• Journal of Korean Society of Occupational and Environmental Hygiene
• /
• v.34 no.3
• /
• pp.222-237
• /
• 2024

Objectives: This study aims to assess the current status of work environment measurement (WEM) for carcinogenic, mutagenic, reproductive toxic substances and to identify their high-risk industries for hazard surveillance and risk assessment. Methods: WEM Data from 37 specially managed CMR substances (2018-2022), the high-risk industries were identified by using estimated 95th percentile levels (X_0.95) of measurements compared with the occupational exposure limit (OEL). Results: The substances most frequently measured were nickel (insoluble), followed by sulfuric acid, lead, chromium (VI), formaldehyde, phenol, dimethylformamide and benzene. The industries with highest number of measurement samples for special management substances were plating of metals, followed by hospitals, general repair services of motor vehicles, building of ships, manufacture of synthetic resin and other plastic materials, manufacture of finished medicaments. Out of the 37 special management substances studied, 22 had a non-detection rate of over 90%. The rate of samples exceeding the OEL was less than 1% for all substances. The substance with the highest number of samples exceeding the OEL was trichloroethylene, which also had the highest average concentration compared to exposure limit. The substances with the highest percentage of industries which (X_0.95) exceeding OEL was formaldehyde followed by sulfuric acid, trichloroethylene, lead, I-bromopropane etc. Conclusions: This study identified high-risk industries of CMR sunstances, highlighting the need for prioritizing these industries in hazards surveillance and risk assessment.

• Journal of Korean Society of Occupational and Environmental Hygiene
• /
• v.34 no.3
• /
• pp.262-278
• /
• 2024

Objectives: To investigate the work environment measurement (WEM) status and concentration levels of substances with short-term exposure limits (STEL) among special management substances. Methods: Data from the past 5 years of WEM for 6 substances (1,2-dichloropropane (1,2-DCP), 1,3-butadiene, benzene, trichloroethylene (TCE), perchloroethylene (PCE) and sulfuric acid) were analyzed. The number of samples and concentration level of STEL and 8-hour TWA (time weighted average) were compared. Results: The number of STEL measurement for 1,3-butadiene, benzene, and sulfuric acid was less than 1% of the number of TWA measurement samples, while TCE, 1,2-DCP, and PCE, which are mainly used for cleaning metals, were relatively high, at 16.1%, 5.6%, and 2.2%, respectively. When comparing the concentrations of STEL with TWA on the same STEL measured workers (STEL-matched TWA), STEL concentrations were 2.8, 3.1, 2.6, 2.6 and 40.5 times higher than TWA as 1,2-DCP, benzene, TCE, PCE, and sulfuric acid. When comparing the concentration of STEL-matched TWA with the total TWA, STEL-matched TWA was 3.4, 8, 1.4, 2.0, 8.6 and 0.7 times higher for 1,2-DCP, benzene, 1,3-butadiene, TCE, PCE, and sulfuric acid, respectively. Conclusions: This study found that the workers performing irregular tasks may be exposed to higher concentrations of hazardous substances than regular workers. It is necessary to strengthen short-term exposure measurement, even for substances which STEL have not been set.