• Journal of Korean Society of Occupational and Environmental Hygiene
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• v.29 no.4
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• pp.590-602
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• 2019

Objectives: This study was conducted to prevent asphyxiation of firefighters during confined space rescue. The specific purpose was to identify the magnitude of the problem, identify the cause of the accidents, and suggest measures to ensure safety of confined space rescues. Methods: We collected data from National Fallen Firefighters Memorial, press releases, and other sources In order to identify the current situation of asphyxiation incidents among firefighters from 1945 to 2019. In addition, an incident investigation was conducted for each case, and the processes, causes, and control measures of the incidents were described as a narrative data entry. Results: Over the past 73 years, eight incidents involving firefighter in Korea have occurred. In these incidents, five firefighters were killed, and eight were injured. The confined spaces incidents occurred were water supply tanks, wastewater treatment tanks, pickling pits, septic tanks, and more. The causes were three cases of hydrogen sulfide poisoning, one of oxygen deficiency, one of carbon monoxide poisoning, and three unclassifiable asphyxiations. The people in need were all workers in various industries. Conclusions: The number of firefighters' deaths and injuries during rescues in confined spaces was severe and the risks have not been completely eliminated. By establishing and implementing a precise incident investigation system, according control measures should be initiatedin order to prevent a recurrence of the same type of disaster and reflected in the SOP. In particular, due to the high risk of occurrence at workplaces, cooperation between fire and rescue authority and relevant agencies such as the Ministry of Employment and Labor and the KOSHA should be strengthened.

• The Journal of the Korea Contents Association
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• v.17 no.9
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• pp.449-465
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• 2017

Small and medium-sized company workers are ill-prepared for retirement due to low wages and poor working conditions, as result, are likely to get into poverty in retirement. The purpose of this study is to conduct a case study on the current status of financial and non-financial retirement preparation of the small and medium-sized company workers. The main findings are as follows. First, the small and medium-sized company workers show the anxiety about retirement. Many pre-retirees worry that their retirement savings may not generate enough income in retirement, and the level of benefits paid in public pension is inadequate. Second, they are preparing for retirement in the areas of finance, health, working after retirement and social activity. Third, they are realistic and practical in retirement decisions makings. they are considering household budget downsizing, cutting education costs, the low-waged job choice and cash flow preference in retirement. The safety and reality in preparation for retirement are top considerations. In conclusion, this case study shows that pre-retirees of small and medium-sized companies are seeking diverse retirement solutions. We need to design integrated and practical retirement planning programs to support their specific retirement needs.

• Journal of Life Science
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• v.16 no.1
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• pp.58-63
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• 2006

There was cross-sectional study on investigating the factors related asbestos-related disease on chest radiograph of workers exposed to asbestos in ship repair. According to Occupational Safety & Health Administration asbestos standard, medical surveillance, chest radiologic study, pulmonary function test and medical questionnaire are performed in 118 subjects exposed to asbestos for 10 years or more in ship repair. The sixteen out of 118 subjects $(13.6\%)$ were observed asbestos-related disease finding on chest radiography. Significant factors related to those finding on chest radiography were abnormal pulmonary function test, cough, sputum, past history of respiratory disease, work duration. Workers with Significant factors related asbestos-related disease finding on chest radiography should be managed on a strict program. Further, factors unrelated with asbestos-related disease finding on this study should be evaluated prospectively for medical surveillance program of workers exposed to asbestos.

• Horticultural Science & Technology
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• v.31 no.2
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• pp.239-245
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• 2013

Occupational exposure and risk assessment were conducted to evaluate the safety of operators when insecticide acetamiprid was applied to apple orchard using a speed sprayer. Dermal patches, cotton gloves, socks, and masks were used to monitor the dermal exposure, and personal air pump with solid sorbent was used to measure the potential inhalation exposure. In validation to analytical methods, the limit of detection and limit of quantitation were 0.25 ng and 1 ng, respectively. Good reproducibility (coefficient variation < 4%), linearity (coefficient determination > 0.999), and recovery (85.3-118.2%) were obtained. Trapping efficiency of solid sorbent was 96.4% while breakthrough did not occur. Only hand exposure was measured on the gloves during mixing/loading to give $33-1,132{\mu}g$. Exposure amount of operator 3 among 4 workers was noticeably high. The total volumes of spray liquid for operators were $535-1,235mL{\cdot}h^{-1}$, corresponding to 0.03-0.08% of the applied spray solution. Highest contaminated parts of body were thighs, chest, and lower legs. The inhalation exposure ratio to the total application amount was significantly low. However, wind seemed to affect the inhalation exposure of operator. For risk assessment, margin of safety was calculated by the application of cloth and dermal penetration rate to obtain values of much larger than 1 in all cases. Therefore, health risk of operators during treatment of acetamiprid in apple orchard could be of least possibility.

• Journal of Korean Society of Occupational and Environmental Hygiene
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• v.7 no.2
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• pp.289-297
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• 1997

Work-related low back pain(below LBP) is one of the major cause of morbidity, disability, limitation of activity and economic loss. Therefore the work-related LBP is one of the major issue in the field of industrial safety and health. This study was performed for detecting the risk factors and proposing the effective control programs of work-related LBP. The subjects were male workers employed at the welding and metal factory. The data was collected by self-reported questionnaire, interview and checking abdomen muscular and grasping power for two days on October, 1993. The contents of questionnaire were as follow: the experience of LBP, general characteristics, physical characteristics, employment status, type of work and working environment. The number of cases was 104 with a history of work-related LBP, so the prevalence of work-related LBP was 35.0%, and the number of controls was 140 without any history of LBP. As a result, marital status, educational level, abdomen muscular power, tenure, category of job, satisfaction of job, working posture, satisfaction for table and chair and lifting materials showed a statistical significance between the case and control groups. 284 Lifting jobs were quantified by NIOSH lifting equation method and ergonomic computer modelling methods. There were no significant differences in the action limit and disc compression force between group with LBP and without LBP. But in the lifting frequency and cumulative disc compression force there were significant differences. Therefore work-related LBP should be prevented by the ergonomic and environmental control.

• Korean Journal of Hazardous Materials
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• v.2 no.1
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• pp.12-17
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• 2014

With a rapid growth of domestic industry in korea, now about 25,000 kinds of chemicals are being distributed, and it has been known that just about 15% of them has toxic substances. Recently, South Koreans have an anxiety about the stability and accidents of chemicals because chemical accidents like Gumi hydrofluoric acid accident have occurred. The U.S. has adopted the systems like EPCRA (Emergency Planning and Community Right-to-Know Act), TRI (Toxic Release Inventory) and TSCA (Toxic Substances Control Act), and is also managing the hazardous chemicals by providing the information about them to its people and site workers. Japan's Ministry of Health, Labor and Welfare also has adopted J-CHECK system and is implementing it to let Japanese people know the information of safety of chemicals about REACH. However, the Korean government has a difficult situation to mediate the different idea with the Korean industry to make lower statute of Pre-legislation registration & evaluation of chemicals that will be implemented and Chemical Material Control Association that is being implemented. Especially city and country areas located in the industrial areas need political improvement focusing on vulnerable area through the check about current situation of hazardous chemicals of jurisdiction and management method, but the information about the management situation of small scale work places is insufficient. Therefore this study set up the urgent management area in Ansan Smart Hub through NFPA code according to the types of accident and dander characteristics of each chemical being used in the companies that have less than 50 workers and deal with chemicals located in Ansan Smart Hub in Gyeonggi-do.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Safety
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• v.29 no.6
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• pp.132-136
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• 2014

Recently supporting policy of government for agricultural is changing from individual to workplace. For this reason, the number of industrial injury is increasing due to increase workplace in the agriculture. However, because the studies on the characteristics and causes of injury have not been performed, the effective measure for the prevention of industrial injury is difficult to establish. The aim of this study is to analyze the industrial injury characteristic and prepare the effective counterplan to prevent industrial injury of the workplace in the agriculture. This study analyzed 2,970 cases of industrial injury during the last five years (2008-2012) in the agriculture sector. The data was offered by Korean Occupational Safety and Health Agency. The results of analysis the industrial injury characteristic of the workplace in the agriculture, number of industrial injury for source of industrial injury was 12.3% in the outdoor floor and injury type was 23.1% in the fall. This study analyzed industrial injury characteristic which size and type of workplace, injury type and source of industrial injury through the case of industrial injury in agriculture. The result of this study will be helpful to identify the industrial injury characteristic in the agriculture and prepares the effective industrial injury prevention method.

• Proceedings of KOSOMES biannual meeting
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• 2007.11a
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• pp.69-75
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• 2007

Guidelines on ship recycling are adopted internationally. UNEP adopted 'Basel Convention', providing Environmentally Sound Management(ESM) of facilities and recommendations. IMO adopted 'Guidelines on Ship Recycling', providing measures for worker's safety, how to control pollutant materials and the meaning of 'Green Passport'. IMO Convention (draft) is in progress. ILO adopted ILO Guideline', providing how to make sure safety and health for workers in shipbreaking. But Republic of Korea goes against the stream and there is much to be desired. At this point of time, we carried out a study on international trend regarding ship recycling, a plan to cope with international trend, and it is considered to be necessary to establish a special law on ship recycling.

• Journal of the Ergonomics Society of Korea
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• v.30 no.3
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• pp.419-426
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• 2011

Objective: The objective of this study was to evaluate a work of guards, using an ergonomic method(work analysis and posture analysis). Background: Most studies about guards were conducted in the field of medical, problems of shift, and the physical problems of old workers and social problems. But, guards consist of vulnerability group so it needs an ergonomic research in musculoskeletal disorders. Method: A head of an ergonomic estimation was work analysis(determination of combined task, work tool, work time and frequency of combined task) and posture analysis(upper body and lower body) of workers based on the video. Results: The result showed that combined task of guards was classification of patrolling, security, cleaning and waiting. The security indicated the highest ratio in the work time of combined tasks. The results of posture analysis for guards indicated high value in neutral. But, lower arm indicated high value in bending(left: 59%, right: 50%). Conclusion: The results of ergonomic methods indicated that guards' physical work load was not high during work, but comfortable work environment would be required for old guards. Application: If an ergonomic rule can be integrated into existing work environments, the risk of occupational injuries and stress will be reduced.

• The Journal of the Korea Contents Association
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• v.9 no.6
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• pp.247-255
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• 2009

This study aims to provide basic data for establishing the safety and health plan by investigating the exposure conditions in the facilities registering business about handling radiations and radioactive isotopes in Korea. dose levels(working space, worker location) of the workers in 153 facilities were measured using surveymeter, and individual exposure concentration[(shallow dose(SD), depth dose(DD)] in 27 facilities using thermal luminescence dosimeter(TLD). In accordance with the measurement results by business type[fire fighting prevention business(FFPB, n=10), financial insurance business(FIB, n=3) and other facilities(n=140)] using surveymeter, those three business type groups showed difference (p<0.000). Dose levels of worker location for FFPB and FIB were significantly higher than 10.0 ${\mu}Sv$/hr, the allowable standard for radiations and radioactive isotopes, and they were higher 109.3 times(p<0.000) and 187.5 times(p<0.000) than those in other facilities. The concentration of TLD[FFPB(n=10), other facility (n=17)] in DD of FFPB was significantly higher than that in other facility(p=0.05). In accordance with the analysis result on relationship between surveymeter and TLD, the dose on working space and worker location(r=0.406, p<0.05), worker location dose and SD(r=0.453, p<0.05), worker location dose and DD(r=0.553, p<0.01), and SD and DD(r=0.927, p<0.001) had all related each other. It is urgently required to change FFPB and FIB from the facilities requiring registration for handling radiations and radioactive isotopes to the facilities that shall get permission for handling radiations and radioactive isotopes by reestablishing the legal administration area, for safety and health of radiation occupants.