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

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

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

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

This study is performed to evaluate usefulness of dermal measurement of benzidine and benzidine based dye as one of the occupational exposure assessment method for these compounds. We selected one benzidine manufacturing factory and one dye manufacturing factory in Incheon area. Eleven workers were for benzidine manufacturing factory and twenty four for dye. We analyzed relationships among air level, amount on skin and concentration of urinary metabolites for these compounds. Airborne levels of benzidine and dye were measured by NIOSH 5509, 5013 methods. Amount of these compounds on skin was measured with skin wipe method. Concentration of benzidine metabolites in urine was measured by High Performance Liquid Chromatography after alkaline hydrolysis. The amount of benzidine on hand skin was 25.05( - 233.2) ng/ur, and the amount of the neck was 2.01 ( - 11.9) ng/cm2 in the benzidine dihydrochloride manufacturing factory. The amount of benzidine on hand and neck skin has positive correlation with concentration of urinary monoacetyl benzidine (r=0.644, p < 0.05) . The amount of benzidine based dye on hand skin was 55.75( - 457.7) ng/cm2, and the amount of the neck skin was 18( - 284.7) ng/cm in benzidine based dye manufacturing factory The amount of dye on hand and neck skin has positive correlation with concentration of urinary benzidine for dye workers (r=0.467, p < 0.05). When assessing the exposure of workers who deal with benzidine, the amount of benzidine on skin should be measured for an accurate exposure assessment.
Chromatography, Liquid ; Hand ; Hydrolysis ; Incheon ; National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (U.S.) ; Neck ; Occupational Exposure ; Skin

Occupational exposures to certain metals, hydrocarbons and ionizing radiation are associated with increased lung cancer in workers; because these exposures continue, lung cancer remains an important problem in industrialized nations. The gravity of the lung cancer, specifically the low cure rate associated with the disease, has forced researchers to focus efforts at developing biological indicators (biomarkers) of carcinogen exposure and early, reversible effects. This review examines critically the development of these biomarkers for occupational and environmenta exposures to polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAH), a ubiquitous class of lung carcinogens. Biomarkers of several different stages of the carcinogenic process have been proposed. Industrial hygiene and occupational health emphasize exposure and disease prevention. For this reason, biomarkers useful in industrial hygiene practice are those which measure events prior to the initiation phase of carcinogenesis; markers of later events which have a greater positive predictive value may measure irreversible effects and are more appropriate for disease screening and epidemiology. One of the strengths of biological monitoring is that exposures and effects can be measured regardless of route. Data indicates that the dermal route may be a significant pathway for delivery of PAH to the lung. This finding has important ramifications because as airborne exposure limits decrease the relative impact of dermal absorption is increased.
Carcinogens ; DNA Damage ; Gene Expression Regulation ; Genetic Markers ; Human ; Lung Neoplasms/chemically induced/*genetics ; Mutation ; Occupational Diseases/chemically induced/*genetics ; Oncogenes ; Polycyclic Hydrocarbons/adverse effects

This study examined the physical and mental health factors affecting the industrial accidents of 142 injured and 1,212 uninjured workers in the shipbuilding industry from 1986 to 1988. The results acquired from the Todai Health Index (THI) and from analysis of the health examination were as follows: 1. Among the personal characteristics of the workers, the educational level of injured workers was significantly lower than that of the uninjured workers. 2. Among the physical characteristics, vision and R hrer Index of the injured workers were lower than those of the uninjured workers, and the difference was statistically significant. On the other hand, the differences in height, weight, hearing function, hematocrit, blood pressure, urine test, and X-ray findings were not statistically significant between the injured and uninjured workers. 3. The score of the THI questionnaire on the physical and mental health of the injured workers was higher than that of the uninjured workers, and the difference was statistically significant. 4. Form the THI score, the industrial workers had complained more about mental health than physical health and there was a statistically significant relation with the industrial accidents. 5. The relative risk expressed in terms of the odds ratio was 2.9 for poorer vision, 2.7 for a lower educational level, 2.2 for a higher THI score and 1.6 for overdrinking. 6. Educational level, vision, and the THI score were selected as significant factors influencing industrial accidents based on a log-linear model. According to the results of this model by logistic analysis, the odds ratio of industrial accidents was 1.8 for a lower educational level, 1.7 for poorer vision, and 1.6 for a higher THI score. 7. By event history analysis with the dependent variable as the duration of work at the time of the industrial accident, educational level, age, R hrer Index and THI score were the statistically significant variables selected, and the hazard rate of industrial accident occurrence was 0.24 for a lower educational level, 0.92 for age, 0.99 for a lower R hrer Index and 2.72 for a higher THI score. As we have seen, educational level and THI score were the most significant factors affecting the hazard rate of industrial accidents. Vision, R hrer Index, age, and drinking behavior were also statistically significant variables influencing industrial accidents. Therefore, in order to prevent industrial accidents, it is necessary to establish a health management plan for industry which can objectively evaluate not only the physical but also the mental health of the workers. If we use this type of study as a prospective study design, we can determine the relative risk of physical and mental health factors on industrial accidents. Furthermore, it is expected that this type of study will provide workers at high risk with more precise basic data for a health management plan for industrial accident prevention.
Accidents, Occupational* ; Blood Pressure ; Drinking Behavior ; Hand ; Hearing ; Hematocrit ; Humans ; Life Change Events ; Linear Models ; Mental Health* ; Odds Ratio ; Prospective Studies ; Surveys and 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

No abstract available.
Animals ; Carbon* ; Rats*

No abstract available.
Animals ; Carbon* ; Rats*