Generally working environment and worker's health status of small scale industries(SSI) which employ less than 50 workers are known to be poorer than those of large scale industries(LSI) which employ more than 500 workers. However, according to the analysis of occupational injuries in Korea, prevalence rate of occupational injuries of SSI was 3.1 times as high as LSI. But there was no difference in prevalence rate of occupational disease and workers with suspected occupational disease(D1) between SSI and LSI. To confirm these two different facts, we surveyed working environment and worker's health status of SSI and LSI in Kyeungin industrial complex. Workers in SSI were 10,878 and workers in LSI were 8,291 and number of hazardous agents in SSI were 3,554 and those of LSI were 1,916. We found following results. First, proportion of male workers and workers who were less than 30 years old and more than 50 years old was higher in SSI compared to LSI. Second, worker in SSI had more liver disease, viral hepatitis, and pneumoconiosis than in LSI, and there were more worker with suspected occupational disease, general disease, and worker needed close observation in SSI. But these effects had not statistical significance under the condition controlled by age and sex with logistic regression. Third, the numbers measured for specific chemicals, organic solvents, and heavy metals in SSI was more than in LSI. However there was on difference in the excess rate of each hazardous agent between SSI and LSI. As the above results workers' health status in SSI was poorer than in LSI, but these results were mainly due to the population structure difference. Although there were some limitation of this study and problems of sensitivity and validity for periodic health examination and working environment evaluation method, the concept that working environment and worker's health status in SSI should be reviewed. In future the study that will reveal the real weak point of SSI should be performed.
Adult ; Hepatitis ; Humans ; Korea ; Liver Diseases ; Logistic Models ; Male ; Metals, Heavy ; Middle Aged ; Occupational Diseases ; Occupational Injuries ; Organic Chemicals ; Pneumoconiosis ; Prevalence ; Solvents

OBJECTIVES: To evaluate the effects on the formation of benzidine-hemoglobin, and benzidine metabolite-hemoglobin adducts, caused by pretreatment with the known xenobiotic metabolism effectors, ethanol and phenobarbital, in rats administered Direct Black 38 dye. METHODS: The experimental rats were divided into three groups: a control group, an ethanol group and a phenobarbital group. Rats were pretreated with ethanol (1g/kg) or phenobarbital (80mg/kg) 24 hours prior to the oral administration of Direct Black 38 (0.5mmol/kg), with the control group being administered the same amount of distilled water. Blood samples were obtained from the vena cava of 5 rats from each group prior to, and at 30 min, 3 h, 6 h, 9 h, 12 h, 24 h, 48 h, 72 h, 96 h, and 144 h following the oral administration of Direct Black 38. Directly after sampling the blood was separated into hemoglobin and plasma, with the adducts being converted into aromatic amines by basic hydrolysis. Hydrolyzed benzidiene, monoacetylbenzidine and 4-aminobiphenyl were analyzed by reverse-phase liquid chromatography with an electrochemical detector. The quantitative amount of the metabolites was expressed by the hemoglobin binding index (HBI). RESULTS: In the ethanol group, benzidine-, monoacetylben-zidine-, and 4-aminobiphenyl-HBI were increased to a greater extent than those in the control group. These results were attributed to the ethanol inducing N-hydroxylation, which is related to the formation of the hemoglobin adduct. In the phenobarbital group, all the HBIs, with the exception of the benzidine-HBI, were increased to a greater extent than those of the control group. These results were attributed to the phenobarbital inducing N-hydroxylation related to the formation of the hemoglobin adduct. The N-acetylation ratio was only increased with the phenobarbital pretreatment due to the lower benzidine-HBI of the phenobarbital group compared to those of the control and ethanol groups. The N-acetylation ratios for all groups were higher than 1 for the duration of the experimental period. Although the azo reduction was unaffected by the ethanol, it was inhibited by the phenobarbital. The ratio of the benzidine-HBI in the phenobarbital group was lower than those of the ethanol the control groups for the entire experiment. CONCLUSION: Our results indicate that both ethanol and phenobarbital increase the formation of adducts by the induction of N-hydroxylation, but also induced N-acetylation. Phenobarbital decreased the formation of benzidine-HBI due to the decrease of the azo reduction. These results suggest that the effects of ethanol and phenobarbital need to be considered in the biochemical monitoring of Direct Black 38.
Administration, Oral ; Amines ; Animals ; Chromatography, Reverse-Phase ; Ethanol* ; Hydrolysis ; Metabolism ; Phenobarbital* ; Plasma ; Rats* ; Water

This study was carried out from 1993 to 1994 in the small industries in Incheon. The objectives of this study was in order to estimate the quitting rate, to identify its relating factors and to propose effective quitting management policy in the small industries. The results were as follows; 1. The quitting rate of 266 study workers was 42.1%(l12 workers). 2. Age, working duration, position, marital status were significant difference between the quitting group and the non-quitting group. 10 the quitting group, mean age was young, working duration was short, general employees and unmarried workers were many compared with the non-quitting group. 3. In the industry characteristics, total assets, total sales, sales per person, establishment duration and occupational health and safety status were significant difference between the quitting group and the non-quitting group. In the quitting group, total assets, total sales and sales per person were little, establishment duration of company was short and occupational health and safety status were poor compared with the non-quitting group. 4. In the quitting group, worker's response to employer's disposal about health and safety was more passive and the relation to employer with employee was significantly poor compared with the non-quitting group. 5. Multiple logistic regression analysis of quitting against family income per person, working duration, relation to employer with employee, occupational health and safety status in industry, worker`s response to employer's disposal about health and safety and sales per person was done. Working duration, occupational health and safety status, worker`s response to empolyer's disposal about health and safety were significant eiplainatory variables for quitting. Above results showed that the quitting rate was high and it was significant difference between the quitting group and non -quitting group according to characteristics of workers and of industries. Especially, it suggested that working duration, occupational health and safety status and worker's response to employers disposal about health and safety were significant quitting factor. Therefore, it should be reflected in the quitting management and the policy of steady employment.
Commerce ; Employment ; Humans ; Incheon* ; Logistic Models ; Marital Status ; Occupational Health ; Single Person

Benzene and toluene, which are widely used aromatic hydrocarbons in workplace, are recently proved to cause health hazards due to their toxic effects. This study investigated the influence of toluene on the urinary excretion of benzene metabolite by administering short term exposure limit(STEL) of these compounds(i.e., 13.8mg/kg of benzene and 108.8mg/kg of toluene) intraperitoneally into Sprague-Dawley rats. After administration, urinary phenol concentration of rat was measured by gas chromatography for every three hours. Data were analyzed by non-parametric statistical methods using Kruskal-Wallis multi-sample test and Mann-Whitney U test. The following results were obtained: 1. Administration of STFL-benzene increased urinary phenol concentration in rats. 2. Urinary phenol concentration was increased logarithmically according to the dosage of benzene. 3. Excretion of phenol in urine was decreased when benzene and toluene were administered simultaneously compared with administering benzene alone. In Summary, these results reveal that administration of STEL of toluene has antagonistic effect of urinary excretion of benzene metabolite in rats.
Animals ; Benzene* ; Chromatography, Gas ; Hydrocarbons, Aromatic ; Metabolism* ; Phenol ; Rats* ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley ; Threshold Limit Values ; Toluene

No abstract available.
Incheon* ; Trichloroethylene*

For developing the Group Health care system, health managers' job structure were analysed in the aspects of content, amount, and process. As a trial research, data were collected by a standardized job analysis table to 6 doctors, 40 nurses, and 11 industrial hygienists of Group Health Care System. Health care managers were performing complex and intellectual jobs such as health education for workers, managing health care, conference as well as more simple jobs like as filling diary. Especially, job was consisted of general job and health care management job in the proportion of 1:2.18. The major general job were data management related with the health statistics, and major health care management jobs were managing health care, health counselling, environmental management of working sites. Each specific jobs were required differentiated intellectual capacity, creativity, autonomy, psychic stress, and physical work; most respondents perceived that health care management jobs should require more inputs than general jobs Additionally job satisfaction and perceived need on specific job items were analysed. Results of this research, suggested through the field experiences in working sites, should be considered for improving the Group Health Care System.
Creativity ; Surveys and Questionnaires ; Delivery of Health Care* ; Health Education ; Job Satisfaction

No abstract available.
Animals ; Carbon* ; Rats*

No abstract available.
Animals ; Carbon* ; Rats*

To evaluate the change of perception, attitude and practice toward Group Health Care Systerl for small and medium industries, a survey using self-administered questionnaire was conducted to a part of industries in Inchon area, in year 1992 and 1993. major dependent variables were perception, attitude, and practical behavioral change related with Croup Health Care System ; these variables were measured by 3-point Likert like scale. 47 industries were used in analysis. Psrception of year 1993 was higher (1.25) than that (1 34) of 1992. Attitude of yeal. 1993 was also slightly higher (1.46) than that (1.43) of 1992. Both data indicated positive attitude. Practice of year 1993 was slightly lewer (0.86) tHan that (0.90) of 1992, but its change didn't have any statistical significance. In year 1992, major determinants of perception, attitude and behaviral change were sex and age of industrial health care manager ; they had positive efffct upon perception and practice. In yeal. 1993, it was sex of health care manager; it had influenced upon practice. Both year 1992 and 1993, perception was higher and attitude was more positive. In the case of higher perception or positive attitude, practice was active accordingly. To accelerate the behavioral change of health care manager, it is necessary to eaucate them continuously.
Croup ; Delivery of Health Care* ; Incheon ; Occupational Health* ; Questionnaires

The purpose of this study is to reveal how the road traffic noise influences on the response of teachers and students, which composed of conversation, studying, relation, and physical disturbances. The research method used in this study was self- administrated questionnaire. Samples of the survey were composed of 420 persons(l14 teachers and 306 students) who are exposed to traffic noise less than 65 dB(A) from two junior high schools and 410 persons(140 teachers and 270 students) from two noisy junior high schools which the road traffic noise above 65 dB(A). In the response of both of the teachers and students in noisy(above 65 dB) schools complaints of disturbances of conversation, studying, relaxation, and physical disturbances are much higher than that of less noisy schools' teachers and students(p<0.01 ). On the occasion of time and season, the subjects answered the traffic noise cause high troublesome and stresses in the afternoon(12:00-17:00) and summer respectively. It is necessary to provide governmental comprehensive and fundamental measures to improve the noisy school environments.
Humans ; Noise* ; Surveys and Questionnaires ; Relaxation ; Seasons