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Introduction. The severity of the labor process is one of the leading harmful factors of working conditions in greenhouse vegetable growing. Nevertheless, its influence on the formation of health disorders of vegetable growers has not been sufficiently studied. Material and methods. Physiological, hygienic and epidemiological studies were carried out, which included an assessment of the severity of work in the annual cycle, also the functional state of the cardiorespiratory system and the neuromuscular system in the dynamics of the work shift, the general morbidity of vegetable growers according to registration forms No. 025/y. Results. During the labor activity, vegetable growers were established to be exposed to physical overloads caused by the severity of the labor process (classes 3.2, 3.3) in combination with a heating microclimate (classes 3.1-3.3). By the end of the work shift, there was an increase relative to the initial levels of heart rate (p

Objectives This study aimed to assess the surgical outcomes of patients with work-related upper extremity musculoskeletal disorders (UE-MSDs) who failed conservative treatment. Material and Methods This was a retrospective study of 17 patients who had work-related UE-MSDs and underwent the following surgeries and follow-up evaluations: decompression, external and internal neurolysis of the upper trunk of the brachial plexus and the long thoracic nerve (LTN), and a partial resection of the anterior and middle scalene muscle. A detailed history of clinical presentation including pain, physical and clinical examinations of the extent of scapular winging (ESW), and upper extremity anatomical postures, such as active forward arm flexion and shoulder abduction, were recorded before and after 3 months of the surgery. Nerve conduction velocity and electromyography examination reports were obtained to assess the sensory or motor loss of the nerve injury before their operation. Results All 17 patients included in this report showed some improvement anatomically in the scapula appearance and functionally in their shoulder movements. More specifically, 9 (53%) patients got a restored to near healthy appearance of the scapula, and 11 (65%) patients recovered a full range of motion, 180° post-surgically. Overall, the mean shoulder flexion and abduction improved to 157±37.5° and 155±40.2° after the surgery from 106±30.2° and 111±34.8°, respectively (p < 0.0001). The ESW score also significantly improved from a mean of 1.5±0.51 to 3.5±0.71 (p < 0.0001). The post-surgical improvements were statistically highly significant (p < 0.0001). Conclusions Decompression and neurolysis of the upper brachial plexus and the LTN, and the partial release of the scalene muscle contracture procedures have fostered improvements in the shoulder anatomical appearance and movements in all 17 patients. Int J Occup Med Environ Health. 2021;34(3):427–35

Background: In developing countries, public health issues that are often discussed about psychological distress that can be characterized by anxiety, sadness, stress, depression, and confusing feelings. Online drivers have the potential to experience the stress of psychological distress. The individual is faced with various pressures from work or family such as competition between transportation to get passengers daily, long working time to achieve the target leads, the obligation to pay off the loan, and responsibilities to family needs often cause stress. Method: This study was a multivariate type of predictive analysis to finding out factors associated with GHQ-12 scores of the online drivers with 110 samples who have fulfilled inclusion and exclusion criteria. Results: Found the factors associated with psychological distress that is marital status, number of family members, length of education, working experience, age, length of work/day, daily target achievement, and total income/month of online drivers Conclusion: From the results of this study it was found that the most associated factors with psychological distress scores are total income/month.

Background: Meatpacking is dirty, dangerous, and demanding work. In the United States, the industry predominately employs people from racial/ethnic minority backgrounds and immigrants, with 45% of the workforce identifying as Hispanic/Latino. Little is known about how the work environment affects worker engagement in health-promoting activities; however, occupational health professionals are uniquely positioned to advance worker health, safety, and general well-being. Methods: Hispanic/Latino meatpacking workers with work-related musculoskeletal pain and active health concerns were recruited to participate in a study to explore health, health behaviors, and the work environment. Five focus groups ( N = 28) were conducted in Nebraska between March 2019 and February 2020. Thematic analysis using the Health Belief Model constructs was used to explain workers’ health behaviors including utilization of occupational health services at their workplace. Findings: Workers believed that there was little they could do to prevent and treat health problems. They understood the perceived threat of health problems and the benefits of self-care, but the perceived barriers often outweighed the benefits. The workplace had few prompts to motivate or incentivize self-care both in and outside of work. In addition, workers did not trust the occupational health office and saw few benefits to accessing services. Together, these conditions resulted in low self-efficacy and limited engagement in health-promoting behaviors. Conclusion/Application to practice: Occupational health professionals should promote Total Worker Health and foster trust by providing culturally, linguistically, and literacy appropriate services and by identifying opportunities and reducing barriers for workers to engage in activities to promote their health, safety, and well-being.

Zusammenfassung Hintergrund Chirurgen erleben in ihrem Arbeitsalltag eine hohe psychische Belastung. Die Herzfrequenzvariabilität (HRV) ist als vegetativer Beanspruchungsparameter zur Erfassung von psychischen Belastungen etabliert. Eine geringe HRV ist ein Indikator für hohen Stress. Ziel der Arbeit Ziel der Querschnittsstudie war es, die Aktivierung des autonomen Nervensystems als stressinduzierte Antwortreaktion und das Stressniveau bei chirurgisch tätigen Ärzten verschiedener Qualifikationsstufen während ihrer Tätigkeit anhand der HRV zu untersuchen. Material und Methoden Es wurde die HRV aus 31 EKG-Aufnahmen von 5 freiwilligen, klinisch gesunden männlichen Herzchirurgen während 25 aortokoronarer Bypassoperationen (ACB-OP) und der Stationsarbeit analysiert. Als Einschlusskriterium galt die Tätigkeit als Assistenzarzt bzw. Oberarzt, die berechtigt sind, herzchirurgische Eingriffe durchzuführen. Relevante Medikamente und Vorerkrankungen, die den Herzrhythmus beeinflussen und die Häufigkeit von Extrasystolen im EKG (> 1 % ) waren Ausschlusskriterien. Die Tätigkeit während der Operation und Nicht-Operationsphase wurde schriftlich dokumentiert. Bei der statistischen Auswertung kamen der Mann-Whitney-U-Test und das Allgemeine Lineare Modell mit der Anpassung nach Bonferroni unter Berücksichtigung der ärztlichen Funktion und der Art der Tätigkeit während der Operation als Kovariaten zur Anwendung. Ergebnisse Eine reduzierte HRV während der ACVB-OP fand sich bei den zeitbezogenen Parametern RMSSD (Root Mean Square of Successive Differences) und pNN50 (Prozentsatz der NN-Intervalle mit mindestens 50 ms Abweichung vom vorausgehenden NN-Intervall), dem frequenzbezogenen Parameter LF (Low Frequency) power sowie dem nichtlinearen Kurzzeitvariabilitätsparameter SD1 (Standard Deviation oder die Breite der Punktwolke) für Assistenzärzte im Vergleich zu den Oberärzten. 50,8 % der Arbeitszeit war im OP für die Assistenzärzte als hohe Stresssituation gekennzeichnet (Oberärzte: 11,7 %; p = 0,015). Die Beanspruchungsreaktion bei der Stationsarbeit zeigte sich als deutlich geringer ausgeprägt, wobei diese in beiden Gruppen vergleichbar war. Diskussion Es zeigt sich eine höhere stressinduzierte Antwortreaktion während der ACB-OP bei Assistenzärzten im Vergleich zu Oberärzten. Es sollten frühzeitig präventive und gesundheitsfördernde Maßnahmen bei hoher arbeitsbezogener Stressbelastung bei chirurgisch tätigen Ärzten insbesondere in der Facharzt-Weiterbildungsphase eingeleitet werden.

Identifying the individual factors is a major issue in determining the likelihood of human error and ultimately human reliability. In current human reliability assessment methods, this is determined based on a list of performance shaping factors and experts' judgment. This was a qualitative content analysis study, in which the participants were selected using purposive sampling from combined cycle power plant control rooms. Semi-structured interviews were performed and collected data were analyzed. A total of 32 operators (20 module controllers, eight head operators and four managers) were interviewed. Five categories were extracted, namely 'mental condition', 'consciousness at work', 'professional competence', 'communication skills' and 'quick reactions and decision-making capabilities'. Accordingly, it is suggested to taken into account such factors as professional competence and speed of reactions and to pay more attention to their important factors in the reliability of operators in combined cycle power plant control rooms.

Korean cosmetics sales workers in department stores face harmful working environments, including limited restroom access, working long hours in a standing position, and customer violence. This study investigated health disparities between cosmetics saleswomen and the general population of working women in South Korea. We assessed the prevalence of health indicators, including physician-diagnosed disease, using a cross-sectional survey of 860 Korean cosmetics saleswomen in September 2018. Health indicators of cosmetics saleswomen were compared to those of general working women from the nationally representative datasets (e.g., National Health Insurance Service-National Sample Cohort). We estimated age-standardized prevalence ratios (SPRs) for health outcomes, including physical, mental, and health-related behavioral conditions. Cosmetics saleswomen were more likely to be diagnosed or treated for physical and mental conditions (e.g., cystitis SPR: 4.03, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 3.48-4.65; plantar fasciitis SPR: 23.48, 95% CI: 18.12-29.93; varicose vein SPR: 38.41, 95% CI: 32.18-45.49; and depression SPR: 11.18, 95% CI: 8.53-14.40) compared to general working women. Prevalence of smoking and hazardous alcohol consumption was also higher among cosmetics saleswomen than those of general women workers. Given our findings, further research is needed to identify work-related risk factors that could deteriorate cosmetic sales workers’ health in South Korea.

Objectives. The combined role of whole-body vibration (WBV) exposure and awkward posture on musculoskeletal disorders (MSDs) experienced by dumper operators in two metalliferous mines in India was evaluated through a cross-sectional study. Methods. Frequency-weighted root mean square (rms) acceleration was used for WBV exposure assessment. Anthropometry and rapid upper limb assessment (RULA) were used for static and dynamic posture assessment, respectively. Prevalence of MSDs was assessed using the Nordic musculoskeletal questionnaire (NMQ). Logistic regression was used to assess the factors contributing to MSD problems. Results. The rms values revealed that the operators exceeded the lower limit of Standard No. ISO 2631-1:1997. The dynamic posture study revealed that the majority of dumper operators were taking awkward postures and 58-74% of them were subjected to high and medium levels of MSD risk. The adjusted odds ratio (7.96, 95% confidence interval [1.24, 41.35]) for the most awkward postures revealed WBV exposure as the significant risk factor for MSD problems among the operators. Conclusion. WBV exposure and posture of operators should be regularly monitored and corrective actions implemented to reduce their MSD problems. Ergonomic seat design based on the anthropometry of the operators should be assessed at the time of procuring new equipment.

Objectives The aims of the study were to evaluate the external contamination of hazardous drug vials used in Chinese hospitals and to compare environmental contamination generated by a robotic intelligent dispensing system (WEINAS) and a manual compounding procedure using a biological safety cabinet (BSC). Methods Cyclophosphamide, fluorouracil, and gemcitabine were selected as the representative hazardous drugs to monitor surface contamination of vials. In the comparative analysis of environmental contamination from manual and robotic compounding, wipe samples were taken from infusion bags, gloves, and the different locations of the BSC and the WEINAS robotic system. In this study, high-performance liquid chromatography coupled with double mass spectrometer (HPLC-MS/MS) was employed for sample analysis. Results (1) External contamination was measured on vials of all three hazardous drugs. The contamination detected on fluorouracil vials was the highest with an average amount up to 904.33 ng/vial, followed by cyclophosphamide (43.51 ng/vial), and gemcitabine (unprotected vials of 5.92 ng/vial, protected vials of 0.66 ng/vial); (2) overall, the environmental contamination induced by WEINAS robotic compounding was significantly reduced compared to that by manual compounding inside the BSC. Particularly, compared with manual compounding, the surface contamination on the infusion bags during robotic compounding was nearly nine times lower for cyclophosphamide (10.62 ng/cm2 vs 90.43 ng/cm2), two times lower for fluorouracil (3.47 vs 7.52 ng/cm2), and more than 23 times lower for gemcitabine (2.61 ng/cm2 vs 62.28 ng/cm2). Conclusions The external contamination occurred extensively on some hazardous drug vials that commonly used in Chinese hospitals. Comparison analysis for both compounding procedures revealed that robotic compounding can remarkably reduce environmental contamination.

BACKGROUND: Workers who suffered a workplace injury and submitted a claim with the compensation board in Ontario often faced economic and non-economic costs that provoked depressive feelings, family strain, financial strain, and feelings of diminished self-worth. OBJECTIVE: This qualitative descriptive study aimed to understand the perceived gaps and failures associated with the support systems (e.g., union, compensation and employer) that were in place to assist some male underground workers in Sudbury, Ontario, Canada, who had suffered a workplace injury and had a compensation claim. METHODS: Twelve in-depth, in-person, individual, semi-structured interviews were conducted and data were transcribed verbatim and anonymized at the time of transcription. Data analysis followed Braun and Clarke’s guidelines for thematic analysis. RESULTS: Themes that emerged include: unfair and inadequate recognition of an injury; limited communication with stakeholders involved with their claim, including claim adjudicators, challenges when returning to work, and compensation claim system barriers. CONCLUSIONS: Cooperation, collaboration, knowledge transfer, and decreased power imbalances could help to reduce the economic and non-economic strain felt by a worker with an injury. Additionally, a government-funded third-party advocate who knows the medical system, union contracts, the workers’ compensation system, and employer policies and practices could act on behalf of an injured worker.

The working lives of Americans have become less stable over the past several decades and older adults may be particularly vulnerable to these changes in employment quality (EQ). We aimed to develop a multidimensional indicator of EQ among older adults and identify EQ and retirement trajectories in the United States. Using longitudinal data on employment stability, material rewards, workers’ rights, working-time arrangements, unionization, and interpersonal power relations from the Health and Retirement Study (HRS), we used principal component analysis to construct an EQ score. Then, we used sequence analysis to identify late-career EQ trajectories (age 50–70 years; N = 11,958 respondents), overall and by sociodemographics (race, gender, educational attainment, marital status). We subsequently examined the sociodemographic, employment, and health profiles of these trajectories. We identified 10 EQ trajectories; the most prevalent trajectories were Minimally Attached and Wealthy (13.9%) and Good EQ to Well-off Retirement (13.7%), however, 42% of respondents were classified into suboptimal trajectories. Those in suboptimal trajectories were disproportionately women, people of color, and less-educated. Individuals in the Poor EQ to Delayed and Poor Retirement and Unattached and Poor clusters self-reported the greatest prevalence of poor health and depression, while individuals in the Wealthy Business Owners and Great EQ to Well-off Retirement clusters self-reported the lowest prevalence of poor health and depression at baseline. Trajectories were substantially constrained for women of color. Although our study demonstrates EQ is inequitably distributed in later life, labor organizing and policy change may afford opportunities to improve EQ and retirement among marginalized populations.

Purpose: Development of methodology and criteria for establishing causal relationships between the health status of workers in radiation-hazardous industries with factors of the working environment. Results: A methodology and criteria have been developed for assessing the cause-and-effect relationships of the health of workers in radiation-hazardous industries with the factors of the working environment. The assessment is carried out in three stages. At the 1st stage, according to the data of periodic medical examinations and psychophysiological examinations, the level of the employee’s health loss is assessed, at the 2nd stage (using the risk matrix) – the level of occupational risk. At the 3rd stage, according to the relative risk of a specific disease (or its etiological share) and the level of occupational risk, a decision is made on the causation of the disease by unfavorable factors of the working environment.

The opioid epidemic has had disproportionate effects across various sectors of the population, differentially impacting various occupations. Commercial fishing has among the highest rates of occupational fatalities in the United States. This study used death certificate data from two Massachusetts fishing ports to calculate proportionate mortality ratios of fatal opioid overdose as a cause of death in commercial fishing. Statistically significant proportionate mortality ratios revealed that commercial fishermen were greater than four times more likely to die from opioid poisoning than nonfishermen living in the same fishing ports. These important quantitative findings suggest opioid overdoses, and deaths to diseases of despair in general, deserve further study in prevention, particularly among those employed in commercial fishing.

EnglishThe present study aims to analyze the excess of working hours in Brazil, as well as the effectiveness of the legal mechanisms available for the protection of the health of the worker subjected to these conditions. Aiming at reaching the proposed goal, the evils will be presented to the health of the worker when exposed to a large number of working hours, initially taking as a comparative parameter the cases of karoshi and karojisatsu – death due to exhaustion due to working hours in Japan and in other countries Asian countries. In addition, statistical data and concrete cases of excessive work in Brazil – including death (birola) – will be presented and, finally, the existing mechanisms for the protection of the worker ’s health against overwork will be analyzed, in order to allow a critical analysis of their effectiveness in concrete cases. In order to do so, the historical-critical research method was used in a first quantitative and descriptive way – instead, from the available quantitative data, it describes the problem in Japan and Brazil – and, in a second, qualitative and applied one – because it qualitatively analyzes the mechanisms and results oriented towards their implementation in concrete cases. The bibliographic and normative procedures were adopted, as supported by normative and theoretical references published in written and electronic media. portuguesO presente trabalho tem como objetivo analisar o excesso de jornada de trabalho no Brasil, bem como a efetividade dos mecanismos juridicos disponiveis para a protecao da saude do trabalhador submetido a estas condicoes. Visando atingir o objetivo proposto serao apresentados os males a saude do trabalhador quando exposto a um grande numero de horas de trabalho, tomando inicialmente como parâmetro comparativo os casos de karoshi e karojisatsu – morte por exaustao decorrente das horas de trabalho no Japao e em outros paises asiaticos, como China, Coreia do Sul e Taiwan. Alem disso serao apresentados dados estatisticos e casos concretos de trabalho excessivo no Brasil – inclusive com resultado morte (birola) – e, ao final, serao analisados os mecanismos existentes para a protecao da saude do trabalhador contra o excesso de jornada, de modo a permitir uma analise critica sobre a sua eficacia ante os casos concretos. Para tanto, foi empregado o metodo historico-critico em pesquisa num primeiro momento quantitativa e descritiva – vez que a partir dos dados quantitativos disponiveis descreve o problema no Japao e no Brasil – e, num segundo, qualitativa e aplicada – pois analisa qualitativamente os mecanismos existentes e apresenta resultados orientados a sua implementacao nos casos concretos. Adotou-se os procedimentos bibliografico e normativo, pois amparado por referencias normativas e teoricas publicadas em meio escrito e eletronico

There is limited empirical evidence regarding mental health in workplace settings in Africa. Gold mining is a major industry in Ghana, and this study investigated mental health-related symptoms and the factors contributing to such symptoms among employees in the Ghanaian. A cross-sectional survey design study was used to collect data from employees working in the mining industry across five gold mines in Ghana. All mining employees were invited to participate in the survey. Sociodemographic and work characteristic data (including job content) was collected alongside measures of recent mental health-related symptoms (Kessler-10). Questionnaires were administered in English. Data were analysed using descriptive statistics and logistic regression models. Of 1165 participants (response rate: 78%), 87% were male and 13% were female. The majority of the participants were in the 25–34 age category. Psychological distress was categorized as low (62.6%), moderate (24.3%), high (10.0%) and very high (3.2%). Shift type (working 12 h or more), physical working conditions and financial factors were significantly associated with psychological distress. Job resources and job demands was not significantly associated with levels of psychological distress. This is the first study to explore mental health in the Ghanaian gold mining industry. The findings identify workplace factors associated with psychological distress in the mining industry in Ghana and support the importance of promoting mental health as part of workplace health and safety strategy to improve mental health across the mining population.

Objective This prospective study assessed the risk of developing rotator cuff syndrome (RCS) with separate or specific combinations of biomechanical exposures measures, controlling for individual confounders. Background Compared with other musculoskeletal disorders, rates of work-related shoulder musculoskeletal disorders have been declining more slowly. Method We conducted up to 2 years of individual, annual assessments of covariates, exposures, and health outcomes for 393 U.S. manufacturing and healthcare workers without RCS at baseline. Task-level biomechanical exposures assessed exposure to forceful exertions (level, exertion rates, duty cycles), vibration, and upper arm postures (flexion, abduction). Hazard ratios (HRs) were calculated with Cox proportional hazard models. Results We observed 39 incident RCS cases in 694 person-years (incidence rate = 5.62 per 100 person-years). Adjusting for confounders, we found increased risk of incident RCS associated with forceful hand exertions per minute for three upper arm posture tertiles: flexion ≥45° (≥28.2% time, HR = 1.11, CI [1.01, 1.22]), abduction ≥30° (11.9–21.2%-time, HR = 1.18, CI [1.04, 1.34]), and abduction >60° (≥4.8% time, HR = 1.16, CI [1.04, 1.29]). We failed to observe statistically significant effects for other interactions or any separate measures of biomechanical exposure. Conclusion This study highlights the importance of assessing combinations of exposure to forceful repetition and upper arm elevation when developing interventions for preventing RCS. Application Based on these results, interventions that reduce exposure to forceful repetition (i.e., lower force levels and/or slower exertion rates) may reduce the risk of RCS, especially when upper arm elevation cannot be avoided.

Purpose COVID-19 pandemic has ushered in a new norm of operation and has further presented new health and safety challenges in all sectors, including the construction sector. Consequently, several guidelines have been developed and instituted by various countries to prevent the spread of the disease among the citizenry. This paper aims to explore the COVID-19 guidelines incorporated in the health and safety management policies of construction firms in South Africa. Design/methodology/approach A qualitative approach was adopted for the study. Data was collected from construction companies by means of an open-ended questionnaire. The open-ended questionnaire was distributed by using the purposive sampling technique. The collected data was analysed with thematic content analysis. Findings The findings show that most construction companies have incorporated aspects of COVID-19 guidelines into the site health and safety policies, whereas the majority of the companies had incorporated guidelines such as site access, handling of COVID-19 cases, induction, screening and social distancing; only a few had incorporated guidelines such as compliance, sanitisation, sick leave, wearing of personal protective equipment, audit and risk assessment, lunchtime rules and grouping of workers into the health and safety policies on site. Research limitations/implications Data was collected from higher grade firms; therefore, the research findings may not be applied to smaller construction firms. A study that focuses on lower grades is recommended. Practical implications Construction companies could use the recommendations provided to improve upon the policies developed/adopted to curb the spread of CVID-19 on-site. Originality/value Research on COVID-19 construction site health and safety measures are still being developed. Thus, this study contributes to advancing the body of knowledge in this evolving field.

Zusammenfassung Ziel/Hintergrund. Die Studie erforscht den Zusammenhang von Detached Concern (DC) als emotionsregulierende Ressource in der Interaktion mit Klienten, und dem subjektiven Wohlbefinden von Beschäftigten in der Humandienstleistung. Untersucht werden die vermittelnden Rollen von beruflicher Selbstwirksamkeit und Sinnerfüllung in der Arbeit als zentrale individuelle Arbeitsressourcen. Fragestellung Angenommen wird, dass eine empathische Arbeitsweise, welche die Klientenbeziehung in den Vordergrund stellt, sowie eine hinreichende persönliche Abgrenzung, vermittelt über erhöhte Selbstwirksamkeit und Sinnerleben zum Wohlbefinden beitragen. Methode Daten von N = 527 Beschäftigten im Gesundheits-, Lehr- und Sozialwesen entstammen einer querschnittlichen Online-Fragebogenstudie. Alle Konstrukte wurden mit validierten und reliablen Skalen erhoben. Die DC-Skala für Humandienstleistungsberufe unterscheidet empathische Anteilnahme und Abgrenzungsfähigkeit. Die statistische Auswertung erfolgte mittels SPSS und Process als getrennte sowie moderierte serielle Mediationsanalysen für die beiden DC-Komponenten. Ergebnisse Hypothesenkonform wurden positive Zusammenhänge zwischen DC und Wohlbefinden statistisch seriell über berufliche Selbstwirksamkeit und Sinnerfüllung vermittelt. Weiterhin konnte ein Interaktionseffekt der beiden DC-Komponenten auf die Selbstwirksamkeit im Rahmen der seriellen Mediation nachgewiesen werden. Schlussfolgerungen Beide DC-Komponenten erfüllen wichtige emotionsbezogene Funktionen, um im Arbeitsalltag mit Klienten Selbstwirksamkeit und Sinnhaftigkeit zu erleben. Diese Zusammenhänge können als förderliche Quelle für das Wohlbefinden wirksam werden. Bewusstseinsbildung und Training einer reflexiven DC-Haltung sollten in der Ausbildung von Dienstleistern integriert werden.

Zusammenfassung Hintergrund Offene Familientreffs gelten als niederschwellige Angebote der Familienbildung. Sie ermöglichen Begegnungen und stellen Förderangebote für Familien aus unterschiedlichen Bevölkerungsgruppen bereit. Ziel der Arbeit Untersucht wird, ob offene Familientreffs ein Instrument der Gesundheitsförderung für Familien in benachteiligten Lebenslagen sein können. Dazu wurden in verschiedenen offenen Familientreffs eines Landkreises die Gründe für die Besuche vergleichend für Familien mit und ohne Risiko einer Benachteiligung analysiert. Das Risiko einer Benachteiligung wird durch fünf Dimensionen operationalisiert (materiell, sozial, kulturell, familial, physisch-psychisch). Methoden Durchgeführt wurde eine quantitative Befragung der Besucher*innen in 12 offenen Familientreffs eines Landkreises in Baden-Württemberg. Die statistische Analyse beruht auf bivariaten Berechnungen und einer explorativen Faktorenanalyse. Ergebnisse Im Ergebnis zeigen sich in vielen Aspekten keine signifikanten Unterschiede zwischen den Familien. Aber Familien mit einem Risiko der Benachteiligung der materiellen Dimension geben häufiger als Besuchsgrund die Unterstützung durch Fachkräfte und das Wohlbefinden während der offenen Familientreffs an. Familien mit benachteiligter Lebenslage der kulturellen Dimension begründen signifikant häufiger ihren Besuch mit dem Wunsch der Entwicklungsförderung des Kindes. Schlussfolgerung Offene Familientreffs erreichen Familien unterschiedlicher Lebenslagen. Wünschenswert wäre eine stärkere Ausrichtung der Angebote an den Bedürfnissen der benachteiligten Familien, um deren Inanspruchnahme weiter zu erhöhen.

The aim of this study is to establish an objective evaluation method for the VR glasses in the design process using fit test panels. Based on head width-length index and head height-length index in Chinese head and face 3D database, we get 9 categories using Fuzzy C-Means Clustering (FCM). Then, a fit test panels including 20 samples was established. According to the subjective evaluation of 20 subjects, the fit assessment scale of 5 regions was established. Then, the virtual fit assessment of a digital model of VR glasses padding in the design process and the traditional expert experience evaluation of its 3D printing model are carried out. The Results obtained by the objective evaluation method and the subjective evaluation were consistent. Results showed that the objective evaluation method was effective and had the characteristics of simplicity, rapidity and accuracy. It provides an effective decision tool for fitness prediction and improvement of the VR glasses padding in the design process.

Work purpose: the investigation of transport process safety in construction industry of the Bryansk region, the substantiation of reasons, factors and circumstances of accidents in the construction companies of the region, the substantiation of the impact of hydraulic drive unit failures upon safety of transport construction machinery with the hydraulic drive with the purpose of driver safety. Investigation problem: on the basis of the obtained results of the safety investigations of transport processes, reasons defined, revealed injury factors of drivers during the operation of the load flat car hydraulic drive of transport means to develop motion parameters of the “hydraulic drive-load flat car” system which will not allow arising oscillations of the system resulting in hydraulic drive failure arising which has influence upon driver’s work safety. The investigations were carried out on the basis of a system analysis of accident examinations in the regional construction industry which on the basis of statistical data allows the defining safety state of transport construction machinery. By means of investigations it is defined that 90% of transport construction machines are equipped with a hydraulic drive. In the hydraulic drive the most significant element is a hydraulic cylinder – the most loaded element performing all basic operations of a working process of loading and unloading. In the hydraulic drive there is used a telescopic hydraulic cylinder in which during operation there are revealed design-production defects (DPD) which result in injury of machine service personnel. One of DPD manifestations is oscillation formation in the hydraulic drive which results in the destruction of hydraulic cylinder attachment fitting. It is defined that the support of hydraulic drive reliability and safety is a difficult problem which needs a complex solution still at designing and creation, and during the operation. The complexity of the problem causes the necessity of design and operation parameter optimization, in the first place, that of an executing hydraulic cylinder of the hydraulic drive with the use of mathematical modeling. The review of the mathematical modeling methods of hydraulic cylinder parameters allows drawing the conclusion that the existing methods have many assumptions and do not allow creating completely reliable and safe transport construction engineering. The investigation novelty consists in the offered procedure for the solution of motion equations of the “hydraulic drive – load flat car” system which allows calculating the motion system parameters, defining the development of system oscillation above critical able to destruct a fitting unit of the hydraulic cylinder to the load flat car. Conclusion. The algorithm offered for the solution of mathematical equations allows making a conclusion on the stability and safety of the “hydraulic cylinder – load flat car” system, finding optimum values of motion parameters at any time moment of a transitional process.

ObjectiveTo explore the impact of the dietary patterns of truck drivers on their driving behaviours and the mediation effect of fatigue between these factors.MethodsA sample of 389 male truck drivers from a transport company in Suzhou, China completed the Food Frequency Questionnaire (FFQ), the Multidimensional Fatigue Inventory (MFI), the Positive Driver Behaviours Scale (PDBS) and the Driver Behaviour Questionnaire (DBQ). The associations among dietary patterns, fatigue and driving behaviour were examined using pathway analysis.ResultsFour dietary patterns were identified based on principal component analysis: animal-derived foods, staple foods, snacks and vegetables. The pathway analysis showed that the vegetable-rich pattern had a direct positive impact on positive driving behaviour (β=0.211, pβ=0.094, pβ=0.071, pβ=−0.191, pConclusionsOverall, the driving behaviours of truck drivers are correlated with their dietary patterns. Drivers who preferred vegetables and staple foods had more positive driving behaviour, while the animal-derived food and snack patterns were related to dangerous driving behaviour. The experience of fatigue could explained the underlying mechanism between these factors.

Presenteeism among nurses is reported to be higher than that of other professional workers, and affects one’s health and the safety of their patients. Therefore, study on correlation between complex working condition and presenteeism is needed among nurses. This study aimed to predict characteristics of high-risk groups for presenteeism among nurses. The analysis used data which generated 478 nurses who participated in the fifth Korean Working Conditions Survey (2017). This study built a complex samples logistic regression model and decision tree analysis. Presenteeism was significantly higher among those who experienced musculoskeletal pain, high emotional demands, discrimination, and psychological adverse social behavior at the workplace. Combined presence of psychological adverse social behavior and musculoskeletal pain was predicted presenteeism, and should be treated as groups with a high risk of presenteeism. Nurses should be aware of high-risk group for presenteeism and treat them as a priority group to manage.

OBJECTIVES: The purposes of this study were to analyze Latino/a immigrant mushroom workers’ perceptions of how the workplace environment shapes occupational safety and health, examine whether and how those perceptions differ by gender, and identify future areas for research on occupational safety and health in the mushroom industry. METHODS: Researchers conducted structured interviews with fifteen women and forty-five men on six Pennsylvania mushroom farms to obtain their descriptions and perspectives of safety and health risk factors in their workplaces. RESULTS: Approximately one-third of respondents had suffered an injury at work and nearly half felt there are workplace factors that affect their health and safety. The study found that Latino/a mushroom farmworkers perceive that risks are posed by the indoor infrastructure of mushroom production houses, including poorly maintained wooden walkways and cool indoor temperatures, and by the organization of mushroom production work, including the application of chemicals including pesticides, physical demands of the job, use of small knives, contact with compost, and the piece rate payment system. Workers commonly discussed back pain and believed it was associated with the organization of work. Women in the sample were more likely to be concerned about slips and falls than men and less likely to be concerned about aches and pains. CONCLUSION: Mushroom farm infrastructure and the specific demands of the jobs pose occupational safety and health risks to Latino/a farmworkers that merit further study in order to develop adequate public health interventions. Future research should obtain gender-disaggregated objective reports of injury, aches and pains, and discomfort and test for relationships between these reports and the indoor infrastructure and conditions of mushroom production work.

Introduction. Until now, in the Russian Federation, unlike Western countries, hygienic regulations have not been developed for magnetic fields (MF) of low-frequency ranges. The aim of the study is a scientific substantiation of the threshold limit values (TLV) of magnetic fields in the range of 3 Hz - 30 kHz at workplaces. Materials and methods. A comparative analysis of domestic and foreign hygienic normative-methodical documentation regulating the TLV of magnetic fields of low-frequency ranges at workplaces is carried out. When substantiating TLV in the frequency range of 3 Hz - 30 kHz, the method of calculating the corrected value of the RMS MF strength in decadal frequency bands is used, taking into account its target values for different exposure times. Results. MF sources in the frequency range 3 Hz - 30 kHz were shown to be widely used in various areas of activity. The analysis of current domestic and foreign documents regulating the impact of MF in low-frequency bands showed the possibility of harmonizing hygienic regulations. The TLV MP in decadal frequency bands and the criteria for their hygienic assessment are scientifically substantiated. Conclusion. The studies made it possible for the first time in the Russian Federation to develop MF hygienic standards in the frequency range of 3Hz - 30 kHz at workplaces, the introduction of which into the practice of sanitary and epidemiological supervision will ensure adequate control over the electromagnetic environment and preservation of workers’ health.

Introduction. Prevention of chronic general somatic diseases associated with exposure to harmful working conditions is one of the primary measures to preserve the health of the working population and labor resources of the Russian Federation. However, insufficient attention is paid to the management of occupational health risks of agricultural workers, including greenhouse vegetable growers. Materials and methods. Hygienic and epidemiological studies were carried out based on the methodology for assessing and managing occupational health risks. Results. A complex of harmful occupational factors, including high temperatures and humidity, harmful chemicals, including pesticides, plant dust, and the labor process’s severity simultaneously affect working greenhouse growers. Working conditions were assessed as harmful (classes 3.2-3.3) of occupational risk categories from medium to high. Direct statistically significant correlations were established between the length of occupational service and diseases of the respiratory system, circulatory system, musculoskeletal system, and connective tissue (respectively r = 0.58; r = 0.6; r = 0.35). A high degree of causal relationship with the work in harmful occupational conditions of arterial hypertension (RR = 2.805; EF = 64.35%; CI = 1.498-5.253), radiculopathy of the lumbosacral spine (RR = 2.290; EF = 56%; CI = 1.140- 4.599), an average degree of uterine fibroids (RR = 1.969; EF = 49%; CI = 0.988-3.926) and chronic bronchitis (RR = 1.532; EF = 34.7%; CI = 0.682-3.442), which allows classifying them as occupationally conditioned. The system of preventive measures to minimize occupational risks and prevent occupational diseases has been scientifically substantiated. Conclusion. Current working conditions of greenhouse vegetable growers are characterized by the impact of harmful occupational factors promoting occupationally caused diseases, which requires the implementation of a set of preventive measures based on a risk-oriented approach.

Introduction Australian workers’ daily tobacco smoking over time was examined by industry and occupation, to identify factors associated with high and/or low prevalence. Aims and Methods Secondary analyses of 2007, 2010, 2013, and 2016 National Drug Strategy Household Surveys were undertaken (pooled n = 49 395). Frequency analyses informed subsequent modeling of select industries and occupations. Four logistic regression models estimated adjusted effects of demographics on daily smoking in industries with high (≥20%) and low (≤15%) daily smoking prevalence and occupations with high (≥20%) and low-moderate ( Results The sample comprised 55.7% men, 34.1% 25–39-year-olds, 31.4% New South Wales residents, 70.1% metropolitan residents, 66.9% high socioeconomic status workers, and 70.6% with low psychological distress. Daily smoking prevalence differed by industry and occupation in 2007, generally decreasing between 2007 and 2016. In high prevalence industries, daily smoking was associated with male gender and age (25–39-year-olds) and in low prevalence industries with males and nonmetropolitan workers. In high prevalence occupations, daily smoking was associated with males, female nonmetropolitan workers, and age 25–39 years and in low-moderate prevalence occupations with nonmetropolitan workers and negatively associated with females aged 14–24 years. In all models, increased odds of daily smoking were associated with low socioeconomic status and very high psychological distress. Conclusions Low socioeconomic status and very high psychological distress were risk factors for daily smoking regardless of industry, occupation, or high preexisting smoking prevalence. Targeted, as well as universal, interventions are required for workplaces and workers with greatest smoking vulnerability and least smoking cessation progress. Implications Specific strategies are warranted for identified industries, occupations, and subgroups with increased odds of daily tobacco smoking. Industries and occupations with low-moderate smoking prevalence may confer workers some protection but are not without risk; some subgroups in these settings (eg, nonmetropolitan areas) had elevated daily smoking risk. Hence, the following are supported: (1) universal interventions directed at low socioeconomic workers and workers with very high psychological distress regardless of workplace; (2) interventions targeted at high prevalence industries; (3) cessation efforts targeted for young workers in high prevalence industries and occupations; and (4) focused interventions addressing specific needs of nonmetropolitan at-risk workers in low prevalence industries.

Introduction. The extraction of potash ores is developing at a significant pace. The flotation method is the way to obtain potassium chloride using chemical reagents that have a toxic effect on the respiratory and nervous system, and liver. The complex long-term impact of occupation factors of the working environment with an increase in work experience leads to a rise in the prevalence of diseases of vital organs and systems. The aim of the study is to assess the change in individual biochemical indices of unfavorable responses on the part of the health of workers at a potassium ore processing enterprise, depending on the length of work experience. Materials and methods. The working conditions of workers were assessed, the content of some aldehydes, hexane, and heptane in biological media was investigated, and changes in many biochemical parameters were established. Results. The factors of the working environment in workers at the potassium ore processing enterprise are characterized by the simultaneous exposure to chemicals (potassium chloride, formaldehyde, propionic and butyric aldehydes, hexane and heptane), physical parameters (industrial noise, the microclimate of the working area, the severity of the labor process) and are assessed as harmful (class 3.1). During long-term labor activity (more than ten years), workers have an accumulation of hexane in the urine (1.4 times) and the increased associated content of norepinephrine in blood plasma (up to 1.3 times), not established in workers with up to ten years of work experience. Workers with ten years of work experience and noise with a level of intensity at workplaces exceeding 14.4 dBA showed an increase of 1.3-2.3 times in the level of homocysteine ​​and lipoprotein, not established in workers with a work experience duration of fewer than ten years. No dependence on the service terms was found for changes in sensitization indices of the upper respiratory tract and hepatocytes’ cytolytic activity. Conclusion. The revealed changes in indices with an increase in the length of service require special attention for the early diagnosis of occupational diseases and the development of measures to prevent emerging changes in critical organs and systems.

Studies on hand-transmitted vibration exposure, biodynamic responses, and biological effects were conducted by researchers at the Health Effects Laboratory Division (HELD) of the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) during the last 20 years. These studies are systematically reviewed in this report, along with the identification of areas where additional research is needed. The majority of the studies cover the following aspects: (i) the methods and techniques for measuring hand-transmitted vibration exposure; (ii) vibration biodynamics of the hand–arm system and the quantification of vibration exposure; (iii) biological effects of hand-transmitted vibration exposure; (iv) measurements of vibration-induced health effects; (iv) quantification of influencing biomechanical effects; and (v) intervention methods and technologies for controlling hand-transmitted vibration exposure. The major findings of the studies are summarized and discussed.

“If we are to have more evidence-based practice, we need more practice-based evidence.” This quote has become something of a mantra for the health promotions profession’s most pre-eminent scholar, Dr. Lawrence W. Green. This editorial features an interview with Dr. Green and previews the forthcoming 5th edition of Green and Kreuter’s seminal health promotion planning textbook. The new title will be Health Program Planning, Implementation and Evaluation: Creating Behavioral, Environmental and Policy Change, with the Johns Hopkins University Press as the new publisher. Co-Editors for this new edition are Larry Green, Andrea Gielen, Judith Ottoson Darleen Peterson, and Marshall Kreuter. This edition shows the vital progression from planning and implementation to evaluation and has further refined and simplified the visual representation of the planning model. The “enabling factors” that will spawn more practice based evidence are discussed. To enable practice-based research will mean that end users of a service or intervention must be taught to be leaders and advocates for approaches that are responsive to their needs, preferences and values.

PurposeThe construction industry has a poor reputation for an unhealthy lifestyle and a high prevalence of health problems such as obesity, stress and hypertension among construction workers. The review examines the factors influencing the design and delivery of health promotion programs implemented by construction organisations to educate workers and promote a healthy lifestyle. It also identifies gaps in research and practices and proposes directions for future research.Design/methodology/approachA systematic review of 51 relevant journal articles published during 2010–2019 was undertaken to achieve the aim of the study.FindingsThe review reveals 46 different factors grouped into four major themes related to individuals, organisations, industry and the program, influencing the successful implementation of health promotion programs. The top ten most cited factors are cost, time, facilities and resources, transient workforce, delivery method, influence from managers, long working hours, masculine culture, production pressure and interest. The review also found a noticeable lack of studies on implementing health promotion programs in the context of developing countries, small and medium-sized construction organisations, residential sector workers, and construction professionals and female workers.Research limitations/implicationsThe review's scope is limited to research on health promotion programs, and it did not investigate the factors affecting the health of construction workers in construction projects.Practical implicationsA better understanding of various influencing factors present at different decision levels will inform the future implementation of targeted workforce health promotion strategies to foster construction workers' health and well-being.Originality/valueThe review reveals bottlenecks that need to be addressed to successfully implement health promotion programs in the construction industry. It provides new insights that can improve existing health and workplace policies and health promotion programs in the construction industry. Finally, it identifies new research directions in a neglected but crucial area of workers' health and safety management.

Mundgesundheitsziele fur Deutschland formulierte die Bundeszahnarztekammer (BZAK) zum ersten Mal im Jahr 1996. Die dritte Weiterentwicklung der Ziele fur das Jahr 2030 erfolgt nun auf Grundlage neuer oralepidemiologischer Studien. Die ehemals rein zahnbezogene Zentrierung der Zielformulierung wurde um sowohl krankheitsbezogene als auch mundgesundheitsforderliche und praventive Zielprojektionen im Sinne der einheitlichen Betrachtung von Primar‑, Sekundar- und Tertiarpravention erweitert. In diesem Beitrag wird eine Auswahl der aktualisierten Mundgesundheitsziele vorgestellt, die sich speziell auf die Reduktion von Karies bei Kindern und Parodontalerkrankungen bei Erwachsenen beziehen, aber auch auf die Verbesserung des Mundgesundheitsverhaltens der Bevolkerung und die Durchfuhrung gruppenprophylaktischer Masnahmen. Die aktuelle Situation wird bewertet und es werden Handlungsempfehlungen gegeben. Bis 2030 sollen die Milchgebisse von 3‑Jahrigen zu mindestens 90 % kariesfrei sein. Es wird ein dmft-Wert (Kariesindex des Milchgebisses) von maximal 0,4 angestrebt. Die bleibenden Gebisse von 12-Jahrigen sollen ebenfalls zu mindestens 90 % kariesfrei sein und der DMFT (Decayed Missing Filled Teeth, Kariesindex des bleibenden Gebisses) bei 0,5 gehalten werden. Bei 35- bis 44-Jahrigen sollen schwere Parodontalerkrankungen auf 10 % und bei 65- bis 74-Jahrigen auf 20 % gesenkt werden; die diesbezuglichen Zielvorgaben fur 2020 werden damit erneut aufgegriffen. Das Mundgesundheitsverhalten der Bevolkerung soll weiter verbessert und gruppenprophylaktische Masnahmen sollen ausgebaut werden. Die Grundlagen zur Erreichung der Mundgesundheitsziele 2030 sind das Engagement der relevanten Akteure des Gesundheitssystems und der Gesundheitspolitik sowie ein angemessener Ressourceneinsatz.

O ambiente laboral da construção civil é perigoso, insalubre e oferece um grave quadro quanto as condições de segurança e saúde dos trabalhadores. Nesse contexto, este artigo tem como objetivo avaliar a percepção dos trabalhadores da construção civil com relação à segurança do trabalho e aos riscos no ambiente laboral. Utilizou-se como método de coleta e tratamento dos dados, técnicas qualitativas aplicadas através de um questionário estruturado, construído com base na literatura e nas normas pertinentes à segurança e saúde do trabalho. Os cinquenta e dois participantes voluntários, responderam questões objetivas e descritivas relacionadas ao perfil do trabalhador, aos riscos nos canteiros de obras, sobre acidentes de trabalho, normas de segurança e estratégias prevencionistas. De acordo com os resultados obtidos através da descrição e análise dos relatos dos entrevistados, as percepções indicaram necessidade de melhorias gerenciais e pontuais que podem influenciar diretamente para um ambiente laboral salubre, principalmente com relação a percepção dos trabalhadores com um menor grau de instrução. Conclui-se que os riscos que os trabalhadores são expostos constantemente nos canteiros de obras, podem ser minimizados através de políticas públicas e ações preventivas e educativas.

Purpose This study aims to investigate whether the shift to teleworking during COVID-19 pandemic is going to diminish the need to procure/rent extensive office space and how this emerging trend impacts the real-estate market in Israel. Design/methodology/approach The methodologies used in this study include triangulation of Google search engine, survey and post hoc case study analysis. Findings The analysis indicates a decline both in procuring office space and its price per square meter. Employee productivity while teleworking remains relatively high despite home distractions. Interestingly, the survey results forecast a continuous shift to hybrid work mode after the pandemic. Practical implications The study introduces the development of numerous innovative Israeli technologies to allow a gradual return to work in public places. Social implications As the coronavirus outburst, business sectors were forced by government regulations to change the way of employment extensively, specifically, teleworking has become an integral part of the routine to accommodate social distance. The study provides insights into the impact of teleworking on gender and ethnic diversity in the Israeli workplace. Originality/value Israel provides a unique bedrock for investigation because of its status as a start-up nation with both high skilled workforce and advanced information technology infrastructure. The study enlightens an Israeli perspective on how a small size country with a high-density population succeeds to deal with coronavirus by teleworking coupled with strict government enforcement of social distance.

Providing continuous coverage of key services, shift work is a necessity of the modern world. It varies according to the number and length of the shifts and according to scheduling patterns. However, it is common to all forms that they ensure the smooth running of a particular service with the 24-hour presence of staff. This means that working time partly or completely overlaps with night sleep, causing an imbalance between circadian rhythms and the requirements of the environment. Aforesaid imbalance has a negative effect on sleep and can lead to sleep disorders, which in turn cause mental health problems. In addition, the development of unhealthy behaviours developed by shift workers to manage their working hours (especially night work) and the inconsistency of their working hours with those of the general population also lead to poorer mental health, lower quality of social life and family conflicts. However, since shift work cannot be completely eliminated, it is necessary to consider designing the measures to reduce the negative impact of shift work on the mental health and well-being of workers, both at the individual level, as well as at the level of working organisations. Some of the key measures are presented in the article.

Within the framework of the integral mathematical model for the building fire’s initial stage, the increments of the gas medium temperature in the initial stage of a fire development in buildings have been determined, and estimates for these increments have been presented. The dependence between the gas medium temperature’s relative increment and the burn-up rate’s average value has been established, and an estimated formula for the relative temperature difference over a given time period has been obtained.

Public Health fordert die Gesundheit durch organisierte Anstrengungen der Gesellschaft. Zahn‑, Mund- und Kieferkrankheiten sind aufgrund der grosen Krankheitslast sowie der sozial bedingten Ungleichheit der Krankheitsverteilung wichtige Public-Health-Probleme. Karies, Parodontitis, unfallbedingte Zahnverletzungen oder Karzinome des Mund- und Rachenraums konnen durch einen verstarkten Einsatz von Public-Health-Masnahmen reduziert werden. Ein Beispiel fur die hohe Effektivitat von Public-Health-Ansatzen wie der gesundheitsforderlichen Gestaltung des Warenangebots ist der Zusatz von Fluorid zu Zahnpasten, auf den der beeindruckende Kariesruckgang zu grosen Teilen zuruckzufuhren ist. Die Potenziale der zahnmedizinischen Public Health werden aktuell jedoch nur unzureichend genutzt. Es erscheint daher notwendig, durch bundesgesetzlichen Auftrag Strukturen wie eine „Institution fur Mundgesundheit“ zu schaffen. Deren Ziel sollte „Mundgesundheit fur alle“ durch mundgesundheitsforderliche Veranderung der sozialen und okonomischen Lebenswelten sein. Dadurch wurde die bereits etablierte Individual- und Gruppenprophylaxe durch einen gesamtbevolkerungsbezogenen Ansatz erganzt. Aufgaben einer solchen Institution sollten auf Bundes- und Landesebene das Einwirken auf mundgesundheitlich relevante Policy-Felder, Kommunikation, Zusammenarbeit, Multiplikatorenschulung sowie Forschung sein. Untergliederungen der vorgeschlagenen Institution konnten Mundgesundheitserziehung fur bisher nicht erreichte Personengruppen betreiben. Dies ware ein wesentlicher Beitrag, um bestehende Probleme der Mundgesundheit bevolkerungsweit sowie fur benachteiligte und vulnerable Gruppen effektiv zu bewaltigen.

The degree of silicosis exposure is closely related to the progress of silicosis. At present, we use animal and human studies to explore whether silicon can be an important exposure marker in the development of silicosis. Rats were randomly divided into 2 groups: (1) controls; and (2) silicosis. Rats in the silicosis group were killed at 4, 8, 12, 16, 24 h, 3, 7, 14, 21, and 28 days. Hematoxylin–eosin (HE) and immunohistochemistry (IHC) were performed to observe the histomorphology of lung tissue. The expression levels of CC16 and SP-D were detected using ELISA kits. In addition, we conducted a population study. Workers who have been selected to work in an iron mine for more than 1 year as research objects. The population was divided into four groups: silicosis exposure group (workers exposed to silica dust for more than 1 year in an iron mine were selected); patients group (silicosis patients); observation group (evidence of disease not meeting formal diagnostic criteria) and control group. Both the levels of trace silicon in the urine and blood of rats and human subjects were measured with ICP-MS. Serum levels of silicon were immediately increased in rats exposed to silicon dust. Similarly, our population study revealed that the silicon level in the silica exposure group and the observing group (exposed but no obvious symptoms) were significantly increased over that of the control group (P

Background Studies of World Trade Center (WTC)-exposed rescue/recovery workers report the increased occurrence of health conditions after work at the WTC disaster site. However, the extent to which these associations are due to WTC exposure is unclear, in part due to the lack of suitable comparison groups. Accordingly, we identified a previously assembled National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) cohort of career firefighters from three US cities (n = 29,992). Here, we document the challenges in establishing this non-WTC-exposed firefighter cohort for the goal of tracking and comparing cancer and chronic health conditions in WTC-exposed and non-WTC-exposed firefighters. Methods Follow-up process included institutional review board applications, data use agreements, state cancer registry linkages and vital status determination for the NIOSH firefighter cohort. After completion of these steps, we undertook outreach to the three original city fire departments and union officials, before contact tracing and direct recruitment of 14,566 living firefighters to complete a confidential health survey. We staggered recruitment efforts by the city, using letters, postcards, emails, videos, and telephone outreach. Participants who completed the survey received $10. Results A total of 4962 of 14,566 alive firefighters responded to the baseline survey (34.1% response rate). Respondents were older and more likely to be non-Hispanic white than nonrespondents. Conclusions We provide an overview of the process for the first survey to collect information on physical and mental health conditions among US firefighters. The data collected will have an important impact on studies of WTC rescue/recovery work, firefighting, and related health conditions.

In case of fire, combustible materials and products made on their basis have a decisive role in the development of combustion, formation and spread of foreground risks. Normative legal documents restrict the use of fire hazardous materials, but it is impossible to exclude their use completely. In case of fire, in addition to flame and high temperatures are formed smoke and toxic gaseous products of combustion. The basis of the most common products is polyvinyl chloride - one of the most common fire hazardous materials, whose production volumes have only increased in recent years. In the course of this work, an express method has been developed and tested for the qualitative and quantitative determination of toxic substances contained in combustion products of plastic compounds based on polyvinyl chloride.

Have been presented the results of the analysis of industrial accidents related to traffic emergencies at the Fuel and Energy Complex’s facilities. Using the risk analysis methods have been identified root causes of an incident, and their level has been established. The frequently used phrase "the driver has lost operating the vehicle" does not contain information to identify the root causes of the accident and requires explanations for further development of measures to eliminate and prevent these causes.

The history of "Environmental Acoustics" research area development in the activities of the Bauman Moscow State Technical University’s "Ecology and Industrial Safety" chair in general from the end of the nineteenth century to the present time has been described. Much attention is paid to the activities of E.Ya. Yudin (as the creator of the technical acoustics scientific school at the chair) and his students as well. Have been presented the main areas of carried out at the chair research works (both theoretical and practical), related to problems of noise and vibration reduction. Have been considered the issues of technical acoustics teaching in the framework of the recently created "Environmental Acoustics" master's program, as well as the prospects for this area development at the chair in the near future.

ObjectivesChronic kidney disease of undetermined or non-traditional aetiology (CKDu or CKDnT) has been reported in Mesoamerica among farmers under heat stress. Epidemiological evidence was lacking in Asian countries with similar climatic conditions. The objective of this study was to investigate the prevalence of CKDu and possible risk factors.MethodsWe used the data from the Changhua Community-based Integrated Screening programme from 2005 to 2014, which is the annual screening for chronic diseases in Taiwan’s largest rice-farming county since 2005. Our study population included farmers and non-farmers aged 15–60 years. CKDu was defined as an estimated glomerular filtration rate 2 at age under 60 years without hypertension, diabetes, proteinuria, haematuria or using Chinese herbal medicine. We estimated the adjusted prevalence OR (POR) of CKDu by farmers, age, sex, education, urbanisation, smoking, body mass index, hyperuricaemia, hyperlipidaemia, heart disease and chronic liver disease.Results5555 farmers and 35 761 non-farmers were included in this study. CKDu accounted for 48.9% of all CKD cases. The prevalence of CKDu was 2.3% in the farmers and 0.9% in the non-farmers. The crude POR of CKDu in farmers compared with non-farmers was 2.73 (2.13–3.50), and the adjusted POR was 1.45 (1.10–1.90). Dehydration (blood urea nitrogen-to-creatinine ratio >20) was found in 22% of the farmers and 14% of the non-farmers.ConclusionsFarmers in subtropical Asian countries are at increased risk of CKDu. Governments should take the CKDu epidemics seriously and provide farmers with occupational health education programmes on thermal hazards.

The prediction of possible future incidents or accidents and the efficiency assessment of the Occupational Safety and Health (OSH) interventions are essential for the effective protection of healthcare workers, as the occupational risks in their workplace are multiple and diverse. Machine learning algorithms have been utilized for classifying post-incident and post-accident data into the following 5 classes of events: Needlestick/Cut, Falling, Incident, Accident, and Safety. 476 event reports from Metaxa Cancer Hospital (Greece), during 2014-2019, were used to train the machine learning models. The developed models showed high predictive performance, with area under the curve range 0.950-0.990 and average accuracy of 93% on the 10-fold cross set, compared to the safety engineer’s study reports. The proposed DSS model can contribute to the prediction of incidents or accidents and efficiency evaluation of OSH interventions.

BACKGROUND Cultures of safety in farm work settings are under the authority of a responsible owner-operator, who establishes rules, attitudes, and behaviors for farm work practices. This novel analysis provides new evidence to show that risks that can lead to injury and are commonly practiced on Canadian farms are indeed transferred between generations. METHODS Baseline data were provided by representatives from eligible and consenting farms (n = 589) in the province of Saskatchewan, Canada, during the first quarter of 2013. Mailed questionnaires were sent to participating farms and completed by a single respondent. Questionnaires included scaled assessments of hazards and safety practices by farm operators, and young workers on each farm. Descriptive and multiple regression analyses were used to examine relationships between farm owner-operator risks and safety practices and those reported for the young workers. FINDINGS Graphical descriptive analyses showed that as farm owner-operator risks increased, so did those reported for children and young workers. Similarly, as farm owner-operator safe work practices increased, young worker hazards decreased, albeit more modestly. The young worker hazard scale increased by 0.20 (95% CI: 0.10-0.30) points, and decreased by 0.08 (95% CI: -0.016 to -0.000) points for each one-point increase in the owner-operator hazard and safe work practices scales, respectively. CONCLUSIONS Occupational health and safety risks and protections experienced on farms appear to be transferred between generations. This suggests the need to target farm owner-operators, the responsible authority on the farm, as a focus of primary prevention strategies aimed at injury risks to children and young workers.

La incapacidad temporal es el beneficio asistencial y económico que se le reconoce a trabajadoras y trabajadores cotizantes del sistema de seguridad social por la afectación en su capacidad laboral e implica ausentismo y asistencia para el retorno al trabajo. El objetivo de esta revisión es explorar las concepciones, los sujetos y las situaciones protegidas por esta prestación en diferentes países. Se realizó una revisión de literatura en bases de datos y sitios web oficiales de Colombia, Argentina, Chile, Perú, Ecuador, México, España y Portugal. Para el análisis se diseñaron matrices y un cuadro descriptivo con identificadores normativos; los hallazgos se organizaron en categorías. Se encontraron semejanzas en los elementos conceptuales, eventos y sujetos de protección. Las diferencias están en los requisitos y duración. La incapacidad temporal es un beneficio universal y finito reconocido como un derecho laboral y de la seguridad social. Por su impacto económico y social, debe ser estudiada desde la gestión en salud y de los riesgos laborales para el diseño de planes y programas, así como de estrategias regionales con enfoque de equidad, considerando la ocupación y el ámbito laboral.

BACKGROUND: Modern society work implies computer-based activities generating back pain because of prolonged sitting positions and non-ergonomic postures. OBJECTIVE: The aim of the study was to analyse the back-pain characteristics in a group of office workers in comparison with potential risk factors. METHODS: The design of the study was retrospective; a group of 109 computer workers with back pain was selected from a private physiotherapy unit between Jan 2018 - Dec 2019. Anthropometric, occupational and behaviour data, symptoms, the diagnosis on the first visit, previous medical diagnosis and specific physical activities were collected from medical records. RESULTS: The studied group (research sample) is formed of information technology operators, engineers and economists, had the mean age 38.91±10.25, with 14.04±9.12 years seniority at work. Most of them addressed to the physiotherapist directly, or they were referred by their family physician; 60% had MRI investigation on the first physiotherapy visit with no medical referral or diagnosis. The symptoms were not reported to the occupational physician. The back pain appeared independent of BMI; the low back pain had higher prevalence in males. Patients reported 6 months of back pain in 57,8% of all cases. The pain was favoured by continuous activity, more than 4 hours, in the sitting posture. CONCLUSIONS: A complex and interdisciplinary team that included an occupational physician, an ergonomist and a physiotherapist could prevent and control back pain in computer workers. Workplace conditions adaptation, proper physiotherapy and periodical medical check-ups could improve the health status of these workers.

Purpose Workers’ compensation claims consist of occupational injuries severe enough to meet a compensability threshold. Theoretically, systems with higher thresholds should have fewer claims but greater average severity. For research that relies on claims data, particularly cross-jurisdictional comparisons of compensation systems, this results in collider bias that can lead to spurious associations and confound analyses. In this study, I use real and simulated claims data to demonstrate collider bias and problems with methods used to account for it. Methods Using Australian claims data, I used a linear regression to test the association between claim rate and mean disability durations across Statistical Areas. Analyses were repeated with nesting by state/territory to account for variations in compensability thresholds across compensation systems. Both analyses are repeated on left-censored data. Simulated claims data are analysed with Cox survival analyses to illustrate how left-censoring can reverse effects.Results The claim rate within a Statistical Area was inversely associated with disability duration. However, this reversed when Statistical Areas were nested by state/territory. Left-censoring resulted in an attenuation of the unnested association to non-significance, while the nested association remained significantly positive. Cox regressions on simulated data showed left-censoring can also reverse effects. Conclusions Collider bias can seriously confound work disability research, particularly cross-jurisdictional comparisons. Work disability researchers must grapple with this challenge by using appropriate study designs and analytical approaches, and considering how collider bias affects interpretation of results.

Objectives. Stress maintained over time leads to a state of exhaustion known as burnout syndrome. This syndrome constitutes an occupational health problem, leading to high absenteeism. It can also mean that workers come to the workplace feeling unwell, which increases occupational collisions and injuries at work. In this study, we developed a predictive model of burnout in professional drivers using the following indicators: age, hours worked, seniority, educational level, fatigue, personality, attitudes toward driving, safety behaviors in the vehicle, and work characteristics and content. Method. A total of 523 professional drivers from different transport sectors, obtained through non-probability sampling, participated in the study. We used SPSS version 25.0 to analyze the data. Results. We determined the predictive capacity of certain variables that affect drivers and cause burnout. Exhaustion can be predicted with fatigue (48.8%), professional efficiency with emotional stability (39.8%) and cynicism with lack of motivation (28%) as the best predictors. Conclusions. The results contribute to a better knowledge of those factors that cause burnout in professional drivers. It is important to design individual interventions to reduce burnout, which would help reduce sick leave and possible collisions, in addition to providing greater well-being for drivers.

Introduction Occupational activities related to industrial hog operation (IHO) worker lung function are not well defined. Therefore, we aimed to identify IHO work activities associated with diminished respiratory function and the effectiveness, if any, of personal protective equipment (PPE) use on IHOs. Methods From 2014 to 2015, 103 IHO workers were enrolled and followed for 16 weeks. At each biweekly visit, work activities and PPE use were self-reported via questionnaire and lung function measurements were collected via spirometry. Generalized linear and linear fixed-effects models were fitted to cross-sectional and longitudinal data. Results Increasing years worked on an IHO were associated with diminished lung function, but baseline and longitudinal work activities were largely inconsistent in direction and magnitude. Unexpectedly, a -0.3 L (95% confidence interval: -0.6, -0.04) difference in forced expiratory volume in the first second (FEV1 ) was estimated when workers wore PPE consistently (≥80% of the time at work) versus those weeks they did not. In post-hoc analyses, we found that coveralls and facemasks were worn less consistently when workers experienced worse barn conditions and had more contact with pigs, but coveralls were worn more consistently as cleaning activities increased. Conclusions Similar to past studies, baseline estimates were likely obscured by healthy worker effect bias, but showed decrements in worker lung function as years of work increased. A challenge to disentangling the effect of work activities on lung function was the discovery that IHO workers used PPE differently according to the work task. These data suggest that interventions may be targeted toward improving barn conditions so that workers can consistently utilize IHO-provided PPE.