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Background: Agricultural workers are disproportionately at risk for heat-related morbidity and mortality. The purpose of this study was to explore how sociocultural and occupational factors, and environmental heat stress influenced fluid intake and hydration status among Latino farmworkers working in eastern North Carolina., Methods: A community-informed, mixed methods research study was conducted in partnership with staff at a federally qualified health center. In summer 2020, we recruited Latino farmworkers at migrant camps. Twenty-eight male, migrant farmworkers participated in focus group discussions and 30 completed surveys and provided urine specimens. Wet bulb globe temperatures were measured in fields where workers labored. Content analysis and parametric analyses were performed. Data integration was completed using a meta-matrix., Results: Prior to work, 46.7% of farmworkers' urine specific gravity measurements indicated dehydration, which increased to 100% after work. The farmworkers spent between 2 and 7.5 hours of their day working in conditions above the recommended limits for workplace heat exposure. Farmworkers described exposure to extreme heat and inconsistent occupational policy compliance. Farmworkers expressed the opportunity to drink water but accessibility and poor water quality limited hydration. The integrated data supported congruent findings of extreme heat, few work breaks, and substandard housing., Conclusion/application to Practice: Farmworkers are dehydrated at work, placing them at higher risk for heat-related illness (HRI). By engaging with agricultural stakeholders, occupational health nurses can combine efforts and advocate for effective health and safety work policies to reduce HRIs and deaths among farmworkers. Legislation stipulating cooling and hydration practices would support safer work environments.

: Workers are uniquely susceptible to the health hazards imposed by environmental changes. Occupational and environmental medicine (OEM) providers are at the forefront of emerging health issues pertaining to working populations including climate change, and must be prepared to recognize, respond to, and mitigate climate change-related health effects in workers. This guidance document from the American College of Occupational and Environmental Medicine focuses on North American workers health effects that may occur as a result of climate change and describes the responsibilities of the OEM provider in responding to these health challenges.

The aim of this pilot study was to evaluate respiratory behavior and respiratory indices of poultry workers on family-owned, poultry farms with 10 or less employees in North Carolina. A field study was conducted to collect data on participants (N = 24) using spirometry, fractional exhaled nitric oxide (Feno), and an interviewer-administered questionnaire. The majority of workers (76%) ranked respiratory protection as being important, yet 48% reported never or rarely wearing respiratory protection when working in dusty conditions. A large percent of workers reported eye (55%) and nasal (50%) irritation and dry cough (50%). On average, pulmonary lung function and Feno tests were normal among nonsmokers. In bivariate analysis, significant associations were identified between working 7 days on the farm (P = .01), with eye irritation, and working 5 or fewer years in poultry farming (P = .01). Poultry workers on family-owned farms spend a considerable amount of work time in poultry houses and report acute respiratory-related health symptoms. Administrative controls among small, family-owned poultry farms are necessary to improve and promote safety and health to its employees.

Approximately 870,000 U.S. workers are employed as landscaping and groundskeeping workers who perform various tasks and use a variety of tools that expose them to high noise levels, increasing their risk to noise-induced hearing loss (NIHL). Several studies on noise exposure and NIHL in other job sectors have been published, but those on groundskeepers are very limited. This study aims to characterize the noise exposure of groundskeepers. Participants were monitored over their entire work shift for personal noise exposure by wearing noise dosimeters at shoulder level, 4 in from the ear. Using two different dosimeter settings (OSHA and NIOSH), the time-weighted averages (TWAs) and 1-min averages of noise exposure levels in decibels (dBA) were obtained. The participants were also asked to fill out an activity card daily to document their tasks, tools used, location and noise perception. Sound pressure levels (SPLs) produced by various groundskeeping equipment and tools were measured at full throttle near the ear of the operator using a sound level meter. These measurements were used to assess worker noise exposure profiles, particularly the contributing source of noise. The overall mean OSHA and NIOSH TWA noise exposures were 82.2±9.2 (range of 50.9-100 dBA) and 87.8±6.6 dBA (range of 67.2-102.9 dBA), respectively. Approximately 46% of the OSHA TWAs exceeded the OSHA action limit of 85 dBA. About 76% of the NIOSH TWAs exceeded 85 dBA, and 42% exceeded 90 dBA. The SPLs of equipment and tools measured ranged from 75- 106 dBA, most of which were at above 85 dBA and within the 90-100 dBA range. Hand-held power tools and ride-on equipment without enclosed cab may have contributed significantly to worker noise exposure. This study demonstrates that groundskeepers may be routinely exposed to noise levels above the OSHA and NIOSH exposure limits, and that the implementation of effective hearing conservation programs is necessary to reduce their risk to NIHL.

Background: Adolescents and young adults have higher injury rates than their adult counterparts in similar jobs. This study used the working college student population to assess health and safety hazards in the workplace, characterize related occupational diseases and injuries, and describe worker health/safety activities provided by employers., Methods: College students (≥17 years old) were assessed via online surveys about work history, workplace exposure to hazards, occupational diseases/injuries, and workplace health/safety activities., Results: Approximately half (51%) of participants (n = 1,147) were currently employed at the time of the survey or had been employed while enrolled in college. Restaurants (other than fast food) were the most frequently reported work setting. The most reported workplace hazards included noise exposure and contact with hot liquids/surfaces. Twenty percent of working students experienced injury at work; some injuries were severe enough to limit students' normal activities for >3 days (30%) or require medical attention (44%). Men had significantly higher prevalence of injuries (P = 0.05) and near-misses (P < 0.01) at work than women. Injury occurrence was associated with near-misses (AOR = 5.08, P < 0.01) and co-worker injuries (AOR = 3.19, P < 0.01) after gender and age adjustments. Most (77%) received worker safety training and half were given personal protective equipment (PPE) by their employers., Conclusions: Risk reduction from workplace injuries and illnesses among working college students may be achieved by implementing occupational health and safety (OHS) strategies including incorporation of OHS in the college curriculum, promotion of OHS by university/college student health services, and improving awareness of OHS online resources among college students, employers, and educators., (© 2013 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.)