Bone and Blood Lead Levels of Middle Aged Koreans not Occupationally Exposed to Lead / 대한산업의학회지

OBJECTIVES: In order to investigate the level and the association between bone lead and blood lead levels of non-occupationally, lead-exposed Koreans, the authors studied the lead biomarkers of 137 middle aged Koreans (86 males and 51 females) older than whose age were above 40 years. METHODS: The tibia lead level was selected as the bone lead indicator of cortical bone, and the blood lead level was also measured. The tibia lead level was measured by K-shell XRF with 30-minute measurement of each subjects. The blood lead level was analyzed by AAS method. RESULTS: The mean (SD) of the tibia lead level of the 137 study subjects was 3.49 (4.99) microgram/g, and tended to be higher. The mean (SD) of tibia lead level in male subjects (was 3.90 (4.88) microgram/g) and larger than in that of female subjects (2.80 (5.14) microgram/g), but without no statistical significance was observed. The mean (SD) of blood lead level of all total subjects was 3.70 (1.35)microgram/dl, and tended to be higher. The mean (SD) of blood lead level in male subjects (was 3.93 (1.25) microgram/dl) and larger than in that of female subjects (3.30 (1.42) microgram/dl), but without no statistical significance was observed. In multiple regression analysis of blood lead levels after adjusting for covariates, age was a significant independent variable. A weak association of age with tibia lead in female subjects was also observed in multiple regression analysis. CONCLUSION: The mean (SD) of tibia and blood lead levels of middle aged Koreans whose ages were over 40 years old were 3.49 (4.99) microgram/g and 3.70 (1.35) microgram/dl, respectively. Age and sex were positive predictors of blood lead level in multiple regression analysis after controlling for the covariates. However, in multiple regression analysis whereas age was weakly association with tibia lead level only in female subjects in multiple regression analysis.

Surveillance of Work-related Diseases in Kumi / 대한산업의학회지

OBJECTIVES: Area-based occupational disease surveillance in Kumi (KODS) was used to collect data on occupational diseases. The data was used to estimate the magnitude of the diseases, to analyze for their characteristics, and to find links for their intervention and prevention. METHODS: Since January 2001, occupational physicians and nurses in Occupational Health Service (OHS)have reported six major occupational diseases; occupational musculoskeletal disorders of the upper extremities(MSDUE), occupational dermatoses, toxic hepatitis, occupational asthma (OA), hand-arm vibration syndrome(HAVS), and occupational cancer. For the respective diseases, a reporting sheet and operational diagnostic criteria were developed by the KODS. An analysis of the KODS data, collected over a certain period, was compared with data from the Korea Labor Workers Corporation (KLWC) and the Specific Health Examination (SHE), and the incidence rates of the diseases estimated. RESULTS: Between Jan 2001 and Apr 2002, 287 cases of the six major occupational disease were reported. Of these, there were 132 (46.0%), 100 (34.8%), 34 (11.8%), 16 (5.6%), and 5 (1.7%), cases of MSDUE, occupational dermatoses, toxic hepatitis, OA, and HAVS, respectively. But, there were no cases of occupational cancer. 33 (11.5%) of the incidence were reported via the OHS, 206 (71.7%) from health checkups, and the other 48(16.8%) from other routes. The synthetic fibers and electronic components manufacturing industries accounted for the greatest number of reported cases. With respect to occupation, the greatest numbers of incidence were reported from the elementary occupations, textile workers, assemblers, and cooks and food services worker, in that order. Of the MSDUE cases, carpal tunnel syndrome and epicondylitis were the two most common diseases. Most of the occupational dermatoses were due to contact dermatitis, with organic solvents (59%), nickel (6%), and epoxy resin (5%) accounting for the majority of these cases. All cases of toxic hepatitis were induced by dimethylformamide or dimethylacetamide, which were reported by a unique monitoring system. During same period, there were no cases claimed by workers to the KLWC, and only three cases from SHE, were identified. Using data from workers' number and surveillance, the annual incidences of MSDUE, dermatoses, hepatitis, OA, and HAVS, per 100,000 workers were 63.6, 48.2, 17.9, 7.7, and 2.4, respectively. CONCLUSIONS: These results show that an area-based surveillance system can be very effective for the collection of data on work-related diseases, at least in Kumi.

A study on the status of working environment control and health management of workers in a manufacturing industries / 예방의학회지

To obtain the useful information for the status of working environment and health management of workers in manufacturing industries, comparision of results on the status of working environmental and health management of workers for 32 manufacturing industries in Chunam area from 1988 to 1989 was carried out. The results were as follows: 1. The rate of over-PEL(Permissible Exposure Limit) to for hazardous factors decreased significantly 23.5% in 1988, 18.3% in 1989 (p<0.05) and, the highest rate of over-PEL was the stone and sand handling industry, the highest rate of over-PEL was the dusty worplace as 38.5% in 1988, 35.2% in 1989. 2. The rate of workers exposed to hazardous factors in 1988 and in 1989 was 22.4% respectively, the rate of workers checked up special health examination was 40.1% in 1988, 75.3% in 1989. In stone and sand handling an dmedicochemical industries, none of workers exposed to hazardous factors was subjected to special health examination in 1988, but 75% of workers exposed to hazardous factors had checked up in 1989. 3. The 6 industries appointed as part-time factory physician among 17 industries which were supposed to have factory physician according to the Safety and Healthy Act of Korea, 6 out of 24 industries only appointed industrial hygienist, furthermore 4 out of 6 hygienists had another duty in addition to occupational hygiene itself.

A Study on Urinary Hippuric Acid and Subjective Symptoms in Toluene Exposed Workers / 대한산업의학회지

To study the relationship between the urinary hippuric acid and subjective symptoms in toluene exposed workers, urinary hippuric acid was measured and subjective symptoms questionnarire was surveyed in 93 toluene exposed male workers and 96 non-exposed office male workers. The results are as follows: 1. Mean concentration of urinary hippuric acid, which is significantly higher in exposed group than in non-exposed group, was 1.3 g/l, 1.2(GM, GSD respectively) in exposed group and 0.6 g/l, 1.2(GM, GSD respectively) in non-exposed group. 2. Mean concentration of toluene in the air in the workplace, which is significantly higher in the department of coater than in the department of mixing, was 23.4 ppm, 6.2(GM, GSD respectively) in the department of mixing and 59.8 ppm, 3.4(GM, GSD respectively) in the department of coater. 3. Complained rates of subjective symptoms were significantly higher in exposed group than in non exposed group in all items. 4. In exposed group, complained rate of CNS related symptoms was higher than that of irritation related symptoms in the first part but there was no significant difference and complained rate of irritation related symptoms in the second part was significantly higher than that of CNS related symptoms. 5. In exposed group, complained rates of subjective symptoms were not compatible with dose-response relationship by the concentration of urinary hippuric acid, duration of work, department of work, and age group retrospectively.