Occupational Safety Hazards Research Articles

Hazards in Milling

This paper is focused on hazards in milling processes. It continues in occupational health and safety in turning. Safety rules are based on general rules and specific ones which relate to milling. It is necessary to formulate hazard and safety rules more precisely for specific production processes and in some cases for different production machines. For satisfactory solution of this problem the rules are formulated on the base of laws, regulations and personal findings of the paper's authors in enterprises. In the paper occupational health and safety hazard rules in milling on these principles are formulated.

Determination of Particular Endogenous Fires Hazard Zones in Goaf with Caving of Longwall

Hazard of endogenous fires is one of the basic and common presented occupational safety hazards in coal mine in Poland and in the world. This hazard means possibility of coal self-ignition as the result of its self-heating process in mining heading or its surrounding. In underground coal-mining during ventilating of operating longwalls takes place migration of parts of airflow to goaf with caving. In a case when in these goaf a coal susceptible to selfignition occurs, then the airflow through these goaf may influence on formation of favourable conditions for coal oxidation and subsequently to its self-heating and self-ignition. Endogenous fire formed in such conditions can pose a serious hazard for the crew and for continuity of operation of mining plant. From the practical point of view, a very significant meaning has determination of the zone in the goaf with caving, in which necessary conditions for occurrence of endogenous fire are fulfilled. In the real conditions determination of such a zone is practically impossible. Therefore, authors of paper developed a methodology of determination of this zone basing on the results of modelling tests. This methodology includes a development of model of tested area, determination of boundary conditions and carrying out the simulation calculations. Based on the obtained results particular hazardous zone of endogenous fire is determined. A base for development of model of investigated region and selection of boundary conditions are the results of real tests. In the paper fundamental assumption of developed methodology, particularly in a range of assumed hazard criterion and sealing coefficient of goaf with caving were discussed. Also a mathematical model of gas flow through the porous media was characterized. Example of determination of a zone particularly endangered by endogenous fire for real system of mining heading in one of the hard coal mine was presented. Longwall ventilated in the „Y” system was subjected to the tests. For determined mining-geological conditions, the critical value of velocity of airflow and oxygen concentration in goaf, conditioning initiation of coal oxidation process were determined. For calculations ANSYS Fluent software based on finite volume method, which enable very precisely to determine the physical and chemical air and parameters at any point of tested mining heading and goaf with caving was used. Such precisely determination of these parameters on the base of the test in real conditions is practically impossible. Obtained results allowed to take early proper actions in order to limit the occurrence of endogenous fire. One can conclude, that presented methodology creates great possibilities of practical application of modelling tests for improvement of the occupational safety state in mine.

Job safety analysis and hazard identification for work accident prevention in para rubber wood sawmills in southern Thailand.

We utilized job safety analysis (JSA) and hazard identification for work accident prevention in Para rubber wood sawmills, which aimed to investigate occupational health risk exposures and assess the health hazards at sawmills in the Trang Province, located in southern Thailand. We conducted a cross-sectional study which included a walk-through survey, JSA, occupational risk assessment, and environmental samplings from March through September 2015 at four Para rubber wood sawmills. We identified potential occupational safety and health hazards associated with six main processes, including: 1) logging and cutting, 2) sawing the lumber into sheets, 3) planing and re-arranging, 4) vacuuming and wood preservation, 5) drying and planks re-arranging, and 6) grading, packing, and storing. Working in sawmills was associated with high risk of wood dust and noise exposure, occupational accidents injuring hands and feet, chemicals and fungicide exposure, and injury due to poor ergonomics or repetitive work. Several high-risk areas were identified from JSA and hazard identification of the working processes, especially high wood dust and noise exposure when sawing lumber into sheets and risk of occupational accidents of the hands and feet when struck by lumber. All workers were strongly recommended to use personal protective equipment in any working processes. Exposures should be controlled using local ventilation systems and reducing noise transmission. We recommend that the results from the risk assessment performed in this study be used to create an action plan for reducing occupational health hazards in Para rubber sawmills.

Perspective of the study of occupational safety issues and hazards for the agricultural workers: A survey

Perspective of the study of occupational safety issues and hazards for the agricultural workers: A survey

Lessons learned from surface wipe sampling for lead in three workplaces

ABSTRACTSurface wipe sampling in the occupational environment is a technique widely used by industrial hygienists. Although several organizations have promulgated standards for sampling lead and other metals, uncertainty still exists when trying to determine an appropriate wipe sampling strategy and how to interpret sampling results. Investigators from the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) Health Hazard Evaluation Program have used surface wipe sampling as part of their exposure assessment sampling strategies in a wide range of workplaces. This article discusses wipe sampling for measuring lead on surfaces in three facilities: (1) a battery recycling facility; (2) a firing range and gun store; and (3) an electronic scrap recycling facility. We summarize our findings from the facilities and what we learned by integrating wipe sampling into our sampling plan. Wiping sampling demonstrated lead in non-production surfaces in all three workplaces and that the potential that employees were taking lead home to their families existed. We also found that the presence of metals such as tin can interfere with the colorimetric results. We also discuss the advantages and disadvantages of colorimetric analysis of surface wipe samples and the challenges we faced when interpreting wipe sampling results.

Effects of Occupational Safety and Health Hazards’ Exposure on Work Environment in the Water Service Industry within Kisumu County - Kenya

Effects of Occupational Safety and Health Hazards’ Exposure on Work Environment in the Water Service Industry within Kisumu County - Kenya

Frequency and Risk of Occupational Health and Safety Hazards for Home Healthcare Workers

Given the increased prevalence of chronic disease and health care costs, more individuals are treated in the home, which has augmented the demand for more Home Healthcare Workers (HHCWs) in the field. HHCWs face multiple hazards with injury rates being more than double the national average; however, current studies on HHCWs have provided limited understanding of their occupational safety & health experiences and exposures. The aim of this study was to assess the frequency and risk of exposures through perceptions of HHCWs. The results of this study provide an initial picture of the different risks that HHCWs face daily. These findings show that studies involving HHCWs occupational safety need to be job-specific, and the proposed interventions will also likely need to be tailored by HHCWs type.

A Modified Hydroxyproline Assay Based on Hydrochloric Acid in Ehrlich's Solution Accurately Measures Tissue Collagen Content.

Collagen quantification has long been relevant to biomedical research and clinical practice to characterize tissues and determine disease states. The hydroxyproline assay, while a broadly employed method of quantifying collagen, uses perchloric acid to dissolve Ehrlich's reagent. Since perchloric acid poses occupational safety hazards and high costs, in this study, a new hydroxyproline assay was developed that replaces perchloric acid with a relatively safer and cheaper alternative, hydrochloric acid (HCl). To validate this biochemical technique, first, using either acid to dissolve Ehrlich's reagent, the assays were completed for native and engineered collagenous tissues. No statistical differences were identified between the assays (p = 0.32). Subsequently, both biochemical techniques were compared to amino acid analysis, considered a proteomics gold standard. Interestingly, utilizing HCl in lieu of perchloric acid yielded greater concordance with amino acid analysis (ρc = 0.980) than did the traditional assay (ρc = 0.947); that is, the HCl-based assay more closely estimates hydroxyproline content, and, consequently, true collagen content. Thus, using Ehrlich's reagent containing HCl in the hydroxyproline assay represents an advance in both mitigating laboratory safety hazards and improving biochemical collagen quantification.

Developing a research framework for the green maintainability of buildings

PurposeThe aim of this paper is to present a research framework for the green maintainability of buildings. This study makes the case for the development of a new concept called “green maintainability”. The paper also identifies and discusses the knowledge gap concerning green facilities management (FM). As an integral part of green FM, the economic, environmental and social impacts and opportunities of green maintainability throughout the total life cycle of the facility are also highlighted.Design/methodology/approachThe little attention paid to the maintainability of green buildings has resulted in losses of lives due to occupational health and safety hazards as well as high operation and maintenance costs. To address this issue, this study has conducted a literature review to determine the relevant background knowledge and provides a conceptual framework that will aid in conceptualizing the green maintainability of buildings and the development of a research framework for the furtherance of this concept.FindingsThis paper finds that there is little research on the maintainability of green buildings, and the studies about the maintainability of green features are nonexistent in current research. This study confirms the knowledge gap of this little-researched area and draws from it the formulation of a research framework for the green maintainability of buildings to ensure green FM. Emerging literature on green practices and methods is currently receiving attention from academia, as well as building and construction practitioners, and can valuably contribute to the existing theories, practices and methods concerning building maintainability and facilities management.Originality/valueThis study develops the novel concept of green maintainability, which integrates maintainability and green FM at the planning/design stage. The proposed research framework is the first attempt to investigate the green maintainability of different typologies of buildings and especially green building technologies.

Community Participation Medico-Legal Concepts to Identify Unclaimed or Missing Dead Bodies from Public Mortuaries to Improve Public Health in Western Kenya

Community participation in medico-legal form bench-mark of health determinants and quality integrated services towards criminal justice support in health. Globally, over 44 million cases of unclaimed bodies or missing dead persons (UCBOMDPs) occur annually, 88% of these cases are in Sub Saharan Africa. In western Kenya and Kenya the rate of UCBOMDPs from road traffic accidents accounts 30% and 10% respectively, 80% of these UCBOMDPs are associated with limited community participation/next of kins in identification of UCBOMDPs, thus prevailing chronic prevalence of occupational health and safety hazards in public mortuaries. The study aimed to assess extent of community participation, uptake of community mortuary services and awareness on quality medico-legal concepts, training, embalming and assess how of knowledge, attitude and practices (KAP) of service providers influence the uptake of medico-legal concepts to mitigate occupational health and safety hazards and improve health. In Exploratory and cross sectional, 235 respondents were investigated through purposive and saturated sampling using structured questionnaires, focus group discussions (FGDs), observations and key informant interviews (KII) guides to collect data. Analysed statistical inferences and contents analysis to saturation, results showed, 94% of mortuary service providers in tier 4 were primary and secondary education drop outs of males, on contract jobs with limited access to quality forensic in mortuary science, contrarily to trained females and males counterparts from tiers 5 and 6 mortuary facilities on permanent. Embalming by gravitation method significant OD (1.2, 0.44). Prevalence of male being admitted as UCBOMDPs in the community was significant with, OD (8.3, 0.12), RR (0.33), 95% CI (1.23, 1.02), significance were associated with male deliberately leaving IDs in houses for anonymity. Community participation in medico-legal concepts were sufficient than Detective police with OD (0.43, 6.0), 95% CI (2.12, 1.34). Advocacy to empower community comprehensively and holistically in medico-legal concepts remains vital.

KORELASI PENGGUNAAN ALAT PELINDUNG DIRI DENGAN KECELAKAAN KERJA PADA CREW DRILLING

Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) is one of the way to control occupational safety and health hazard. PPE is the last risk control to protect workers if control efforts hazard including elimination, substitution of equipment, design, discipline and administration, but the potential risk is still high. This study was purposed to to determine the correlation of using PPE in drilling crew of private (contracted) rig of PT. Pertamina EP Asset Field Jambi which was doing well service to accident in workplace (in the job accident). This study used the cause-effect relationship which there are two variables observed which is influencing variable (independent variable) and affected variable (dependent variable). Subject focused on this study is the total population of 30 drilling crews. The data were analyzed statistically by t-test and correlation test of product moment. Results showed that there is a no strong correlation between wearing PPE and in the job accident. The correlation coefficient of product moment obtained is -0,019, or negative correlation. This negative correlation represents that the relationship between wearing PPE and in the job accident is reciprocal, the job accident suffered by drilling crew would be higher by the decreasing of level use of personal protective equipment .

Advancing the framework for considering the effects of climate change on worker safety and health

ABSTRACTIn 2009, a preliminary framework for how climate change could affect worker safety and health was described. That framework was based on a literature search from 1988–2008 that supported seven categories of climate-related occupational hazards: (1) increased ambient temperature; (2) air pollution; (3) ultraviolet radiation exposure; (4) extreme weather; (5) vector-borne diseases and expanded habitats; (6) industrial transitions and emerging industries; and (7) changes in the built environment. This article reviews the published literature from 2008–2014 in each of the seven categories. Additionally, three new topics related to occupational safety and health are considered: mental health effects, economic burden, and potential worker safety and health impacts associated with the nascent field of climate intervention (geoengineering).Beyond updating the literature, this article also identifies key priorities for action to better characterize and understand how occupational safety and health may be associated with climate change events and ensure that worker health and safety issues are anticipated, recognized, evaluated, and mitigated. These key priorities include research, surveillance, risk assessment, risk management, and policy development. Strong evidence indicates that climate change will continue to present occupational safety and health hazards, and this framework may be a useful tool for preventing adverse effects to workers.

Occupational Health and Safety Hazards in Machining

This paper is focused on occupational health and safety hazards in machining processes. Problem is specified on employs and employers. Occupational health and safety is based on legislative regulations. Safety rules are usually formulated generally. But it is necessary to formulate safety rules more precisely for different production processes and even for different production machines. And this has not been fully satisfactory solved, especially from the point of view of the development of machine tools, their automation and also from the viewpoint of the development of cutting materials. In the paper principal occupational health and safety hazard in machining will be formulated on the base of laws, regulations and personal findings of the paper's authors in different enterprises. As an example safety hazards and safety rules will be in depth formulated for turning. Similar health and safety rules and hazards must be formulated for other cutting processes. But occupational health and safety problems relate not only to persons but also to enterprise economy.

Magnetic resonance imaging and computer tomography of brain lesions in water buffaloes and cattle stunned with handguns or captive bolts

Owing to the demand for genuine mozzarella, some 330 water buffaloes are being slaughtered every year in Switzerland albeit a stunning procedure meeting animal welfare and occupational safety requirements remains to be established. To provide a basis for improvements, we sized anatomical specifics in water buffaloes and cattle and we assessed brain lesions after stunning with captive bolts or handguns by diagnostic imaging. In water buffaloes and cattle, the median distance from the frontal skin surface to the inner bone table was 74.0mm (56.0–100.0mm) vs 36.6mm (29.3–44.3mm) and from skin to the thalamus 144.8mm (117.1–172.0mm) vs 102.0 (101.0–121.0mm), respectively. Consequently, customary captive bolt stunners may be inadequate. Free bullets are potentially suitable for stunning buffaloes but involve occupational safety hazards. The results of the present study shall be used to develop a device allowing effective and safe stunning of water buffaloes.

Primate wellness exams.

Non-human primates (NHPs) continue to serve unique animal research needs. Decades of biomedical research have focused on humane restraint and social and environmental enrichment programs necessary to support NHPs, but the housing and care of NHPs remain challenging because of the occupational safety hazards faced by employees who are tasked with the care and use of these valuable animals. Key to obtaining reliable results, providing humane care and ensuring occupational safety when working with NHPs is a sound annual wellness examination. Clinical techniques in veterinary medicine have improved in parallel with efforts to improve psychological well-being, so the timing is opportune to update clinical techniques inside the primate facility.

English

English

The Epidemiology of Blood-Contaminated Needlestick Injuries Among Veterinarians in Portugal

ABSTRACTNeedlestick injuries (NIs) are considered a substantial occupational health and safety hazard in contemporary health care practice. Unlike human medicine where much effort has been devoted to reduce the incidence of these events, the same aggressive approach has not been used in veterinary medicine. This study investigated the occurrence of blood-contaminated NIs in Portuguese veterinarians. Participants of a veterinary meeting were asked to complete a questionnaire-based survey. Univariate and multivariate logistic regression analyses were performed to produce predicted probabilities for NI episodes in veterinarians. From the total of 373 enrolled veterinarians, 293 (78.5%) reported having had at least one NI during their professional life. Veterinarians working with dogs were more likely to have experienced a NI (adjusted odds ratio [aOR]: 145.74, P < .001). The high level of NIs observed in these professionals shows that NIs are a potential occupational health problem in Portuguese veterinarians, with the possibility for transmission of haematogenous zoonosis.

Natural history of excessive daytime sleepiness: role of obesity, weight loss, depression, and sleep propensity.

Excessive daytime sleepiness (EDS) is highly prevalent in the general population and is associated with occupational and public safety hazards. However, no study has examined the clinical and polysomnographic (PSG) predictors of the natural history of EDS. Representative longitudinal study. Sleep laboratory. From a random, general population sample of 1,741 individuals of the Penn State Adult Cohort, 1,395 were followed up after 7.5 years. Full medical evaluation and 1-night PSG at baseline and standardized telephone interview at follow-up. The incidence of EDS was 8.2%, while its persistence and remission were 38% and 62%, respectively. Obesity and weight gain were associated with the incidence and persistence of EDS, while weight loss was associated with its remission. Significant interactions between depression and PSG parameters on incident EDS showed that, in depressed individuals, incident EDS was associated with sleep disturbances, while in non-depressed individuals, incident EDS was associated with increased physiologic sleep propensity. Diabetes, allergy/ asthma, anemia, and sleep complaints also predicted the natural history of EDS. Obesity, a disorder of epidemic proportions, is a major risk factor for the incidence and chronicity of EDS, while weight loss is associated with its remission. Interestingly, objective sleep disturbances predict incident EDS in depressed individuals, whereas physiologic sleep propensity predicts incident EDS in those without depression. Weight management and treatment of depression and sleep disorders should be part of our public health policies.

A growing fire hazard concern in communities: home oxygen therapy and continued smoking habits.

The Safe Home Care Project investigated both qualitatively and quantitatively a range of occupational safety and health hazards, as well as injury and illness prevention practices, among home care aides in Massachusetts. This article reports on a hazard identified by aides during the study's initial focus groups: smoking by home care clients on long-term oxygen therapy. Following the qualitative phase we conducted a cross-sectional survey among 1,249 aides and found that medical oxygen was present in 9 percent of aide visits (314 of aides' 3,484 recent client visits) and that 25 percent of clients on oxygen therapy were described as smokers. Based on our findings, the Board of Health in a local town conducted a pilot study to address fire hazards related to medical oxygen. Medical oxygen combined with smoking or other sources of ignition is a serious fire and explosion hazard that threatens not only workers who visit homes but also communities.

Sweeping practices, perceptions and knowledge about occupational safety and health hazards of street sweepers in Dhaka city, Bangladesh: a qualitative inquiry

Background: Street sweepers play important roles for keeping the cities clean. Their works entail removing of debris from streets, collecting solid waste, disposing and recycling waste material. Consequently, they have higher chances to be exposed to numerous risk factors; therefore, their occupational safety and health hazard became crucial. There is little evidence about the sweeping practices, perceptions and knowledge on their occupational safety and health hazards. The objective of the study is to explore current sweeping practices, perceived risk and the level of knowledge of a group of street sweepers of Dhaka city. Methods: An explorative qualitative research design was used. We conducted 15 IDIs, 8 KIIs and 5 FGDs with Telegu street sweepers, community and religious leaders and NGO workers in two different sweeper colonies in Dhaka City. Results: Due to the manual handling process, the street sweepers are often exposed to a variety of risks factors – exhaust fumes, extreme noise, toxic substances and dust particles. Frequent infections and injuries were reported commonly as they lack basic safety equipment’s during works. Low perceived health hazards were prevalent. Strong faith-based explanations were found to rationalize possible health hazards. Conclusions: A number of socio-economic factors influence the level of knowledge and risk perception. Interventions on awareness building program coupled with behaviour change counselling (BCC) activities would be appropriate to address the lack of knowledge on health hazards and low risks perception.