Occupational Health Research Research Articles

Getting a grip on guidelines: occupational contact dermatitis and urticaria

Evidence-based guideline development can be seen as one of the major recent developments in efforts to improve patient care, providing clinicians and patients with information on how to manage health problems appropriately in day-to-day practice.1 Active involvement of patients and the public in the research process is expected to lead to research which reflects their needs and views, and subsequently is likely to produce results that can be used to improve practice in health and social care.2 The British Occupational Health Research Foundation (BOHRF) is a charity which raises and deploys funds for occupational health research of practical value to reduce the enormous cost to employers and workers of work-related illnesses. In March 2010, the BOHRF launched evidence-based guidelines for the prevention, identification and management of occupational contact dermatitis and urticaria.3 The guideline development group comprised dermatologists, a GP, occupational physicians, occupational health nurses, safety professionals, employers, and trade union and patient representatives. Previously, the NHS Plus Occupational Health Clinical Effectiveness Unit at the Royal College of Physicians released evidence-based guidelines about latex allergy4 and dermatitis,5 particularly as they affected healthcare workers in 2008 and 2009 respectively. GPs face pressure to provide a mounting range of services and targets on behalf of their NHS patients. A total of 28.9 million people are employed in the UK,6 …

Basic protections are still lacking

As a scientific journal, OEM 's main mission is to build the evidence base for the science and practice of occupational and environmental health by publishing original research. My editorial...

Psychosocial working conditions and exhaustion in a working population sample of Swedish middle-aged men and women

Exhaustion is a concept of interest for both occupational health research and stress-disease theory research. The aim of the present study was to explore associations between chronic stressors, in terms of psychosocial working conditions, and exhaustion in a Swedish middle-aged population sample. A vocationally active population sample of the Malmö Shoulder and Neck Study cohort, comprising 2555 men and 2466 women between 45 and 64 years of age, was used. Psychosocial working conditions, assessed by means of the demand-control-support model, were measured longitudinally with a 1-year interval. Exhaustion was assessed by the SF-36 vitality scale and measured at follow-up, yielding a cross-sectional study design. Exhaustion was twice as common in women as in men. High psychological job demands, low job control and low job support were independently associated with exhaustion in both men and women. These associations remained after controlling for a variety of potential confounders and mediators, including socio-demographic factors, lifestyle factors, musculoskeletal pain, disease, other work-related factors (including physical workload) and non-work-related factors. High demands in combination with low control (job strain), and job strain combined with low job support (iso-strain), increased the risk for exhaustion. Psychosocial working conditions seem to contribute to exhaustion in middle-aged men and women. Future research should include exploration of exhaustion as a possible mediator between work stress and disease, as well as exploration of other chronic stressors, including non-work-related stressors, regarding their effects on exhaustion in men and women.

How Appreciated Do Wives Feel for the Housework They Do?

Objective. Sense of appreciation for the work one does contributes to subjective well-being and relational satisfaction, but few studies examine the factors that may affect levels of recognition for household labor. We formulate and test hypotheses based on the effort-reward imbalance model in occupational health research to investigate the extent to which married women feel that the work they do around the house is appreciated. Methods. We use data from a sample of married women from the 1987–1988 National Survey of Families and Households to test these hypotheses. Results. We find that wives' absolute time spent in housework and the share they do are both important in shaping their perception of appreciation for housework. Women who hold relatively liberal attitudes toward gender roles and those who have more options outside marriage are less likely to feel appreciated. Finally, wives who often share time with their husbands tend to report higher levels of gratitude for their work at home than those who do so rarely. Conclusions. This study suggests that the literature on psychological and relational outcomes of household labor should go beyond amounts and divisions of housework to include beliefs about roles, couples' dependency, and their relationship.

A Commentary on the Unique Developmental Considerations of Youth: Integrating the Teenage Cortex into the Occupational Health and Safety Context

This commentary responds to Sudhinaraset and Blum's article in this issue, and seeks to integrate a growing body of development research into existing occupational health and safety (OHS) research, policy and practice. We suggest that it is useful to distinguish between research questions regarding minimum age restrictions for hazardous tasks and jobs from research questions about the degree to which developmental factors contribute to elevated work injury risk for youth compared to adults. Epidemiological evidence indicates that known OHS risk factors adversely affect workers of all ages to a similar extent; a balanced approach is needed to integrate emerging developmental research with existing epidemiological research so that the abilities of young workers are not prejudged solely on the basis of age and brain maturation. Further, the heterogeneity of cognitive and self-regulatory functioning at any age suggests that architectural principles of Universal Design be employed in OHS training and hazard reduction.

Research Opportunities Using Administrative Databases and Existing Surveys for New Knowledge in Occupational Health and Safety in Canada, Quebec, Ontario and British Columbia

In Canada, many datasets are initially collected for purposes other than occupational health and safety (OHS) research. These include administrative health care billing records, pharmaceutical records, vital statistics, provincial cancer registries and workers' compensation claims data. In addition, many national and provincial health surveys, while not focused specifically on occupational health and safety, collect data on the health status and health determinants of populations, and such data can be used for investigating OHS issues among Canadian workers. This paper provides examples of the use of administrative and survey data for OHS research projects from the provinces of Quebec, Ontario and British Columbia to illustrate the potential of such data. These three provinces have a long history of using administrative and survey data for OHS research and have developed capacity in this regard for improving access to data, for linkage of records across databases and for developing methods to answer OHS questions. As research using these data sources expands, a consistent understanding within the work and health research community must be forged concerning the strengths and limitations of these data resources and their comparability.

Canadian Occupational Health and Safety Research in Action: Advances and Challenges

Canadian Occupational Health and Safety Research in Action: Advances and Challenges

Research opportunities using administrative databases and existing surveys for new knowledge in occupational health and safety in Canada, Quebec, Ontario and British Columbia.

In Canada, many datasets are initially collected for purposes other than occupational health and safety (OHS) research. These include administrative health care billing records, pharmaceutical records, vital statistics, provincial cancer registries and workers' compensation claims data. In addition, many national and provincial health surveys, while not focused specifically on occupational health and safety, collect data on the health status and health determinants of populations, and such data can be used for investigating OHS issues among Canadian workers. This paper provides examples of the use of administrative and survey data for OHS research projects from the provinces of Quebec, Ontario and British Columbia to illustrate the potential of such data. These three provinces have a long history of using administrative and survey data for OHS research and have developed capacity in this regard for improving access to data, for linkage of records across databases and for developing methods to answer OHS questions. As research using these data sources expands, a consistent understanding within the work and health research community must be forged concerning the strengths and limitations of these data resources and their comparability.

Trends and priorities in occupational health research and knowledge transfer in Italy

In 2000-2001, the Italian National Institute for Occupational Safety and Prevention (ISPESL) carried out a survey to identify the research priorities in the field of occupational safety and health (OSH). The present study, carried out in 2007-2008, was a follow-up designed to (i) review the themes identified earlier, (ii) detect emerging issues linked to new risks and forms of work, and (iii) look for any shifts in focus. The survey was extended to cover not only research but also the concept of knowledge transfer. In the first round, ISPESL distributed questionnaires to the heads of both university occupational medicine departments and prevention departments in local national health units (known as ASL in Italy) asking respondents to identify OSH priority themes. In the latest survey covering both research and the need for knowledge transfer, the same experts were asked to rank the importance of the earlier-identified topics and list any emerging issues in the OSH field. The two most important themes identified were "work accidents" and "occupational carcinogenesis". In the overall sample and among ASL experts, they received the 1st and 2nd highest mean scores. The university respondents also prioritized them but in reverse order. Some of the new priority topics included: risks associated with nanotechnologies; assessment of psychosocial and organizational risks; migration and work; and cost-benefit analysis of prevention. In light of the findings, efforts are urgently needed to identify research and knowledge transfer priorities related to workers' health and safety on an international scale using a standardized method in order to obtain comparable results, avoid wasteful duplication of resources, and reduce occupational accidents and illness.

Directions and Challenges of Research in Occupational Health and Safety in Japan in View of Relevant International Trends

Directions and Challenges of Research in Occupational Health and Safety in Japan in View of Relevant International Trends

Interjurisdictional Knowledge Transfer in Occupational Safety and Health: Lessons from Eastern Canada

AbstractRegional, national and international disparities in investments in occupational safety and health research and in knowledge transfer have contributed to a variability in awareness among stakeholders and decision-makers of relevant research findings and in the implementation of programmes and policies for the prevention of injuries and accidents. One way to reduce such disparities and improve occupational safety and health prevention would be to increase the frequency and effectiveness of occupational safety and health knowledge transfer between high-resourced and low-resourced regions or countries. However, knowledge transfer is a complex and challenging process, even within the same industrial sector or jurisdiction. Knowledge transfer across jurisdictions and sectors is all the more challenging. This paper documents the lessons learned from a programme to transfer a range of occupational safety and health research products within Canada from resource-rich Quebec to Newfoundland and Labrador, a p...

Towards a ‘Standpoint’ Perspective: health and Safety in Small Workplaces from the Perspective of the Workers

AbstractThis paper seeks to demonstrate the nature and value of a ‘standpoint’ perspective in occupational safety and health research. Argued through the case of workers in small enterprises, the paper discusses the notion of ‘standpoint’; describes and accounts for the primacy of the managerial standpoint and the invisibility of workers in occupational safety and health research and practice; and draws on several of the author’s research projects on small workplace health and safety to illustrate the kind of knowledge that can emerge from taking the workers’ standpoint (including studies of the impact of injury and ill health on social relations in the workplace, of the experience of return to work, of small employers’ perspectives and practices, and of frontline service work in a government agency that administers a workers’ compensation scheme). The paper considers why a standpoint perspective matters in understanding occupational safety and health problems, and argues that the analytic integration of ...

Dr Val Vallyathan: in memoriam

Val Vallyathan died in a tragic accident Friday, July 23, 2010 while visiting family in New Jersey. His colleagues at NIOSH, Morgantown, WV are stunned by his sudden death. Val was married for 45 years to Usha, and they were blessed with two children, Sanjay and Veena, and two grandchildren. Val received his B.Sc. (Honors), M.Sc., and Ph.D. degrees at Maharaja Sayajirao (M.S.) University of Baroda, India. He next held several academic and research and teaching positions at Maharaja Sayajirao University, the University of Baroda, the University of Guelph (Canada), the University of Vermont, and the Institute for Muscle Disease. Val joined NIOSH in 1979 and had been a leading researcher on the Morgantown campus ever since. He served as an Advisor to many university graduate students and postdoctoral fellows at the Maharaja Sayajirao University, the University of Vermont, West Virginia University and NIOSH. At NIOSH Val was a Research Physiologist and Team Leader in the Pathology and Physiology Research Branch (PPRB) of the Health Effects Laboratory Division. In fact, Val was trained primarily as an experimental pathologist, and his primary research interests lay in occupational respiratory diseases. After his retirement in October, 2009, Val came back to PPRB as an Expert Consultant; he was unable to cut his ties to his research activities, and probably would have never really retired and left his research. In addition to his duties at NIOSH, Val held several Adjunct Professorships at West Virginia University, Morgantown, WV, in the Departments of Pathology, Basic Pharmaceutical Sciences, and Anatomy. Val's influence on occupational health research was widely acknowledged and reached around the world. Of the many conferences he organized or played a significant role in, he would be most proud of the four international conferences on oxygen and nitrogen free radicals, the last one being held in October, 2009. Other conferences with which he was involved, both within and outside of NIOSH, were equally relevant, timely and successful. Nominated 17 times for Alice Hamilton and Charles C. Shepard Awards for Best Paper of the Year in NIOSH or CDC, respectively. Val received the Hamilton award in 1999 and 2001 and honorable mentions in other years. Val (figure ​(figure1)1) was internationally recognized in his field, and served as external reviewer and expert consultant for many federal research agencies, universities and organizations. He gave scores of invited presentations around the world at conferences, universities and workshops. He enjoyed being of service to others and gave freely of his knowledge; he was repeatedly turned to for scientific advice. Figure 1 Dr Val Vallyathan. In addition to holding one patent, Val published extensively. He served as a book editor, guest editor or chapter or review contributor for many volumes. In addition, he authored at least 376 full publications in scientific journals, with another dozen or so invited articles. He has published at least 198 conference presentations and abstracts, with 5 papers in preparation at the time of his death. What we noticed as we reflected on Val's tenure at NIOSH was the remarkable diversity of his interests and curiosity. For example, he has published papers characterizing the effects, mechanisms of action, and possible approaches for preventing disease from the following array of toxic agents: nanotubes, metal particles, asbestos, silica, quartz, cigarette smoke, agricultural dust, coal dust, reactive oxygen species, grape dust, citrus dust, diesel exhaust, cadmium, iron, mercury, cumene hydroperoxide, toluene diisocyanate, welding fume, arsenic, chlorogenic acid, lipopolysaccharide, vanadate, chromium, nickel, eugenol, nylon flock, volcanic ash, and talc. His work also paid much attention to pathways involved in apoptosis, the respiratory burst and surfactant's role in the lungs. Of these subjects his greatest scientific contributions were to the understanding of silicosis and the roles of free radicals in lung disease. The above facts are a dry, statistical summary of the scientific life of Val Vallyathan. They do nothing to honor him as a person, friend and colleague. Val was universally liked by everyone; he had malice for no one. It was always enjoyable to be in Val's company because he was respectful, engaging and pleasant. He was open, honest and unpretentious, despite his accomplishments. Rarely did he ever complain, but, if he did, he did so with elan, wit and wisdom, making us all laugh and ever aware of the special person he was. We have lost a dedicated and committed lung researcher and friend. His is a huge legacy.

Characteristics of Work-related Musculoskeletal Disorders in Korea and Their Work-relatedness Evaluation

Work-related musculoskeletal disorders (WMSDs) can be compensated through the Industrial Accident Compensation Insurance Act. We looked at the characteristics of WMSDs in worker's compensation records and the epidemiological investigation reports from the Occupational Safety and Health Research Institute (OSHRI). Based on the records of compensation, the number of cases for WMSDs decreased from 4,532 in 2003 to 1,954 in 2007. However the proportion of WMSDs among the total approved occupational diseases increased from 49.6% in 2003 to 76.5% in 2007, and the total cost of WMSDs increased from 105.3 billion won in 2004 to 163.3 billion won in 2007. The approval rate of WMSDs by the OSHRI accounted for 65.6%. Ergonomic and clinical characteristics were associated with the approval rate; however, the degenerative changes had a minimal affect. This result was in discordance between OSHRI and the Korea Workers' Compensation & Welfare Service. We presumed that there were perceptional gaps in work-relatedness interpretation that resulted from the inequality of information in ergonomic analyses. We propose to introduce ergonomic analysis to unapproved WMSDs cases and discuss those results among experts that will be helpful to form a consensus among diverse groups.

The First Report on Evaluating the Thoracic Radiology of the Medical Institutions for Pneumoconiosis in Korea

Purpose: The pnuemoconiotic findings on chest radiograph for pneumoconiosis are affected by the technique, the equipment and the reading environment. We report here on the results of evaluating the thoracic radiology of the Medical Institutions for Pneumoconiosis (MIPs). Materials and Methods: For the first time, we visited the MIPs to evaluate the thoracic radiography that is used to treat patients with pneumoconiotic complications, and this included evaluating the equipment and the technical parameters for thoracic radiography, the computed tomography, the education for quality assurance health care and the reading environment. We used the guideline published by the Occupational Safety and Health Research Institute (OSHRI). Ten images were randomly picked from the MIPs for evaluating the image quality, and then these were rated by two experienced chest radiologists for pneumoconiosis according to the criteria of the OSHRI. Results: Of the 33 institutions, the failed group (mean vs. , p vs. , p vs. , p

Effects of Workplace Noise and Hearing Protective Devices on Worker's Speech Intelligibility

Department of Occupational and Environmental Medicine, University of Ulsan, College of Medicine, Ulsan University Hospital, Ulsan, Korea Department of Otorhinolaryngology, University of Ulsan, College of Medicine, Ulsan University Hospital, Ulsan, Korea Occupational Safety and Health Research Institute, Korea Occupational Safety and Health Agency Department of Occupational Health Center, Ulsan University Hospital, Ulsan, Korea

Occupational Asthma in Korea

Occupational asthma (OA) is the leading occupational respiratory disease. Cases compensated as OA by the Korea Workers' Compensation and Welfare Service (COMWEL) (218 cases), cases reported by a surveillance system (286 cases), case reports by related scientific journals and cases confirmed by the Occupational Safety and Health Research Institute (OSHRI) over 15 yr from 1992 to 2006 were analyzed. Annual mean incidence rate was 1.6 by compensation and 3.5 by surveillance system, respectively. The trend appeared to increase according to the surveillance system. Incidence was very low compared with other countries. The most frequently reported causative agent was isocyanate followed by reactive dye in dyeing factories. Other chemicals, metals and dust were also found as causative agents. OA was underreported according to compensation and surveillance system data. In conclusion, a more effective surveillance system is needed to evaluate OA causes and distribution, and to effectively prevent newly developing OA.

Occupational neurological disorders in Korea.

The purpose of this article was to provide a literature review of occupational neurological disorders and related research in Korea, focusing on chemical hazards. We reviewed occupational neurological disorders investigated by the Occupational Safety and Health Research Institute of Korean Occupational Safety and Health Agency between 1992 and 2009, categorizing them as neurological disorders of the central nervous system (CNS), of the peripheral nervous system (PNS) or as neurodegenerative disorders. We also examined peer-reviewed journal articles related to neurotoxicology, published from 1984 to 2009. Outbreaks of occupational neurological disorder of the CNS due to inorganic mercury and carbon disulfide poisoning had helped prompt the development of the occupational safety and health system of Korea. Other major neurological disorders of the CNS included methyl bromide intoxication and chronic toxic encephalopathy. Most of the PNS disorders were n-hexane-induced peripheral neuritis, reported from the electronics industry. Reports of manganese-induced Parkinsonism resulted in the introduction of neuroimaging techniques to occupational medicine. Since the late 1990s, the direction of research has been moving toward degenerative disorder and early effect of neurotoxicity. To understand the early effects of neurotoxic chemicals in the preclinical stage, more follow-up studies of a longer duration are necessary.

Challenges and Perspectives of Occupational Health and Safety Research in Nanotechnologies in Europe

Challenges and Perspectives of Occupational Health and Safety Research in Nanotechnologies in Europe

Research on the Periphery: The Safetynet Centre for Occupational Health and Safety Research

Research on the Periphery: The Safetynet Centre for Occupational Health and Safety Research