• Journal of Korean Society of Occupational and Environmental Hygiene
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• v.26 no.4
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• pp.436-444
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• 2016

Objectives: Despite recent efforts to prevent suffocation disasters, a number of confined space accidents still happen and each year deaths continue to occur. There have been insufficient studies on the dangers of various potential disaster sites, such as manholes, septic tanks, reactors, and other tanks according to type, characteristics, task-specific disasters, equipment specific disasters, etc. The purpose of this study was to analyze recent suffocation disasters based on place and properties. Methods: In this study, we analyzed confined space accident cases from 2005 to 2015 in Korea and grouped them by type, size, monthly occurrence, continuous service period, accident location, person-specific group, age, employment, structural work and subcontracting work. We studied examples of accidents developed in other countries. Results: (1) We reviewed confined-space accident statistics, compared legal standards and analyzed cases of suffocation accidents in the United States and Japan. (2) Using a case study report from the Korea Occupational Safety & Health Agency, we specified confined-space accident statistics based on place, person-specific group, age, employment, structural work and subcontracting work. As a result we generated some precautions about confined-space accidents for the prevention of such accidents. Conclusions: Conclusions: Statistical analysis of recent suffocation disaster cases was performed to establish improvement measures, compare practices from developed countries, and develop precautionary measures accordingly. In this study, we presented the causes of disaster that occur in a confined space and proposed related preventive measures.

• Journal of Navigation and Port Research
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• v.37 no.1
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• pp.85-89
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• 2013

Sometimes, an evacuation should be executed from a ship for many reasons. This study considers on emergency evacuation on fire in a ship, one of the many reasons for evacuation. Due to the characteristic of fire, the most loss of life is known to be caused by suffocation resulted by smoke. To reduce the suffocation by smoke, the time available for evacuation should be improved for the higher survival rate of crews. In this study, crews' survival times and Evacuation time are analyzed quantitatively in during fire in the same sealed space in two different cases of the natural ventilation and the forced ventilation.

• Journal of Korean Society of Occupational and Environmental Hygiene
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• v.33 no.1
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• pp.6-11
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• 2023

Objective: This study was conducted to identify the cause of suffocation accident. Methods: We analyzed the components of zinc concentrates by ICP-OES (inductively coupled plasma optical emission spectroscopy) and tested the oxygen consumption by zinc concentrates in a 13.2-liter closed chamber. Results: Zinc, sulfur and iron were the main components of the four types of zinc concentrates, and accounted for 76~89% by weight. Zinc concentrates (0.5 or 0.927 kg) depleted the oxygen concentration from 20.9% to 7.4~18.9% during seven days. The rate of oxygen consumption was in the range of 3.0~11.0 mM/day·kg-sample at 21~24℃ and around 95% of free air space within the closed chamber. Conclusion: Since zinc concentrate consumes oxygen in a confined space, measures should be taken to prevent suffocation accident (such as ventilation and monitoring of oxygen concentration).

• Fire Science and Engineering
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• v.32 no.2
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• pp.118-129
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• 2018

This study analyzed the recent serious disaster cases of chemical extinguishing agent poisoning and suffocation investigated by KOSHA and proposed the safe use of chemical substances, including the chemical extinguishing agent. An analysis of the statistical figures an increase in the number and variations of chemical poisoning and suffocation cases in industry between 2011~2016 increased. Unlike other physical accidents, chemical accidents are very high in severity and it is difficult to identify the chemical hazard and risk. To prevent chemical disasters, it is essential to develop and use an easy chemical risk assessment tool. For the safe use of chemical substances, in which it is difficult to carry out hazard identification and risk assessments, this thesis presents the useful chemical recognition and risk assessment tools, CHEM-i and CHARM developed by KOSHA.

• Journal of Veterinary Clinics
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• v.17 no.1
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• pp.88-92
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• 2000

In Everland Zoological Gardens, the mortality by extrinsic cause in non-human primates during 1976∼1999 were retrospectively analyzed based on the clinical charts and/or autopsy reports. The number of deaths from extrinsic factor was 61 among a total of 161 monkeys which were died during that period. Among 61 monkeys of death from extrinsic factor, the number at a detailed cause were as follows: strangulation, 17(27.87%); accident fall, 15(24.59%); suffocation, 13(21.31%); drowning, 7(11.48%); death from pressure, 2(3.28%); collision, 2(3.28%); sunstroke, 1(64%); starvation, 1(1.64%); freezing to death, 1(1.64%); contusion, 1(1.64%). The number of deaths from extrinsic factor was 39 among a total of 81 squirrel monkeys which were died during that period. Among 39 squirrel monkeys of death from extrinsic factor, the number at a detailed cause were as follows; suffocation, 11(28.21%); accident fall, 8(20.51%); strangulation, 7(17.95%); drowning, 7(17.95%); death from pressure, 2(5.13%); starvation, 1(2.56%); collision, 1(2.56%). The number of deaths from extrinsic factor was 14 among a total of 50 Japanese macaque died during that period. Among 14 Japanese macaque from extrinsic factor, the number at a detailed cause were as follows; strangulation, 7(50.55%); accident fall, 6(42.85%); suffocation, 1(7.14%). It was considered that far facilities, adequate space and suitable indoor temperature are needed for the prevention of deaths of extrinsic cause at the monkey raising in zoological gardens or research center.

• Health Policy and Management
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• v.23 no.3
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• pp.260-265
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• 2013

Background: The aim of this study was to examine the seasonal variation of death from intentional self-harm by hanging, strangulation and suffocation (HSS: Korean Standard Classification of Diseases-6 code: X70) using the 2011 death registry data. Methods: The analysis was based on data of 8,359 HSS deaths from 2011 national vital statistics in Korea. Daily, weekly, and monthly death pattern on HSS were used to examine the relationship seasonal variation and HSS deaths. Results: A total of 8,359 HSS deaths occurred in 2011, with a mean age of 50.6 years. The HSS death rate (per 100,000) was 25.5 in male and 10.8 in female. In one day 17.6 males and 8.0 females occurred HSS death on average. The number of HSS death per day was the highest on 8th June (45 deaths), and lowest on 1st February (7 deaths) during the period. The variations of daily HSS death showed wide fluctuation from a peak of 34 to 45 deaths (29th May to 9th June) to a trough of 17-26 deaths (10th-13th September: the Korean thank-giving consecutive holidays), 13-20 deaths (2nd-5th February: the new year's day by the lunar calendar) and 8-9 deaths (24th-25th December: Christmas holidays). There were no significant difference between gender and seasonal variation (month, season, and week). Conclusion: The mean number of HSS death per day was highest in June (30.6 deaths), and months with the lowest number of deaths was January and December (range, 19.4 to 19.6 deaths). HSS death were more prevalent during summer and spring and were less likely to occur during winter. On Saturdays (21.0 deaths), the number of HSS death per day was the lowest, and Monday (27.9 deaths) was the highest. HSS death was less likely to occur on holidays (21.4 deaths). There was significant seasonal variation in HSS death by weekly and monthly (p<0.01).

• Journal of Korean Institute of Fire Investigation
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• v.10 no.1
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• pp.59-75
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• 2007

The causes of the fire casualties were the heat burns, contacted by flame, before the period of industrialization. According to the economic has been developed drastically since 1990, residing space has been become bigger and sophistication and interior finishing materials have been diversified. Therefore, the suffocation casualties, caused by inspiration of toxic combustion gases, have been more increased than the flame casualties in recently. Also, the arson casualties have been increasing with the increasing of insurance crime to take the Insurance money. According to National Emergency Management Agency announcement, 31,778 fires was occurred nationwide in 2006 and the total casualties were 2,180 occurred. 446 persons were died among them. Because the exact investigation of fire, occurred the death, is very especially important that civil and criminal cases will be happened. Therefore, we studied about the cause of fire, the place of origin, and the group of casualties age on the axies of fires, which were occurred recently. And the identification method of fire casualties, the human behavior characteristic, the flame casualties and the suffocation casualties at fire scene.

• Journal of Korean Society of Occupational and Environmental Hygiene
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• v.31 no.1
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• pp.83-93
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• 2021

Objectives: 'Confined space' was only defined in the Safety and Health Regulations as a place where oxygen deficiency and hydrogen sulfide must be dealt with at the time of the initial enactment (1982). The danger of fire and explosion were added in 2003. We will compare and review the regulations related to confined space work under the current safety and health rules alongside regulations in other countries and prepare a plan to improve the system through enhanced clarity and execution. Methods: In a comparison of systems for the prevention of suffocation in confined spaces in major countries (Germany, United States, Japan) different concepts of the definition of confined spaces in different countries apparently due to differences in each country's legal implementation system, accident analysis methods, the status of safety and health implementation in workplaces, the precautions against actual confined space work, and the definition of confined spaces were found to be not much different between Korea and the other foreign countries. Results: In the case of Germany and the United States, a confined space is defined as a contextual concept rather than a place, so more careful attention is needed from operators or enclosed space managers as it is often necessary to judge the actual workplace. In the case of Korea and Japan, the interior of the place is mainly defined as a place, especially in the case of Japan, which concentrates on oxygen deficiency and hydrogen sulfide poisoning. Conclusions: For measures to improve regulations on the prevention of suffocation accidents in Korea, I would like to propose three major measures to improve the system in the rules on domestic industrial safety and health standards. It is necessary to prepare and provide a guide to ensure that the 18 types of confined spaces currently defined as confined spaces are clearly understood by field management supervisors or workers.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Safety
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• v.33 no.5
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• pp.28-34
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• 2018

Recently, various engineering approaches have been widely used in the accident investigation field to identify the cause of the accident and to predict damage by accident. Computational analysis is the most commonly used method of accident investigation technique. This technique is mainly used to identify the mechanism of the accident generation and to determine the cause when it is difficult to reproduce the situation at the time of the accident or when it is impossible to perform a reproduction experiment. In this study, The computational fluid dynamics analysis for nitrogen asphyxiation accident generated by defect of building structural between diffusion outlet and cooling tower was performed to determine the inflow path of the suffocation gas, death possibility by concentration of suffocation gas and predicted the time of death due to the accident using 3D modeling and FLACS program. We can quantify diffusion concentration of asphyxiation gas and predict mechanism of death occurrence by accident and evaluate the consequence Analysis through this study. In the future, This method can be widely used in the field of gas safety by improving the reliability and validity of the analysis.

• Journal of the Society of Naval Architects of Korea
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• v.54 no.4
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• pp.294-300
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• 2017

The offshore installations and ships are the structures most likely to be exposed to hazards such as hydrocarbon fire and/or explosion. Developing proactive measures to prevent the escalation of such events thus requires detailed knowledge of the related phenomena and their consequences. $CO_2$ extinguishing systems are extensively used for fire accidents of on-and offshore installations because of outstanding performance and low cost. There is, however, the risk of carbon dioxide system which enumerates many of the fatalities by suffocation associated with industrial fire protection requirements. Therefore, the aim of this study is to perform the prediction of fire suppression characteristics of the carbon dioxide system in realistic enclosed compartment area of ships and propose $CO_2$ extinguish fire fighting system for preventing suffocation accidents during fire fighting. According to CFD calculations, it can be observed and assessed that various fire profiles with $CO_2$ and $O_2$ mole fraction in the target enclosed compartment area are applicable within the proposed system. Additionally, the design of fire safety system of ships and offshore installations can utilize ventilation system and/or layout arrangement through the proposed system.