Annals of Occupational and Environmental Medicine

Relations Between Alcohol Intake and Certain Liver Function Teats in Healthy Adult Male White Color Workers: Chung Yill Park, Won Chul Lee, Chee Kyung, Im Goung Yun, Seung Han Lee; Korean Journal of Occupational and Environmental Medicine 1989;1(1):127-139. Published online February 28, 1989; DOI: https://doi.org/10.35371/kjoem.1989.1.1.127

Abstract PDF: We analysed the multivariate relationship between alcohol intake and serum gamma glutamyl-transpeptidase(S-GGTP), aspartate aminotransferase(S-ASAT), alinine aminotransferase(S-ALAT) and age. A group of 1,351 healthy male white color workers aged 18 to 59 years were systematically examined. Weekly alcohol intake and duration was obtained by an interview. The results are as follows: 1. Weekly alcohol intake of 18-29 age groups was significantly less than that of other age group each. And no differences between other age groups can be seen. 2. Statistical analysis of variance showed that the differences found between the various drinking groups was significant for the mean S-GGTP, S-ASAT(P<0.01). 3. From the weekly alcohol intake 180-269 g group, significantly higher values of S-GGTP was found, whereas S-ASAT and S-ALAT were not. 4. Statistical chi-square trends test showed that the difference found between the various drinking groups was significant for the percentage of abnormal S-GGTP, S-ASAT and S-ALAT (P<0.01). 5. Fifty-five percent of the raised values of S-GGTP found between had no identifiable clinical or biochemical abnormality apart from a raised S-GGTP. Fifty-six percent of these otherwise normal subjects came from 31.7% who were moderate or heavy drinkers. It is suggested that the determination of S-GGTP might have value as a screening test for alcoholism. 6. Significant correlations have been found between weekly alcohol intake and corresponding S-GGTP, S-ASAT and S-ALAT values, 0.33, 0.20 and 0.26. respectively. 7. Multiple regression analyses confirmed the superiority of S-GGTP over S-ALAT and S-ALAT as a laboratory marker of alcohol intake and showed the advantage of using S-GGTP and S-ALAT together.

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Causative Factors of Occupational Injuries in Manufacturing Industries in Korea: Seung Han Lee, Chung Yill Park, Chee Kyung Chung, Kyu Sang Cho; Korean Journal of Occupational and Environmental Medicine 1989;1(1):109-126. Published online February 28, 1989; DOI: https://doi.org/10.35371/kjoem.1989.1.1.109

Abstract PDF: No abstract available.

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Serious Decompression Sickness among Korean Diving Fisherman: An Analysis of 37 Cases: Soo Hun Cho, Dae Hyun Yang, Hyun Choi; Korean Journal of Occupational and Environmental Medicine 1989;1(1):98-108. Published online February 28, 1989; DOI: https://doi.org/10.35371/kjoem.1989.1.1.98

Hospital records were reviewed for 486 divers who have been diagnosed as decompression sickness(DCS) at Kangnam General Hospital between December 1986 and November 1988. Among 39 cases classified as serious DCS(type II), the patients had been fishery diving in 97.4% of the cases. The ages of the afflicted divers ranged from 22 to 47 years, with a mean of 31.5% years. The divers were experienced being less than one year in 21.6% and 70% of them learned diving skill by self-taught. In 86.5% of the cases the divers had made multiple divies ranged in depth from 31 to 50 meters. Thirty-one(83.7%) of the patients noted their first symptoms within 30 minutes of surfacing. The spinal cord was most often affected, and the most common symptoms were 'numbness' or 'tingling' in one or more extremities and discomfort or pain on the chest. Recompression treatment was delayed for 18 hours in average after the onset of dysbaric symptoms and this treatment is more likely to be effective the sooner that it commences after the onset of dysbaric symptoms.

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Occupational Diseases in Korea
Seong-Kyu Kang, Eun A Kim
Journal of Korean Medical Science.2010; 25(Suppl): S4. CrossRef

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The Effect of the Antioxidant on the Tyxidty of Paraquat in Rat: Il Han Yoon, Jang Hee Lee, Jong Dae Kim, Kyoun Hong Kim, Yo Han Chung; Korean Journal of Occupational and Environmental Medicine 1989;1(1):86-97. Published online February 28, 1989; DOI: https://doi.org/10.35371/kjoem.1989.1.1.86

Abstract PDF: This study was designed to examine the influences of antioxidants on toxicity of paraquat in male rats. Paraquat and ascorbic acid were given orally ad libitum with tap water containing paraquat 30 ppm and 100 ppm and ascorbic acid 1000ppm for 10 days, respectively, alpha-tocopherol(60 mg/kg) was administered orally by sonde at 2 days intervals for 10 days. Paraquat at given doses produced markedly a dose-related reduction in water-intake, ratio of liver weight/body weight and glutathione along with the increased aspartate aminotransferase, alkaline phosphatase, serum lipid and ratio of lung weight/body weight. However the combined administration of ascorbic acid and paraquat did not affect the toxic effects of paraquat, whereas combined administration of paraquat and alpha-tocopherol showed relative reduction in the toxicities of paraquat. From these experimental results, it could be concluded that alpha-tocopherol has detoxifying effect on paraquat poisoning as the antioxidant, meanwhile ascorbic acid, one of the antioxidance, does not exert any detoxifying effects.

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A Study on the Influences of Lead Exposure on the Blood Pressure Level in Industrial Workers: Kap Yull Jung; Korean Journal of Occupational and Environmental Medicine 1989;1(1):69-85. Published online February 28, 1989; DOI: https://doi.org/10.35371/kjoem.1989.1.1.69

Abstract PDF: For the purpose of establishing the preventive program against the health consequences of lead exposure and obtaining the effective biological monitoring data, the author investigated the values of biological parameters relating to lead exposure and the degree of influences on blood pressure level by these parameters including general characteristics in 192 female industrial workers dealing with lead(lead-exposed group) and 126 female official workers(non-exposed group). The summarized results were as follows; 1. Between the lead-exposed group and non-exposed group, the significant differences were showed in urinary coproporphyrin, urinary delta-aminolevulinic acid, urinary lead and blood lead amount. 2. Between the low blood lead group(less than 30 microgram/dl) and high blood lead group(more than 30 microgram/dl) in lead-exposed group, there were significant differences in systolic and diastolic blood pressure, urinary coproporphyrin, urinary lead and blood lead. 3. Among the parameters relating to lead exposure, the distribution of concentration of urinary coproporphyrin, urinary lead and blood lead showed normal distributed type in lead-exposed and non-exposed group. But the case of urinary delta-aminolevulinic acid showed bimodal type. On the other hand, dividing the lead-exposed group into low blood lead and high blood lead group, irregular distributed type were showed in all 4 kinds of parameters. 4. The parameters relating to lead exposure which showed significant correlation to blood pressure were absent in non-exposed group, but there were statistically significant simple correlation among the diastolic blood pressure and urinary lead and blood lead in high blood lead group. 5. The distribution of blood pressure by the concentration of parameters relating to lead exposure were not showed specific mode in non-exposed group, but there was increasing tendency with the higher concentration of parameters relating to lead exposure in lead-exposed group. Especially in high blood lead group, the increasing tendency of blood pressure with the level of urinary lead and blood lead were predominant. 6. The opportunity to explain variation of each blood pressure by the 4 kinds of parameters relating to lead exposure were 11.0-12.6% in lead exposed group and 12.0-15.4% in high blood lead group comparing to 5.3-6.1% in non-exposed group.

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A Study on the Industrial Accident of Steel Workers: Young Hahn Moon, Jaehoon Roh, Dongchun Shin, Myung Sun Lee, Soo Nam Cho; Korean Journal of Occupational and Environmental Medicine 1989;1(1):61-68. Published online February 28, 1989; DOI: https://doi.org/10.35371/kjoem.1989.1.1.61

Abstract PDF: To investigate the relationship between physical health of workers and industrial accidents, a case-control study was carried out using matched samples of 87 injured steel industry workers and 87 non-injured steel industry workers. One group of people who experienced industrial accidents more than two times were case, and the other group of people who matched the type of work and duration of employment were control. We surveyed questionnaire between July 20, 1988 and July 22, 1988. The results were as follows: 1. The average age of injured workers was 39 years, and non-injured workers was 38 years. Duration of employment of injured workers was 8.4 years and non-injured workers was 8 years. 2. Visual acuity under 1.0 were 24.4 percent in injured workers and 19.5 percent in non-injured workers. Hearing threshold over 40 dB were 77.1 percent in injured workers and 60.9 percent in non-injured workers. 3. As for the Fugamachi classification method, 22.9 percent of injured workers and 20.8 percent of non-injured workers were group III(suspected neurotics). 4. As for the item of CMI(Cornell Medical Index), injured workers were higher rates than non-injured workers in the item of C(cardiovascular system), M(inadequency), O(anxiety), P(sensitivity), Q(anger), and R(tension). 5. Especially, injured workers who had more than three times were higher in the item of C(cardiovascular system), M(inadequency), N(depression), P(sensitivity), Q(anger), R(tension) than non-injured workers.

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Standard Body Weight in Korean Industrial Workers: Jung Hak Chung, Pock Soo Kang, Seok Bhum Kim, Kong Jun Sa, Jung Kil Rhee, Gu Wung Han; Korean Journal of Occupational and Environmental Medicine 1989;1(1):52-60. Published online February 28, 1989; DOI: https://doi.org/10.35371/kjoem.1989.1.1.52

Abstract PDF: To contribute to promotion of health and preservation of labor power of Korean laborers, the body height and body weight were measured for 10,407 workers (6,201 male, 4,206 female) in the age group of 20-29, engaged in manufactures in the Gumi industrial complex, Gumi city, Kyungpook province. The above data were extracted from the 1985 periodic examination chart for calculation of the mean body weight, mean body height, correlation coefficient and regression equation between weight and height, standard body weight, body mass index(BMI) and distribution of laborers within Garrow's classification of BMI by age and sex group. Mean body height of 20-29 age group was 168.2+/-5.61 cm for male and 155.9+/-5.26 cm for female. Mean body weight of 20-29 age group was 61.4+/-6.56 kg for male and 52.4+/-6.00 kg for female. Correlation coefficient and regression equation of 20-29 age group were +0.541 and Y(Wt)=0.632X(Ht)-44.975 for male and +0.559 and Y(Wt)=0.637X(Ht)-46.898 for female. Standard body weight of 20-29 age group was 53.0kg at 155cm, 59.3kg at 165cm, 65.6kg at 175cm for male and 51.8kg at 155cm, 58.2kg at 165cm, 64.6kg at 175 cm for female. Range of normal body weight of 20-29 age group was 47.5+/-58.5kg at 155cm, 53.8+/-64.8kg at 165cm, 60.1+/-72.1kg at 175cm for male and 46.9+/-56.8kg at 155cm, 53.2+/-63.2kg at 165cm, 59.6+/-69.6 kg at 175 cm for female. Range of obesity of 20-29 age group was 64.1kg and over at 155cm, 70.3kg and over at 165cm, 76.7kg and over at 175cm for male and 61.8kg and over at 155cm, 68.2kg and over at 165cm, 74.5kg and over at 175 cm for female. Body mass index (kg/m2) of 20-29 age group was 21.7+/-1.95 for male and 21.6+/-2.05 for female, 75.9% of male laborers and 71.3% of famale counterparts fall in the desirable range of BMI by Garrow's classification.

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Effects of Nickel Compounds on Sister Chromatid Exchanges and Chromosome Aberrations in Human Cultured Lymphocytes: In Dam Hwang, No Suk Ki, Jeong Sang Lee, Sang Kyu Lee; Korean Journal of Occupational and Environmental Medicine 1989;1(1):46-51. Published online February 28, 1989; DOI: https://doi.org/10.35371/kjoem.1989.1.1.46

Abstract PDF: Nickel is a carcinogen in nickel refinery workers. Few chromosome studies have been performed on nickel toxicity. Therefore, this study was performed to investigate cytogenetic toxicity of nickel in human cultured lymphocytes by chromosome aberration, and sister chromatid exchange (SCE) which is a sensitive indicator of carcinogen and mutagen. The results indicate that nickel chloride and nickel sulfate led to a increase in SCE frequencies very significantly, although absolute value of SCE was low. In chromosome aberration, chromosome gap was increased to increment of concentration while chromosome break was not.

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An Analytical Study on Work Environments and Occupational Diseases in Korea(1987): Yong Tae Yum; Korean Journal of Occupational and Environmental Medicine 1989;1(1):39-45. Published online February 28, 1989; DOI: https://doi.org/10.35371/kjoem.1989.1.1.39

Abstract PDF

Health care management for industrial workers in Korea in terms of occupational health launched in 1953 when the Labour Act was enacted. Nevertheless, negligence of government on reality of workers health was said to be inevitable under the cloak of urgent fast development in way of industrialization. Happily, however, since 1981 when Industrial Safety and Health Law was enacted, periodical evaluation of work environment and physical check-up of workers have been worked out by several professional organizations under the umbrella of Korean Industrial Health Association. In 1986, for about 5,700 industries, a total of 125,000 checks of work environment including the agents of dust, noise, lead, organic solvents, special chemicals, and of others were carried out, and on the other hand, a total of 340,000 physical check-ups were performed in accordance with exposed hazardous agents in the work-lines. The summarized results of the above achievements were as follows. 1. The case detection rates of occupational diseases among workers in industries of Korea has been revealed to be half of Japanese ones since 1975 decreasing from 2.3% in 1975 to 1.7% in 1987. However, it is too hard to believe that the above detection rate which is lower than that of Japan indicates the real prevalence rate of occupational diseases among industrial workers of Korea. It may be underestimated by defects in management of health care system for workers in Korea. 2. A total of 6,942 cases (1.65%) of occupational diseases were detected through 421,019 spells of check-up from 345,780 industrial workers in 1987. Detection rate by industry was highest among coal mines and secondly highest among mines other than coal ones. 3. Detection rate by hazardous agent was highest among workers in relation to dust, and secondly highest to noise. Case detection rate in relation to organic solvent, lead, special chemicals and others was less than 0.1% in total, which is very low comparing with that in Japan. There should be some modification in the check-up management. 4. A total of 32,035 (25.5%) work points was found to be improper showing higher level of hazardous agent than the TLV. Actually, a total of 125,721 work points was evaluated from 5,695 industries. The rate of detecting improper environment was highest among mines other than coal mines. Second highest was in textile manufacturing industries. 5. Noise and dust are the typical agents of which levels in workplace were high in most of industries. Levels of organic solvents, lead, and others were higher than TLV in 9.5-17.0% of samples tested. 6. In relation to noise, the rate of noise level exceeding TLV was higher in mines and textile industries. However, there were less workers of hearing loss in textile industries. 7. In relation to dust, the rate of dust concentration exceeding TLV was higher in non-metal manufacturing industries and mines. However, the majority(92.0%) of pneumoconiosis were detected from workers of mines. Rare cases of pneumoconiosis were detected from workers of textile industries.

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Investigation of the status of rest facilities at industrial sites and awareness of relevant laws and regulations of South Korea
Yeon-Hee Jeong, Woo-Je Lee, Ki-Youn Kim, Hamed Aghaei
PLOS ONE.2024; 19(6): e0302654. CrossRef
The effect of earplug training on noise protection
Jung Won Kim, Seonhee Yang, Insung Chung, Mi-Young Lee
Annals of Occupational and Environmental Medicine.2019;[Epub] CrossRef

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A Study on the Current System of Occupational Physician in Korea: Eun Joo Lee, Soung Hoon Chang, Dong Bin Song; Korean Journal of Occupational and Environmental Medicine 1989;1(1):32-38. Published online February 28, 1989; DOI: https://doi.org/10.35371/kjoem.1989.1.1.32

Abstract PDF: According to law the employer who has over 50 workers in his enterprise should employ an occupational physician as industrial health manager. The main role of the occupational physician is emphasized to the prevention of occupational diseases rather than the treatment and he should be the team leader of industrial health personnel. But this ideal system in terms of stipulations has lots of problems in operation. Therefore this study was designed to prove the attitude of reception, real condition and work content of the occupational physician in enterprise. The survey was done in 500 stratified random sampled enterprises over the country from July through September in 1987 by mailing questionnaire. As a result of the response from 145 enterprises, more than 85% of enterprise displaced occupational physicians. Among the occupational physicians 43% of them has no allowance for their working as industrial health managers and are payed less than 100,000 won monthly. And 66% of them visited only once a month or none enterprise, where they were nominated as a occupational physician managers. The major work content of occupational physician was doing outpatient clinic or regular physical examination rather than prevention of occupational disease. And it shows a deep discrepancy with the object of law or the expect of enterprise in which industrial hygiene and health education are more stressed for prevention of occupational diseases. The most of industrial workers showed no interest in work of occupational physician. As a conclusion, the current system of industrial health manager has maintained on paper formally and is apt to fall into making outward show. It is urgent for government and enterprise to find a solution which can be practically used the system of occupational physician. The work content of occupational physician is required high advanced knowledge and experience, and it should be operated dual system by special field and nonspecial field.

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A Study on Antinuclear Antibody and Rheumatoid Factor in Coal Worker's Pneumoconiosis: Ho Keun Chung, Pyo Hong Jeong; Korean Journal of Occupational and Environmental Medicine 1989;1(1):24-31. Published online February 28, 1989; DOI: https://doi.org/10.35371/kjoem.1989.1.1.24

Abstract PDF: Antinuclear antibody(ANA) and rheumatoid factor(RF) in the sera of 191 coal workers pneumoconiosis(CWP) patients, 65 healthy coal workers, and 52 non-mining controls were examined by the categories of CWP, age, duration of exposure, smoking and drinking habit. Indirect fluorescent antibody technique for ANA and latex agglutination method for RF were applied for detection. ANA was positive in 24.3% of CWP patients, 10.8% of healthy coal workers and 11.5% of non-mining controls. RF was positive in 36.5 % of CWP patients, 13.8 % of healthy coal workers and 9.6 % of non-mining controls.

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Status of Working Environments of Some Industries in Taegu, Kyungpook Area: Doo Hie Kim, Soo Won Sung; Korean Journal of Occupational and Environmental Medicine 1989;1(1):1-23. Published online February 28, 1989; DOI: https://doi.org/10.35371/kjoem.1989.1.1.1

Abstract PDF

Examination of working environments was conducted to get more detailed data about harmful working environments arid to make a contribution to more effective management. Study was carried out on 722 factories located in Taegu City and eight counties in Kyungpook Province, Korea, for a period of one year, from February 1 to December 30, 1986. The total number and proportion of workers exposed to harmful material was 37,697, 45.2% among 83,368 workers. The results according to exposed material were as follows: 1. In the case of noise, proportion of exceeding the 8-hour TLV was 59%. Included were nail-cutting in assembly metal manufacturing industry and weaving process in textile. 2. Dust in mill process of coal manufacturing industries exceeded the TLV of second class of dust at all parts and exceeded the TLV at 6% as a whole. 3. The fields of industry lower than 70 kux of illumination were storage equipment of food, auto-winder of textile, painting of wood wares and coal mixing, and 44% of all cases was lower than standard. 4. As a result of temperature index investigation(WBGT), about 12% of all subjects exceeded limit value. Included parts were rolling machine and reducing room. 5. In the case of organic solvents, TLV was exceeded at about 8%. The parts exceeded TLV according to materials belonged to this category were as follows. 1) Toluene: adhesive work in assembly metal manufacturing 2) Xylene: printing and paint mixing in chemical manufacturing 3) Methyl ethyl ketone: paint mixing in all parts examined and coating machine partially in chemical manufacturing 4) Methyl isobutyl ketone: printing in chemical manufacturing 5) Acetone: vapor polishing in assembly manufacturing. 6. Among specified chemical materials, the concentration of HC1 in the air in metal assembly manufacturing factory exceedeed TLV in one of three assembly metal manufacturing examined. Others, such as benzene, acetic acid, formic acid, sodium hydroxide, formalin, ammonia, copper, chromate etc. were lower than TLV in its indoor atmospheric concentration. As a whole, the proportion of exceeding TLV was about 0.8%. 7. The concentrations of inorganic lead were lower than TLV in all parts examined. The results of this investigation show the fact that current management of working environments is not satisfactory, and so more active management is needed.

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Overview of occupational cancer in painters in Korea
Jun-Pyo Myong, Younmo Cho, Min Choi, Hyoung-Ryoul Kim
Annals of Occupational and Environmental Medicine.2018;[Epub] CrossRef

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