Hygienic Studies Research Articles

Dynamic change in the assessment of labor protection conditions at technological enterprises

Labor protection is a system of ensuring the safety of life and health of workers in the process of work, including legal, socio-economic, sanitary and hygienic, psychophysical, treatment and prophylactic, rehabilitation and other measures. The functions of labor protection are the study of sanitation and occupational hygiene, the implementation of measures to reduce the influence of harmful factors on the body of workers in the process of work. The main method of labor protection is the use of safety measures. At the same time, two main tasks are solved: the creation of machines and tools, when working with which the danger to humans is excluded, and the development of special protective equipment that ensures human safety in the labor process, as well as training workers in safe working practices and the use of protective equipment, conditions are created for safe work.The main goal of improving working conditions is to achieve a social effect, i.e. ensuring labor safety, preserving the life and health of workers, reducing the number of accidents and diseases at work.Improving working conditions also yields economic results: an increase in profits (due to an increase in labor productivity); reduction of costs associated with compensation for work with harmful and difficult working conditions; reduction of losses associated with injuries, occupational morbidity; decrease in staff turnover, etc. The main document in the normative and technical documentation is the normative act “Occupational safety standards system”.

Application of the non-infectious epidemiology bases to solve hygiene problems

The efforts of various branches of medical science, among which hygiene and epidemiology are of leading importance, aim at preventing human diseases. They have much in common since they aim at studying the causes, mechanisms, patterns, and consequences of human diseases and scientific justification of ways to prevent them. Although there are already more than the extensive experience of their joint use to combat various health pathologies, epidemiological approaches and methods of relevant research in hygiene are not to be applied appropriately. In hygienic studies, somebody paid more attention to the investigation of the properties, characteristics, and features of various positive and, especially, adverse environmental factors than to their impact on human health, the development and registration of the resulting health or pathological processes, including the analysis of the features of the manifestation and course of environmentally caused diseases of the population. Since the health of the population is mostly determined by sanitary-epidemiological and hygienic well-being, this article highlights the need for interaction of these disciplines.

Assessment of disorders of carbohydrate and fat metabolism in children under conditions of oral exposure to organochlorine compounds

Introduction. The authors performed a hygienic and epidemiological study of the Perm Territory areas with unfavorable sanitary and hygienic indices. Material and methods. The study involved 7,775 children aged from 4 to 14 years (9.2 ± 3.7 years) living in territories using sodium hypochlorite or liquid chlorine (Perm, Krasnokamsky, Nytvensky districts). The comparison group consisted of 425 children (average age 9.3 ± 2.5 years) consuming drinking water that complies with hygienic standards (Sivinsky, Karagai districts). Results. Identified areas with low quality of drinking water supply due to the content of organochlorine compounds (OCS) appeared to have an increased prevalence of obesity, diabetes, ischemic, and hypertensive disease. The authors developed and tested the critical assessment of the risk of formation disorders of fat and carbohydrate metabolism in children consuming drinking water with a high content of organochlorine compounds. Under conditions of oral exposure to OCS (0.43-0.64 mg / l, more than 3 MPC), the index of the risk of impaired fat and carbohydrate metabolism in children (IPI 0.55) was 1.3 times higher than the corresponding levels in the territory of comparison (IPI 0,42). Conclusion. The main markers for the indices of the negative impact of HOS (primarily chloroform) include an increase in the blood level of triglycerides (PS 0.41), LDL (PS 0.25) and a decrease in HDL (PS 0.18), exceeding 1, 2-1.6 times the territory of comparison.

СИСТЕМИ РАДІОЛОКАЦІЙНИХ ЗАСОБІВ СПЕЦІАЛЬНОГО ПРИЗНАЧЕННЯ ЯК ПОТУЖНІ ДЖЕРЕЛА ЕЛЕКТРОМАГНІТНИХ ВИПРОМІНЮВАНЬ В ДОВКІЛЛІ

The work contains the results of the electromagnetic radiation at the location sites of the radio-engineering means for special purpose and the effect of this factor on health. The space – time dissemination appropriatenesses of the electromagnetic radiation of the circular scanning radar of Dalemir type and vertical scanning radar of Vysotomir type have been determined with the help of personal elaborations and modern methods of the investigation. It was established that a real energetic charge on the family members and civil population living in the military settlements is greater nearly by 20 fold than for specialists supplying the radio-engineering means. This category of the population is a contingent of the elevated risk. The results of the biological and hygienic studies fulfilled on the laboratory white rats testifies that the electromagnetic radiation of the radio-engineering means for special purpose in different periods of the experiment causes the changes in the indices of nervous system, biochemical process of the immune system, reproductive function. On the basis of the fulfilled study the following hygienic standards for the population have been recommended: for the circular scanning radars – 15 W/cm2 at 24 hours object radiation and – 40 W/cm2 at 8 hours object radiation, and for vertical scanning radar – 10 and 30 W/cm2 correspondently this. Other measures on the population health protection have been elaborated.

Occupational risk to the health of dairy products manufacturing workers

Introduction. The preservation of the health of workers employed in harmful working conditions is one of the essential strategic tasks of the Russian Federation’s policy in the field of protecting public health. Milk processing workers are exposed to many adverse factors in the work environment and the work process that negatively affect their health. However, in previous studies, assessing and managing occupational risk to their health is not adequately addressed. Purpose of the study. Hygienic assessment of working conditions and occupational health risks for workers in the production of dairy products. Material and methods. Authors give the quantitative and qualitative assessment of occupational health risk based on our own hygienic studies results and an in-depth medical examination. Results. During the work, dairy production workers were established to be exposed to a set of factors of the occupational environment (adverse microclimate, noise, vibration, insufficient lighting) and the labor process’s hardness. It forms harmful working conditions of the first and third degrees (classes 3.1 - 3.3), which corresponds to categories of occupational risk from small (moderate) to high (intolerable). The direct moderate (r = 0.53) reliable correlation relationship between the prevalence of chronic pathology in general and female workers’ work experience was revealed. A very high degree of causal relationship between the work, diseases of the ear and mastoid process (RR = 4.3; EF = 76.7%; CI = 1.6-10,93) and a high degree of relation connection of diseases of the musculoskeletal system and connective tissue (RR = 2.22; EF = 55.1%; CI = 1,21-4,08). It indicates their occupational conditionality. It is necessary to develop and implement many organizational, health-improving, and treatment-and-prophylactic measures to prevent the occurrence of work-related health disorders and minimize risk factors for their development. Conclusion. Many harmful factors in occu[ational conditions that create the risk of developing a professionally caused disease characterize modern dairy production. It requires urgent measures to reduce the risk.

Social and hygienic aspects of assessment of working conditions and health status of medical workers in the Samara Region

Introduction. Due to the increased psychoemotional load, the emergence of new sources of chemical, physical and microbiological effects on the health of medical workers, the study of the incidence of this category of workers is becoming increasingly important. The aim of study is to study social and hygienic issues related to the assessment of working conditions and health status of medical workers in the Samara Region. Materials and methods. Retrospective analysis of the results of medical and social monitoring of working conditions, health status and occupational morbidity of medical workers in the Samara Region. Results. Based on the analysis of data from the sanitary and epidemiological service and the Ministry of Health of the Samara Region on demographic and socio-economic situations, morbidity, and labor characteristics of medical workers in the Samara Region, a socio-hygienic assessment of working conditions of medical workers at the regional level was carried out. The high informative value of medical and demographic indicators in relation to the assessment of the impact of factors of the production environment on the health of health care workers and social services is shown. It is established that medical organizations generally do not meet the requirements of the current sanitary legislation in terms of ensuring safe working conditions for employees who come into contact with carcinogenic substances. Conclusions. The study of the demographic, socio-economic situation, and morbidity of medical workers with a hygienic assessment of health risk is a priority and serves as the basis for a comparative analysis of their morbidity and material for comprehensive hygiene studies.

Physiologically assessing the functional state of the body of doctors in children's medical organizations

Introduction. Increased nervous and emotional loads in doctors of children's medical organizations are caused by frequent stressful effects, shift work mode. The study of the features of the formation of the functional state of the body of surgeons will make it possible to scientifically justify measures to prevent overstrain to preserve the health of employees. The aim of study is to research the functional state of the body of doctors of children's medical organizations with a shift work schedule to justify and develop measures for physiological and hygienic optimization of work. Materials and methods. Complex physiological and hygienic studies included occupational analysis of labor activity, physiological studies of the state of the Central nervous system (CNS) and the cardiovascular system with the study of the features of response to functional loads (ECG recording on a 12-channel electrocardiograph and continuously using Holter monitoring). Results. The study of the features and degree of adequacy of the cardiovascular system's response to dosed physical activity revealed the tension of the regulatory mechanisms of the circulatory system with a pronounced increase in heart activity in surgeons during night hours. Conclusions. Stable indicators of CNS functions (concentration of attention, etc.) were established during various shifts, due to the requirements of the work itself, adverse changes in the cardiovascular system, more pronounced during the night shift, deterioration of ECG changes to functional load, which indicates a decrease in the functional capabilities of the myocardium.

Industrial injuries at the enterprise

Labor protection is a system of ensuring the safety of life and health of workers in the process of work, including legal, socio-economic, sanitary and hygienic, psychophysical, treatment and prophylactic, rehabilitation and other measures. The functions of labor protection are the study of sanitation and occupational hygiene, the implementation of measures to reduce the influence of harmful factors on the body of workers in the process of work. The main method of labor protection is the use of safety measures. At the same time, two main tasks are solved: the creation of machines and tools, when working with which the danger to humans is excluded, and the development of special protective equipment that ensures human safety in the labor process, as well as training workers in safe working practices and the use of protective equipment, conditions are created for safe work.

Some features of the digestive system incidence of children population off the Primorsky Territory

The article presents the results of a hygienic study conducted in the territory of the Primorsky Territory to assess the primary incidence of digestive system organs among the children of the Primorsky Territory. For the study, data on the recorded primary incidence for 18 years were analyzed. Mapping of the primary morbidity was carried out, the attributive risk of digestive diseases was calculated. The territorial distribution of statistically significant average annual levels of primary morbidity showed that children are more likely to suffer from gastritis and duodenitis, gastric ulcer and duodenal ulcer in the northern part of the region, where the highest incidence rates are recorded — these are rural areas. with an unstable economic situation and areas of the eastern coast of Primorye with the most unfavorable climatic conditions. The results of calculating the attributive risk show that children (0–7 years old) living in rural areas of the Primorsky Territory belong to the risk group for diseases of the digestive system. The identified territories are the least economically developed, with the absence of powerful sources of anthropogenic pollution of the population's habitat. The results obtained in this work should be taken into account when choosing and substantiating the indicators of the regional information fund for social and hygienic monitoring, when developing effective primary prevention measures and making managerial decisions at the regional level in the field of health care for children and children. adolescents in the Primorsky Territory.

Features of production control at enterprises of chemical industries

The relevance of the work is due to the need to improve production control of the chemical factor based on the developed indicators and criteria for determining the control points of harmful chemicals in the air of the working area at chemical industry enterprises. To substantiate the criteria and indicators of production control according to the chemical factor is conducted hygienic studies, including the study of technological process, equipment used, and field studies on the pollution of workplace air pollutants, taking into account the performed technological operations taking into account current regulations. Based on the presented hygienic characteristics of chemical production, we have formed indicators and criteria for production control of the chemical factor, taking into account the physical, chemical and Toxicological properties of harmful substances, as well as the technological process, work performed, equipment used, in which the most likely entry of harmful substances into the air of the working area and their impact on the body of workers. The implementation of the developed criteria and indicators for the formation of production control programs for the chemical factor in chemical industries will allow employers to obtain complete reliable information about the harmful substances affecting workers and to take timely measures to minimize the risk of employee health disorders.

Hygienic Studies on Microbial Causes of Abortion in Sheep

Hygienic Studies on Microbial Causes of Abortion in Sheep

Hygiene Science Development in Ukraine under Social-Political Changes (in the second part ХІХ – 1920s): Historiography

The purpose of the article is to define the level of the scientific research on the hygiene studies development on the territory of Ukraine from the second part of XIX century till the 1920s under the conditions of the social-economical and political challenges of that time. Research methods: logical, chronological, comparative-historical, analytical-syntactical, classification, periodization, historical-genetical, and structural. Main results. This article deals with the scientific contribution into defining the challenges of hygiene studies development in Ukraine from the second part of XIX century till the 1920s. We have analyzed the main historiographic periods in the establishment and development of the hygiene science, all existing methodological approaches in historiography, and the theoretical paradigms in this field. Three historiographic periods concerning this topic were highlighted: the first period – from the second part of ХІХ till 1917; the second period – the soviet one, from 1917 till the end of 1980s; the third period – the modern one, beginning from 1991 till now. We analyzed Ukrainian historiography in terms of the establishment and development of the hygiene as a science, taking into consideration socio-economical and political changes in the country during the second part of the ХІХ till 1920s. Historiography, which reveals the hygiene science development at universities comprises of the significant amount of historical, statistical, encyclopedic, and methodological literature, which reflects the content, structure, organization, university research staff, which allows us to consider the development of hygiene science at the university level as essential in its transformation into a branch of science, a form of the social consciousness, and a part of culture of the society. Hygiene became a science which can make practical recommendations and respond to social needs. Experimental research in the hygiene were conducted at the university departments and at the state research laboratories. In the field of historiography, there were numerous scientific works on the development of hygiene as a science at the universities and in social medicine. Manuals, books, terminology dictionaries for doctors and students were issued during this period. Numerous terms were also defined, for example, “prophylaxis”, “hygiene”, “social hygiene”, “civil hygiene”, “social medicine”. It’s worth mentioning that these terms keep being updated. The significant contribution to the hygiene issues research was made by the outstanding scientists from the universities in Kyiv, Kharkiv, and Novorosiysk, where the respective hygiene departments were established and all the fundamental and applied research were conducted, improved, and expanded. Practical significance. This article is recommended for the courses of the history of Ukraine, science and technology, social medicine ,and for the course of the history of science and technology. Originality. In this article we analyzed and summed up the experience of the Ukrainian scientists, who had studied the history of the hygiene studies, in order to define the most effective model of hygiene component of the social medicine nowadays. The innovative component. We put forward the brand-new prospective of the hygiene studies development from the second part of the XIX century till the 1920s, taking into consideration the historical documents and research paradigms. Moreover, the research assessments under the social-political changes Ukraine from the second part of the XIX century till the 1920s were established. Article type: descriptive.

The Menstrual Practices Questionnaire (MPQ): development, elaboration, and implications for future research

ABSTRACT High-quality evidence is needed to inform policies and programmes aiming to improve menstrual health. Quantitative studies must address the many evidence gaps in this field, and practitioners have increased monitoring and evaluation efforts to track their progress. A significant barrier to improving the rigor of this work is the lack of comprehensive and comparable measures to capture core concepts. The Menstrual Practices Questionnaire (MPQ) is a new tool to support comprehensive and standardised assessment of the activities undertaken in order to collect, contain, and remove menstrual blood from the body in self-report surveys. The questionnaire is freely available online for download and can be adapted for use across contexts and age groups. In this article, we describe the purpose of the MPQ as a best-practice tool to align the description of menstrual practices and provide a foundation for further question refinement. We outline the development of the tool using systematic review of qualitative studies of menstrual experiences, audit of measures used in the study of menstrual health and hygiene, survey of experts, insights from past research, and examples from piloted questions in a survey of adolescent girls in Soroti, Uganda. We describe the identification of menstrual practices as a priority for measurement, coverage of practices included in the MPQ, and justify the inclusion of location-specific questions. For each section of the questionnaire, we outline key reasons for the inclusion of practice items alongside elaboration for users to help inform item selection. Finally, we outline priorities for future research to refine the assessment and reporting of menstrual practices, including the identification of minimum reporting requirements for population characteristics to facilitate comparison across studies, testing the extent to which experiences during the most recent menstrual period reflect those over longer time periods, and further exploration of biases in self-report.

Health risk factors among electric and gas welders using different types of welding

Introduction. Preserving the health of the working population is a priority of state policy. The welding process, which is used in many areas of industry, refers to technological processes with harmful working conditions. Monitoring of the production environment, which determines the extent to which the worker is exposed to harmful factors and helps to establish the connection of a particular disease with production activities, is particularly relevant. The aim of the study is to carry out a hygienic assessment of the air in the working area through the conducted studies, to identify risk factors for the health of welders, considering the peculiarities of forming air environment in various types of welding and the technological process organization. Materials and methods . Hygienic studies were carried out on the basis of two large enterprises of mechanical engineering and shipbuilding in Saint Petersburg and on more than 30 separate welding sites of enterprises in the North-West region in 2010-2018. Results. It is established that working conditions during traditional types of welding are determined by the organization of the welder’s workplace and the type of welding. The most unfavorable conditions for the formation of the air environment are characterized by welding of large-sized metal structures, welding in isolated spaces and metal cutting, where existing technical solutions for the installation of localized exhaust ventilation systems are not effective enough. Concentrations of manganese reach 1.6-2.9 mg / m 3 , carbon monoxide-32-61 mg/m 3 , nitrogen dioxide-0.8-1.6 mg/m 3 . An underestimated factor in the welder’s work is the stripping operation that accompanies most welding processes. The dust content reaches 15 mg/m 3 . The occupational health risk of employees was assessed based on the indicators of morbidity with temporary disability, depending on their age and work experience. Conclusions. The implementation of advanced ventilation technologies, improvement of welding equipment, welding methods and materials, expansion of the use of laser welding, and introduction of effective personal protective equipment will help to minimize the risk factors for the health of welders while ensuring the safety of the air environment.

Comparative hygienic study of the content of certain pesticides in agricultural products of farms and private farms

The article presents the results of a comparative hygienic study of the content of organochlorine and organophosphate pesticides in agricultural products of farms and private farms in the Saratov region. A study of the content of chlorine and organophosphorus pesticides in nine ecologically disadvantaged regions of the region was conducted. Quantitative analysis of the determination of pesticides in local food products was analyzed by thin-layer chromatography. The content of organochlorine pesticides in food samples grown in ecologically disadvantaged areas and sent to the retail chain for sale, as well as for domestic use as local food, did not have statistically meaningful distinctions in regard to their contamination. In the studied samples of food products grown in farmers’ fields and produced on the land of private farms was found a significant difference in content of organophosphorus pesticides and herbicides. Thus, the content of the organophosphorus insecticide — chlorpyrifos used by farms for aviation chemical protection of plants from the spread of pests in vegetable products reached the maximum acceptable levels and, on the contrary, the concentration of chlorpyrifos in agricultural products of personal subsidiary farms was no more than 50 % of the permissible level. On the contrary, the widespread use of malathion has found application in the processing of agricultural products only on the lands of personal subsidiary plots. The level of its content in vegetable products ranged from 10–20 % to the maximum allowable and depended on the areas of cultivation of agricultural products. In arid areas, with a significant number of insect pests, the insecticide content in vegetable products was maximum. The studied herbicides were detected only in vegetable products grown on the fields of farms. At the same time, the glyphosate content in vegetable products significantly varied in different studied ecologically unfavorable territories. Its highest content in concentrations of the maximum permissible level was detected in agricultural products of the arid Zavolzhsky districts and, on the contrary, in the right bank and areas with a wide land reclamation system, the herbicide concentration ranged from 30 to 50 % of the permissible level. All the concentrations of chlorine and organophosphorus pesticides and herbicides in the local products established in the study, produced both on the lands of personal subsidiary plots and on farm fields, did not exceed the permissible values.

Inhalation Toxicity of Talc.

Respirable talc powder (RTP) is a complex mineral mixture of talc along with accessory minerals, including tremolite, anthophyllite, quartz, magnesite, dolomite, antigorite, lizardite, and chlorite. The industrial mining, milling, and processing of talc ore is associated with elevated incidences of fibrotic and neoplastic diseases, which are also seen among workers exposed to RTP in secondary industries and individuals using processed cosmetic talc for personal use. There is controversial evidence of a link between the talc-induced lung diseases and a potential contamination with asbestos fibers. This controversy is fueled by inadequate exposure data and the complex mineralogy and terminology of the accessory minerals. Talc aerosols exhibit a wide range of mineral habits, including particulates and fibrous structures that have dimensional and compositional characteristics related to the development of asbestos-related lung disease. The inhalation toxicology of RTP is based on the analysis of occupational hygiene and animal inhalation studies conducted between the 1940s and the 1990s and more recent mechanistic studies conducted both in vivo and in vitro. The review of talc toxicity studies reveals that the occupational studies provide only equivocal links between any of the components of the aerosols and the development of pulmonary cancer; however, there is substantial evidence of an association between the aerosols and pleural and pulmonary fibrosis and the development of nonmalignant respiratory disease. The animal inhalation and implantation studies appear to be less than optimal, which also appears to be true for the in vivo and in vitro studies. The mechanistic studies have identified the key pathogenic characteristics of asbestos to be long and thin fibers that are durable in lung tissues and fluids. Talc toxicity studies show that talc particles and fibers are durable and can remain in the lung for up to 40 years after the end of exposure. This extended tissue residence is considered to constitute a continuing tissue exposure that is capable of inducing the documented inflammatory and proliferative response. There is less consensus as to whether there is a threshold fiber length effect, as long, thin fibers (>5 μm) form only a small fraction of talc aerosols and the possible role of fibers >5 μm in the translocation from the lung to the pleura and their association with pleural fibrotic and carcinogenic lesions. Long, thin fibers are preferentially deposited in hot spots in the lung, such as airway bifurcations, areas typically associated with the development of lung cancer. The platy structures typical of talc can form oblate structures behaving more as fibers in the air stream, and these have also been shown to deposit preferentially in such locations. The review of the inhalation toxicity of talc provides a plausible explanation for the carcinogenic potential of RTP.

Assessment of sensory loads in civil aviation pilots

Introduction. Performing flights on modern types of aircraft is accompanied by an increase in the role of process automation, changes in the structure of the pilot’s information field, an increase in the number of controlled indicators throughout the flight time and, as a result, an increase in sensory loads that contribute to the development of chronic depletion of functional reserves of the body and fatigue of the pilot, which can cause accidents and plane crashes.The aim of the study is to assess the sensory loads of members of flight crews of civil aviation aircraft when they perform regular operating procedures in a Training center on fully functional complex simulators for training cadets, flight, dispatcher and technical personnel of civil aviation.Materials and methods. A hygienic study was conducted to assess the sensory loads of pilots in the framework of performing simulation flights on full-featured complex simulators in strict step-by-step accordance with the manual for flight operation of the aircraft (33 flights were performed with the participation of 66 pilots aged 30–55 years).Results. The data obtained indicate high levels of sensory loads in pilots, which are 9.5 times higher than the maximum values set by the Management of R 2.2.2006–05 and MI NTP. INT–17.01–2018. For 4 of the 6 evaluated indicators, sensory loads corresponded to class 3.2.Conclusions. The general assessment of the labor intensity class for members of flight crews of civil aviation aircraft on the set of sensory loads corresponds to harmful strenuous work of the 3rd degree (4 indicators of sensory loads with class 3.2). The results of the study are the basis for the approval of new hygienic criteria for establishing a class of working conditions for certain indicators of sensory loads for members of flight crews of the aircraft of the civil aviation (CA) with the addition of their class 3.3. A real assessment of the pilot’s labor intensity should be obtained only on the basis of time-based measurements performed as part of a step-by-step analysis of the aircraft’s flight operation manual.

Reduced Incidence of Healthcare-associated Infections in a Long-term Care Facility by Converting to Automated Touchless Dispensing and Closed-refill Systems

Background Automated touchless dispensing and closed-refill systems minimize touch points that help prevent cross contamination events and reduce dispenser contamination with clinically significant pathogens in healthcare settings. Additionally, most consumers prefer touchless dispensing when using public restrooms. However, many healthcare settings still utilize manual dispensers for soap and sanitizer. Some even have open, bulk, refillable dispensing systems and manual pumps and dispensers. A finding of a clinical in-use study revealed a significant reduction in the incidence of healthcare associated infections (HAIs) following the conversion to automated touchless soap and sanitizer dispensing systems with premeasured dosage amounts in a long-term care (LTC) care facility. Methods A LTC facility was qualified as a testing site for clinical in-use study of hand hygiene (HH) products’ impact on healthcare workers’ (HCWs) hands. The facility replaced all HH manual dispensing systems and locally purchased hygiene products with automated touchless dispensers, closed-refill systems, and quality formulations. In addition to the biophysical measurements of HCWs hands using bioengineering instrumentation, the baseline incidence of HAIs was recorded prior to the intervention and surveillance continued from 2014 to 2018. HAI rates provided by the testing site were compared to the baseline data collected in 2014 with specific emphasis on the infection outbreak season from October to December in each year. Results Descriptive data analysis of HAI incidence rates revealed significant and sustained reduction in HAI rates from 6.7% in October through December of 2014 to 1.6 % the same period in 2015, 2.8 % in 2016 and 2.4 % in 2017. Conclusions Converting the HH framework from manual dispensing to automated touchless dispensing with closed refill systems during a clinical-in-use study resulted in a sustained reduction of HAI rates over a 3-year period. Increased awareness of HH, touchless hygienic dispensing systems, and HCW improved skin integrity are variables to consider for HAI reduction. Automated touchless dispensing and closed-refill systems minimize touch points that help prevent cross contamination events and reduce dispenser contamination with clinically significant pathogens in healthcare settings. Additionally, most consumers prefer touchless dispensing when using public restrooms. However, many healthcare settings still utilize manual dispensers for soap and sanitizer. Some even have open, bulk, refillable dispensing systems and manual pumps and dispensers. A finding of a clinical in-use study revealed a significant reduction in the incidence of healthcare associated infections (HAIs) following the conversion to automated touchless soap and sanitizer dispensing systems with premeasured dosage amounts in a long-term care (LTC) care facility. A LTC facility was qualified as a testing site for clinical in-use study of hand hygiene (HH) products’ impact on healthcare workers’ (HCWs) hands. The facility replaced all HH manual dispensing systems and locally purchased hygiene products with automated touchless dispensers, closed-refill systems, and quality formulations. In addition to the biophysical measurements of HCWs hands using bioengineering instrumentation, the baseline incidence of HAIs was recorded prior to the intervention and surveillance continued from 2014 to 2018. HAI rates provided by the testing site were compared to the baseline data collected in 2014 with specific emphasis on the infection outbreak season from October to December in each year. Descriptive data analysis of HAI incidence rates revealed significant and sustained reduction in HAI rates from 6.7% in October through December of 2014 to 1.6 % the same period in 2015, 2.8 % in 2016 and 2.4 % in 2017. Converting the HH framework from manual dispensing to automated touchless dispensing with closed refill systems during a clinical-in-use study resulted in a sustained reduction of HAI rates over a 3-year period. Increased awareness of HH, touchless hygienic dispensing systems, and HCW improved skin integrity are variables to consider for HAI reduction.

Current issues of environmental mercury pollution (review)

The review summarizes the results of studying the problem of environmental mercury pollution and associated risks to public health. Toxicological and hygienic studies include an analysis of the main sources of heavy metal emissions, ways of their distribution in the environment and biological effects on humans. The basis of anthropogenic pollution was shown to include the following: artisanal mining, coal burning and non-ferrous metal production. Out of the places of emissions metal is distributed with atmospheric air over long distances, as evidenced by the results of monitoring studies conducted in the Arctic and Antarctica. Pollution of water is extremely dangerous for human health, since it is proven that the main source of mercury intake is associated with the consumption of fish and seafood. In the soil horizon the toxicant is localized mainly in arable layers but in places where mercury-containing waste is stored, the metal can migrate to a depth of 18 m or more. Analysis of the mechanisms of adsorption, distribution, metabolism and excretion allows concluding: the greatest threat to health are metal-organic forms (methyl-and dimethyl-mercury), which is associated with the high lipophilicity of these compounds. On the example of Minamata disease there is given a description of the characteristic signs of mercury intoxication among which the Central nervous system is the leading one. There are presented the results of the research of biological effects of low metal concentrations and modern means of preventing negative impact on human health. Contact of the General population in production and everyday life determines the necessity for a comprehensive study and coverage of the effects associated with exposure of toxic mercury compounds.

Cardiovascular risk in petrochemical workers

Introduction. The high prevalence of diseases of the circulatory system of workers in various sectors of the economy, the lack of data on the effects of harmful production factors on the formation of cardiovascular diseases in petrochemical industry workers justify the importance of conducting special studies on these petrochemical complex plants with the aim of assessing cardiovascular risk with the subsequent development of preventive measures. Material and methods. The objects of the study were workers in the production of monomers (ethylene, propylene, ethylbenzene, isoprene, divinyl) of petrochemical enterprises. Hygienic studies of the working conditions of workers included an assessment of the factors of the working environment and the labor process using generally accepted methods. Comprehensive clinical examination of workers included periodic examinations (n = 2634) with calculation of total and relative cardiovascular risk using the SCORE system, using questionnaire data, a Reeder L questionnaire and an in-depth clinical diagnostic medical examination (n = 101) with the definition total cardiovascular risk. Results. The most significant occupational factors of the labor process for workers in the main profession - panmen were established to include the combination of a chemical factor with the occupational noise and labor intensity, with an overall assessment of working conditions 3.2. The class of working conditions of workers of the comparison group (locksmith in instrumentation and automation corresponds to the permissible). There were revealed a high prevalence of arterial hypertension and other factors of cardiovascular risk. A higher dependence of the arterial hypertension level on age and length of service in the group of panmen was established when compared to the mechanicians of instrumentation and automation. Using mathematical models of multiple regression, the likely dynamics of the level of arterial hypertension and the left ventricular myocardial mass index were calculated under the influence of increasing age and other risk predictors. Conclusion. The results of a clinical study showed workers with severe arterial hypertension, a high and very high risk of death from cardiovascular disease on the SCORE scale, a high and very high overall cardiovascular risk, signs of dyslipidemia, obesity, high stress levels to require close attention. It is important to timely diagnose lesions of target organs, to conduct rational prevention aimed at reducing risk factors. According to the results of the study, there were developed preventive measures aimed at reducing cardiovascular morbidity and cardiovascular risk, prolonging the longevity of workers in petrochemical industries.