Occupational Health Department Research Articles

Performance Analysis of the Behavior Based Safety Program in Reducing Occupational Accident Rates

Introduction: PT. X is a company that concentrates on the agricultural sector by producing ammonia and urea fertilizers. Occupational accidents at PT.X are reported and recorded by the Department of Occupational Health and Safety, one of which is a form of monitoring the performance of the BBS program at PT. X. The research objective was to determine the performance of the Behavior-Based Safety (BBS) program in reducing occupational accidents due to unsafe actions at PT.X. Methods: This study is an observational study. Determination and sampling in this study used accidental sampling technique for safety officers as many as 5 respondents, while the cluster sampling technique was used for the workforce of 95 respondents. The data analysis method used was descriptive semi-quantitative. Results: The results showed the fulfillment of the criteria and maturity level of behavior-based safety at PT. X, In general, PT X was already at level 4, namely "High Performing" with an average of 3.5. Meanwhile, the work accident rate analysis using the Safe T-score of PT. X was in the category between +2.0 and -2.0, meaning that the number of occupational accidents at PT. X after implementing behavior-based safety did not experience any significant changes. Conclusion: The performance of the behavior-based safety (BBS) program in reducing occupational accidents due to unsafe actions at PT. X in 2019 was effective even though the maturity level of the application of BBS was still not at the high performance level criteria on all criteria, and there was still no significant change in the reduction of the number of occupational accidents.

Prediction of construction accident outcomes based on an imbalanced dataset through integrated resampling techniques and machine learning methods

PurposeCentral to the entire discipline of construction safety management is the concept of construction accidents. Although distinctive progress has been made in safety management applications over the last decades, construction industry still accounts for a considerable percentage of all workplace fatalities across the world. This study aims to predict occupational accident outcomes based on national data using machine learning (ML) methods coupled with several resampling strategies.Design/methodology/approachOccupational accident dataset recorded in Turkey was collected. To deal with the class imbalance issue between the number of nonfatal and fatal accidents, the dataset was pre-processed with random under-sampling (RUS), random over-sampling (ROS) and synthetic minority over-sampling technique (SMOTE). In addition, random forest (RF), Naïve Bayes (NB), K-Nearest neighbor (KNN) and artificial neural networks (ANNs) were employed as ML methods to predict accident outcomes.FindingsThe results highlighted that the RF outperformed other methods when the dataset was preprocessed with RUS. The permutation importance results obtained through the RF exhibited that the number of past accidents in the company, worker's age, material used, number of workers in the company, accident year, and time of the accident were the most significant attributes.Practical implicationsThe proposed framework can be used in construction sites on a monthly-basis to detect workers who have a high probability to experience fatal accidents, which can be a valuable decision-making input for safety professionals to reduce the number of fatal accidents.Social implicationsPractitioners and occupational health and safety (OHS) departments of construction firms can focus on the most important attributes identified by analysis results to enhance the workers' quality of life and well-being.Originality/valueThe literature on accident outcome predictions is limited in terms of dealing with imbalanced dataset through integrated resampling techniques and ML methods in the construction safety domain. A novel utilization plan was proposed and enhanced by the analysis results.

The Compliance Status of Chemical Management among Industries in Malaysia: The USECHH after 20 years

Chemical management plays an important role in the protection of human health and environment. Malaysia through the Department of Occupational Safety and Health (DOSH) developed chemical related legislations under the Occupational Safety and Health Act (OSHA) 1994 upon tripartite and stakeholder consultation. Effective law enforcement by DOSH is important to ensure compliance to occupational health legislations in order to meet the objectives of OSHA 1994. This paper presents the status of chemical management compliance in Malaysia pertaining to compliance to the Occupational Safety and Health (Use and Standards of Exposure of Chemicals Hazardous to Health) (USECHH) Regulations 2000 among the industries in various economic sectors twenty years after its inception. This paper proposes four steps for investigating the compliance status. The four steps are overview of chemical legislations, enforcement strategies, data analysis and recommendations. There was a total of 9712 workplaces inspected by DOSH officers during the enforcement activities. About 54% workplaces received satisfactory grades while 46% were non satisfactory. USECHH operations for the last five years (2016-2020) revealed that 70% of the total workplaces inspected received satisfactory compliance while another 30% potrayed otherwise. These positive results show significant improvement in the status of compliance of chemical management as compared to the beginning of its introduction in year 2000 where majority of the grades are unsatisfactory. Analysis of each elements found that the worst compliance comes from elements such as medical surveillance, health surveillance, exposure monitoring and chemical health risk assessment The research also prescribes strategies and methods taken by DOSH Malaysia in ensuring chemical management compliance at the workplace. This paper shows an insight of chemical management in Malaysia briefly and provides suggestions and recommendations, measures and outcomes of enforcement. Future measures to be taken by DOSH is also suggested to boost compliance.

Evaluation of a pilot consultation for maternity protection at work in Switzerland.

Switzerland's Labour Law and its Ordonnance on Maternity Protection aim to protect the health of pregnant employees and their unborn children while enabling them to continue to pursue their professional activities. Some companies encounter difficulties implementing the law's provisions. The Department of Occupational and Environmental Health, part of the Center for Primary Care and Public Health (Unisanté), has provided specialist occupational medicine consultations for pregnant employees since 2015. This study aimed to evaluate how well Swiss' maternity protection legislation is implemented by examining a list of relevant indicators measured during the occupational health consultation. The study also sought to investigate the consultation support provided to the relevant stakeholders and the adjustments made to pregnant employees' working conditions. Descriptive variables and indicators relative to the application of the Swiss maternity protection legislation for 83 pregnant employees were collected during the consultation's pilot phase (between 2015 and 2016). Descriptive statistics and cross-analyses of these indicators were made. Most pregnant employees faced multiple exposures to occupational risks. Preventive risk analyses were rare. Few adjustments to workstations were proposed. We found a tendency for employees to leave their workstations early on in their pregnancies due to sick leave certificate prescriptions. Specialist consultation and collaboration with occupational health physicians to recommend interventions for pregnant employees can provide significant benefits and help some pregnant women to continue at their workstations with appropriate adjustments. A specialised occupational health consultation is a useful instrument for identifying occupational hazards for both the pregnant woman and her unborn child. It is also an opportunity to explain employers' legal responsibilities and obligations to safeguard the health of their pregnant employees and to give specific advice for their company's situation. This consultation also enables employers to maintain their employees' valuable professional competencies in the workplace for as long as possible. Finally, occupational health consultation helps and supports healthcare providers who must, according to the law, make decisions about whether pregnant employees can continue working safely or not.

Health risk assessment of inhalation exposure to dry fogging of hydrogen peroxide in a dental clinic during the COVID-19 pandemic.

After the outbreak of COVID-19, many dental clinics use dry fogging of hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) to disinfect the air and surfaces. Inhalation of highly concentrated solutions of H2O2 may cause severe respiratory problems. This study aimed to estimate the health risk assessments of inhalation exposure to dry fogging of H2O2 in a dental clinic. This cross-sectional, descriptive-analytical study was performed to determine the inhalation exposure and health risk of 9 dental clinic staff with H2O2 in six rooms. Occupational exposure to H2O2 was assessed using the OSHA VI-6 method and a personal pump with the flow rate of 500 mL/min connected to the midget fritted-glass impinger containing 15 mL of TiOSO4 collecting solution. The health effects of H2O2 exposure were assessed using a respiratory symptoms questionnaire. The health risk assessment of inhaled exposure to H2O2 was also performed using the method provided by the Singapore occupational health department. The mean respiratory exposure of clinic staff to H2O2 was ranged from 1.3 to 2.83 ppm for six rooms which was above the limits recommended by international organizations. Dyspnea (44.4%), cough (33.3%), and nasal burning (22.2%) were the most prevalent health problems. The results also showed a medium risk for endodontics and surgery, and lower risk for periodontics, restorative care, orthodontics, and prosthetics. The results of this study indicate that when using an automated hydrogen peroxide–vapor fogger, calculating the spraying time based on room volume and using the rooms after 30 min of fogging is very important and can greatly reduce the risk ranking.

ANALISI RISIKO KESEHATAN PAJANAN BENZENE PADA PEKERJA DI LABORATORIUM PT X

The laboratory is a work area that has various kinds of hazards, such as benzene exposure which has a health risk for workers. This study aims to analyze the health risks caused by benzene exposure to workers in the PT X laboratory. This study used a cross-sectional design with a descriptive approach which was carried out in the Liquefied Natural Gas testing laboratory of PT X. The study used the Chemical Health Risk Assessment (CHRA) Department of Occupational Safety and Health (DOSH)Malaysia method. 3 workers have a moderate level of risk and 1 worker has a high level of risk, where high exposure can cause carcinogenic effects. The air ventilation sistem as a risk control does not function optimally. The level of risk of benzene exposure to workers through inhalation is at moderate and high levels. It is necessary to improve the air ventilation sistem to reduce the exposure to the dangers of benzene in workers.  Keywords        : Health Risk Analysis, Benzene, Laboratory

Economic Costs of Violence Against Women and Girls in Low- and Middle-Income Countries: A Pilot Study on Management's Outlook.

Background:In low and middle-income countries (LMICs), violence against women and girls (VAWG) is rampant, primarily due to patriarchy. However, there is little understanding of its ripple effect in the workplace in LMICs. While recent studies in LMICs have attempted to understand the effects of VAWG on productivity using data collected from colleagues, survivors, or perpetrators, there is limited research on the employers’ perspective of the impact of VAWG on productivity.Methods:A survey, developed by the investigators, based on previous research in Peru and Vietnam, was administered to 74 senior management executives in Ghana, Pakistan, and South Sudan. Based on female employees’ absenteeism, tardiness, and presenteeism, this study provides the management’s perspective on the invisible costs of VAWG.Findings:The results show that 25% and 36% of senior executives have witnessed intimate partner violence and non-partner sexual violence, respectively, against their female colleagues. One (32%) in three managers also acknowledged the impact of VAWG on productivity and day-to-day operations.Conclusions:This study provides evidence that there is a need for the development of employee assistance programs (EAPs) in LMICs. Due to significant increase in employees’ productivity in the absence of VAWG, investing in occupational health services needs to be viewed as an investment, not cost. As many international companies in developed countries do business in LMICs, their occupational health departments need to be more aware of VAWG. Occupational health practitioners can assist in the needs assessment for EAPs as well as provide appropriate referrals and counseling to impacted employees.

An Assessment of Indoor Air Quality (IAQ) in Foundry Laboratory

Abstract Indoor Air Quality (IAQ) is an important element for a healthy working environment. Working in poor IAQ can lead to sick building syndrome (SBS) with symptoms and troublesome to concentrate in delivering the task. In this study, a preliminary IAQ investigation was carried out at a teaching foundry facility of a higher learning institution in Malaysia. The foundry processes are known to discharge pollutants and gasses. Therefore, this assessment was used to investigate the existence of harmful gasses including Carbon Dioxide (CO2), Carbon Monoxide (CO), particulate matter (PM), and Volatile Organic Compound (VOC) throughout the complete foundry process cycle. An advanced environmental monitor kit was used to monitor the air quality at three different locations within the foundry space to get a good distribution of data. The results reveal that only CO2 and PM10 traces were detected with the reading is still within the allowable range based on guidelines from the Department of Occupational Safety and Health (DOSH), Malaysia. As for thermal comfort result, the Temperature and Relative Humidity (RH) was found to exceeds the benchmark value. Therefore, a more comprehensive and detail thermal comfort study should be conducted to validate the current finding and an appropriate mitigation strategy must be put in place to ensure the thermal comfort of the occupants during the teaching and learning process in the foundry can be improved.

Do Autistic Traits Correlate with Post-Traumatic Stress and Mood Spectrum Symptoms among Workers Complaining of Occupational Stress?

The adult autism subthreshold spectrum model appears to be a useful tool for detecting possible vulnerability factors in order to develop mental disorders in the contest of work-related stress. The aim of the present study is to analyze the relationship between autism, mood, and post-traumatic spectrum in a cohort of subjects complaining of work-related stress before the COVID-19 pandemic. The authors carried out a retrospective investigation of both medical records and self-assessment tools of a sample of subjects evaluated at the Occupational Health Department of a University hospital in central Italy. Data showed significant correlations between the AdAS spectrum, TALS-SR, and MOODS total and domain scores. A multiple linear regression evidenced that both the AdAS spectrum and TAL-SR significantly predict the MOODS scores. In particular, mediation analysis showed both a direct and indirect, mediated by TALS-SR, effect of the AdAS Spectrum on the MOODS-SR. These results corroborate the role of autistic traits in influencing the traumatic impact of work-related stress and the development of mood spectrum symptoms.

Evaluation of prevention behaviour and its influencing factors with respect to cancer screening

PurposeEvery year, about 4.6 million people are diagnosed with cancer in Europe. However, based on preclinical changes and using appropriate examination procedures certain cancers can be detected in symptom-free patients at an early stage and treatment initiated.In Germany, various cancer screening examinations are currently offered to the relevant age groups and sexes free of charge. Participation rates are affected by a number of factors and barriers. The study aimed at identifying potential obstacles and barriers to uptake, taking into account demographic and socio-economic variables.Materials and methodsData collection was conducted in the context of routine examination appointments at the City of Kiel Occupational Health Department from September 2013 to September 2014 using an anonymised questionnaire. In addition to recording socio-demographic data and tobacco consumption, the questionnaire also catalogued participation in statutory health insurance cancer screening examinations using the “stages of change” from the Transtheoretical Model. Eight potential barriers to participation were recorded.ResultsThe results are based on 718 completed questionnaires. It was found that women, older age, and non-smoking status were associated with a higher probability of participating in cancer screening. It was also found that various barriers affecting (regular) participation were perceived significantly different according to the individual stages of change. This influence of the stages was moderated by gender.ConclusionThe results showed interesting trends in the different barriers and how they are influenced by socioeconomic factors and the stages of change. Especially the stages require different gender-specific approaches to mobilisation for cancer screening.

SARS-CoV2 hospital surveillance and control system with contact tracing for patients and health care workers at a large reference hospital in Spain during the first wave: An observational descriptive study.

Background and AimsDuring the first peak of the COVID‐19 pandemic, the Preventive Medicine Department and the Occupational Health Department at Hospital Clinic de Barcelona (HCB), a large Spanish referral hospital, developed an innovative comprehensive SARS‐CoV2 Surveillance and Control System (CoSy‐19) in order to preserve patients' and health care workers' (HCWs) safety. We aim to describe the CoSy‐19 and to assess the impact in the number of contacts that new cases generated along this time.MethodsObservational descriptive study of the findings of the activity of contact tracing of all cases received at the HCB during the first peak of COVID‐19 in Spain (February 25th‐May 3rd, 2020).ResultsA team of 204 professionals and volunteers performed 384 in‐hospital contact‐tracing studies which generated contacts, detecting 298 transmission chains which suggested preventive measures, generated around 22 000 follow‐ups and more than 30 000 days of work leave. The number of contacts that new cases generated decreased during the study period.ConclusionCoordination between Preventive Medicine and Occupational Health departments and agile information systems were necessary to preserve non‐COVID activity and workers safety.

A review on supervised machine learning for accident risk analysis: Challenges in Malaysia

AbstractThe new Fourth Industrial Revolution (IR 4.0) trend is driven by the concept of automation and artificial intelligence (AI). However, Malaysia is slightly behind Singapore in terms of adopting AI innovation among ASEAN countries. This paper aims to conduct a literature review of machine learning to overcome subjectivity and bias in risk ranking decision‐making. An introduction to machine learning concerning accident risk analysis is presented, and the challenges of its application in Malaysia are discussed. Existing machine learning features were evaluated to identify the feasible application in industrial accident analysis and ensure safety decision‐making consistency. This review observed how the IR 4.0 approaches were used in the risk analysis, especially on supervised machine learning. This study also highlights the finding from the previous works on challenges in utilizing supervised machine learning, which is the need to have publicly accessible large database from industries and agencies such as the Department of Occupational Safety and Health (DOSH) Malaysia for the development of algorithms, which can potentially improve accident risk analysis and safety, especially for Malaysian industries.

COVID-19 Waste Management Strategy: Hamad Medical Corporation Experience

Background: As the number of coronavirus disease (COVID-19) patients has rapidly increased around the world, the World Health Organization (WHO) declared the COVID-19 outbreak as a global pandemic in March 2020.1 The pandemic created a global crisis affecting all countries, business sectors, and citizens around the world in their everyday lives.2 Qatar's national policies and strategies focus on protecting the lives and the recovery of livelihoods. In line with this and to minimize the adverse impact on people's health and the environment, all types of wastes needed to be properly managed 3, especially at the time of a pandemic when everything might be contaminated. Methods: The Environmental Safety Section (ESS) under the Occupational Health and Safety (OHS) Department conducted a series of meetings with Hamad Medical Corporation (HMC) waste contractor and concerned departments to discuss the proper management of COVID-19 wastes generated from isolation and quarantine facilities. ESS staff provided training for nursing and housekeeping staff on the proper COVID-19 waste management from segregation, packaging, labeling, collection, and transport, and to strictly implement the System-Wide Incident Command Center (SWICC) memo.3Results: There was an increase in COVID-19 wastes from March to May 2020, with the highest amount recorded in the month of May as shown in Figure 1 due to the increase in COVID-19 patients, new COVID-19 facilities, improper segregation, and lack of training for the new staff and contractors. Conclusion: ESS-OHS collaborated with the COVID-19 management facilities for the proper waste collection and transportation. All applied strategies were effective and helped gradually to reduce the waste generated starting from August 2020.

Sarampo: protocolo de atuação num Hospital Português

Introduction Measles is a highly contagious infectious disease caused by a paramyxovirus. In the last six decades, the promotion of vaccination against this disease has drastically reduced its incidence. Despite this, in 2016, around seven million new infections were diagnosed. Since healthcare workers have an increased risk of infection, the promotion of vaccination by the Occupational Health Services represents one of the main strategies to consolidate the eradication of this pathology in Portugal. Objectives Review the clinical aspects and prevention measures of Measles with a focus on vaccination and present post-exposure prophylaxis measures for healthcare workers in a Portuguese hospital. Methodology It was performed a literature search about the clinical and preventive aspects of Measles using the main guidelines of organizations, such as the Direção-Geral da Saúde and Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, and through identification of scientific articles on PubMed/MEDLINE databases. Results/Discussion This infection has an incubation period that can last between seven to twenty-one days, and it’s followed by the prodromal, exanthematic, and recovery phases. Infected patients are contagious four days before and four days after the rash appears. The diagnosis is based on clinical, laboratory and epidemiological criteria. A confirmed case of Measles must meet clinical and laboratory criteria. The treatment is based on supportive care, to prevent dehydration. Vaccination is the best preventive measure against this disease. All healthcare workers without a credible history of Measles should have two vaccine doses. In an outbreak context, exposed workers must be identified and the Occupational Health Departments must apply appropriate post-exposure prophylaxis measures, as well as define which employees require work avoidance and for how long. Conclusion The existence of well-defined action plans for healthcare workers who had contact with infected patients is essential to minimize the occurrence of intra-hospital transmission chains and the subsequent infection of people at higher risk of complications from the disease. The presented protocol allows acting clearly and concisely when dealing with a suspected or confirmed Measles case and its contacts and provides a succinct review of the clinical, therapeutic and preventive data of this pathology. Keywords: Measles; Measles vaccine; Vaccination; Outbreak; Prevention; Occupational Health.

Psychological Distress Among Occupational Health Professionals During Coronavirus Disease 2019 Pandemic in Spain: Description and Effect of Work Engagement and Work Environment.

The impact of the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic on the mental health of hospital health professionals has been widely described, but few studies have focused on occupational health professionals. Therefore, the objective of this study was to assess psychological distress (PD) of occupational health workers and its relationship with their work engagement (WE) and work environment characteristics. A cross-sectional survey was conducted. A sample of 499 nurses and physicians participated in the study. Variables included demographic data, work environment characteristics, work engagement Utrecht Work Engagement Scale (UWES-9) and psychological distress General Health Questionnaire (GHQ-12). The Chi-square Automatic Interaction Detection method was performed for data analysis. Data collection took place via the internet between April 23 and June 24, 2020. A total of 65.53% of the participants had PD, and the total mean score of the UWES-9 scale was 34.80 (SD = 10.69). Workload, conflicts, stressful situations, and less job satisfaction were significantly related to a higher percentage of PD (p < 0.05). Participants with low engagement showed higher levels of PD (76.7%; p < 0.001). The dedication was revealed as the most significant dimension. Interventions aimed at promoting resilience and coping strategies are suggested. WE should be fostered as a preventive measure against PD among occupational health workers. By protecting workers, occupational health departments have a shared responsibility with public health in containing the pandemic. Therefore, it is essential to prevent the psychological impact that this responsibility may have on occupational health workers by implementing prevention measures.

DYNAMIC SAFETY INTERACTIONS FOR IMPROVING QUALITY OF WORK LIFE: A PROPOSED CONCEPTUAL FRAMEWORK FOR ENGINEERS IN MANUFACTURING INDUSTRIES

In Malaysia's manufacturing industry, workplace accidents and injuries are a big problem. This industry has made only minor progress in terms of reducing fatalities and significant injuries. The fatal injury rate decreased marginally; however, the previous year's severe injury rate stayed unchanged. (Department of Occupational Safety and Health (DOSH), 2021). As a result, manufacturing safety continues to be a severe issue in Malaysia. The organisational nature of industrial accidents has been highlighted in safety literature, and empirical study has focused on determining the organisational, managerial, and environmental elements that influence accident causation. The majority of prior works have emphasised the concept of safety culture (or safety climate). Scholars have recently begun to look into additional organisational elements, such as the impact of organisational environment, leadership style, and occupational stressors on industrial accidents. This study presents a conceptual framework to investigate the interaction between safety climate and safety behaviour in Malaysia's manufacturing sector, with the goal of developing more effective safety interventions to reduce accidents.

A PRELIMINARY SURVEY ON SAFETY PRACTICES AT CONSTRUCTION SITE: TOWARDS SAFE ENVIRONMENT FOR PUBLIC

The construction industry is globally known as one of the most hazardous workplaces. Companies in the construction sector are undeniably often focused on completing projects on time, which results in tight work schedules and increases the risks of regular construction site activities, especially for the public who lives in the area. Inadequate rules and regulations in public safety and construction sites not practicing the safety practices to protect the public from harm are potential to cause public accidents to happen. Additionally, little improvement in safety practices at the construction sites and lack of awareness in implementing proper safety practices at a construction site could cause the increasing the rate of public accidents too. This study merely aims to explore the safety practices to be implemented at a construction site in a way to prevent public accidents from occurring. In order to achieve the aim, this study has two (2) objectives; 1: to determine the experience in handling accident cases involving the public at a construction site, and, objective 2: to explore the safety practices to be implemented at the construction site. For this preliminary survey, the qualitative research design was selected and the total number of five (5) professional individuals specialized in safety and health in construction sites were chosen as interviewees based on their experiences in handling public safety issues in construction sites. The results show the most recommended safety practices that need to be implemented which is barricade all entrances and exits of the construction site to prevent access from the public. This study provides good insights to the Department of Occupational Safety and Health (DOSH), National Institute of Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH), and Construction Industry Development Board (CIDB) in identifying the need for safety practices to prevent public accidents at the construction site in congested urban areas.

SARS-CoV-2 exposures among healthcare workers in New York City.

BackgroundSevere acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) has had a significant impact on hospitals, including the occupational health departments in charge of handling healthcare worker (HCW) staffing during high rates of exposure and infection of HCWs. HCWs who were exposed to a patient or community member infected with SARS-CoV-2 were required to isolate from work for a minimum of 14 days from the date of exposure.AimsThis study was aimed to assess the relative risk of SARS-CoV-2 infection following different types of workplace and community exposures.MethodsWe analyzed the details of workplace and community exposures of HCWs to SARS-CoV-2 at Montefiore Medical Center in New York between 22 June 2020 and 22 November 2020.ResultsOf 562 HCW SARS-CoV-2 exposures analyzed, 218 were from the community and 345 were from the workplace. Twenty-nine per cent of community exposures resulted in infection, which was significantly greater than workplace exposure infection (2%). Household community exposures resulted in a larger frequency of infection than non-household community exposures. Of the seven infections after workplace exposures, five had qualifying exposures to a co-worker and two were exposed to an infected patient during a non-aerosolized procedure.ConclusionsHCW exposure to SARS-CoV-2 continues to present staffing challenges to healthcare systems. Even with deviations from standard personal protective equipment protocol, workplace exposures resulted in low frequencies of infection. In our study, the primary source of HCW infection was exposure in the community. Our findings support investing in efforts to educate around continued masking and social distancing in the community in addition to interventions targeted at addressing vaccine hesitancy.

Drug and Chemical Poisoning Patterns in Makkah Region, Saudi Arabia.

This research reveals that drugs and chemicals poisoning have been reported to have severe and fetal side effects on health provided by doctors in statistics and periodical records. This work aimed to explore the interaction among drug and chemical poisoning patterns concerning risk factors, especially gender, age, exposure circumstances, and outcomes in the Makkah region. A retrospective analysis was of clinical drug and chemical poisoning cases (2014-2015). The data were retrieved from the Department of Environmental and Occupational Health, Ministry of Health, Makkah, Saudi Arabia. The Saudi Arabia Ministry of Health received 1216 reports of drug and chemical poisoning during 2014-2015 in Makkah. This study has found that, the most affected gender was that of males (65%). The most affected age category with drug poisoning was over 15 years old (67%), but under 5 years for chemical poisoning (60%). The majority of drug poisoning cases are unknown drugs (42%), which accidental poisoning was a minority compared with other drug causes (27%). Chemical poisoning accidents were the majority causes of the recorded cases (63%). We reported healthy recovered without complications for most patients from drug and chemical poisoning (85-95%). Antidotes were administered in only (5%) of cases, and fatalities were reported (0.5% of cases). We have shown a flagrant increase in the number of people poisoned by drugs and chemical agents during 2015. Increases poisoning cases involved both genders and all studied age categories, especially males over 15 years up to 25 (drugs) and < 5 years (chemicals). Most cases were accidental (chemicals) and reported healthy recovery for most patients.

SARS-CoV-2 infection prevalence in healthcare workers and administrative and support staff: The first-wave experience at three academic hospitals in the Tshwane district of Gauteng Province, South Africa.

The availability of well and functional healthcare workers (HCWs) and support staff is pivotal to a country's ability to manage the COVID-19 pandemic effectively. While HCWs have been identified as being at increased risk for acquisition of SARS-CoV-2 infection, there is a paucity of data pertaining to South African (SA) HCW-related infection rates. Global and provincial disparities in these numbers necessitate local data in order to mitigate risks. To ascertain the overall SARS-CoV-2 infection rates and outcomes among all hospital staff at three hospitals in the Tshwane district of Gauteng Province, SA, and further determine associations with the development of severe COVID-19 disease. This retrospective audit was conducted across three academic hospitals in the Tshwane district for the period 1 June - 31 August 2020. Deidentified data from occupational health and safety departments at each hospital were used to calculate infection rates. A more detailed analysis at one of the three hospitals included evaluation of demographics, work description, possible source of SARS-CoV-2 exposure (community or hospital), comorbidities and outcomes. The period prevalence of SARS-CoV-2 infections ranged from 6.1% to 15.4% between the three hospitals, with the average period prevalence being 11.1%. The highest incidence of SARS-CoV-2 infections was observed among administrative staff (2.8 cases per 1 000 staff days), followed by nursing staff (2.7 cases per 1 000 staff days). Medical doctors had the lowest incidence of 1.1 cases per 1 000 staff days. SARS-CoV-2 infections were categorised as either possibly community or possibly healthcare facility acquired for 26.6% and 73.4% of the infections, respectively. The administrative group had the highest proportion of possible community-acquired infections (41.8%), while doctors had the lowest (6.1%). The mean age of individuals with mild and severe disease was 41 years and 46.1 years, respectively (p=0.004). The presence of comorbidities was significantly associated with severity of disease (p=0.002). This study highlights that hospital staff, including administrative staff, are clearly at high risk for acquisition of SARS-CoV-2 infection during a surge.