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This observation reports the case of an occupational allergic asthma in a laboratory technician, caused by exposure to formaldehyde. She experienced feelings of discomfort during low exposure, below the regulatory exposure thresholds. Sent to occupational medicine, signs of an asthma attack were noted by the doctor. Respiratory function tests showed bronchial hyperactivity. The diagnosis of formaldehyde asthma was made due to the recurrence of signs during exposure and the absence of other allergies. This type of occupational asthma is rare nowly and this case is an opportunity to recall what the different occupational asthmas are and which are the most common among laboratory technicians.

Inter-company services, and autonomous services in larger companies, aim to avoid any deterioration in workers' health, by preventing and assessing risks, advising employers and workers, and monitoring and analyzing working conditions. This is made possible by a multi-disciplinary team working in the field and providing regular support to each individual., (Copyright © 2024. Publié par Elsevier Masson SAS.)

In France, return to work represents a break in the continuation of breastfeeding, especially for caregivers. The objective of this study was to describe the breastfeeding practices of hospital workers. From 378 respondents, the prevalence of breastfeeding was found to be 69 % when leaving the maternity ward, 36.5 % when returning to work, and 20.1 % at 6 months. The average duration of breastfeeding was 23.3 weeks. In total, 44 % of breastfeeding women said they stopped breastfeeding because of their work: workload, irregular hours, no breastfeeding room, and fatigue., Competing Interests: Conflict of interest None., (Copyright © 2024 Société française de pédiatrie. Published by Elsevier Masson SAS. All rights reserved.)

Background: Motion sickness, is the onset of a series of clinical signs when travelling in a means of locomotion. Boats are the most common source of kinetosis, causing seasickness. Although this condition is often benign, it can severely affect the quality of life of seafarers, as well as the quality of their work. The aim of this study is to focus on the point prevalence and characteristics of seasickness in a population of French civilian seafarers from all shipping sectors., Materials and Methods: During two months in 2023, we conducted a cross-sectional study based on a questionnaire containing 28 questions., Results: One hundred nine men and 10 women completed the questionnaire. Of these, 34% said they were seasick. The main symptoms described by the sailors were nausea and cold sweats in 87.5% and 50% of cases, respectively. The prevalence of naupathy appears to be higher in women (60% compared with 31% in men). Women also seem to be less accustomed to the marine environment than men, with 71% of men and only 33% of women indicating that they get accustomed to life at sea. However, the symptoms of seasickness seem to disappear more slowly in men than in women. In terms of treatment, men (38%) were more likely to take medication than women (17%)., Conclusions: Our study shows a greater susceptibility to seasickness among women. This interpretation should be treated with caution given the small number of women who took part in the study. The relatively low point prevalence of seasickness (34%) could be due to under-reporting. Although ways of thinking are changing, seasickness is still a taboo subject for many sailors. Yet seasickness has major professional and personal repercussions. So it's important to raise the subject and discuss strategies for improving well-being at work.

Long-term alterations of pulmonary function (mainly decreased airway conductance and capacity of the lungs to diffuse carbon monoxide (DLCO)) have been described after hyperbaric exposures. However, whether these alterations convey a higher risk for divers' safety has never been investigated before. The purpose of the present pilot study was to assess whether decreased DLCO is associated with modifications of the physiological response to diving. In this case-control observational study, 15 "fit-to-dive" occupational divers were split into two groups according to their DLCO measurements compared to references values, either normal (control) or reduced (DLCO group). After a standardized 20 m/40 min dive in a sea water pool, the peak-flow, vascular gas emboli (VGE) grade, micro-circulatory reactivity, inflammatory biomarkers, thrombotic factors, and plasmatic aldosterone concentration were assessed at different times post-dive. Although VGE were recorded in all divers, no cases of decompression sickness (DCS) occurred. Compared to the control, the latency to VGE peak was increased in the DLCO group (60 vs. 30 min) along with a higher maximal VGE grade ( p < 0.0001). P-selectin was higher in the DLCO group, both pre- and post-dive. The plasmatic aldosterone concentration was significantly decreased in the control group (-30.4 ± 24.6%) but not in the DLCO group. Apart from a state of hypocoagulability in all divers, other measured parameters remained unchanged. Our results suggest that divers with decreased DLCO might have a higher risk of DCS. Further studies are required to confirm these preliminary results.

Introduction: Few cases of skin diseases caused by exposure to artichokes have been published. Artichokes contain sesquiterpene lactones, which are known to be sensitizing. Irritant contact dermatitis (ICD) has also been diagnosed. To our knowledge, no protein contact dermatitis (PCD) has yet been reported to be induced by artichoke. Objectives: The aim of this study was to identify the different types of contact dermatitis that may be due to occupational exposure to artichokes and the professions concerned. Materials and Methods: We conducted a descriptive study, retrieving data from the French national database of occupational diseases for the period of 2001 to 2018. Results: Fifty-six cases were retrieved, and 10 cases were included in this study after data analysis and reading the clinical reports: 7 allergic contact dermatitis (ACD), 2 PCD, and 1 ICD caused by artichokes. Patients were farmers (4), agri-food workers (3), market gardener (1), cashier (1), and store employee (1). Conclusions: This is the first series of occupational contact dermatitis that can be induced by artichokes. Exposure to artichokes can lead to ICD, ACD, PCD, and perhaps contact urticaria. The sesquiterpene lactone mix patch test is not always sufficient to confirm an ACD by artichokes. Irritant contact dermatitis can be associated with ACD from artichokes or evolve on its own.

Objectives: The definition of work-related Asthma (WRA) has changed in recent years and new etiologies and agents have been identified. The aim of this study is to describe the main causal agents of WRA in France in the period 2001-2018 in the main work sectors., Methods: Data were collected from the French national network of occupational health surveillance and prevention [Réseau National de Vigilance et de Prévention des Pathologies Professionnelles (RNV3P)], Data between 2001 and 2018 with at least a probable or certain association with one occupational agent, were included., Results: Work sectors with more cases OF WRA included personal service activities (10.6%), food industry (10.2%) and healthcare activities (7.6%). WRA cases were most frequently related to flour (10%), quaternary ammoniums compounds (5.3%), isocyanates (5.1%) and cleaning products (4.8%)., Conclusion: Occupational exposure to specific agents capable of causing WRA is still present, and four agents represent more than 25% of the cases. Actions to prevent respiratory exposure are still relevant., (© The Author(s) 2022. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the British Occupational Hygiene Society.)

Background: First, this analysis was conducted to study a coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) cluster dynamic on a cruise ship in order to allow the ship physician to anticipate the duration and importance of the contaminations. Secondly, the author tries to find out if the closed environment on board allows specific conclusions about epidemic dynamics and preventative measures., Materials and Methods: From a personal epidemiological compendium done by himself on board the author analysed different epidemic curves identified on board other ships and compared them to the epidemiologic data from the different COVID-19 contamination waves in France since 2020. All crew members were submitted to polymerase chain reaction tests on D2, D5, D8 and D15 and symptomatic cases were tested on on-board devices in the meantime. An excel file called "Log Covid" allowed for daily reporting to the ship-owner on the epidemic dynamics and the prospects on the end of crises in order to anticipate the resumption of the business in the best conditions. The jobs on board, age and geographic origin of the contaminated people were analysed, as well as their vaccination status., Results: Out of a total of 118 crew members, 61 (52%) sailors were contaminated in 8 days. The symptoms were benign (pharyngitis, headaches, feverish state); no serious form of illness were reported. The passengers were repatriated to France at the earliest stage. The epidemic phase occurred in a 15-day window. The first 8 days corresponded to the ascending phase, then a faster phase of epidemic decrease of 7 days. Similarities emerged between the epidemic dynamics of this virus and other contaminations on cruise ships and epidemic phases on land in spite of important differences in numbers., Conclusions: This study can allow a ship's doctor to better understand the viral dynamics in case of a COVID- 19 cluster and to anticipate the exit of the crisis. Repeated tests during the active phase of the epidemic are necessary in case of a large cluster to know where to place oneself on a typical epidemic curve. Isolation and barrier measures advised by the ship's doctor remain the only weapons that can limit its magnitude.

Objectives: To assess trends in overall health (mental and physical) and psychosocial factors in a population of workers (both healthcare and non-healthcare) in a French teaching hospital during the first year of the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic in France., Methods: A validated version of the SATIN questionnaire with adapted scoring was used to collect data on health and impacts of work stressors. This questionnaire was sent to all workers at the hospital in T1 (July-August 2020) and T2 (July-August 2021) and self-administered online., Results: A total of 1313 participants who completed the questionnaire at T1 and 826 at T2 were included. Overall, 568 workers completed the questionnaire at T1 and T2. We found a deterioration in overall health and especially stress and mental health in hospital workers and healthcare workers (HCWs), with a negative impact of the workload and work environment., Conclusions: The SARS-CoV-2 pandemic impacted negatively the mental health, work stressors, and psychosocial perceptions of both HCW and non-HCW in a French hospital. The study confirms that hospital workers are an important target.

The objective of this qualitative study was to highlight the facilitating measures and difficulties encountered in continuing breastfeeding when returning to work at the Brest Regional University Hospital. The eleven mothers interviewed were able to take advantage of the solidarity in the care services to carry out their project, but simple institutional measures are still possible to facilitate this conciliation., (Copyright © 2022 Elsevier Masson SAS. All rights reserved.)

Esophageal cancer is the sixth most common cause of cancer death worldwide. In France, Brittany is one of the regions most seriously affected. This increased incidence is usually linked to high rates of alcohol overconsumption and smoking, established risk factors for esophageal cancer, but the region has special occupational exposures. We aim to describe the occupational exposures of patients with esophageal cancer. Between June and October 2020, we conducted a monocentric descriptive study in a French Teaching Hospital and identified 37 eligible patients. We gathered data through a systematic individual interview for each participant and by an analysis of their medical file. We were able to include 36 patients; most were men (n = 27, 75.0%) and smokers (n = 25, 69.4%), 21 (58.3%) presented an adenocarcinoma esophageal cancer, 13 (36.1%) a squamous cell cancer, and 2 other types. On occupational exposure, patients declared respectively high exposure by manipulating asbestos materials for 11 (30.6%) patients, regularly in contact with benzene by handling fuel in 7 cases (19.4%), chlorinated solvents in 4 cases (11.1%), pesticides in 4 cases, and ionizing radiation exposure in 3 patients (8.3%). Our findings support the creation of a large-scale study to explore the impact of occupational exposures, particularly exposure to asbestos and hydrocarbons.

Background: A high level of occupational noise exposure has been noted in the fishing sector. Yet, less is known regarding other navigation groups, such as merchant seafarers, since a French study in the 1980s. This study assesses hearing impairment (HI) in a French merchant seafarers’ population. Methods: We collected data of all audiograms performed in 2018 and 2019 for French merchant seafarers. For each seafarer, hearing ability was measured in both ears using pure-tone audiometry at the following frequencies: 0.5, 1, 2, 3, 4, 6, and 8 kHz. Hearing threshold levels (HTLs), or the intensity of sound below which no sound is detected, were measured in decibels Sound Pressure Level (dB SPL) at each frequency and recorded in 5 dB increments. For HI, we used the validated definition of the American Speech−Language−Hearing Association (ASHA). Results: We were able to include statistical analysis results of 8308 audiograms. In a multiple logistic regression adjusted for age, experience, and class of navigation, we found that experience of more than 14 years Odds Ratio OR 1.28 (CI 95% 1.07−1.53), age 31−40 OR 2.2 (CI 95% 1.4−3.4), and >40 years OR 14, 3 (IC 95% 9.7−21) and marine engineers OR 1.26 (IC 95% 1.01−1.57) were still risk factors for HI. Conclusion: In 2018, Marine engineers were still the workers’ group with a higher risk of HI in merchant seafarers but, notch at 4 Hz, specific of noise-induced hearing loss, has improved. They have an HI close to the definition of socioacousis and mean deficit differences with deck and services’ merchant seafarers improved. Our results could be interpreted as a limitation of occupational noise exposure impact in a merchant seafarers’ population, needing an improvement in prevention measures and also encouraged to continue to improve onboard working conditions.

Objective: To compare global health, mental health impact of work stressors and psychosocial perception of healthcare workers (HCWs) and non-HCWs in a hospital after the first peak of the COVID-19 outbreak in France., Methods: A validated version of the SATIN (Santé Au Travail Inrs université Nancy 2)questionnaire with adapted scoring was used to collect data on health and impact of work stressors. This questionnaire was sent to all workers at a hospital in July 2020 and was self-administered online. In a multinomial regression model, we included HCW status, age, gender and front-line worker status as covariates., Results: Data from a total of 1405 participants were included. We found that being an HCW, male and front-line worker was a risk factor for negative perception of work demand (OR 7.35, 95% CI 4.2 to 11.47; OR 2.55, 95% CI 1.11 to 5.89; OR 1.78, 95% CI 1.04 to 3.06). Being an HCW was a predictive factor for stress (OR 1.47, 95% CI 1.04 to 2.08), poor global health (OR 1.71, 95% CI 1.14 to 2.55) and negative perception of work activity environment (OR 1.9, 95% CI 1.3 to 2.8)., Conclusion: We have shown that all HCWs suffered from some health impact shortly after the first peak of the COVID-19 outbreak. We underline some stressors with high impact, including work demand, work abilities and organisational context, and emphasise the need for risk management., Competing Interests: Competing interests: None declared., (© Author(s) (or their employer(s)) 2022. Re-use permitted under CC BY-NC. No commercial re-use. See rights and permissions. Published by BMJ.)

We report a case of occupational allergy to salmon combining allergic asthma, allergic rhinitis and allergic contact urticaria in a 59-year-old salmon-processing worker. Parvalbumin is the most common allergen, but indeed sensitisation to tropomyosin, preservatives and spices could occur.

In a university hospital in Brittany, health monitoring of the staff was set up at the beginning of the Covid-19 pandemic. The first results of the studies carried out in this context showed that nurses showed a greater deterioration of their physical health than other professionals. However, thanks to psychological balancing measures, nurses did not appear to be more affected in terms of psychological health and well-being at work than the other hospital workers., (Copyright © 2021 Elsevier Masson SAS. All rights reserved.)

This study compared the impact on mental health and the psychosocial perceptions of medical residents and healthcare workers (HCWs) in a hospital after the first peak of the SARS-CoV2 outbreak in France. A validated version of the SATIN questionnaire with a modified scoring system was used to collect data on health and psychosocial factors. This questionnaire was sent to all workers at the hospital in July 2020 and was self-administered online. Using a multivariate multinomial regression model, the study included demographic variables such as age, gender, years at workplace and the relevant of covariate as HCW status. One thousand, four hundred and six questionnaires were available for analysis including 393 non-HCWs, 891 HCWs and 122 medical residents. Medical resident status is a risk factor for stress (OR 4.77 [2.48-9.18] p < 0.001), worse global health (OR 4 [1.7-9.6] p < 0.001) and mental health (OR 2.58 [1.3-5.1] p = 0.02), negative perception of work demand (OR 8.25 [3.5-19.6] p <0.001), work activity environment (OR 3.18 [1.5-6.7] p = 0.02) and organizational context (OR 4.9 [2.38-10.4] p <0.001). Action on collective support, protection equipment, organizational context and framework are important.

Background: The purposes of the study were first to determine the incidence rate of medical unfitness for work at sea among French seafarers, second to identify the conditions (diseases or accidents) causing such incapacity so as to set up prevention measures where possible and third to ascertain whether there were any overrepresentations of diseases according to category of unfit seafarers (fishers, merchant seafarers, shellfish farmers and professional sailors)., Methods: An exhaustive, observational, descriptive, retrospective epidemiological and nosological study was carried out based on the medical coding of files stored in the Aesculapius® national database, which registers all medical data regarding seafarers presenting at the French seafarers' health services. The increasing rate of permanent medical unfitness for work at sea was calculated in relation to the annual number of registered seafarers. A 12-year span was chosen in an attempt to ascertain the different sociodemographic categories associated with incapacity., Results: In all, 2392 seafarers were declared unfit for work at sea. This represents a permanent medical unfitness for work at sea incidence rate of below 1% for all French seafarers examined for medical fitness between 2005 and 2016. The average age of the population of unfit seafarers was 48. The average time spent at sea before being declared unfit for work at sea was 15.5 years. Sixty-seven percent of the seafarers declared unfit had been working in the fishing sector. The main reasons for deciding permanent unfitness for work at sea were: rheumatological conditions associated specifically with the spine; injuries relating to accidents or other external causes, mostly affecting the upper limbs; mental and behavioural disorders, including mood disorders and particularly addictions; and diseases of the circulatory system, namely coronopathies. The incidence rate of medical unfitness for work at sea was seen to increase between 2005 and 2016, but a decrease due to the dilution effect was noted in 2015., Conclusions: Permanent unfitness seldom occurs among French professional seafarers. Prevention measures must be focused on musculoskeletal disorders, psychiatric affections and coronary conditions as well as on combatting maritime accidents, especially in the professional fishing sector, where such affections and accidents are overrepresented.

Seafarers are exposed to several physical and psychosocial stressors. Recent studies highlighted specific disorders as fatigue, boredom and diseases as depression. Seafarers are also commonly exposed to post-traumatic stress disorder (piracy, accidents, threats). Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) impacts seafarers with an estimated 400,000 of whom are stranded on vessels around the world, with extended time on board, repatriation's difficulties and the financial concerns of the unexpectedly unemployed. International Maritime Organization has established the Seafarer Crisis Action Team to help them. In France, in last 10 months a dedicated call centre received 142 calls from 32 seafarers for psychological phone consultations mostly linked to this era. With the increase of duration of the COVID-19 crisis, psychological health care, repatriations and financial solutions are needed for seafarers.

The midwifery profession varies greatly from one country to another. There are, however, a number of common features such as exposure to biological risks through contact with pregnant women and women in labor, exposure to postural stresses during examinations and medical acts, but also, increasingly, exposure to organizational constraints (work schedules, shift work, etc.). This article aims to give an overview of what is known about the occupational health risks of midwives (MWs). A review of the literature on Medline, from January 1, 2006 to December 31, 2017, was carried out. Articles focused principally on burnout (BO) and post-traumatic stress disorder. Several BO questionnaires were used. For the Copenhagen Burnout Inventory , the prevalence of personal BO ranged 20-57%; the percentage of work-related BO fell between 15-57%; and the prevalence of client-related BO ranged 5-15%. For the Maslach Burnout Inventory , the prevalence of emotional exhaustion varied between 23-60.7%; the prevalence of depersonalization ranged 3.3-30.3%; and the pervasiveness of personal accomplishment varied between 5-30.3%. There was little data concerning musculoskeletal problems or accidental exposure to biological fluids. The literature review on occupational pathologies demonstrates high levels of BO. Several gaps exist on the evolution of the impact of their work on the health of MWs, like the effect of shift work, postural stresses, etc. This review will make it possible to better focus future research on the occupational health of this population. Med Pr. 2020;71(4):473-81., (This work is available in Open Access model and licensed under a CC BY-NC 3.0 PL license.)

Introduction: An in-patient clinical service has been set up in March 2016 in the Occupational Diseases Center of Brest University Hospital, France, to seek for work-relatedness of diseases in patients hospitalized into the oncology and hematology departments. We present here data after two years of existence., Methods: All cases of cancers or malignant hematological diseases (ICD-10 codes C00 to C97 and D37 to D48) seen between March 1, 2016, and March 1, 2018, have been identified. We present sociodemographic data, occupational exposures, occupation, business sector, and tobacco consumption. The causation level between the disease and each of the occupational exposures has been rated as strong, intermediate, weak or null by the occupational medicine specialist of the Occupational Diseases Center., Results: Among the 196 patients encountered, there are 127 work-related diseases and 82 of these had one occupational exposure rated as strong or intermediate. The most frequent occupational hazards were asbestos (48 cases) and ionizing radiation (23 cases). The most frequent business sectors were metallurgy, mechanical engineering, and agriculture. Lung cancer was the most frequently reported disease (49 cases)., Discussion: . We identified well-known couples with occupational exposures and diseases, such as asbestos and lung cancer. We also identified a link between pesticides and leukemias. This in-patient clinical service is helpful to identify work-related exposures and in helping patients to get compensated., (Copyright © 2020 Société Française du Cancer. Published by Elsevier Masson SAS. All rights reserved.)