To understand the possible hazards to health from the environmental pollution in Korea, the articles reported in 16 daily newspapers were collected and analyzed. From 1980 to 1991, ninety three cases were reported. Statistics show that, during the last 2 years, there has been a remarkable increases of health problems reported. The main sources of pollution were plants and the transportation facilities. Except the noise, the exact causative factors were, for the most part, not clearly described. Although many residents complained of neurological symptoms, the exact effects on health were not clearly investigated. The responses of the residents were diverse in the contents of the demand and the method of its pushing, however, the government did not show immediate and consistent counterplans.
Environmental Pollution ; Korea ; Newspapers* ; Noise ; Transportation ; Periodicals

OBJECTIVETo explore the crew and passengers' comfort on the Shijiazhuang-Taiyuan passenger dedicated line and physical factors, such as air pressure, noise, wind speed.

METHODSComfort investigation of all the crew (n = 244) and passengers (n = 377) on the Shijiazhuang-Taiyuan passenger dedicated line at speed of 250 km/h and 200 km/h and the detection of the air pressure, noise and wind speed were performed in 2011.

RESULTSSignificantly higher ratio of comfortable feeling, lower ratio of seriously discomfortable feeling were observed in crew and passengers at 200 km/h compared with those at 250 km/h (P < 0.05), as well as rapid disappearance of discomfortable feeling in crew (P < 0.05) and significantly higher ratio of lightly discomfortable feeling and lower ratios of tinnitus and eardrum discomfort induced by air pressure and noise in passengers at 200 km/h. No significant difference was observed in ear discomfort induced by air pressure and noise among crew, and the duration of disappearance of discomfortable feeling among passengers between 200 km/h and 250 km/h. The noise in carriages exceeded the related standard when the high-speed train passing through the tunnels.

CONCLUSIONThe individuals feel more comfortable at 200 km/h than 250 km/h in this line., which may be related with rapid variation of wind speed and noise when the train passes through the tunnels with high speed.

Adolescent ; Adult ; Atmospheric Pressure ; Female ; Humans ; Male ; Noise, Occupational ; Noise, Transportation ; Occupational Health ; Railroads ; Sensation ; Surveys and Questionnaires ; Wind ; Workplace ; Young Adult

BACKGROUNDNoise is widespread occupational hazard in iron and steel industry. Overhead-traveling cranes are widely used in this industry, but few studies characterized the overhead-traveling crane drivers' noise exposure level so far. In this study, we assessed and characterized personal noise exposure levels of overhead-traveling crane drivers in two steel-rolling mills.

METHODSOne hundred and twenty-four overhead-traveling crane drivers, 76 in the cold steel-rolling mill and 48 in the hot steel-rolling mill, were enrolled in the study. Personal noise dosimeters (AIHUA Instruments Model AWA5610e, Hangzhou, China) were used to collect full-shift noise exposure data from all the participants. Crane drivers carried dosimeters with microphones placed near their collars during the work shifts. Work logs had been taken by the drivers simultaneously. Personal noise exposure data were divided into segments based on lines in which they worked. All statistical analyses were done using SPSS 13.0.

RESULTSThe average personal noise exposure (L(Aeq.8h)) of overhead-traveling crane drivers in the hot steel-rolling mills ((85.03 +/- 2.25) dB (A)) was higher than that in the cold one ((83.05 +/- 2.93) dB (A), P < 0.001). There were 17 overhead traveling cranes in the hot steel-rolling mill and 24 cranes in the cold one, of which carrying capacities varied from 15 tons to 100 tons. The average noise exposure level based on different lines in the hot and cold steel-rolling mills were (85.2 +/- 2.61) dB (A) and (83.3 +/- 3.10) dB (A) respectively (P = 0.001), which were similar to the average personal noise exposure in both mills. The noise exposure levels were different among different lines (P = 0.021).

CONCLUSIONNoise exposure levels, depending upon background noise levels and the noise levels on the ground, are inconstant. As the noise exposure levels are above the 85 dB (A) criteria, these drivers should be involved in the Hearing Conservation Program to protect their hearing.

Environmental Monitoring ; instrumentation ; methods ; statistics & numerical data ; Female ; Humans ; Male ; Noise, Occupational ; Noise, Transportation ; Occupational Exposure ; analysis ; statistics & numerical data ; Occupational Health ; statistics & numerical data ; Steel

OBJECTIVES: We conducted an epidemiologic survey to evaluate the effect of the aircraft noise exposure on the health of the residents near the military airbases in Pyeongtaek City. METHODS: The evaluation of environmental noise level, questionnaire survey, and health examination were performed for 917 residents. The study population consisted of four groups: subjects who lived in the village close to the fighter airbase (high exposure), subjects who lived along the course of fighters (intermediate exposure), and subjects near a helicopter airbase, and the control group. RESULTS: The prevalence of the aircraft noise related accident and irritable bowel syndrome in the exposure groups were higher than that of the control group. The risks of noise induced hearing loss, hypertension and diabetes mellitus were higher in the exposed groups than in the control group. The prevalence of anxiety disorder and primary insomnia were higher in the exposed groups than in the control group. Prevalence odd ratios of the risk for primary insomnia after adjusting age, sex, agricultural noise, and occupation were 4.03 [95% confidence interval (95% CI) 1.56-10.47] for the subject near the helicopter airbase, 1.23 (95% CI 0.40-3.76) for those intermediately exposed to fighter noise, and 4.99 (95% CI 2.14-11.64) for those highly exposed to fighter noise. CONCLUSIONS: The results of the present study suggest that the aircraft noise may have adverse effects on hearing function, cardiovascular health and mental health. Therefore, it seems to be needed to take proper measures including the control of the aircraft noise and the management of the exposed people's health.
Adult ; Aged ; *Aviation ; Chronic Disease/epidemiology ; Epidemiologic Studies ; Female ; *Health Status ; Health Surveys ; Humans ; Korea/epidemiology ; Male ; Middle Aged ; *Military Personnel ; Noise, Transportation/*adverse effects ; *Residence Characteristics

OBJECTIVES: This study was carried out to analyze the hearing-threshold levels and relating factors of 1,048 workers with noise-induced hearing loss(D1). METHODS: We analyzed the hearing-threshold levels and relating factors of 1,048 workers with noise-induced hearing loss(D1) examined by the summary reports of specific health examination results of industries and personal reports of specific health examination results reported by 58 specific health examination institutes and 8 secondary pneumoconiosis examination institutes in 1996. RESULTS: Among 1,048 workers at 510 workplaces, male workers were 1,009 (96.3%) and female workers were 39 (3.7%). The mean ages of workers initially exposed to noise and at present were 28.7 and 47.2, respectively. The duration of total exposure was 16.5 years. Average hearing-threshold levels analyzed by three-divided classification of the study subjects were 43.7dB(Lt) and 42.6dB(Rt). Those analyzed by six-divided classification were 50.5dB(Lt) and 48.6dB(Rt). Among workers with noise-induced shearing loss(D1), 16.3% was unilateral hearing loss and 84.6% was classified to compensation case. 8.8%(Rt) and 10.2%(Lt) of them were suspected to be conductive hearing loss by differences of air-bone hearing-threshold levels. Hearing-threshold levels of workers in manufacturing industry were significantly increased during the short exposure compared with the levels in mining industry. Among manufacturing industries, hearing-threshold levels of workers in trailer and other transportation equipment manufacturing industry were significantly increased. Age and duration of total noise exposure were not significantly related to the average hearing-threshold levels analyzed by three-divided classification. Hearing-threshold levels of female workers were significantly increased during the short exposure compared with those of male workers. Hearing-threshold levels of workers at the high risk group, ages of 20s, 30s and total exposure duration of less than 10 years, were not significantly increased compared with those of the other groups. However, they were exposed at young ages. The 3 leading industries of workers at high risk group were trailer and other transportation equipment manufacturing, automobile manufacturing and assemble-metal manufacturing industries. CONCLUSIONS: This study was the first nationwide analysis of the hearing-threshold levels and relating factors of workers with noise-induced hearing loss(D1). We found the differences of the real number by the statistics of the department of labour and the expected number of worker's compensations for occupationally-induced hearing loss estimated by this study. According to the results of this study, we should carefully examine the methods to narrow this difference.
Academies and Institutes ; Automobiles ; Classification ; Compensation and Redress ; Female ; Hearing ; Hearing Loss ; Hearing Loss, Conductive ; Hearing Loss, Noise-Induced* ; Hearing Loss, Unilateral ; Humans ; Korea* ; Male ; Mining ; Noise ; Pneumoconiosis ; Research Report ; Transportation ; Workers' Compensation