A Chemical Risk Ranking and Scoring Method for the Selection of Harmful Substances to be Specially Controlled in Occupational Environments

Saemi Shin, Hyung-Il Moon, Kwon Seob Lee, Mun Ki Hong and Sang-Hoon Byeon
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Saemi Shin: Department of Environmental Health, College of Health Science, Korea University, Seoul 136-703, Korea
Hyung-Il Moon: Department of Environmental Health, College of Health Science, Korea University, Seoul 136-703, Korea
Kwon Seob Lee: Occupational Safety & Health Research Institute, Korea Occupational Safety & Health Agency, Ulsan 339-30, Korea
Mun Ki Hong: Occupational Safety & Health Research Institute, Korea Occupational Safety & Health Agency, Ulsan 339-30, Korea
Sang-Hoon Byeon: Department of Environmental Health, College of Health Science, Korea University, Seoul 136-703, Korea

IJERPH, 2014, vol. 11, issue 11, 1-14

Abstract: This study aimed to devise a method for prioritizing hazardous chemicals for further regulatory action. To accomplish this objective, we chose appropriate indicators and algorithms. Nine indicators from the Globally Harmonized System of Classification and Labeling of Chemicals were used to identify categories to which the authors assigned numerical scores. Exposure indicators included handling volume, distribution, and exposure level. To test the method devised by this study, sixty-two harmful substances controlled by the Occupational Safety and Health Act in Korea, including acrylamide, acrylonitrile, and styrene were ranked using this proposed method. The correlation coefficients between total score and each indicator ranged from 0.160 to 0.641, and those between total score and hazard indicators ranged from 0.603 to 0.641. The latter were higher than the correlation coefficients between total score and exposure indicators, which ranged from 0.160 to 0.421. Correlations between individual indicators were low (?0.240 to 0.376), except for those between handling volume and distribution (0.613), suggesting that each indicator was not strongly correlated. The low correlations between each indicator mean that the indicators and independent and were well chosen for prioritizing harmful chemicals. This method proposed by this study can improve the cost efficiency of chemical management as utilized in occupational regulatory systems.

Keywords: risk ranking; scoring method; occupational environment; chemical management (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: I I1 I3 Q Q5 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2014
References: View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (2)

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