Abstract

The aims of this study were to set up benzene exposure matrices according to industry and process and to assess the risk of those occupational exposure to benzene in South Korea.

The benzene exposure matrices were assembled depending on industry and process, based on an exposure database

provided by KOSHA(the Korean Occupational Safety and Health Agency), which was gathered from a workplace hazards evaluation program in Korea. These exposure matrices were assessed by Hallmark Risk Assessment tool.

The benzene was treated 412 industries sector(36%), 2,747 business places, and 471 industrial processes according to database. The arithmetic mean of past decade 8 hours time-weighted average of airborne benzene concentrations in the workplace was 0.10722 ppm. 1.07% of the total sample were greater than 1 ppm of occupational exposure limit, and 59.8% were showed less than the limit of detection. The highest risk values (Danger Value) were seen 36 industries including manufacture of general paints and similar product and 12 processes, such as other painting of manufacture of metal fabricated members. Exposure matrices based on employee exposure data base may provide exposure histories and can be used in epidemiological studies.

It was found that more attentions should be paid to 36 among 412 industries and 12 of 471 processes, with a higher risk value.