• Title/Summary/Keyword: occupational welfare

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Determination of Metals of Coal and Respirable Coal Dust in Gangneung and Taebaek Coal Mines (강릉·태백지역 석탄광산의 탄 및 호흡성 탄분진중 금속 농도 비교에 관한 연구)

  • Kim, Hae Jeong;Choi, Ho Chun;Chung, Ho Keun
    • Journal of Korean Society of Occupational and Environmental Hygiene
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    • v.1 no.1
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    • pp.82-88
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    • 1991
  • Determination of Cu, Fe, Ni, Pb, and Zn concentrations in coal and respirable coal dust were performed by atomic absorption spectrophotometry. The coal samples of 18 coal mines in Gangneung area were collected and 25 coal mines in Taebaek area. Crushed coal samples were divided into three mesh sizes. The results were as follows : 1. Metal concentrations of coals in Gangneung area by sieve sizes( -100/+200 mesh, -200/+325 mesh, -325 mesh) were as follows: Cu ; 20, 18, 19, Fe ; 1,830, 1,765, 1,107, Pb ; 6, 8, 14, Ni ; 17, 17, 14, Zn ; 4, 2, $4{\mu}g/g$, respectively. Metal concentrations in coals in Taebaek area by sieve sizes(-100/+200 mesh, -200/+325 mesh, -325 mesh) were as follows: Cu ; 30, 32, 26, Fe ; 1,741, 1,822, 1,773, Pb ; 8, 9, 7, Ni ; 13, 13, 13, Zn ; 8, 5, $4{\mu}g/g$, respectively. There were not significant differences of Cu, Fe, Ni, Pb, and Zn concentrations of coals statistically in Gangneung and Taebaek area by sieve size. 2. Metal concentrations of coals in Gangneung and Taeback area were as follows : Cu ; 19, 30, Fe ; 1,514, 1,778, Pb ; 9, 8, Ni ; 16, 13, Zn ; 3, $6{\mu}g/g$, respectively. Differences of copper and zinc concentrations of coal samples were significant between Gangneung and Taebaek area, but those of iron, nickel and lead concentrations were not significant. 3. Copper, iron, lead, nickel and zinc concentrations of coals and respirable coal dust were as follows : Cu ; 30, 6, Fe ; 1,779, 5,075, Pb ; 8, 7,814, Ni ; 13, 5,681, Zn ; 5, $134{\mu}g/g$, respectively. Differences of nickel, lead and zinc concentrations were significant between coals and respirable coal dust but those of copper and iron concentrations were not significant.

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Exposure Assessment of Crystalline Silica in Diatomite Powder Handling Workplace with Acute Silicosis (급성 규폐증이 발생한 규조토 분말 취급 작업장의 결정형 실리카 노출평가: 역학조사 사례)

  • Kim, Boowook;Kim, Daeho;Kim, Hyoung-Ryoul;Choi, Byung-Soon
    • Journal of Korean Society of Occupational and Environmental Hygiene
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    • v.29 no.3
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    • pp.271-277
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    • 2019
  • Objectives: A 46-year-old woman who had worked on cleaning stainless steel containers with Initially unknown powders died from acute silicosis. To determine whether the acute silicosis was related to his work environment, we conducted exposure assessment the level of exposure to respirable crystalline silica(RCS) during cleaning stainless steel containers with unknown powders. Methods: The exposure assessment of RCS were undertaken according to the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health(NIOSH) method 7500. The components of the unknown powder were analyzed using X-ray Diffraction. Results: The unknown powder was found to be natural diatomaceous earth, which contained 12% and 9% quartz and cristobalite, respectively, crystalline silica. In the case of cleaning stainless steel containers with diatomaceous earth powder, the primary measurement resulted in 1.3 times higher occupational exposure limit of MOEL(in sum of quartz and cristobalite concentration) and 3.9 times higher in secondary measurement. The workbench was equipped with a local exhaust system, but because there was no hood at the end of the duct, the wind speed at the opening of the duct was 12 m/sec, whereas the controlled wind speed at the working position was only 0.3 m/sec below the legal standard. Conclusions: There is an urgent need to install the hood, conduct safety and health education for employers and workers, and periodically monitoring and manage the working environment.

The effect of a Cognitive Occupational Therapy program on cognition and hand functions in patients with dementia living in a community (지역 요양시설 치매환자에서 인지작업치료프로그램의 인지와 손기능에 대한 효과)

  • Kang, Eun-Yeong;Chong, Bok-Hee
    • Journal of the Korea Academia-Industrial cooperation Society
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    • v.16 no.7
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    • pp.4798-4804
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    • 2015
  • The aim of this study is evaluate the effect of a cognitive occupational therapy program on cognitive function, depression and hands function for patients with dementia living in a local community. A cognitive rehabilitation program of 10 weeks focusing on the occupational therapy is conducted from September to December 2012 on 21 patents (experimental group: 12, control group: 9) with dementia who are admitted to nursing homes in a metropolitan region. In the experimental group, the cognitive function, depression level, hand strength, and hand coordination ability is significantly improved after the application of the cognitive program (p<.05). In conclusion, the cognitive occupational therapy program may be a useful intervention for dementia. Because the therapeutic goal for dementia treatment is mainly concentrated on the amelioration of dementia symptoms, thus it is necessary to develop a various cognition training program that can be maintained the patient's residual functional capacity and returned to the social community through the early detection and the early intervention.

Exposure status of welding fumes for operators of overhead traveling crane in a shipyard (대형조선소 천장크레인 운전원의 용접흄 노출 실태)

  • Lee, Kyeongmin;Kim, Boowook;Kwak, Hyunseok;Ha, Hyunchul
    • Journal of Korean Society of Occupational and Environmental Hygiene
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    • v.25 no.3
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    • pp.301-311
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    • 2015
  • Objectives: Operators of overhead traveling crane in a ship assembly factory perform work to transmit large vessel blocks to an appropriate working process. Hazardous matters such as metal dusts, carbon monoxide, carbon dioxide, ozone, loud noise and fine particles are generated by variable working activities in the factory. The operators could be exposed to the hazardous matters during the work. In particular, welding fumes comprised of ultra fine particles and heavy metals is extremely hazardous for humans when exposing a pulmonary through respiratory pathway. Occupational lung diseases related to welding fumes are increasingly on an upward tendency. Therefore, the objective of this study is to assess properly unknown occupational exposure to the welding fumes among the operators. Methods: This study intended to clearly determine an equivalence check whether or not chemical constituents and composition of the dusts, which existed in the driver's cab, matched up with generally known welding fumes. Furthermore, computational fluid dynamics program(CFD) was used to identify a ventilation assessment in respect of a contamination distribution of welding fumes in the air. The operators were investigated to assess personal exposure levels of welding fumes and respirable particulate. Results: The dust in an operation room were the same constituents and composition as welding fumes. Welding fumes, which caused by the welding in a floor of the factory, arose with an ascending air current up to a roof and then stayed for a long time. They were considered to be exposed to the welding fumes in the operation room. The personal exposure levels of welding fumes and respirable particulate were 0.159(n=8, range=0.073-0.410) $mg/m^3$ and 0.138(n=8, range=0.087-0.178) $mg/m^3$, respectively. They were lower than a threshold limit value level($5mg/m^3$) of welding fumes. Conclusions: These findings indicate that an occupational exposure to welding fumes can exist among the operators. Consequently, we need to be keeping the operators under a constant assessment in the operator process of overhead traveling crane.

A Study on Exposure to Hazard Factors in Furnace Worker in Ferro-Alloy Manufacturer Factory (합금철 제조공장 출탕 노동자의 유해인자 노출)

  • Cha, Wonseok;Kim, Boowook;Choi, Byungsoon
    • Journal of Korean Society of Occupational and Environmental Hygiene
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    • v.27 no.4
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    • pp.302-312
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    • 2017
  • Objectives: In this study, an evaluation of the working environment of furnace workers was performed and the work-relatedness of the occupational diseases were examined Methods: In this study, two electric furnaces at a single casting business site producing manganese-based iron alloy were selected, and occupational exposures to hazardous substances were evaluated for furnace workers and furnace worker assistants. Results: As a result, total dust concentration were $0.407{\sim}3.001mg/m^3$ and respirable dust concentration were $0.196{\sim}0.584mg/m^3$. The highest concentration of crystalline silica was $0.079mg/m^3$ In the case of Masato and Sosuckwhoi crystalline silica, they contained 90.85% and 4.17% respectively. Manganese concentration was the highest at a $0.205mg/m^3$ maximum. The average of black carbon is $11.56{\mu}g/m^3$ and the maximum concentration is $604.23{\mu}g/m^3$. PAHs concentration was the highest at a $78.301{\mu}g/m^3$ of naphthalene. The concentration of carbon monoxide was 18.82 ppm(total average 3.89 ppm) during pouring, and the maximum is 131 ppm. The formaldehyde concentration was 0.003 to 0.007 ppm. Conclusions: It seems that conditions in the past were worse, since casting has recently been performed only twice per day for about 20 minutes, reducing the amount of pouring, and local exhaust systems have been installed one-by-one. In addition, it was judged that the past exposure levels were higher considering the points measured on the back-side due to the risk of damage to the individual samples. It was found that operators could be exposed to high concentrations of crystalline silica, and that they were also exposed to high concentrations of metal(fume) and carbon monoxide during pouring. Therefore, there is a risk that occupational diseases such as lung cancer and COPD may occur with long-term work in such a process.

Study on Fall Protection from Scaffolds by Plastic Sheets

  • Ohdo, Katsutoshi;Takanashi, Seiji;Hino, Yasumichi;Takahashi, Hiroki;Toyosawa, Yasuo
    • International Journal of Safety
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    • v.10 no.1
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    • pp.10-15
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    • 2011
  • In Japan, protective measures to reduce falls from scaffolds have been strictly applied within industry safety guidelines, and such measures have significantly decreased fatal accidents due to falls from scaffolds. However, the rate of fatal accidents from falls is still high in the construction industries. In order to examine further countermeasures to reduce such falls, the Japan Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare established a committee in our institute. That committee$\acute{i}$s work experimentally confirmed the effectiveness of using plastic sheets as a covering around scaffolds to protect against falls of construction materials (a method widely used in Japan). However, the workers fell from the space between the work platform and the plastic sheets very occasionally. Based on those results, the plastic sheets were improved for fall protection from the space, and the effect of the improved sheets was confirmed experimentally.

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A Comparison of the Korean and Japanese Medical Technician's. Etc. Act Systems Focusing on Physical and Occupational Therapists

  • Yoon, Tae-Hyung
    • The Journal of Korean Physical Therapy
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    • v.28 no.2
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    • pp.128-135
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    • 2016
  • Purpose: The aim of this study was to compare the "Physical Therapist and Occupational Therapist Act" of Japan and the "Medical Technician's. Etc. Act" of Korea in order to establish the grounds for improvement of effective law-making. Methods: We obtained the "Medical Technician's. Etc. Act" from the Korean Ministry of Government Legislation and the "Physical Therapist and Occupational Therapist Act" from the Japanese Ministry of Health, Labor and Welfare. It was translated from an association by related Japanese and experts. Results: The laws consisted of acts, enforcement ordinances, and enforcement regulations in both Korea and Japan. In the Korean case, eight occupations were defined in one law including six types of medical technicians, as well as medical recorders and opticians. The "Physical Therapist and Occupational Therapist Act" in Japan is composed of 6 chapters and 22 articles, while the Korean Act consists of 33 articles without chapters. Among them, 11 articles covered the establishment and management of dental laboratories and eyeglass shops, and only 22 articles were related to physical therapists and occupational therapists. Conclusion: Independent laws should be established for each type of medical technician. They must be comparable to Japanese laws on physical therapists and occupational therapists as well as clinical pathologists, dental hygienists, dental technicians, radiologic technologists, medical recorders, and opticians.

A Review on the Occupational Health Status of Female Workers in China (중국 여성근로자의 산업보건 실태에 관한 고찰)

  • Wen, Yong;Ko, Min-Jung;Lim, Min-Kyung
    • Journal of Korean Society of Occupational and Environmental Hygiene
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    • v.8 no.1
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    • pp.155-161
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    • 1998
  • This study reviewed on the occupational health status of female workers in China, where the half of female population are workers in occupational settings and realizes the importance of occupational health among them, to establish the occupational health management system in Korea as Korean female workers have been increasing for the last few decades. Results of the study were as follows. 1. The proportion of female workers in total workers have increased from 7.5% in 1949 up to 37.6% in 1990. As for the distribution of female workers by industry, manufacturing part has the highest proportion of female workers in total and out of total female workers, the rank was health social welfare (53.2%), community personal service(45.4%) and agriculture forestry fishing(44.1%). 2. The system of occupational health management for female workers was related to superior organization well by administrative district & work place and professionals were distributed to one per ten thousand persons or more, depending on each region's conditions. 3. The regulations of occupational health management for female workers are defined in a variety of fields. Considering the physiological characteristics of female workers, government has tried to minimize the loss due to menstruation, pregnancy, delivery and lactation and has let them have vacations, guaranteeing the health facilities at the same time. Also government has defined the scope of prohibited work to protect legal right of them.

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A Study on the Relationship between Irritable Bowel Syndrome(IBS) and Nurses' Occupational Stress (간호사의 직무 스트레스와 과민성 장 증후군에 관한 연구)

  • Yoon, Chi-Keun;Lee, An-Saeng
    • Korean Journal of Occupational Health Nursing
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    • v.18 no.2
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    • pp.281-288
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    • 2009
  • Purpose: This study was to investigate the relationship between IBS and nurses' occupational stress. Method: We used the modified Rome III criteria to measure the relationship between IBS and nurses' occupational stress. This questionnaire is composed of 9 areas and 43 items related to the stress. We collected the data of 395 respondents from W hospital. The survey was done from July 10th to July 31th, 2009. Results: The morbidity of IBS showed 24.3%. It was significantly influenced by night shift, and hospital visits and medication because of abdominal discomfort for the past 6 months. The causes of the nurses' occupational stress, which influenced the difference between IBS and non-IBS group, were "conflict with doctors" "difficulties in human relationships" "dealing with guardians and patients". The IBS group's stress was higher that of the non-IBS group. Also 96.9% of the IBS group and 79.3% of the non-IBS group responded there was relationship between IBS and nurses occupational stress. Conclusion: We found the relationship between IBS and nurses' occupational stress. And such stress could be reduced through the education about IBS.

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The Study of Job Stress in Occupational Therapist (작업치료사의 직무 스트레스에 관한 연구)

  • Yang, Young-Ae;Hur, Jin-Gang;Noh, Young-Man;Lee, Gyu-Chang
    • Journal of the Ergonomics Society of Korea
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    • v.26 no.3
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    • pp.1-9
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    • 2007
  • The purpose of this study was going to research relation of job stress and society psychologic stress according to general characteristic, work characteristic, health characteristic and personality characteristic for the occupational therapist in the working domestic rehabilitation therapy with hospital and welfare center occupational therapist. The research was 91 of withdrawal questionnaire among 102 occupational therapist from 1. November 2005 to 31. December 2005. In the result of analysis the given question for the ninety one occupational therapist showed just normal group 25% 23 person, potential stress group 47% 43 person, and the rest 28% 25 person high risk group. The result shows significance different in general characteristic of job stress about age, final scholarship and marriage. Job stress was included income, working time, office form and working position etc. Health special job stress was significance different according to sleep time. So we have to know a fact of job stress of occupational therapist and prevent of loss of business services. And we have to endeavoring removals factor of stress and good office culture fixation.