This study was conducted at occupational health laboratories in Seoul and Gyunggi district area from December, 1999 to January, 2000. The main purpose of this study was to survey the actual condition of safety and health by questionnaire and checklist and to assess the performance of fume hoods and the airborne exposures to chemicals in the laboratories.
The chemicals in the cabinet were not classified by hazardous properties and the compressed gases ware not stored safely. The prevalences of laboratories having first aid kits, fire extinguishers, and safety showers were found to be 18%, 55%, and 9%, respectively. Most laboratory workers were not educated for safety and hearth. Also, there was no performance evaluation for hazards and risks.
The fume hoods in laboratories had not been annually inspected by checklist and the face velocity had been checked more than one time in the previous year for only 18% of them. Five percent of fume hoods had the face velocity more than 4.0 m/sec and 17% had no capture performance. Detected organic solvents were methylenechloride, acetone, ethylbenzene, isopropanol, xylene, methylisobutylketone, trichloroethylene, and toluene. The concentrations of organic solvents were much less than the occupational exposure limits proposed by the Ministry of Labor in Korea. This study showed that the actual condition of safety and health was not appropriate for laboratory workers. It is recommended that laboratory workers should be educated for the treatment and storage of hazardous chemicals and compressed gases to improve the working environment of the occupational safety and health laboratories.
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