• Journal of Environmental Health Sciences
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• v.40 no.1
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• pp.63-70
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• 2014

Objective: The purpose of this study was to investigate the occurrence of indicator organisms in essential sanitary ware in public restrooms. Methods: Twelve public restrooms were randomly selected. Samples at three locations (toilet seat, toilet flush handle/lever, and faucet handle) in the restrooms were collected with moistened-sterile cotton swabs and applied to media in order to determine aerobic colony count (ACC), total coliforms, and Escherichia coli. Results: Most of the samples taken in summer showed a higher level of ACC than those taken in winter (p<0.05). Female restrooms showed higher ACC levels on faucet handles and male restrooms on toilet flush handles/levers (p<0.05). Overall, faucet handles contained the greatest level of ACC, followed by toilet seats, whereas the least load was found on toilet flush handles/levers. The ACC level of samples in the restrooms in public parks, subway stations, and educational institutions varied. Total coliforms were identified in about 20% of toilet seats and faucet handles in male restrooms and faucet handles in female restrooms in summer. These locations were also the sites of positive results of E. coli isolation. Conclusions: The public restrooms were significantly more contaminated in summer than in winter. Overall, the most contaminated locations in the restrooms were toilet seats in male restrooms, and faucet handles in female restrooms. Poor hygienic status was indicated by the positive results of total coliforms and E. coli on samples from some sites. Therefore, sanitary control of restrooms should be improved. These results should be confirmed in a larger study that includes more public restrooms.

• Journal of Environmental Health Sciences
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• v.40 no.4
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• pp.304-312
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• 2014

Objectives: This study was performed to examine bioaerosols in indoor air in public restrooms, as well as to assess the effects of air temperature and relative humidity on bioaerosol levels. Methods: A cross-sectional survey was performed in ten male and ten female restrooms. An air sampler (Anderson type) was used for sampling total suspended bacteria (TSB), Gram-negative bacteria (GNB), Gram-positive bacteria (GPB), opportunistic bacteria (OP), Staphylococcus spp., and total suspended fungi (TSF). Results: The levels of TSB were $10-10^2CFU/m^3$ and TSF $10-10^2CFU/m^3$, respectively. The GNB level was $0-10CFU/m^3$, and GPB and OP levels were $10-10^2CFU/m^3$. Staphylococcus aureus and methicillin-resistant S. aureus (MRSA) were detected in 90% of the restrooms. The GPB level was higher in the female restrooms than in the male restrooms (p < 0.05). TSB, GNB, and TSF showed higher levels in restrooms in buildings over 30 years old (p < 0.01). The main effect of air temperature or relative humidity and interaction effect of the two factors on the TSB level were significant (p < 0.05), while the effect of relative humidity on the TSF level was significant (p < 0.001). Conclusions: These results indicate that there is a wide variation in the bioaerosol levels among different restrooms. The observed differences in bioaerosol levels reflect different building histories. The effects of air temperature and/or relative humidity reveal that bioaerosol levels may vary according to season or time of day. Future research is needed to further characterize the relation between the bioaerosol levels and surface contamination in restrooms.

• Archives of design research
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• v.15 no.2
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• pp.147-156
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• 2002

As our country holds 2002 Korea-Japan FIFA World Cup, more foreigners are visiting Korea, making the tourist industry more profitable. Under these circumstances, we should pay attention to the restroom as a public facility, and inspire the awareness in the Korean people to improve the public restrooms. However, according to KNTO(Korea National Tourist Organization), it has turned out that foreign tourists are still dissatisfied with dirty restrooms and poor signposting when they visit Korea, Though the number of restrooms has been increased, they are not properly managed being a public nuisance due to negligence of administration and straggling facilities. To make it worse, poor design of restrooms and insufficient consideration of handicapped person bring disgrace on Koreas tourist administration. While studies on restrooms began from the 1980s, it has placed too much emphasis on the space arrangement and facility plan, so we need to pay attention to the traditional design and environment aspect of restrooms. This study is 1 haute looked into the problems and actual conditions of restrooms, and based on these data, applied Korean Buddhist architecture style to restrooms to create a comfortable circumstance in restrooms.

• Proceedings of the KSR Conference
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• 2005.05a
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• pp.263-268
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• 2005

Recently, restrooms have become a crucial aspect of improving quality of life as a redefined living sector. That offer the functional convenience to user by expansion of toilet space and various subsidiary facilities through reconfiguration of space and automation of equipment naturally, is changing to independent culture space that it is that is comfortable with a rest that comfort and affection overflow using finish introduction and properties of high-quality site. However, existing restrooms in current railway vehicle have not fulfilled such desire and short failed in many aspects of such needs. Even in restrooms for High-Speed Rail System have many areas to improve. Thus, factors encountered by users of rail system have been visually, environmentally and functionally classified.

• Journal of the Korea Convergence Society
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• v.11 no.8
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• pp.71-76
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• 2020

This study measured radioactive surface contamination in general public restrooms in hospitals and in dedicated toilets for nuclear medicine. The measurement method was measured using Berthold (LB 124, Germany) at the entrance to the restroom, inside the restroom, around the restroom, in the urinal, and around the urinal. As a result of the use of the restroom, there was no dedicated place waiting for patients who received radioisotopes in one of the three hospitals. As a result of measuring the restroom for exclusive use of radioisotopes, all measurement sites in the radioiodine therapy room were the highest, and the results of measuring the public restrooms showed background level contamination at all hospitals except hospital B. However, it was measured as 8.073 Bq/㎠ and 6.426 Bq/㎠ in the urinals in the public restroom on the first floor of the B hospital. Therefore, it is recommended to explain the dangers of radiation exposure to patients and provide a place for patients to wait. In addition, a plan should be sought to prevent patients from receiving radioisotopes from using unnecessary movements and general public restrooms.

• Korean Journal of Clinical Laboratory Science
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• v.52 no.3
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• pp.214-220
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• 2020

Handwashing with soap is an important practice to reduce the transmission of potentially pathogenic microorganisms, but liquid soaps with refillable dispensers are prone to extrinsic bacterial contamination. This study investigated the bacterial contamination of liquid soaps in 58 public restrooms in six buildings. The bacteria were identified by a biochemical test and MALDI-TOF mass spectrophotometry. The antimicrobial susceptibility was determined using the Vitek II system. Of the 58 restrooms examined, 27(46.55%) were using a refill dispenser, of which 25(92.59%) were contaminated with bacteria. The bacteria recovered from the soaps ranged from 1.6×10³ to 2.7×10⁵ CFU/mL. Serratia liquefaciens (12), Achromobacter xylosoxidans (9), S. marcescens (4), Staphylococcus pastueri (1), and Achromobacter spanius (1) were isolated. Except for one A. xylosoxidans, bacteria of the same species isolated in the same building showed a unique resistance pattern. In conclusion, handwashing with contaminated soap may play a role in the transmission of bacteria in public health settings. Therefore, it is necessary to limit the use of refillable liquid soaps in the restrooms of hospitals used by patients with reduced immunity.

• Journal of Preventive Medicine and Public Health
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• v.40 no.3
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• pp.197-204
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• 2007

Objectives : This study was conducted to evaluate the public's awareness of the importance of hand washing and to compare perceptions on the habit of hand washing with actual hand washing behavior. Methods : Data were collected by observing 2,800 participants washing their hands after using public restrooms in seven cities nationwide and by surveying 1,000 respondents (age > 14 years) through telephone interviews using a structured questionnaire. Results : Although 94% of the survey respondents claimed to mostly or always wash their hands after using public restrooms, only 63.4% of the observed participants did wash their hands after using public restrooms. Significant factors related to increased adherence to hand washing were female gender, approximate ages of 20 to 39 years by their appearance, and the presence of other people from the observation. About 79% of the survey respondents always washed their hands after using bathrooms at home, 73% washed their hands before handling food, and 67% washed their hands upon returning to their home. However, 93.2% and 86.3% of the survey respondents did not wash their hands after coughing or sneezing and after handling money, respectively. Although most of the survey respondents (77.6%) were aware that hand washing is helpful in preventing communicable diseases, 39.6% of the survey respondents did not do so because they were 'not accustomed' to washing their hands and 30.2% thought that washing their hands is 'annoying'. Conclusions : This is the first comprehensive report on hand washing behavior and awareness of the general population in Korea. The result of this study in terms of individual behavior and awareness of hand washing are comparable with similar studies conducted in other countries. However adherence to hand washing is still low and needs to be increased. The results of this study can be used as a baseline in setting up strategies and activities to promote adherence to hand washing.

• Journal of recreation and landscape
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• v.12 no.4
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• pp.35-44
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• 2018

The purpose of this research is to evaluate Seoullo 7017 based on Universal Design (UD) principles and guidelines. To derive UD principles applicable to the site context, we used the 2017 Seoul Universal Design Guideline and assessment index provided by the Universal Design Research Center and established 11 evaluation criteria. With respect to research methods, a literature review and on-site field survey were applied, through which we derived UD principles and evaluation criteria to identify UD problems. The 11 evaluation criteria consist of pedestrian space, facilities, access, main entrance, parking lots, trails, restrooms, convenience facilities, information facilities, rest areas, and playgrounds, and these were associated with UD principles for evaluation. As a result, the main entrance had the highest UD score, while parking lots had the lowest in terms of equity, safety, simplicity, and accessibility. Restrooms received a lower UD score because of poor conditions of security and alert systems. Rest areas were found to be uncomfortable for disabled people. With respect to the internal trails, we found the lack of braille block and irregular placement of planting pots made blind people uncomfortable when walking. In terms of UD principles, flexibility received the highest score, followed by amenity, equity, simplicity, tolerance, accessibility, and safety. Flexibility received the highest score, owing to the provision of proper information about convenience facilities and trails, while safety received the lowest, based on poor access to parking lots, inadequate paving materials and colors, and a lack of 24-hour security systems. We hope this research contributes to improving the universal design, so that people are not discriminated against in the use of the park in terms of age, sex, or physical disability. We expect the study to help facilitate empirical studies to verify UD principles and provide improved quality of UD for Seoullo 7017.

• Korean Journal of Community Nutrition
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• v.7 no.2
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• pp.211-218
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• 2002

This study was undertaken to assess the school flood service management and its perception by dietitians. Questionnaries were developed and answered by 162 dietitians in elementary schools in Chollanam-do. The duration of the flood service system was the longest in remote areas followed by rural and urban areas. The average number of persons served a day was 680 per dietitians. More than three schools were supervised by 52.4% of dietitians. Lack of facilities, including restrooms for the flood service personnel and storage compartments for convenience products were indicated. Regardless of the type of school flood service system, the dietitians pointed out that they urgency needed gas fryers, gas griddles and vegetable cutters, which would be helpful in preparing fried flood for the students. Despite the dietitians' eagerness to teach nutritional education, 80.9% of the respondents did not provide nutritional education to the students, because of the lack of class roomtime. It was suggested that the teaching nutritional education by dietitians was desperately needed for the improvement of health and the nutritional status of school children.

• Journal of radiological science and technology
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• v.39 no.2
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• pp.237-246
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• 2016

This study is therefore aimed at measuring the surface dose rate and the spatial dose rate in and outside the radionuclide facility in order to ensure safety of the patients, radiation workers and family care-givers in their use of such equipment and to provide a basic framework for further research on radiation protection. The study was conducted at 4 restrooms in and outside the radionuclide facility of a general hospital in Incheon between May 1 and July 31, 2014. During the study period, the spatial contamination dose rate and the surface contamination dose rate before and after radiation use were measured at the 4 places-thyroid therapy room, PET center, gamma camera room, and outpatient department. According to the restroom use survey by hospitals, restrooms in the radionuclide facility were used not only by patients but also by family care-givers and some of radiation workers. The highest cumulative spatial radiation dose rate was 8.86 mSv/hr at camera room restroom, followed by 7.31 mSv/hr at radioactive iodine therapy room restroom, 2.29 mSv/hr at PET center restroom, and 0.26 mSv/hr at outpatient department restroom, respectively. The surface radiation dose rate measured before and after radiation use was the highest at toilets, which are in direct contact with patient's excretion, followed by the center and the entrance of restrooms. Unsealed radioactive sources used in nuclear medicine are relatively safe due to short half lives and low energy. A patient who received those radioactive sources, however, may become a mobile radioactive source and contaminate areas the patient contacts-camera room, sedation room, and restroom-through secretion and excretion. Therefore, patients administered radionuclides should be advised to drink sufficient amounts of water to efficiently minimize radiation exposure to others by reducing the biological half-life, and members of the public-family care-givers, pregnant women, and children-be as far away from the patients until the dose remains below the permitted dose limit.