Occupational Health

“The CIH Exam - Essential Practice Questions by Farcas, Hammond, and Cena is, as the name implies, an essential set of questions in Industrial Hygiene. It is well laid out in 17 sections. The questions are well introduced with a short narrative before the introduction of the pertinent equations and solution to the over 500 example problems. The book serves not only as a formidable preparation for the CIH exam but a good review of basic principles, a reference for many of the day-to-day technical issues confronting the practicing industrial hygienist, and a guide for raising awareness of potential problems for which alert action is required. The authors bring a breadth of experience and insight into the issues handled in the text. They bring context to the basic principles to be highlighted by the examples of the questions and their solutions. This should be a must-have text for everyone in the field.”Michael McCawley, Ph.D.

İnşaat, İnşaat Sektörü, Fiziksel Risk Etmenleri, Risk, Tehlike, İş Güvenliği, İş Kazası, Risk Analizi, Fine Kinney metodu, İş Sağlığı ve Güvenliği, Occupational Health and Safety, İş Güvenliği Uzmanlığı, İş Güvenliği Uzmanı, Mühendislik, Engineering, İş Kazaları, İşçi Sağlığı, İnşaat Sektörü,  İstanbul, Türkay Ercan Şengöz (Türkay Ercan Şengöz tarafından yayımlanan her çeşit harita, bilgi ve belgelerin her hakkı saklıdır. Her ne şekilde ve amaçla olursa olsun bu bilgi ve belgelerin kaynak belirtilmeden kullanılması, yazılı izin alınmadan elektronik, optik, mekanik veya diğer yollarla dağıtılması, çoğaltılması, basılması, değiştirilmesi, paylaşılması, kopyalanması ve internet sitelerinde kullanılması durumunda gerekli hukuki yollara başvurulacak ve yasal işlem başlatılacaktır. Önemle duyurulur. Bu platformda veya diğer platformlarda paylaşmış olduğum tez veya akademik kapsamdaki çalışmalarımın içerisindeki bütün bilgilerin etik davranış ve akademik kurallar çerçevesinde elde edilerek sunulduğunu, akademik çalışmalarımın tez yazım kurallarına uygun olarak hazırlandığını hatırlatıyor, bana ait olan her türlü ifade ve bilginin kaynağına eksiksiz atıf yapılması gerektiğini bildiriyor, sevgi ve saygılarımı sunuyorum.)

Background. The aim of this study was to explore difficulties at work from anaesthetists' own perspective and to examine how anaesthetists handle and cope with situations that are perceived as difficult and potentially stressful. Methods. Two sets of interviews were conducted with 19 specialist anaesthetists in Sweden. The first set of interviews aimed at finding how the anaesthetists experienced difficulties at work. It consisted of in-depth interviews based on one open-ended question. We analysed the interviews with a phenomenological method, looking for themes in anaesthetists' descriptions of difficulties at work. In the second set, the interviews were semi-structured with open-ended questions, based on themes found in the first interview set. These interviews aimed at exploring how the interviewees described their ways of handling difficulties and how they coped with potentially stressful situations. Results. Analysis of the first set of interviews resulted in five themes, describing how the anaesthetists experienced difficulties at work. All interviewees talked about difficulties related to more than one of the themes. The second set of interviews revealed two main categories of ways of handling difficulties. First, problem solving consisted of descriptions of methods for handling difficult situations which aimed at solving problems, and second, coping strategies described ways of appraising potentially stressful situations that minimized stress, despite the problem not being solved. Conclusions. The anaesthetists interviewed in this study maintained that they enjoyed work and could see no external obstacles to doing a good job. They had arrived at a reconciliation of their work with its inherent difficulties and problems. Getting access to their coping strategies might help young anaesthetists to come to terms with their work.

Purpose . To estimate workforce participation characteristics and employees' attitudes regarding participation in workplace wellness programs. Design . Data from a statewide stratified random sample were used to compare small (<50 employees) and larger (50+ employees) workplaces to estimate participation in screening programs and likelihood of participation in workplace wellness programs. Setting . A telephone survey of employed Iowans registered to vote. Subjects . Surveyed were 1171 employed Iowans registered to vote, ages 18 to 65. Measure . Among questionnaire survey modules were items from the Wellness Council of America Employee Needs and Interest Survey, the U.S. Census Bureau for employment documentation, and the World Health Organization Health and Work Performance Questionnaire for assessment of sickness absenteeism and presenteeism. Analysis . Prevalence of participation in screening and wellness programs was analyzed by employment size and levels of likeliness to ...

Objective-This research project characterizes occupational injuries, illnesses, and assaults (OIIAs) as a negative outcome associated with worker exposure to generalized workplace abuse/ harassment, sexual harassment, and job threat and pressure. Methods-Data were collected in a nationwide random-digit-dial telephone survey conducted during 2003-2004. There were 2,151 study interviews conducted in English and Spanish. Analyses included cross tabulation with Pearson's Chi-Square, and logistic regression analyses. Results-Three hundred fifty-one (351) study participants reported having an OIIA during the 12 months preceding the study. Occurrences of generalized workplace harassment (O.R.= 1.53; CI = 1.33-1.75, p≤ 0.05), sexual harassment (O.R.= 1. 18; CI = 1.04-1.34, p≤ 0.05), and job pressure and threat (O.R.=1.26; CI = 1.10-1.45, p≤ 0.05), were significantly associated with reporting an OIIA. Conclusions-The psychosocial environment is significantly associated with an increased risk of OIIA. Further research is needed to understand causal pathways and to explore potential interventions.

Occupational health nursing plays a critical part in improving the safety of foreign labor workers. The development and implementation of safety training programs do not always regularly take into account language barriers, low literacy levels, or cultural elements. This oversight can lead to more injuries and fatalities among this group. Despite established health and safety training programs, a significant number of non-native English speakers are injured or killed in preventable, occupation-related accidents. Introducing safety programs that use alternative teaching strategies such as pictograms, illustrations, and hands-on training opportunities will assist in addressing challenges for non-English laborers. Occupational health nursing has an opportunity to provide guidance on this subject and assist businesses in creating a safer and more productive work environment.

Background The incidence of colorectal cancer (CRC) has been increasing. We evaluated uptake rates and outcomes of faecal immunochemical test (FIT) and Guaiac test (gFOBT) kits as part of a two-step CRC screening. Methods A 3-year CRC screening program for a defined population of construction workers was conducted. Those satisfying the inclusion criteria were provided with gFOBT or FIT kits. Individuals testing positive were invited for a colonoscopy. Results A total of 909 faecal testing kits were distributed. Age range was 53-60 years. Compliance rate was higher for FIT (58.3%) as compared to gFOBT (46.7%) (p = 0.0006). FIT detected adenomatous polyps and CRC in 37.5 and 25%, respectively, whereas; gFOBT detected 23.5 and 18%. Colonoscopies were normal in 53 and 25% tested positive by gFOBT and FIT, respectively (p = 0.016).

Ways to expand access to antiretroviral treatment (ART) in low income settings are being sought. We describe an HIV care programme including ART in an industrial setting in South Africa. The programme uses guidelines derived from local and international best practice. The training component aims to build capacity among health care staff. Nurses and doctors are supported by experienced HIV clinicians through telephone consultation and site visits. Patients undergo a three-stage counselling procedure prior to starting ART. Drug regimens and monitoring are standardised and prophylaxis against opportunistic infections (isoniazid and cotrimoxazole) is offered routinely. Laboratory and pharmacy services, using namedpatient dispensing, are centralized. The programme is designed to ensure that data on clinical and economic outcomes will be available for programme evaluation. Between November 2002 Á December 2004, ART delivery has been established at 70 ART workplace ART sites. The sites range from 200 to 12000 employees, and from small occupational health clinics and general practitioner rooms to larger hospital clinics. During this period, 2456 patients began ART. Of those on treatment for at least three months, 1728 (78%) have been retained on the programme and only 38 (1.7%) patients have failed the firstline ART regimen. This model for delivery of ART is feasible and successful in an industrial setting. The model may be generalizable to other employment health services in settings of high HIV prevalence, and as a model for implementing ART in other types of health-care settings.

The medical literature reports health hazards for law enforcement personnel from repeated exposure to methamphetamine and related chemical compounds. Most effects appear transitory, but some Utah police officers with employment-related methamphetamine exposures developed chronic symptoms, some leading to disability. This report is of an uncontrolled retrospective medical chart evaluation of symptomatic officers treated with a sauna detoxification protocol designed to reduce the chronic symptoms and improve the quality of life. Sixty-nine officers consecutively entering the Utah Meth Cops Project were assessed before and after a treatment program involving gradual exercise, comprehensive nutritional support and physical sauna therapy. Evaluations included pre- and post-treatment scores of the Research and Development Corporation (RAND) 36-item Short Form Health Survey (SF-36) in comparison with RAND population norms, pre- and post-treatment symptom score intensities, neurotoxicity sc...

Objective: To assess the prevalence of risk factors and risk for cardiovascular disease and Type 2 diabetes in employees with sedentary occupations enrolled in a workplace health-promotion program. Methods: Participants (n = 762) were recruited from ten Melbourne workplaces, participating in a physical activity program. Demographic, behavioral, biomedical, and physical measurements were collected. Results: The majority of employees were not meeting recommended guidelines for physical activity (62%), fruit intake (70%), vegetable intake (86%), body mass index (58%), or waist circumference (53%). Most had intermediate (53%) or high (7%) risk of developing Type 2 diabetes. Conclusions: The majority of Australian adults in sedentary occupations were not meeting guidelines for a number of chronic disease risk factors and a substantial proportion were unaware of their increased risk. This study supports the potential of chronic disease risk factor detection and intervention programs in the workplace.

Dental laboratory technicians may be exposed to metal alloys that are used in the production of crowns, bridges and removable partial dentures. These alloys consist of 35-65% cobalt, 20-30% chromium, 0-30% nickel, and small amounts of molybdenum, silica, beryllium, boron and carbon. The aim of this study was to assess whether dental technicians are occupationally exposed to chromium, cobalt and nickel, by analyzing urinary excretion levels of these metals and to investigate the genotoxic effects of occupational exposure associated with dental prostheses production operations by analyzing cytokinesis-blocked micronucleus (CB-MN) frequencies in peripheral lymphocytes and micronucleus (MN) frequencies in exfoliated nasal cells from 27 dental laboratory technicians and 15 control subjects. The differences in the urinary excretion of metals between technicians and controls were statistically significant. The mean (±S.D.) CB-MN frequencies (‰) in peripheral lymphocytes were 4.00 (±2.98) among the dental technicians and 1.40 (±1.30) among the controls, a statistically significant difference (P < 0.005). The mean (±S.D.) MN frequencies (‰) in nasal cells were 3.50 (±1.80) among the dental technicians and 1.19 (±0.53) among the controls, which was also a statistically significant difference (P < 0.005). There was a significant correlation between duration of exposure and MN frequencies in lymphocytes (r = 0.642, P < 0.01), but not in nasal cells of technicians. Our data reveal that in vivo exposure to chromium, nickel and cobalt metals is evident and that this occupational exposure may contribute to the observed genotoxic damage in two types of cells, e.g. lymphocytes and exfoliated nasal cells. However, it cannot be determined which compound(s) are responsible for the genotoxic damage observed in this study.

Shipping companies were surveyed to evaluate the effect of public health measures during the influenza A (H1N1) pandemic of 2009 on ship and port operations. Of 31 companies that operated 960 cruise, cargo, and other ships, 32% experienced health-screening measures by port health authorities. Approximately a quarter of ports (26%) performed screening at embarkation and 77% of shipping companies changed procedures during the early stage of the pandemic. Four companies reported outbreaks of pandemic influenza A (H1N1) 2009 on ships, which were ultimately stopped through infection control practices. Public health measures did not interfere substantially with port and ship operations with the exception of some port authorities that delayed embarking and disembarking procedures in a few ships. However, in the shipping companies&#39; experience, measures were inconsistent between port health authorities. Access to antiviral drugs and pandemic vaccine was not provided in all ports. Current...

The development and implementation of worksite health and wellness programs (WHWPs) in the United States (US) holds promise as a means to improve population health and reverse current trends in non-communicable disease incidence and prevalence. However, WHWPs face organizational, economic, systematic, legal, and logistical challenges which have combined to impact program availability and expansion. Even so, there is a burgeoning body of evidence indicating WHWPs can significantly improve the health profile of participating employees in a cost effective manner. This foundation of scientific knowledge justifies further research inquiry to elucidate optimal WHWP models. It is clear that the development, implementation and operation of WHWPs require a strong commitment from organizational leadership, a pervasive culture of health and availability of necessary resources and infrastructure. Since organizations vary significantly, there is a need to have flexibility in creating a customize...

This minireview describes the health effects of antimony exposure in the workplace and the environment. To collate information on the consequences of occupational and environmental exposure to antimony on physiological function and well-being. The criteria used in the current minireview for selecting articles were adopted from proposed criteria in The International Classification of Functioning, Disability and Health. Articles were classified from an acute and chronic exposure and toxicity thrust. The proportion of utilised and non-utilised articles was tabulated. Antimony toxicity is dependent on the exposure dose, duration, route (breathing, eating, drinking, or skin contact), other chemical exposures, age, sex, nutritional status, family traits, life style, and state of health. Chronic exposure to antimony in the air at levels of 9 mg/m(3) may exacerbate irritation of the eyes, skin, and lungs. Long-term inhalation of antimony can potentiate pneumoconiosis, altered electrocardiog...

Estudo transversal em 1.026 trabalhadores em distrito de perfuração de petróleo do Nordeste brasileiro mostrou prevalência global de doença do disco intervertebral lombar de 5%, variando de 1,8% (atividades sem manuseio de carga), 4,5% (manuseio ocasional) até 7,2% (manuseio habitual). Tal prevalência foi de 11,4% em operadores de sonda de perfuração de petróleo com mais de 40 anos de idade e de 10,5% naqueles com mais de 15 anos de empresa. A razão de prevalência (R.P.) à associação entre trabalho em operação de sonda e doença do disco foi 2,3 (I.C. 95%: 1,3, 4,0). Para minimizar o efeito sobrevivência do trabalhador sadio foram usadas informações retrospectivas acerca da exposição. A informação referente à ocupação atual em lugar do histórico ocupacional resultaria em RP subestimada de 1,1 (I.C. 95%: 0,6, 1,9). A regressão logística ratificou os achados da análise tabular. Não houve confundimento nem interação. O incremento da indústria de petróleo no país e as alterações na gestã...

Background Five cases of unilateral occupation-related pseudogynecomastia are presented. All the patients in these cases worked in the same metal-pressing factory. Methods One patient with grade 4 unilateral gynecomastia in the right breast presented to the authors' outpatient department asking persistently for surgery. He also reported that all his male colleagues working in the same business (a total of 5) had different degrees of unilateral gynecomastia. Their line of work involved holding a long round rod under the axilla and then pressing the distal end of it firmly against a spinning metal plate. The patient underwent a superior pedicle breast reduction, with 1,800 ml of tissue removed from his right breast. Unfortunately, the patient experienced partial nipple loss. However, he was satisfied with the final result, and good symmetry was achieved. Results All five patients who worked in the same metalpressing factory presented with unilateral gynecomastia and were examined in our department. Their average age was 51.4 years. All the patients had normal hormonal and biochemical status, and the results of screening for toxins and heavy metal exposure were negative. All the patients were heavy smokers. At examination, none of the patients had nipple discharge or retraction, skin changes, galactorrhea, or lymphadenopathy. Examination showed one patient with grade 4, three patients had grade 2, and one patient with grade 1 unilateral gynecomastia. Conclusions The authors believe that gynecomastia may be considered an occupational risk in analogous metalpressing factories because all the workers in this factory presented with some degree of unilateral gynecomastia. However, they emphasize that this may simply be an observational phenomenon without a true cause and effect relationship.

Factors associated with depression of medical students are poorly understood. The purpose of this study is to determine the prevalence of depression in medical students, its change during the course, if depression persists for affected students, what are the factors associated with depression and how these factors change over time. A prospective, longitudinal observational study was conducted at the Medical School of the University of Minho, Portugal, between academic years 2009-2010 to 2012-2013. We included students who maintained their participation by annually completing a questionnaire including Beck Depression Inventory (BDI). Anxiety and burnout were assessed using the State Trait Anxiety Inventory and Maslach Burnout Inventory. Surveys on socio-demographic variables were applied to evaluate potential predictors, personal and academic characteristics and perceived difficulties. ANOVA with multiple comparisons were used to compare means of BDI score. The medical students were ...

This exploratory, qualitative study documents ways in which being employed is helpful to victims of intimate partner violence (IPV). The authors conducted in-depth interviews with 21 women employed by a large health care organization in a major U.S. city. Through content analysis, the authors identified six ways in which employment was helpful to participants: by (1) improving their finances, (2) promoting physical safety, (3) increasing self-esteem, (4) improving social connectedness, (5) providing mental respite, and (6) providing motivation or a "purpose in life." Findings suggest that employment can play a critically important, positive role in the lives of IPV victims. The importance of flexible leave-time policies and employer assistance to IPV victims is discussed.

Psychosocial factors at work have been found to predict a range of health outcomes but their effect on mental health outcomes has not been extensively studied. This paper explores the relationship between psychosocial factors at work and depression in three countries of Central and Eastern Europe. The data come from a cross-sectional study of working men (n ¼ 645) and women (n ¼ 523) aged 45-64 years, randomly selected from population registers in Novosibirsk (Russia), Krakow (Poland) and Karvina-Havirov (Czech Republic). The questionnaire included questions on the effort and reward at work, job control, the full CES-D scale of depression, and a range of other characteristics. Linear regression was used to estimate the association between depression score and work characteristics: the logarithm of the effort-reward ratio, and continuous job control score. The means of the depression score were 10.5 for men and 14.2 for women. After controlling for age, sex and country, effort-reward ratio (logarithmically transformed) was strongly related to depression score; a 1 SD increase in the log transformed effort-reward ratio was associated with an increase in the depression of 2.0 points (95% CI 1.5; 2.4), and further adjustment did not materially change the effect. Job control was inversely associated with depression score in Poland and the Czech Republic (not in Russia) but the association was largely eliminated by controlling for socioeconomic characteristics. This study suggests that the effortreward imbalance at work is related to prevalence of depression in these central and eastern European populations. r

INTRODUCTION: Instruments that measure job well-being have the aim to evaluate consequences as individual health due to job unsatisfaction but not nurse perception about organizational health. The aim of this study was to assess the psychometric characteristics of the Nursing Organizational Health Questionnaire (MOHQ), an instrument derived from the Multidimensional Organizational Health Questionnaire (MOHQ) that measures nursing organizational health.METHODS: The MOHQ underwent to content validity by a group of experts that modified and added new items of the MHQ. Afterward the MOHQ was administered to a sample of 1279 nurses working in several contexts in Lazio and Umbria regions. Dimensionality of each scale of MOHQ, and concurrent validity of the new items were investigated using Exploratory Factor Analysis approach. Therefore Cronbach's alpha was computed for each dimensions of each scale to examine internal consistency.RESULTS: Statistical analysis confirmed the factor structure of each scale and the reliability of the emerged dimensions. Moreover analyses have shown the importance of the new items to investigate specific dimension related to the nurse organizational context.DISCUSSION: The present study showed that the MOHQ has good psychometric properties of validity and reliability and can be used to study organizational health in nursing population.

This study focussed on the work system design to be used by a colombian food sector company for distributing products. It considered the concept of participative ergonomics, where people from the commercial, logistics, operation, occupational health areas worked in conjunction with the industrial designers, ergonomists who methodologically led the project. As a whole, the project was conceived as having five phases: outline, diagnosis, modelling the process, scalability, instrumentation. The results of the project translate into procedures for selecting, projecting a new distribution centre, the operational process model, a description of ergonomic systems that will enable specific work stations to be designed, the procedure for adapting existing warehouses. Strategically, this work helped optimise the company's processes and ensure that knowledge would be transferred within it. In turn, it became a primary prevention strategy in the field of health, aimed at reducing occupational risks, improving the quality of life at work. r

The National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) and European Norms (ENs) employ different test protocols for evaluation of air-purifying particulate respirators commonly referred to as filtering facepiece respirators (FFR). The relative performance of the NIOSH-approved and EN-certified 'Conformité Européen' (CE)-marked FFR is not well studied. NIOSH requires a minimum of 95 and 99.97% efficiencies for N95 and P100 FFR, respectively; meanwhile, the EN requires 94 and 99% efficiencies for FFRs, class P2 (FFP2) and class P3 (FFP3), respectively. To better understand the filtration performance of NIOSH-and CE-marked FFRs, initial penetration levels of N95, P100, FFP2 and FFP3 respirators were measured using a series of polydisperse and monodisperse aerosol test methods and compared. Initial penetration levels of polydisperse NaCl aerosols [mass median diameter (MMD) of 238 nm] were measured using a method similar to the NIOSH respirator certification test method. Monodisperse aerosol penetrations were measured using silver particles for 4-30 nm and NaCl particles for 20-400 nm ranges. Two models for each FFR type were selected and five samples from each model were tested against charge neutralized aerosol particles at 85 l min 21 flow rate. Penetrations from the 238 nm MMD polydisperse aerosol test were <1% for N95 and FFP2 models and <0.03% for P100 and FFP3 models. Monodisperse aerosol penetration levels showed that the most penetrating particle size (MPPS) was in the 30-60 nm range for all models of FFRs tested in the study. Percentage penetrations at the MPPS were <4.28, <2.22, <0.009 and <0.164 for the N95, FFP2, P100 and FFP3 respirator models, respectively. The MPPS obtained for all four FFR types suggested particle capturing by electrostatic mechanism. Liquid isopropanol treatment of FFRs shifted the MPPS to 200-300 nm and dramatically increased polydisperse as well as monodisperse aerosol penetrations of all four FFR types indicating that all the four FFR types share filtration characteristics of electret filters. Electrostatic charge removal from all four FFR types also increased penetration levels of 400-1000 nm range particles. Particle penetration data obtained in this study showed that the eight models of NIOSH-approved N95 and P100 and CE-marked FFP2 and FFP3 respirators used in this study provided expected levels of laboratory filtration performance against nanoparticles.

Obesity has been characterized as a disease. Strategies to change the incidence and prevalence of this disease include a focus on changing physical and social environments, over and above individual-level strategies, using a multilevel or systems approach. We focus our attention on evidence published between 2008 and 2013 on the effectiveness of interventions in nutrition environments, i.e., environmental interventions designed to influence the intake of healthful foods and amount of energy consumed. An overarching socioecological framework that has guided much of this research was used to characterize different types of environmental strategies. Intervention examples in each area of the framework are provided with a discussion of key findings and related conceptual and methodological issues. The emphasis in this review is on adults, but clearly this literature is only one part of the picture. Much research has been focused on child-specific interventions, including environmental in...

Preamble. Insulation of buildings is an important technology for saving heating energy and for a sustainable development. The results of a comparative LCA study of three insulation products applied for roof insulation are summarised in two parts. The products selected are based on HT stone wool representing traditional products-flax representing crop grown products and paper wool representing recycled products, respectively. Although the three materials have vastly different life cycles, they yet fulfil the same function; the methodology used should be of general interest. Part 1 of the paper contains the project background, the goal and scope definition and three life cycle assessments for the three individual products, with a detailed inventory analysis, impact assessment, sensitivity analysis and interpretation. The actual comparison of the results from the three individual life cycle assessments is presented in Part 2. An attempt is made to answer the question of whether the biological products flax and paper wool are more environmentally preferable than the mineral product stone wool representing more traditional insulation materials. In general, paper wool has the lowest global and regional environmental impacts, and flax insulation the highest, with stone wool falling in between. A notable exception is the total energy use, where stone wool has the lowest consumption followed by cellulose and flax. The study also addresses occupational health issues using an approach similar to that for risk assessment. Here, the less biopersistent HT stone wool products are seen to be the safest alternatives, because of a low potential for exposure, sufficient animal testing, and the obvious absence of carcinogenic properties.

In a voluntary national effort, U.S. industry, education, labor, and government have initiated the development of standards for job skills and competencies in jobs in 15 economic sectors. The aim of the skill standards is to maintain a globally competitive workforce. Efforts to include occupational safety and health knowledge and skills as core elements in these standards are described. The first skill standards to include occupational safety and health competencies were developed for the manufacturing sector, evaluated by 3,800 workers in 700 companies, and published. National skill standards can stimulate extensive training in occupational safety and health, with resultant application to a larger percentage of workers than ever before.

HPLC-ICP-MS Speciation Analysis of Arsenic in Urine of Japanese Subjects without Occupational Exposure: Akihisa HATA, et al. D e p a r t m e n t o f P r e v e n t i v e M e d i c i n e a n d Environmental Health, Graduate School of Medicine, Osaka City University-The toxicity and carcinogenicity of arsenic depend on its species. Individuals living in Japan consume much seafood that contains high levels of organoarsenics. Speciation analysis of urinary arsenic is required to clarify the health risks of arsenic intake. There has been no report of urinary arsenic analysis in Japan using high performance liquid chromatography with inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (HPLC-ICP-MS). We performed speciation analysis of urinary arsenic for 210 Japanese male subjects without occupational exposure using HPLC-ICP-MS. The median values of urinary arsenics were as follows:

Introduction: The Ishihara Test (IT) is arguably the most sensitive and commonly used color vision test within aviation and other occupational environments, but when no errors are allowed ~20% of normal trichromats fail the test. The number of allowed errors varies in different occupations and sometimes within the same environment (such as aviation) in order to reflect the difficulties of the color-related tasks. The implicit assumption is that the plates can be ranked in order of difficulty. The principal aim of this study was to investigate whether appropriate 'weights' can be attached to each IT plate to reflect the likelihood of producing a correct response. A second aim was to justify the use of color thresholds for quantifying the loss of red-green (RG) and yellow-blue (YB) chromatic sensitivity. Methods: We investigated 742 subjects (236 normals, 340 deutans and 166 protans) using the first 25 plates of the 38-plate IT and measured RG chromatic sensitivity using the Color Assessment and Diagnosis (CAD) test. The IT error scores provided plate-specific 'weights' which were used to calculate a Severity Index (SI) of color vision loss for each subject. Results: Error scores, SI values and CAD thresholds were measured and compared in each of the three subject groups. Conclusions: Color thresholds can provide a good measure of the severity of both RG and YB color vision loss. Neither the number of IT plates failed nor the SI value computed in this way can be used to determine reliably the severity of color vision loss.

An updated and expanded database for the Hanford Mortality Study has been developed by PNL`s Epidemiology and Biometry Department. The purpose of this report is to document this process. The primary sources of data were the Occupational Health History (OHH) files maintained by the Hanford Environmental Health Foundation (HEHF) and including demographic data and job histories; the Hanford Mortality (HMO)

A participatory ergonomics model was designed for improving working conditions, quality, and productivity in a medium-sized manufacturing enterprise by making use of a Supportive Expert Team (SET). In order to implement the model, a team-based structure consisting of a Steering Committee (SC) and 2 Action Groups (AGs) was designed and a 5-phase methodology followed. To validate the model, a similar factory was selected as control. Performance of the model was successful throughout the project. AGs under the supervision of the SC and the support of the SET designed and implemented several ergonomics solutions using local resources. Our findings showed that, in comparison with the control factory, application of such a model could be considered as a provider of a more humanized work environment as well as a more efficient and cost-effective approach.

Bushfire smoke contains an array of organic and inorganic compounds, including respirable and inspirable particles, aldehydes, and carbon monoxide. These compounds have been found to be a health hazard for firefighters in the United States. Despite the high frequency of bushfires in Australia, analyses of bushfire smoke components are scarce. As part of an occupational health study investigating the respiratory health effects of bushfire smoke in firefighters, air toxics sampling was undertaken in a smoke chamber and during prescribed burns. Levels of formaldehyde and acrolein were demonstrated at respectively 60% and 80% of the Short Term Exposure Limit in the smoke chamber. Carbon monoxide levels exceeded the peak limit of 400 ppm significantly. Although concentrations were lower during the prescribed burns, the study shows that Australian bushfire smoke contains air toxics of concern and provides justification for further research into the levels of air toxics measured at bushfires and the associated health impacts.

WHAT THIS PAPER ADDS Because of the increasing number of endovascular procedures with fluoroscopy, the corresponding high annual dose for interventionalists, and the European directive (ICRP 2011) requiring a lower annual radiation dose to the eye lens, additional dose-protecting measures are desirable for all operating staff during endovascular aneurysm repair (EVAR). The effect of disposable radiation-absorbing surgical drapes has never been studied before in a randomized controlled setting during endovascular procedures for AAA repair. This study evaluates the effect of these drapes on the annual dose to the interventionalist and supporting staff.

Evidence regarding the extent of mental health problems and the associated characteristics within an employee population is necessary to inform appropriate and tailored workplace mental health programs. Mental health within male dominated industries (such as mining) has received recent public attention, chiefly through observations regarding suicide in such populations in Australia and internationally. Currently there is limited empirical evidence regarding the mental health needs in the mining industry as an exemplar of a male dominated workforce, and the relative contribution to such problems of individual, socio-economic and workplace factors. This study aimed to investigate the mental health and associated characteristics among employees in the Australian coal mining industry with a specific focus on identifying modifiable work characteristics. A cross-sectional study was conducted among employees (n = 1457) across eight coal mines stratified by key mine characteristics (state, ...

There are three main conceptualizations of nurses' stress: occupational stress, moral distress, and traumatization (compassion fatigue, secondary traumatic stress, vicarious trauma). Although we have learned a great deal from these fields, some of them lack important contextual aspects of nurses' practice, such as the gendered nature of the workforce and the nature of the work, including bodily caring. The purpose of this study was to reformulate the nature of stress in nursing, with attention to important contextual aspects of nurses' practice. Smith's sociological frame of institutional ethnography was used to explicate the social organization of nurses' stress. Data collection methods included in-depth interviews, participant observation, and focus groups with pediatric intensive care nurses. Data analysis focused on the social organization of nurses' stress, including negotiating power-based hierarchies and articulating the patient to the system. The article concludes with recommendations for addressing nurses' stress through a more critical and contextual analysis.

SUMMARY Objective: Despite the progress in the implementation of health promotion programs in the workplace, there are no questionnaires in Brazil to assess the scope of health promotion interventions adopted and their scientific basis. This study aimed to translate into Brazilian Portuguese and culturally adapt the CDC Worksite Health ScoreCard (HSC) questionnaire. Method: The HSC has 100 questions grouped into twelve domains. The steps are as follows: translation, reconciliation, back-translation, review by expert panel, pretesting, and final revision. The convenience sample included 27 individuals from health insurance providers and companies of various sizes, types and industries in São Paulo. Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics. Results: The average age of the sample was 38 years, most of the subjects were female (21 of 27), and were responsible for programs to promote health in these workplaces. Most questions were above the minimum value of understanding set at 90...

re searchers conducted a study to investigate the human response issues related to wearing a self-contained self-rescuer (SCSR). The goal was to develop training to educate miners on what they could expect from their units during an escape. Subjects included miners who had experience wearing SCSRs, manu facturers, and researchers. Results identified nine key areas of concern: (1) starting the unit, (2) unit heat, (3) induction of coughing, (4) unit taste, (5) difficulty in breathing while wearing the unit, (6) quality of the air supplied, (7) nose clips, (8) goggles, and (9) the behavior of the breathing bag. In addition, researchers reviewed the literature on human response under duress. This article describes the expectations training program, which comprises the findings of the SCSR study and what is known about the normal human response in an emergency. The authors present background on SCSRs and the SCSR switchover procedure mandated in the recent federal Mine Improvement and New Emergency Response Act of 2006, which provided the impetus for the expectations training.