Occupational Environment Research Articles

Air Quality and Cancer Prevalence Trends across the Sub-Saharan African Regions during 2005-2020.

Poor air quality and environmental pollution remain some of the main etiological factors leading to cancers and cancer-related deaths worldwide. As a result of human activities, deleterious airborne chemicals can be dispersed not only in the environment but also released in occupational environments and industrial areas. Air pollutants and cancer links are now established through various oxidative stress-related mechanisms and related DNA damages. Generally, ambient and indoor air pollutants have been understudied in sub-Saharan Africa (SSA) compared to other regions in the world. Our study not only highlights the deleterious effects of air pollutants in these developing countries, but it has strived to examine the trends and correlations between cancers and some air pollutants—carbon dioxide, other greenhouse gases, PM2.5, and human development index—in some SSA countries, where recent cancer burdens were reported as high. Our results showed strikingly higher yearly trends of cancers and above-mentioned air pollutant levels in some sub-Saharan countries during 2005–2020. Relative risks (RR) of these air pollutants-related cancer case rates were, however, below, or slightly above 1.0, or not statistically significant possibly due to other responsible and confounding factors which were not considered in our analyses due to data unavailability. We recommend new approaches to monitoring, minimizing, and creating awareness of the trends of hazardous air pollutants in sub-Saharan Africa, which will help ameliorate cancer prevalence and support the reduction in air pollution levels within regulatory limits, thereby relieving the cumulative burdens of cancers. Utilization of the findings from the study will support large-scale public health and health policy efforts on cancer management through environmental stewardship in SSA countries having the poorest outcome and the shortest survival rates from cancers.

Lung cancer risk in relation to jobs held in a nationwide case–control study in Iran

BackgroundGlobally, lung cancer is the most frequent occupational cancer, but the risk associated with the occupations or occupational environment in Iran is not clear. We aimed to assess occupations with...

Occupational hazards and the onset of natural menopause

ObjectiveTo identify occupational hazards associated with earlier onset of natural menopause. Study designA national cross-sectional study was conducted to explore the reproductive health of Chinese female workers. The final sample size was 17,948. Main outcome measuresParticipants completed a self-report instrument that recorded working conditions, chemical and physical agents in the occupational environment, socioeconomic factors, lifestyle, reproductive history, and occupational information. A Cox regression model was used to examine the association between each occupational hazard and onset of menopause. ResultsAbnormal workload (19.31 %), aromatic compounds (7.95 %), and noise (24.94 %) were the three most frequently self-reported occupational hazards in the three categories of working conditions, chemical agents, and physical agents, respectively. Abnormal workload (HR = 1.133, p = 0.038), noise (HR = 1.233, p < 0.001), and heat stress (HR = 1.178, p = 0.041) were associated with earlier age at natural menopause in the analyses of each hazard, after adjustment. Only noise (HR = 1.187, p = 0.003) remained statistically significant after including all possible occupational hazards. ConclusionsIn a national survey of 17,948 female workers, this study investigated the association of age at natural menopause with multiple occupational hazards, some of which have not been addressed. Occupational noise was identified as a risk factor for reproductive senescence for the first time. However, further research is needed to confirm our findings.

Identification of Modifiable Risk Factors of Exacerbations Chronic Respiratory Diseases with Airways Obstruction, in Vietnam.

Objectives: to determine modifiable risk factors of exacerbations in chronic respiratory diseases with airways obstruction (i.e., asthma and COPD) in southern Vietnam. Methods: an environmental and health-related behavioural questionnaire was submitted to patients with both chronic respiratory symptoms and airways obstruction. An exacerbation was defined as any acute worsening in clinical symptoms requiring a change in treatment, in a patient receiving prophylactic therapy. Results: 235 patients were evaluated, including 131 (56%) chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) and 104 (44%) asthmatics. There were 75% males and 69% smokers. Occupational exposure accounted for 66%, mainly among construction and industry workers. Smoking was associated with more severe airways obstruction. Respiratory exacerbations were reported in 56/235 patients (24%). The risk of exacerbation was increased in patients with a lower education level, exposure to occupational pollutants, cumulative smoking ≥ 20 pack year, housing space < 10 m2, and poorly ventilated housing. Based on multivariate analysis, the risk of exacerbation remained significantly higher among patients with occupational exposure and low housing space per person. Conclusions: besides smoking cessation, more supportive policies, including improvement of occupational environment and housing design for better ventilation, are needed to prevent the severity of chronic respiratory diseases in Vietnam.

Environmental factors influencing the risk of ANCA-associated vasculitis.

Antineutrophil cytoplasmic antibody (ANCA)-associated vasculitis (AAV) is a group of diseases characterized by inflammation and destruction of small and medium-sized blood vessels. Clinical disease phenotypes include microscopic polyangiitis (MPA), granulomatosis with polyangiitis (GPA), and eosinophilic granulomatosis with polyangiitis (EGPA). The incidence of AAV has been on the rise in recent years with advances in ANCA testing. The etiology and pathogenesis of AAV are multifactorial and influenced by both genetic and environmental factors, as well as innate and adaptive immune system responses. Multiple case reports have shown that sustained exposure to silica in an occupational environment resulted in a significantly increased risk of ANCA positivity. A meta-analysis involving six case-control studies showed that silica exposure was positively associated with AAV incidence. Additionally, exposure to air pollutants, such as carbon monoxide (CO), is a risk factor for AAV. AAV has seasonal trends. Studies have shown that various environmental factors stimulate the body to activate neutrophils and expose their own antigens, resulting in the release of proteases and neutrophil extracellular traps, which damage vascular endothelial cells. Additionally, the activation of complement replacement pathways may exacerbate vascular inflammation. However, the role of environmental factors in the etiology of AAV remains unclear and has received little attention. In this review, we summarized the recent literature on the study of environmental factors, such as seasons, air pollution, latitude, silica, and microbial infection, in AAV with the aim of exploring the relationship between environmental factors and AAV and possible mechanisms of action to provide a scientific basis for the prevention and treatment of AAV.

Minimum Number Of Monitoring Days Necessary To Reliably Estimate On-duty Stepping Activities Among Police Officers

It has been reported that police officers face the challenge of long shift (up to 13 hours) that is comprised of physical inactivity, which is associated with increased risk for cardiovascular diseases. Prior to implementing a workplace intervention, it is crucial to find a reliable method to track changes in the activity outcomes. PURPOSE: To apply the Generalizability (G) theory analysis to determine the minimum number of monitoring days necessary to reliably capture on-duty stepping activities in police offers. METHODS: Eighteen police officers from the local police department were recruited and completed a 7-day activity monitoring wearing an inclinometer on mid-thigh of the non-dominant leg. Based on the activity log, periods of on-duty shifts were adjusted by combining two days of inclinometry data, and on-duty step counts were computed for each on-duty shift. G-theory analysis was used to decompose total variance into the three components: person-to-person (true variability), day-to-day (systematic error), and person-by-day (random error). The estimated variance components were used to examine the change in reliable coefficient (i.e., generalizability (g) coefficient) by different measurement conditions (i.e., number of days). Prior to G-theory analysis, missing data were imputed using a likelihood-based expectation-maximization algorithm. RESULTS: A total of 15 subjects provided valid step counts data for a median of 3 on-duty days (range: 2-5 days), with an average wear time of 9.89 hours (≈96% of on-duty working hours). Overall, the average step counts accumulated per on-duty shift was 4087.48 ± 1084.58 steps. Estimated variance components based on G-theory analysis showed that a large amount of variability (87.8%) was attributed to person-by-day effect (i.e., random error), and true variability by the person was relatively small (6.5%). A follow-up decision study showed that a minimum of 53 on-duty days was required to obtain the stable (g-coefficient ≥ .80) measure of on-duty step counts. CONCLUSION: Results of the study revealed that a considerably longer monitoring period was necessary to reliably capture on-duty stepping activities of police officers, indicating the importance of determining the length of activity monitoring with an understanding of specific occupational environment.

Determinant Factors That Influence Open Defecation Behavior In Rural Communities In Indonesia

The problem of sanitation development in Indonesia is a socio-cultural challenge. one of which is the behavior of people who are used to doing OD. OD behavior can be influenced by various factors, both internal and external, including education, occupation, income, knowledge, attitudes, and physical environment. The purpose of this study is to determine the determinant factors that influence the behavior of open defecation. This research uses a cross-sectional approach located in Kedawang Village, Nguling Village, Kedawang Village, Pasuruan Regency. This research was conducted from December 2020 – May 2021. The sampling technique used was purposive sampling with a total sample of 126 people who were selected based on inclusion and exclusion criteria. Data were analyzed using IBM SPSS statistics 20 software with a significance level of 0.05. The majority of respondents, namely 64 people or 50.8% of respondents have attitudes with fewer categories. On average, respondents have less perception of 83 people or 65.9%, lack of knowledge (99.2%), and less physical environment (114%). Meanwhile, the open defecation behavior carried out by the community was in the frequent category (56.3%). The results show that from several factors analyzed, the factors that influence open defecation behavior are attitude (sig 0.000) and perception (sig 0.000). Factors that influence open defecation behavior are attitudes and perceptions. Poor attitudes and perceptions will result in people doing open defecation behavior.

Measuring TiO2N and AgHEC Airborne Particle Density during a Spray Coating Process.

Effective particle density is a key parameter for assessing inhalation exposure of engineered NPs in occupational environments. In this paper, particle density measurements were carried out using two different techniques: one based on the ratio between mass and volumetric particle concentrations; the other one based on the ratio between aerodynamic and geometric particle diameter. These different approaches were applied to both field- and laboratory-scale atomization processes where the two target NPs (N-doped TiO2, TiO2N and AgNPs capped with a quaternized hydroxyethylcellulose, AgHEC) were generated. Spray tests using TiO2N were observed to release more and bigger particles than tests with AgHEC, as indicated by the measured particle mass concentrations and volumes. Our findings give an effective density of TiO2N particle to be in a similar range between field and laboratory measurements (1.8 ± 0.5 g/cm3); while AgHEC particle density showed wide variations (3.0 ± 0.5 g/cm3 and 1.2 + 0.1 g/cm3 for field and laboratory campaigns, respectively). This finding leads to speculation regarding the composition of particles emitted because atomized particle fragments may contain different Ag-to-HEC ratios, leading to different density values. A further uncertainty factor is probably related to low process emissions, making the subtraction of background concentrations from AgHEC process emissions unreliable.

Pilot study and cumulative risk framework to advance long-haul driver health

Commercial drivers are essential to the economic recovery, yet their work exposes them to many health and safety hazards. Research to improve driver health should be designed with an understanding of both the complex occupational environment and the risk management context. We present results of a small pilot study of driver health concerns and behaviors to illustrate concepts and frameworks from human health risk assessment and management that may assist in the design and translation of driver and other worker health research. The pilot study surveyed eighteen long-haul truck drivers at a truck stop using an instrument adapted from the International Physical Activity Questionnaire and a transient community needs assessment developed for the US Antarctic Program Recreation and Wellness Survey. Respondents’ characteristics and health concerns reflect existing literature: mostly male of older age with musculo-skeletal and chronic health conditions. The two most common barriers to physical activity were lack of time and physical limitations. Applying cumulative risk assessment and risk-based decision-making frameworks, we suggest that preventive health management opportunities can be improved for this transient community of workers through actions of employers, truck stop owners and their communities. Considering cumulative risk assessment and risk-based decision making in research design can facilitate holistic research considering co-exposures, risk factors and mitigators across multiple domains of health to inform worker protection.

Analysis of current status and influencing factors of inflammatory factors among electrical workers in Hainan province

Objective: To analyze the level and influence factors of inflammatory factors among electrical workers in Hainan Province. Methods: A total of 509 electrical workers were selected as the research subjects with random cluster sampling in September 2020. Basic information was collected by questionnaire, the serum IL-6, IL-8 and TNF-α levels of the subjects were detected by Luminex.Mann-Whitney U test and Kruskal-wallis H test were used for univariate analysis. Ordinal logistic regression analysis was used for potential influencing factors of the level of inflammatory factors. Results: The median concentrations of IL-6, IL-8 and TNF-α in serum were 2.78, 9.77 and 8.18 pg/ml. Compared with women, male was a risk factor for the increase of IL-6 levels (OR=1.80, 95%CI: 1.08~3.00, P=0.024) . Compared with 51-60 years old, 21-31 years old (OR=0.27, 95%CI: 0.18~0.42, P<0.001) , 31-41 years old (OR=0.27, 95%CI: 0.17~0.43, P<0.001) and 41-51 years old (OR=0.64, 95%CI: 0.41~0.99, P=0.043) were protective factors for the increase of IL-8 level. Compared with day shift workers, shift work was a risk factor for the increase of IL-8 level (OR=1.73, 95%CI: 1.21~2.48, P=0.003) . Compared with women, male was a risk factor for the increase of TNF-α levels (OR=2.87, 95%CI: 1.70~4.86, P<0.001) . Compared with workers who exposed to 7 or more occupational hazard factors, exposed to 1~3 (OR=0.53, 95%CI: 0.30~0.92, P=0.024) occupational hazard factors were protective factors for the increase of TNF-α levels. Conclusion: The level of inflammatory factors was related to sex, age, work system and occupational environment, which can provide basic data for follow-up research on occupational population.

Psychological health correlation of express delivery workers' occupational stress in the information logistics environment.

With the promotion of the Internet of Things technology, more and more industries have begun to combine with the Internet of Things technology. After joining the WTO, China’s market economy has continued to deepen. During this period, the e-commerce industry has developed rapidly, which has promoted the rise of the express delivery industry. While the rise of the industry provides jobs for employees, it also brings enormous pressure to employees. Due to the occupational stress of various stressors in the express delivery industry, a series of psychological problems have been caused. “Occupational stress” is also called occupational stress, which refers to the physiological and psychological stress caused by the imbalance between objective needs and personal adaptability in a certain occupational environment. The purpose of this paper is to conduct a correlation study on the psychological health of express delivery workers’ occupational stress in the information logistics environment. It is expected to explore the relationship between occupational stress and mental health of couriers in the context of informatization, so as to provide employees with a better working environment and reduce personal stress. Logistics informatization means that logistics enterprises use modern information technology to collect, classify, transmit, summarize, identify, track, and query all or part of the information generated in the logistics process, so as to realize the control of the flow of goods. This paper analyzed the inventory of express companies, and reasonably analyzed the profit composition of the inventory link, then used a more reasonable time series seasonal coefficient method to predict the amount of incoming shipments. This paper used a combination of theoretical and empirical methods to discuss the psychological health and occupational stress of express delivery workers and to explore the relationship between the two. The experiment results of this paper showed that in the interpersonal sensitivity analysis, the coefficient of occupational stress is 0.052, and the degree of occupational stress is proportional to interpersonal sensitivity. The higher the occupational stress, the higher the interpersonal sensitivity index. The coefficient of occupational stress is-0.31. Occupational stress is inversely proportional to age. The older the age, the lower the interpersonal sensitivity index.

Effect of balcony forms difference on indoor thermal environment and energy saving performance of multiple-dwelling house

By optimizing the design of the building envelope, it is possible to create a more comfortable and energy-efficient indoor environment for the occupants. However, due to environmental issues in high-density cities, open balconies might affect the health of occupants. The current research focuses on the effect of a single balcony form in different climates, which could be detrimental to the diversity of balcony designs. Therefore, it is necessary to re-examine the rationality of traditional Japanese open balconies in terms of building envelope design and living environment to optimize the indoor thermal environment and reduce the energy consumption of dwellings. Focusing on Kitakyushu, Japan, which is in a warm climate, this paper conducts a comprehensive comparative study of the effects of building envelope design for residential buildings, including balcony form, thermal insulation performance, room orientation, and the window-to-wall ratio of balcony facades. The results of the study indicate that 1) the closed balcony design is strongly applicable to houses in warm climate regions in winter; 2) closed balconies facing south have a more positive impact on the indoor thermal environment, and energy-saving performance than open balconies; 3) even closed balconies without insulation could achieve higher thermal environment gains than open balconies with insulation. Designing a special type of closed balcony for residences in winter is more energy-efficient than insulation. This study proposes architectural envelope designs that are adapted to specific environmental and climatic conditions. It contributes to providing residential designers with a measure of how to provide a comfortable residential thermal environment and energy efficiency for occupants through architectural envelope design.

Association between occupational exposure to chemical or physical factors and sleep disturbance: An analysis of the fifth Korean Working Conditions Survey

ObjectiveA range of risk factors in occupational environments can negatively affect the sleep of workers. Although psychosocial factors have been emphasized in various studies, few have reported on the relationship between physical or chemical exposure in the workplace and sleep disturbances. Thus, this study aimed to investigate the relationship between occupational exposure to physical or chemical factors and sleep disturbances. DesignCross-sectional study. SettingData from the fifth Korean Working Conditions Survey (KWCS). ParticipantsThe target population of the fifth KWCS was economically active individuals aged 15 years or older in all Korean households in 2017, resulting in a total study population of 50,176 participants. After excluding the unemployed, full-time students, homemakers, and the retired, 36,996 employees were included in the current study. MeasurementsExposure to occupational physical or chemical risk factors was assessed by multiplying the exposure scales of physical or chemical risk factors and weekly working hours. Sleep disturbance was estimated using the Minimal Insomnia Symptom Scale. ResultsIn the fully adjusted logistic regression model, exposure to the following risk factors was positively associated with sleep disturbance: vibration (odds ratio [OR], 1.74)); noise (OR, 2.28); high temperatures (OR, 2.43); low temperatures (OR, 2.51); smoke, fume, and dust (OR, 2.12); vapors of solvents or thinners (OR, 3.78); chemical substances (OR, 3.78); and environmental smoking (OR, 5.03). ConclusionsThe results of this study provide evidence of a relationship between occupational exposure to physical or chemical factors and sleep disturbances.

What Are Some Physical Factors in Occupational Environment Associated With Coronary Heart Disease?

What Are Some Physical Factors in Occupational Environment Associated With Coronary Heart Disease?

ВКЛАД МЕДИЦИНЫ ТРУДА В ПРОФИЛАКТИКУ ПАГУБНОГО УПОТРЕБЛЕНИЯ АЛКОГОЛЯ

Abstract. Introduction. The European Mental Health Action Plan, approved by the World Health Organization in 2013, outlines the objectives of the strategy for reducing harmful alcohol use, including reducing harmful effects and reducing alcohol-associated mortality. The implementation of the set goals will make it possible to improve the health, quality of life and increase the working capacity of population. Аim. Тo assess the involvement of occupational medicine in the prevention of harmful alcohol use. Material and methods. Аnalytical review of the current scientific databases for the period from 2004 to 2022 was carried out. Results and discussion. Тhe analysis of 32 data’s, including reviews and current legislative acts, which reflect the provisions on the state of mental health in connection with the occupational environment, the job-place conditions and the influence of harmful working factors on the health of workers, including data related to the harmful use of alcohol. Conclusion. Тo identify such a behavioral risk factor as «harmful alcohol consumption» (or consumption with harmful consequences), encoded by F10.1 in the International Classification of Diseases of the 10th revision, it is necessary to include in the list of mandatory, if a psychiatrist detects suspicion of alcohol abuse during a periodic medical examination, studies on the concentration of carbohydrate deficient transferrin - a marker of alcohol abuse.

Allergy Diagnostics 2021

Allergic diseases are among the most common diseases worldwide. For appropriate management knowledge of the allergy trigger is crucial. The clinical picture of allergic diseases is diverse and correct diagnosis is often a challenge. The allergist needs to distinguish intolerances from allergies and infectious diseases from non-infectious triggers. Test results have to be interpreted accordingly to differentiate sensitizations from allergies. In this review current state of the art diagnostic measures to diagnose type I and type IV allergies are described and discussed.Immediate type allergies such as allergic rhinoconjunctivitis, asthma and anaphylaxis are mediated by allergen-specific IgE antibodies detectable both in serum and tissue. Typical triggers are pollen, mites, animal epithelia, food, insect toxins and pharmaceuticals. In everyday practice, diagnostics are based on three complementary pillars: the allergy-specific anamnesis as a prerequisite of correct interpretation of subsequent diagnostic tests like skin testing and serological immunoglobulin detection. These can be supplemented as required and available by provocation tests to prove clinical reactivity and cellular assays to demonstrate the cellular immune response.Type IV allergic reactions are mediated by T cells causing contact allergy with a local eczematous reaction with a latency of several hours to days. Some 3,500 triggers, often from occupational environment, are known; e. g., nickel, chromium, cobalt, fragrances, rubber, plastics, preservatives, dyes, neomycin, benzocaine, sulfonamides, quinidine, wool wax, perubalsam, eye therapeutics, light filter substances, disinfectants, pesticides, technical oils or plants. Diagnosis of contact allergy combines the history of cutaneous exposure with associated symptoms and patch testing, with detection of a late phase clinical reaction after 6 to 48, up to a maximum of 96 hours after antigen contact.

An Occupational Source of Racial Inequality: The Roles of Conscientiousness and Education

The literature on racism in the workplace has shed much light on the impact of racial discrimination on career outcomes, especially with respect to psychological processes (e.g., biases, attributions, perceptions, and decision-making). However, there has been relatively little research on the role of the occupational environment in racial inequality. Because the focus of most previous studies has been on income or types of occupations, a comprehensive understanding of the occupational contexts associated with racism has remained elusive. We argue that certain occupations tend to confer significant systemic, and often implicit, advantages and that racial minorities have less access to occupations with high privilege. Invoking the theory of work adjustment, status process theory, and racial stereotyping, we theorize that the socially desirable occupational characteristics of status, recognition, authority, and advancement constitute occupational privilege and are distributed unevenly across racial groups. Furthermore, we propose that occupational privilege serves to create racial disparities in extrinsic and intrinsic career outcomes. Finally, it was argued that educational level and conscientiousness, two robust predictors of career outcomes, are positively associated with occupational privilege but that the positive associations are weaker for members of racial minorities than for the racial majority owing to negative racial stereotypes. We tested these hypotheses with a large (N = 4,445) longitudinal sample created from two comprehensive datasets collected over 20 years. Results of multi-level regression supported our hypotheses. Thus, our research demonstrates that occupational privilege is a fundamental aspect of racism in the workplace.

Health-Related Quality of Life in Adults with Cystic Fibrosis: Familial, Occupational, Social, and Mental Health Predictors.

Background: Cystic Fibrosis (CF) adult patients experience daily physical symptoms and disabilities that may impact their quality of life and mental health. Methods: This prospective study aimed to evaluate the relative contribution of the familial, occupational, and social environment, besides that of the main physical and mental health factors, to the quality of life of CF adult patients using the Cystic Fibrosis Questionnaire-Revised (CFQ-R) in a multivariate model. Results: Fifty patients were analyzed (70% of men; median age of 25 years; median body mass index of 21 kg/m²; median FEV1 of 57%). Anxiety and depression scores were negatively associated with 9 of the 12 CFQ-R domains. When controlling for anxiety and depression, FEV1% and BMI were significant positive predictors of several domains of the CFQ-R. All the familial, occupational, and social components analyzed but one (professional training) were predictors of at least one domain of the CFQ-R. Conclusion: Anxiety and depression explained a greater proportion of the variance than physical variables (age, sex, BMI, FEV1%, and exacerbation in the last year) in CF HRQoL. Many familial, occupational, and social components were also specifically and independently predictors of some HRQoL domains. Their screening might help identifying CF patients eligible for specific interventions, focusing on the impaired QoL dimensions.

Relationship between self-reported hearing impairment and occupational exposure to aggressive agents in workers

The goal of this study was to estimate the relationship between self-reported hearing impairment and occupational exposure to too aggressive agents in Mosul workers. This is an analytical cross-sectional study was conducted in out-patient of Ibn Sina Teaching Hospital in City of Mosul, Iraq. Data collection: data were categorized into two parts; part one included information related to workers' socio-demographic characteristics like (age, gender, duration of working, work Environment, and specific diseases like hypertension). Part two included a hearing assessment. A Self-reported questionnaire (HHIE) which was developed by Ventry and Weinstein and its scores were classified based on American Speech-Language-Hearing Association (ASHA) draft guidelines, was used in the present study. A total of 500 workers participated in this study. The largest proportion of the sample was composed of men (63.7%). Regarding the occupational environment, 62 % of workers had between 0 and 4 years of work, followed by individuals with ten years or more (28%). In addition, there was a higher prevalence of closed work environments (50.5%). Among the most prevalent occupational exposures, 30.5% were exposed to noise, followed by chemical substances (17.3%) and industrial dust (8.2%). Difficulty hearing was reported by 8.2 % of participants.

Relationship between self-reported hearing impairment and occupational exposure to aggressive agents in workers

The goal of this study was to estimate the relationship between self-reported hearing impairment and occupational exposure to too aggressive agents in Mosul workers. This is an analytical cross-sectional study was conducted in out-patient of Ibn Sina Teaching Hospital in City of Mosul, Iraq. Data collection: data were categorized into two parts; part one included information related to workers' socio-demographic characteristics like (age, gender, duration of working, work Environment, and specific diseases like hypertension). Part two included a hearing assessment. A Self-reported questionnaire (HHIE) which was developed by Ventry and Weinstein and its scores were classified based on American Speech-Language-Hearing Association (ASHA) draft guidelines, was used in the present study. A total of 500 workers participated in this study. The largest proportion of the sample was composed of men (63.7%). Regarding the occupational environment, 62 % of workers had between 0 and 4 years of work, followed by individuals with ten years or more (28%). In addition, there was a higher prevalence of closed work environments (50.5%). Among the most prevalent occupational exposures, 30.5% were exposed to noise, followed by chemical substances (17.3%) and industrial dust (8.2%). Difficulty hearing was reported by 8.2 % of participants.