Collective Protective Equipment Research Articles

Applicability of an Ionising Radiation Measuring System for Real-Time Effective-Dose-Optimised Route Finding Solution during Nuclear Accidents

The reduction in the effective dose of evacuated injured persons through contaminated areas of nuclear accidents is an essential emergency services requirement. In this context, there appeared a need to develop a dose-optimised route finding method for firefighting rescue vehicles, which includes the development of a real-time decision support measurement and evaluation system. This determines and visualises the radiation exposure of possible routes in a tested area. The system inside and outside of the vehicle measures the ambient dose equivalent rate, the gamma spectra, and also the airborne radioactive aerosol and iodine levels. The method uses gamma radiation measuring NaI(Tl) scintillation detectors mounted on the outside of the vehicle, to determine the dose rate inside the vehicle using the previously recorded attenuation conversation function, while continuously collecting the air through a filter and using an alpha, beta, and gamma radiation measuring NaI(Tl)+ PVT + ZnS(Ag) scintillator to determine the activity concentration in the air, using these measured values to determine the effective dose for all routes and all kinds of vehicles. The energy-dependent shielding effect of the vehicle, the filtering efficiency of the collective protection equipment, and the vehicle’s speed and travel time were taken into account. The results were validated by using gamma point sources with different activity and energy levels. The measurement results under real conditions and available real accident data used in our simulations for three different vehicles and pedestrians proved the applicability of the system. During a nuclear accident based on our model calculations, the inhalation of radioactive aerosols causes a dose almost an order of magnitude higher than the external gamma radiation caused by the fallout contamination. The selection of the appropriate vehicle and its route is determined by the spectrum that can be measured at the accident site but especially by the radioactive aerosol concentration in the air that can be measured in the area. In the case of radiation measuring detectors, the shielding effect of the carrier vehicle must be taken into account, especially in the case of heavy shielding vehicles. The method provides an excellent opportunity to reduce the damage to the health of accident victims and first responders during rescue operations.

Безопасность возведения эксплуатируемых кровельных покрытий с системами озеленения с использованием современных систем обеспечения безопасности работ на высоте

The relevance of the study relies on the fact that works at height are classified as highly dangerous. The number of injuries caused by falls from heights is threatening, compared with other factors of injuries. According to the statistics, the share of injuries caused by falls from heights is 28 %. According to the legislation, construction works are classified as works at height if there is a risk of fall for an employee from a height of 1.8 m and higher. At the same time, an employer must ensure the implementation of measures to minimize the existing level of injury rate at the construction site following the effective legislation. The basic measures of protection of employees working at heights can include personal and collective protection equipment and the use of protective fencing. In addition, the measures of protection include stationary anchoring devices mounted on the roofs of buildings. There are several versions of construction of anchoring lines; e.g., for concrete, metal, or green roofs. The structure of the anchoring device changes depending on the type of roof; e.g., a flexible anchoring line can be used in locations where the architectural appearance of the building must be preserved; due to its low visibility it is used for pitched roofs. A rigid line is more visible, and it is more appropriate to use it in locations where its impact on the architectural appearance of the building will be minimized. According to the conducted analysis, the existing safety systems used for roof works, to a certain extent, depend on the greening systems of the roof in use.

Silver Nanoparticles In Situ Synthesized and Incorporated in Uniaxial and Core-Shell Electrospun Nanofibers to Inhibit Coronavirus.

In the present study, we sought to develop materials applicable to personal and collective protection equipment to mitigate SARS-CoV-2. For this purpose, AgNPs were synthesized and stabilized into electrospinning nanofiber matrices (NMs) consisting of poly(vinyl alcohol) (PVA), chitosan (CHT), and poly-ε-caprolactone (PCL). Uniaxial nanofibers of PVA and PVA/CHT were developed, as well as coaxial nanofibers of PCL[PVA/CHT], in which the PCL works as a shell and the blend as a core. A crucial aspect of the present study is the in situ synthesis of AgNPs using PVA as a reducing and stabilizing agent. This process presents few steps, no additional toxic reducing agents, and avoids the postloading of drugs or the posttreatment of NM use. In general, the in situ synthesized AgNPs had an average size of 11.6 nm, and the incorporated nanofibers had a diameter in the range of 300 nm, with high uniformity and low polydispersity. The NM's spectroscopic, thermal, and mechanical properties were appropriate for the intended application. Uniaxial (PVA/AgNPs and PVA/CHT/AgNPs) and coaxial (PCL[PVA/CHT/AgNPs]) NMs presented virucidal activity (log's reduction ≥ 5) against mouse hepatitis virus (MHV-3) genus Betacoronavirus strains. In addition to that, the NMs did not present cytotoxicity against fibroblast cells (L929 ATCC® CCL-1TM lineage).

Collective Protective Equipment Using Netting Materials in Construction of Industrial Buildings

The article presents conditions for ensuring the safe performance of construction and installation works during construction/reconstruction of industrial buildings and facilities of various purposes, based on the use of fall arrest nets, which are collective protective equipment for preventing work-related injuries in case of a person’s or an object’s potential fall from height. The article specifies the basic elements of these devices where synthetic netting materials are suggested as the most pacing factor of the required protection degree. Consideration is given to governing parameters of fall arrest safety nets that make it possible to ensure the safety of works at heights. This produced net deflection values that are acceptable for conditions under which construction is carried out, with required contour-rope tension values. The value of the maximum negative acceleration that acts on a body falling from height to the net was assessed. Herewith, the performed calculations showed, based on relatively large dimensions of the fall arrest device’s net fabric, that overloads that occur when catching fallen objects are insignificant and do not require that additional equipment be used to reduce dynamic loads.

Nosocomial Coronavirus Disease 2019 during 2020-2021: Role of Architecture and Ventilation.

Nosocomial coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) is a major airborne health threat for inpatients. Architecture and ventilation are key elements to prevent nosocomial COVID-19 (NC), but real-life data are challenging to collect. We aimed to retrospectively assess the impact of the type of ventilation and the ratio of single/double rooms on the risk of NC (acquisition of COVID-19 at least 48 h after admission). This study was conducted in a tertiary hospital composed of two main structures (one historical and one modern), which were the sites of acquisition of NC: historical (H) (natural ventilation, 53% single rooms) or modern (M) hospital (double-flow mechanical ventilation, 91% single rooms). During the study period (1 October 2020 to 31 May 2021), 1020 patients presented with COVID-19, with 150 (14.7%) of them being NC (median delay of acquisition, 12 days). As compared with non-nosocomial cases, the patients with NC were older (79 years vs. 72 years; p < 0.001) and exhibited higher mortality risk (32.7% vs. 14.1%; p < 0.001). Among the 150 NC cases, 99.3% were diagnosed in H, mainly in four medical departments. A total of 73 cases were diagnosed in single rooms versus 77 in double rooms, including 26 secondary cases. Measured air changes per hour were lower in H than in M. We hypothesized that in H, SARS-CoV-2 transmission was favored by short-range transmission within a high ratio of double rooms, but also during clusters, via far-afield transmission through virus-laden aerosols favored by low air changes per hour. A better knowledge of the mechanism of airborne risk in healthcare establishments should lead to the implementation of corrective measures when necessary. People's health is improved using not only personal but also collective protective equipment, i.e., ventilation and architecture, thereby reinforcing the need to change institutional and professional practices.

Optimization of secure workstation for manipulation of 35S-labelled molecules: a case of in vitro cell metabolic labelling

Pulse-chase and cell metabolic experiments involving 35S-labelled molecules can be detrimental to your health. Suppliers and literature suggest the use of activated charcoal to limit contamination without any precise specification. The aim of this study is to fill in this gap. Here, we perform the usual procedures, which consist in working with the available equipment according to recommendations of radioprotection. We carried out radiotoxicological exams as well as dosimetric follow-ups of the workers. As this procedure leads to internal contamination of the operators and of surface contamination at the workplace, we tested a more secure workstation with collective protection equipment that we validated as limiting contaminations for workers. This study proposes a method to use 35S-labelled molecules in a more secure way, which could be beneficial for the scientific community.

Обеспечение средствами индивидуальной защиты работников предприятий транспортной сферы

Purpose: Substantiation and development of an innovative service center for providing personal protective equipment for employees of transport enterprises. Analysis of the correlation of cases of occupational injury due to the non-use of special clothing and special protection and consideration of issues related to the need to create service centers for the storage, issuance, and cleaning of personal protective equipment. Methods: Research and analysis of regulatory documentation regulating the use and provision of personal protective equipment for employees of transport enterprises on the example of the Open Joint Stock Company “Russian Railways”. Application of the results of the statistical method of analyzing the dynamics of occupational injuries for organizational and technical reasons. Results: The functionality of service centers is proposed for consideration, as well as a brief justification of their necessity. Conclusions about the prospects of the proposed innovation are drawn. Practical significance: It is shown that the creation and implementation of service centers at railway transport enterprises will reduce the level of occupational injuries caused by the non-use of personal and collective protective equipment or the use of PPE of inadequate quality, as well as reduce the cost of premature disposal of workwear due to high-quality cleaning and repair, which in general will contribute to raising the quality of services rendered to employees of railway transport enterprises to a new level.

Size-resolved chemical composition and toxicity of particles released from refit operations in shipyards

Ship refit and repair operations in shipyards generate aerosol emissions with high potential for environmental impacts. Metal-bearing nano-, fine and coarse particles are incidentally formed and can be released to indoor and ambient air and the aquatic environment. This work aimed to further the understanding of these impacts by characterising particle size-resolved chemical composition (15 nm – 10 μm), organophosphate esters (OPEs) content (e.g., plasticisers) and cytotoxic and genotoxic potential. Results showed that nanoparticle emissions (20–110 nm) took place in bursts, coinciding with the use of mechanical abraders and spray-painting guns. Tracers of these activities were Sc, V, Cr, Co, Ni, Cu, Rb, Nb, and Cs. Key components were V and Cu, probably sourcing from nanoadditives in the coatings. Abrasion of coatings also emitted OPEs, especially from old paints. Toxicity assessments consistently evidenced hazardous potential for the different endpoints assessed, for a number of samples. Exposures to spray-painting aerosols were linked with reduced cell viability (cytotoxicity), significant generation of reactive oxygen species (ROS), and increases in micronuclei frequency (genotoxicity). Even though spray-painting did not contribute significantly to aerosol mass or number concentrations, it was a major driver of potential health effects. Results suggest that aerosol chemical composition (e.g., content in nano-sized Cu or V) may have a larger impact on toxicity than aerosol concentration. While direct human exposures may be prevented using personal and collective protective equipment and environmental release can be minimised by enclosures and filtration systems, impacts on ambient air and the aquatic environment cannot be fully prevented. The continued use of good practices (exhaust, dilution, general ventilation systems, PPE, already in place) is encouraged to reduce inhalation exposures inside the tents. Understanding the size-resolved chemical and toxicological properties of aerosols is key to reducing human health and environmental impacts of ship refit operations in shipyards.

EVALUATION OF THE FEASIBILITY OF INSTALLING COLLECTIVE RESPIRATORY PROTECTION EQUIPMENT IN UNDERGROUND FACILITIES

Purpose. This article substantiates the necessity and expediency of installing collective respiratory protection equipment for workers (portable emergency air supply chamber) in underground facilities (mines, mine workings of cyclic-flow technology of open-pit mining), whose activities are related to the extraction, transportation of ore and non-metallic minerals by underground method. Methodology. The study of existing means of collective respiratory protection for workers of underground facilities and a methodology for calculating the air duct capacity in accordance with the normative values of oxygen, carbon monoxide, taking into account the thermal conditions that occur during exogenous fire and operational support Results. The ventilation systems of underground facilities today, whose activities are related to the extraction and transportation of ore and non-metallic minerals underground, have been significantly transformed and represent a very complex branched, interconnected ventilation network of a large number of series, parallel and diagonally connected branches, such as horizontal, inclined, vertical workings and treatment chambers. As a result of the studies, the considered portable means of collective respiratory protection of workers can be recommended for deployment in mine workings of underground facilities, whose activities are related to the extraction, transportation of ore and non-metallic minerals by underground method. Scientific novelty. A new method assessment the air duct capacity for the installation of ex-operational backup in the portable emergency air supply chambers has been proposed. Scientific significance. This article determines the methodology for calculating the air duct capacity to establish operational backup in case of exogenous. Also, this work can be used as a practical material in the development of projects to determine the arrangement and placement of portable emergency air supply chambers in mine workings of underground facilities, as planned in the emergency response plan.

BEZPIECZEŃSTWO I HIGIENA PRACY PRZY OBSŁUDZE ZWIERZĄT GOSPODARSKICH

In 2021, 12,088 accidents involving animals were reported to the Regional Branches and Local Units of KRUS in Poland: 10.2% more than in 2020. The most common causes of such accidents are poor housing conditions and a lack of knowledge about how to handle them, the latter of which is exacerbated by high employee turnover and a lack of adequate training. Employee training should cover animal welfare assessment, dealing with animals, the use of personal and collective protective equipment, as well as first aid and biological hazard assessment. To maintain a good standard of occupational safety on a farm, the conditions for rearing and breeding animals, and the rules of their operation, should be reviewed on an ongoing basis. Bulls, stallions, boars, rams and goats prone to kicking and biting are considered dangerous animals and special precautions should be taken when handling them. Only a good knowledge of basic animal behaviour, together with improved animal welfare, proper handling practices, and the use of appropriate containment equipment, will ensure safe handling of animals. Currently, all work with animals is governed by the Regulation of the Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development on Occupational Health and Safety when Handling Farm Animals dated 4 August 2017 (Journal of Laws of 2017, item 1692).

Means of collective protection as a basis for reducing industrial injuries in the Republic of Kazakhstan

The goal is to present the materials obtained during the implementation of the scientific and technical program, to carry out scientific research on the topic: “Risk-oriented organizational and economic mechanisms for ensuring safe work in the conditions of modern Kazakhstan” (IRHOR11865833-OT-21) within the framework of program-targeted financing of the developments of the Republican Research Institute for Labor Protection of the MLSPP RK. Methods – overview of legislative and regulatory regulation is presented and analysis of scientific sources is carried out on composition, classification of enterprise costs, including in agro-industrial complex, means of collective protection of workers from harmful and dangerous production factors. Results – the author notes that in the Republic of Kazakhstan these aspects are practically not regulated in the safety system at production facilities, including agricultural sector, there are only general references in the current version of the Labor Law without further detail at the level of regulatory legal acts. This fact and the lack of unified approaches allow businesses to save on purchase of expensive equipment, which leads to increase in occupational injuries. An enlarged grouping of 20 classes of collective protection equipment has been carried out. Possible alternatives to the use of analytically calculated and normative methods for justification of the necessary costs are analyzed. Methodology, including basic coefficients, penalty and bonus indices, depending on the facts of injury has been developed. Conclusions – the proposed methodological provisions, after experimental testing at agro-industrial enterprises, can be submitted for legislative approval, which will ensure the effectiveness of state control of minimum labor costs for the design, implementation, operation and maintenance of relevant means of collective protection in agriculture.

Urine biomonitoring of occupational exposure to methotrexate using a highly sensitive UHPLC-MS/MS method in MRM3 mode

Methotrexate (MTX) is widely used as antineoplastic drug (AD) and as an immunosuppressive. As a result, many healthcare professionals are exposed to this drug which is classified as dangerous to handle due to its reproductive toxicity in humans. Since the 1990 s, cases of internal contamination of professionals handling this molecule have been reported in the literature and even recently MTX was detected in the urine of professionals. To date, there is no toxicological reference value for occupational exposure to MTX. Given the toxicity of this molecule, the internal contamination of professionals must be reduced and kept as low as possible according to the ALARA principle (as low as reasonably achievable). The aim of this work was to develop an UHPLC-MS/MS method in MRM (Multiple Reaction Monitoring) and MRM3 modes for routine application in MTX occupational biomonitoring. Good linearity (r greater than 0.997), precision (CV < 15 %), and accuracy (94.97-97.80% of the nominal value in MRM mode; 105.90-112.25% in MRM3 mode) were achieved. This method is reliable with high specificity and high sensitivity especially in MRM3 mode and has better LOD and LLOQ (1 ng/L and 2.5 ng/L) than published methods to date. The MRM3 mode increases the signal-to-noise ratio compared to the MRM mode.It was then applied routinely for the biological monitoring of healthcare professionals exposed to methotrexate. One hundred and seventeen urine samples from 93 healthcare professionals occupationally exposed to methotrexate were analyzed. Fifteen healthcare professionals (16.1 %) were found to be contaminated with methotrexate. Urine concentration levels ranged from 2.5 to 380 ng/L with a median value of 8.9 ng/L. Such efficient analytical tool is essential for the routine biological monitoring of healthcare professionals exposed to methotrexate. It also enables the traceability of occupational exposure to this molecule and the evaluation of the effectiveness of preventive measures such as individual and collective protective equipment.

Expert perspective on health and safety determinants in wineries.

The scientific literature contextualizes health and safety (H&S) in two major models, the first is based on a holistic perspective with H&S processes in all company departments, and the second approaches health and safety management from a more operational perspective. In this study, we examine the issue of health and safety in wineries. In 2017, a census showed that wineries account for 14% of the food and beverage industry in Spain. They provide direct employment for 24,051 people and involve complex winemaking processes that can cause accidents or occupational diseases. Wineries are part of the industrial sector, which, with 5,264 lost-time accidents per 100,000 workers in 2017, ranks second in the number of occupational accidents in Spain. This shows the need to determine the changes needed to improve health and safety in wineries. In this study, we identify H&S determinants in wineries using Delphi methodology with a panel of 11 experts. The experts gave high scores to the "activities" dimension, and others such as "control of personal and collective protective equipment" and "training", together with "accident investigation", "coordinated health and safety measures" and "signage" are associated with operational health and safety determinants, namely, capitalizing on knowledge gained in situ and promoting organizational learning.

Proposal for the Deployment of an Augmented Reality Tool for Construction Safety Inspection

The construction site is a hazardous place. The dynamic, complex interaction between workers, machinery, and the environment leads to dangerous risks. In response to such risks, the goal is to fulfill the zero accidents philosophy, which requires the development of safety skills among workers and the provision of tools for risk prevention. In pursuit of that vision, this work studies collective protective equipment (CPE). Traditional methodologies propose visual inspections using checklists, the effectiveness of which depends on the quality of the inspection by the safety advisor (SA). This paper analyses the traditional process of safety inspections in building projects: the traditional methods, main pain points, and bottlenecks are identified, along with the key performance indicators (KPIs) needed to complete these processes correctly. Because of this, a methodology that digitises the CPE inspection process is proposed. Augmented reality (AR) is used as a 3D viewer with an intuitive interface for the SA, and, accordingly, functional requirements are detailed and different information layers and user interfaces for AR applications are proposed. In addition, the workflow and KPIs are shown. To demonstrate the feasibility of the proposal, a proof of concept is developed and evaluated. The relevance of this work lies in providing background for the use of AR in safety inspection processes on construction sites and in offering methodological recommendations for the development and evaluation of these applications.

Impact of low- and high-risk operators handling irinotecan on the blood contamination of health care workers in oncology day care units.

Health care workers handling antineoplastic drugs (ADs) are at risk of mutagenicity and adverse reproductive effects. Despite protective equipment and AD handling guidelines, AD levels are still detected in caregivers in oncology units. This study attempted to assess blood contamination by irinotecan and its metabolites in all health care workers in oncology day hospital units according to activities specific to each employment category. The study was performed at two different hospitals: a university hospital and a comprehensive cancer centre. Forty-four participants were categorized according to their daily activity as a high-risk operator (29 nurses/ward aides and 5 cleaning staff) and a low-risk operator (7 doctors and 3 secretaries). The collected blood samples were subjected to UHPLC-MS/MS. The plasma and red blood cell (RBC) levels of irinotecan and its metabolites (SN-38; APC) were determined using a validated analytical method detection test. Two hundred sixty-four assay results were collected (132 plasma results and 132 RBC results). The comparison between low- and high-risk operator-contaminated workers was not significant (18.33% positive results in low-risk operators vs. 25.98% positive results in high-risk operators; P = 0.22). This homogeneity showed overall contamination within the unit. Positive results were obtained in 21.43% of physicians, 11.11% of secretaries, 25.86% of nurses/ward aides and 26.67% of cleaning staff. These results could be explained by the lack or failure of personal and collective protective equipment. A lack of protection and inadequate decontamination procedures can result in surface contamination. This study evaluated blood contamination with irinotecan and its metabolites in health care workers from day hospital care units. Among the 24.24% of contaminations observed in care units, the difference between low- and high-risk operator contamination was not significant (P = 0.22). The impact on blood contamination found is the same between low- and high-risk caregivers. This implies that the protective precautions associated with the handling of anticancer drugs must therefore be followed by all staff, including those believed to be at low risk of exposure.

Exposure to Antineoplastic Drugs in Occupational Settings: A Systematic Review of Biological Monitoring Data.

The high toxicity of antineoplastic drugs (ADs) makes them dangerous not only for patients, but also for exposed workers. Therefore, the aim of this review was to provide an updated overview of the biological monitoring of occupational AD exposure in order to extrapolate information useful to improve risk assessment and management strategies in workplaces. Several studies demonstrated that remarkable portions of healthcare workers may have traces of these substances or their metabolites in biological fluids, although with some conflicting results. Nurses, directly engaged in AD handling, were the occupational category at higher risk of contamination, although, in some cases, personnel not involved in AD-related tasks also showed quantifiable internal doses. Overall, further research carried out on greater sample sizes appears necessary to gain deeper insight into the variability retrieved in the reported results. This may be important to understand the impact of the extent of ADs use, different handling, procedures, and cleaning practices, spill occurrence, training of the workforce, as well as the adoption of adequate collective and personal protective equipment in affecting the occupational exposure levels. This may support the achievement of the greatest clinical efficiency of such therapies while assuring the health and safety of involved workers.

Интеграция анкерных линий на кровлях зданий в проектные решения

Ensuring safety during work at height is the most important task in the context of the development of a modern construction complex. Falling from a height occupies one of the first places in terms of the number of victims among all the traumatic factors, based on the statistical data, and its share among other traumatic factors is 28 %. Works at height include construction works, in which there are risks associated with a possible fall of an employee from the height of more than 1.8 m. The employer is obliged to ensure the implementation of measures to reduce injuries at the construction site in accordance with the current legislation. Protective measures when working at height include personal and collective protective equipment, including the use of anchor lines on the building roofs. The article provides for a comparative analysis of five options for the installation of anchor lines suitable for wooden, concrete, metal, and green roofs. For the analysis, a flexible anchor line using a metal cable, a rigid anchor line on high supports, a rigid anchor line on low supports, a flexible anchor line with weights for use on the roofs with landscaping and a flexible anchor line with supports were selected. All the selected anchor line systems comply with the international safety requirements and can be used by one or more workers. The advantages of each system of the anchor lines are revealed, a wide variety of roofing materials are considered: metal seam, made of polyvinyl chloride, with oriented strand board and thermoplastic polyolefin reinforced membrane, which is a high-tech polymer roofing material. All the anchor lines have a variability in terms of the shape and can be used on the roofs of any configurations in the building design without additional efforts and search for the complex solutions on the part of the designer.

Gestão do cuidado em enfermagem na proteção radiológica em radiologia intervencionista

To reflect on the elements of nursing care management in radiological protection in interventional radiology. A reflection paper based on national and international articles and laws addressing the nursing care management issue and radiological protection in interventional radiology. From the conceptions of nursing care management and professional practice, the following elements were perceived in this management: expertise and applicability of the radiological protection principles, biological effects of ionizing radiation, occupational dose monitoring, personal and collective protective equipment, patient safety, training in radiological protection, quality assurance program. The management of nursing care in radiological protection in interventional radiology is implemented in an elementary way regarding care aimed at dose reduction, either for workers or patients. There is a need to recognize, understand and characterize the management of nursing care in this scenario.

Radioprotection organization of interventional cardiology workers in a Tunisian Terciary Center

Cardiologists are in charge of about 40% of medical irradiation. Radiation protection of interventional cardiology workers is a cornerstone of the radiation risk prevention program and is part of the continuous process of improving the quality and safety of care in the hospital. We aimed to describe the organization of radiation protection in the cardiology department of the Charles Nicolle Hospital in Tunis. It was a descriptive cross-sectional study on the organization of radiation protection of workers in the Cardiology Department of the Charles Nicolle Hospital of Tunis during the month of April 2019, using a pre-established checklist and the evaluation of individual exposure to X-rays according to dosimetric data. The total number of cardiology department staff exposed to X-rays was 10 in 2019 ( Table 1 ). The National Center of RadioProtection approved the department's architectural plans and authorized the acquisition and use of X-ray generators. The maintenance controls were organized regularly with a pre-established schedule. Besides, we noted certain shortcomings: radiological cloverleaf signs for restricted areas did not exist, but there were instructions to prohibit access. The X-ray generator's power-on light signal was functional. We noted that among the collective protection equipment, only the fixed screens in front of the control consoles were present. There was a sufficient number of individual protection equipment. We didn’t record any excess of the dose thresholds, since the acquisition of the X-ray generator. Regarding radiation dosages monitoring, since 2016 each worker has had a dosimeter and the NCRP regularly evaluated the dosimeter data, but no records of these data were found in the department. In-service training in radiation protection, regular evaluation of collective and individual protective measures could improve the radiation protection of interventional cardiology workers and reduce some professional diseases.

Assessment instrument of risk factors for exposure to SARS-CoV-2 among health care workers with suspected COVID-19.

Introduction:Health professionals are at high or very high risk of being infected with COVID-19, making it essential to adopt control and protection measures. The World Health Organization developed a risk assessment instrument to identify possible protection failures and to guide corrective actions.Objectives:To test an adapted version of this instrument among health care workers with a suspected case of COVID-19.Methods:The World Health Organization instrument was translated and adapted with the participation of health care workers. The adapted version was inserted into Google Forms® and applied to 211 health care workers with a suspected case of COVID-19 in three public hospitals.Results:Fifty-five percent of workers were nursing professionals. The main risk factors for exposure to the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) were failures in training, in donning and doffing, and in the use and maintenance of personal and collective protective equipment; problems in cleaning rooms and equipment; and changes in work organization. The assessment instrument fulfilled its purpose of assessing risk factors for exposure to SARS-CoV-2 and helped adopt the corrective and preventive measures required to prevent COVID-19 among health care workers.Conclusions:The adapted instrument proved to be an important support tool to improve risk management and protection of these workers.