Table 1
Occupational injuries and illness by toxic substances reported in Korea: from 2006 to 2015

Study Exposure (work type) History Symptom and prognosis
1 Kim et al. 2006 [5] Organotin (tank cleaner) Admitted to emergency room due to disorientation and behavioral change after he worked as tank cleaner using dimethyltin for 4 days. On the 4th day of admission, he deteriorated into a state of coma with metabolic acidosis and severe hypokalemia. After 5 mo, he still had ataxia and dysarthria.
2 Ryu et al. 2007 [6] Hydrogen sulfide gas (waste oil tank cleaner) Patient A fainted 30 min after starting to work in waste oil tank, and patient B also fainted while taking care of patient A. After 30 minutes, they were found by coworkers. Patient A transferred to other hospital in coma status on 36th admission days. Patient B recovered from coma status and discharged on 9th admission day.
3 Lee et al. 2007 [7] Methyl bromide (fumigation-services) 35-year-old male admitted to emergency room complaining of headache, mild fever, general weakness, gait disturbance and dizziness for 10 days. Discharged without any neurologic sequelae on 22th admission day.
4 Ahn et al. 2007 [8] Nitrogen dioxide (fairing up a steel plate using torch) Exposed while fairing up a steel plate with an oxygen/LPG torch. Pulmonary edema developed. Symptoms improved on 6th admission day. At the 3 mo follow-up, no symptom and normal chest were observed.
5 Lee et al. 2008 [9] Trichloroethylene (degreasing) Patient A (F/24): skin rash developed 35 days after starting to use TCE. Patient A died of hepatic failure 39 days after the onset of first symptom. Patient B also died of hepatic failure and sepsis 24 days after the onset of first symptom. Patient C got improved and diacharged 37 days after onset of first symptom.
Patient B (M/47): skin rash developed 20 days after starting to use TCE.
Patient C (F/22): skin rash developed 30 days after starting to use TCE.
6 Jeong & Lim 2009 [10] Methylene-chloride (transport-industrial wastewater to a disposal plant) 52-year-old male was found dead in the driver's seat of his tank lorry 30 min after starting to work. Death
7 Noh et al. 2009 [11] Hydrocarbon (Kerosene-infusion) Patient A (M/51): kerosene aspiration was happened while sucking for kerosene infusion to boiler. Both patient A and patient B recovered without complications from chemical pneumonitis.
Patient B (M/60): kerosene was ingested while sucking for kerosene infusion to crops desiccator.
8 Park et al. 2011 [12] Trichloroethylene (TCE storage tank in painting factory) 38-year-old male was found by coworkers in the TCE storage tank 5 min after starting to work. Semicoma and respiratory depression developed.
After mechanical ventilation, he fully recovered.
9 Jung et al. 2012 [13] Chromic acid (gilding) 47-year-old male who took a sip of chromic acid which accidentally spilled over his nose and face. He was treated with hemodialysis for renal failure and antibiotics for pneumonia, but expired of multi-organ failure 10 days after admission.
TCE, trichloroethylene.