expression column ($C_n$). We intended to enable the driver to secure safety by providing the calculated Real-time Safety Distance Index (RSDI) so that the driver can intuitively sense and sufficiently cope with a dangerous situation where collision of vehicles may occur. The calculated RSDI value is comprised of 30 unit columns and will be provided to the driver being divided into risk evaluation grades of 3 predetermined steps, 'warning', 'dangerous' and 'normal'.

• Journal of Biomedical Engineering Research
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• v.16 no.2
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• pp.191-200
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• 1995

Although air, water, and noise pollutions have been widely recognized, electromagnetic forces (EMF) hazard has been rarely recognized as a pollution and very little studies has been done in this country. Thus, in this study electromagnetic forces radiated by various home appliances, office machines, and communication equipments were measured and so were several places radiating strong EMF such as subway stations and electric substations. Among the home appliances microwave oven radiates lots of magnetic field and microwaves, and electric mattress does strong magnetic field. In video game room strong magnetic and considerable electric fields were measured. It was observed strong magnetic field inside of electric powered train and very strong magnetic and electric fields on some platforms. Hand-phone and car-phone radiate very hazardous level of microwaves to brain and that they rapidly come into wide use. In this study data base for various electric machines and places radiating strong EMFs were constructed and could be used for future epidemiological studies.

• Journal of the Korean GEO-environmental Society
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• v.17 no.11
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• pp.15-21
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• 2016

Nowadays, some studies have been performed for rockbolt method widely used in Korea. To make large slopes, tunnels or rock structures stable, supporting systems, such as anchor bolt, rock bolt which are developed recently, are commonly used. In this study, laboratory pullout tests were carried out to compare the characteristics of rock bolt that is most widely used with ones of rock bolt by newly developed circular model testers. Re-pullout test for the rock bolt in which loading and unloading cycles are repeated several times showed that the maximum pullout load is almost constant irrespective of the number of loading cycles, which may be due to no failure between rock bolt and filler that is filled with soils and concrete as a substitute. A development of rock bolt fillers as supporters using to protect people in tunnels and slopes is reviewed as a probable man-made hazard after excavation works. The functions of the grouted rock bolts associated with reinforcement effects also should be assessed in this study, which develop the sealing apparatus preventing from overflowing mortar out of a rock bolt hole for securing safety in the tunnel and slopes in order to secure stability named the sealing packer.

• Journal of Korean Society of Occupational and Environmental Hygiene
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• v.8 no.2
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• pp.196-208
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• 1998

To improve the quality of environmental measurements and evaluation of the workplace air in the pigment manufacturing industries, we analyzed metal(chromium, cadmium, lead, iron, cobalt, manganese, antimony, titanium, arsenic, and selenium) concentrations by ICP-AES in sixty seven samples of inorganic bulk pigments which are produced and/or used in Korea. We also collected MSDS which has to be supplied by manufacturer and/or supplier and posted in the workplace according to the Hazard Communication Standards, and compared the number of metals listed in each MSDS with the number of metals determined by ICP-AES. Results were as followed; 1. Among seventeen yellowish-colored samples, chromium(2~19%) and lead(0.1~61%) were the two major metals. In thirteen reddish-colored samples, iron was the major component with 37~81%. Cobalt and manganese were detected in blue-colored samples with less than 1%, while antimony and titanium were the major two metals in white-colored pigments with 178~300 ppm and with 36~65%, respectively. 2. In area samples collected in workplace air(one pigments producing factory and five retailer stores), iron and manganese were detected but the concentrations not exceeded the TLVs(1 and $5mg/m^3$, respectively). In three of fifteen samples, the concentrations of lead exceeded the TLV ($0.05mg/m^3$). 3. Two out of seven companies provided MSDS, and the average provision rate was 22.4%. And the coincidence rate of the number of metals referenced in MSDS and determined by ICP-AES mostly accorded, but in one sample, different metal was detected from MSDS. In summary, metals have to be concerned in evaluation of the workplace air dealing with compounds of inorganic pigments dust are cobalt, chromium, iron, manganese, lead and antimony, and these are simultaneously determined by ICP-AES. Taking this opportunity, it is needed to reinforce that the personnel is to be concerned about prevention of workers' ill health regarding to provision of MSDS.