• Safety and Health at Work
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• v.11 no.3
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• pp.383-384
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• 2020

• Journal of the Korea Safety Management & Science
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• v.17 no.3
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• pp.125-132
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• 2015

The primary purpose of present study, to take appropriate measures to prevent occupational accidents in the food service industry, was to evaluate characteristics of working condition and occupational safety and health. In order to fulfill our objective, profession and working environment, safety recognition and education, safety activities, physical conditions and accident experience were surveyed. To collect information and opinion in the field, face-to-face interviews were, using a structured questionnaire, carried out. Also, food service industry's accidents reported by Korean Occupational Safety and Health Agency at 2014 were statistically analyzed. In the resulting of analyzing data from a questionnaire survey of food service industry employees, safety/health train and management were increased.

• Journal of Korean Society of Occupational and Environmental Hygiene
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• v.28 no.1
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• pp.91-99
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• 2018

Objectives: From a policy perspective, the introduction of confidential information reviews is a vital task for expanding workers' right to know and improving hazardous materials information communication. In this study, rational methods for introducing and administering confidential information reviews were examined as a part of advancing chemical information communication. Methods: The domestic status, social demands, and control cases from other countries about confidential information in material safety data sheets(MSDSs) were all examined. Additionally, principles for introducing MSDS confidential information review, what needs to be revised prior to its introduction, and procedures and manners of reviewing confidential information were suggested. Results and Conclusions: When composition information on MSDS needs to be protected in the EU and Canada, confidential information should be claimed and then approved by competent authorities with a principle of reviewing confidential information prior to rescinding information from MSDS. Applying the same principle, certain information on an MSDS that needs to be protected should be reviewed and approved in Korea. As a result, the MSDS is communicated with approval numbers replacing composition information. MSDS confidential information review has five steps, including deciding whether chemicals claimed to be confidential are excluded from applying for a confidentiality exemption, the names and concentration ranges of ingredients are adequate, and the claimed information is valid in terms of confidentiality.

• Journal of Korean Society of Occupational and Environmental Hygiene
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• v.25 no.1
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• pp.45-57
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• 2015

Objectives: This study aims to compare the physicochemical characteristics, toxicological data with Occupational Exposure Limits (OELs) of chemicals under the Occupational Safety and Health Act(OSHA) regulated by the Ministry of Employment and Labor of Korea. Methods: Information on chemicals which have OELs on physicochemical characteristics and toxicological data was collected using Material Safety Data Sheet(MSDS) from Korea Occupational Safety and Health Agency(KOSHA) and the Korea Information System for Chemical Safety Management(KISChem) in 2014. Statistical analyses including correlation and simple regression were performed to compare the OELs with chemical characteristics including molecular weight, boiling point, odor threshold, vapor pressure, vapor density, solubility and octanol-water partition coefficient(OWPC) and toxicological data such as median lethal dose($LD_{50}$) and median lethal concentration($LC_{50}$). Results: A total of 656 chemicals have OELs under OSHA in Korea. The numbers of chemicals which have eight-hour time weighted average(TWA) and short term exposure limits(STEL) are 618 and 190, respectively. TWA was significantly correlated with boiling point and STEL was only correlated with vapor pressure among physicochemical characteristics. Solubility and OWPC between "skin" and "no skin" substances which indicate skin penetration were not significantly different. Both $LD_{50}$ and $LC_{50}$ were correlated with TWA, while the $LC_{50}$ was not with STEL. As health indicators, health rating and Emergency Response Planning Guidelines(ERPG) rating as recommended by the National Fire Protection Association(NFPA) and American Industrial Hygiene Association(AIHA) were associated with OELs and reflect the chemical hazards. Conclusions: We found relationships between OEL and chemical information including physicochemical characteristics and toxicological data. The study has an important meaning for understanding present regulatory OELs.

• Safety and Health at Work
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• v.9 no.1
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• pp.30-41
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• 2018

Background: The purpose of the work is to develop a system that allows processing of information for analysis and industrial risk management, to monitor the level of industrial safety and to perform necessary measures aimed at the prevention of accidents, casualties, and development of professional diseases for effective management of industrial safety at hazardous industrial sites. Methods: Risk assessment of accidents and incidents is based on expert evaluations. Based on the lists of criteria parameters and their possible values, provided by the experts, a unified information and analytical database is compiled, which is included in the final interrogation questionnaires. Risk assessment of industrial injuries and occupational diseases is based on statistical methods. Results: The result of the research is the creation of Guidelines for risk management on hazardous industrial sites of the Republic of Kazakhstan. The Guidelines determine the directions and methods of complex assessment of the state of industrial safety and labor protection and they could be applied as methodological basis at the development of preventive measures for emergencies, casualties, and incidents at hazardous industrial sites. Conclusion: Implementation of the information-analytical system of risk level assessment allows to analyze the state of risk of a possible accident at industrial sites, make valid management decisions aimed at the prevention of emergencies, and monitor the effectiveness of accident prevention measures.

• Journal of the Korea Safety Management & Science
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• v.11 no.3
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• pp.63-71
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• 2009

Safety is totally established through not only legal regulations and system but the establishment of safety culture. As a foundation of safety culture, safety and health communication is the essential condition. Therefore, in the case of researching safety culture the communication network of a organization is a crucial factor. This study has analysed the structure of occupational safety and health communication between domestic and foreign corporations comparatively by the statistical analysis. The occupational safety and health communication is composed of four sub-dimensions: general communication in working site, using safety information communication, communication with the board of directors, and communication with labor union. The nationality of corporations influences the safety communication significantly except for communication with labor union. Consequently it is possible to infer that the nationality of corporations is a significant factor for safety communication network.

• Journal of Korean Society of Occupational and Environmental Hygiene
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• v.22 no.4
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• pp.316-328
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• 2012

Objectives: This study was designed to provide the information regarding chemicals classification and health hazard by evaluating the toxicological effect through repeated inhalation exposure of methyl acrylate(MA) in Sprague-Dawley(SD) rat for 13 weeks. Methods: According to the notification with Ministry of Labor(No. 2009-68) and OECD Test Guideline 413, the rats were exposed to MA at concentration of 0, 56, 168, 280 ppm via whole body inhalation for 6 hours per day, 5 days per week, for 13 weeks. All animals were observed for mortality, morbidity and the change of body weight and food consumption were determined during the exposure period. Necropsy finding, organ weight, hematology, clinical biochemistry and histopathological examination following exposure were also performed. Results: There were no death and abnormal clinical signs relate to exposure MA. However, At 160 ppm and 280 ppm exposure groups, body weight and food consumption showed statistically significant decrease and histopathological changes in lung, trachea, nasal cavity, larynx were observed. Conclusions: MA was mainly affected respiratory tract. It is consequently provided to be classified as category 2(0.2 mg/L/6h < category 2 ${\leq}$ 1.0 mg/L/6h) for specific target organ toxicity following repeated exposure according to Standard for Classification and Labeling of Chemical Substance and Material Safety Data Sheet. The NOAEL(no observable adverse effect level) of MA was also determined to be lower than 56 ppm.

• Safety and Health at Work
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• v.6 no.2
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• pp.85-89
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• 2015

Background: The study was designed to assess the changes in working conditions through a comparative analysis of the characteristics of working conditions in 2006 and 2010. Methods: We performed a comparative analysis of the data related to the first Korean Working Conditions Survey (KWCS) and the second KWCS in the categories of demographic characteristics, quality of labor, exposure to hazards, and health problems. Results: From our analysis of the demographic characteristics, we saw an increase in labor force participation rate of women and elderly people. As a result of the investigation with regards to working hours, the ratio of employees who worked for ${\geq}49$ hours per week was decreased and the ratio of employees who worked for ${\geq}40h/wk$ increased. As for exposure to hazards, exposure to tobacco smoke notably decreased in 2010 compared with 2006. With regards to health problems, there was a sharp increase in the number of people who complained of muscle pain in their arms and legs. Conclusion: KWCS data included many aspects of working conditions as a nationwide sample. In addition, because this is a periodic nationwide survey, the labor force, working hours, harmful factor exposure, and the change in health problems characteristics according to the flow of time could be investigated. The information comparing the main results of the first survey conducted in 2006 and the second survey conducted in 2010 obtained through this study can be used as an important base material for the establishment of the national policy.

• Journal of Korean Society of Occupational and Environmental Hygiene
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• v.10 no.2
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• pp.1-17
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• 2000

We investigated dissatisfaction of elements of local exhaust system, needs for local exhaust system, and information networks for local exhaust system from June 1998 to September 1999 using the questionnaire structured. It contained questions concerning general characteristics of factory and local exhaust system, troubles and dissatisfaction of elements of local exhaust system, and information networks for local exhaust system. The collected data were analyzed by descriptive statistics analysis. Information networks for local exhaust system were analyzed by multidimensional scaling using path distance of network analysis and by graph analysis using Krackplot. Among complaints of local exhaust system, that of duct has show the highest percentage of complaint. In the information network for local exhaust system, Seoul is positioned in the center of network with mediating role.

• Safety and Health at Work
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• v.13 no.2
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• pp.141-147
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• 2022

Background: On the basis of its role for the development of occupational health research, information, good practices, the International Commission on Occupational Health (ICOH) launched the present survey to collect information on public health and prevention policies put in place by the governments of the countries in the world to contain the pandemic. Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted through an online questionnaire focused on COVID-19 data, public health policies, prevention measures, support measures for economy, work, and education, personal protective equipment, intensive care units, contact tracing, return to work, and the role of ICOH against COVID-19. The questionnaire was administered to 113 ICOH National Secretaries and senior OSH experts. Collected data refer to the period ranging from the beginning of the pandemic in each country to June 30, 2020. Results: A total of 73 questionnaires from 73 countries around the world were considered valid, with a 64.6% response rate. Most of the respondents (71.2%) reported that the state of emergency was declared in their country, and 86.1% reported lockdown measures. Most of the respondents (66.7%) affirmed that the use of face masks was compulsory in their country. As for containment measures, 97.2% indicated that mass gatherings (meetings) were limited. Regarding workplace closing, the most affected sector was entertainment (90.1%). Conclusion: The results of this survey are useful to gain a global view on COVID-19 policy responses at country level.