Risk Factors For Occupational Injuries Research Articles

The prevalence of occupational injuries and associated risk factors among workers in iron and steel industries: a systematic review and meta-analysis

BackgroundThe iron and steel industries are among the most dangerous workplaces in the world compared to other manufacturing industries. Workers are exposed to multiple occupational hazards, which predispose them to high risks of both fatal and non-fatal injuries. Currently, the data on the global prevalence and associated risk factors for occupational injuries in the iron and steel industries is fragmented and incomplete. This study was undertaken to address this issue by pooling data relating to the prevalence of occupational injuries and its associated factors among workers in iron and steel industries studies around the world.MethodsThe search was conducted systematically using PubMed, HINARI, EMBASE and Google Scholar for published studies in English that reported on occupational injuries and associated risk factors among workers in iron and steel industries. MetaXL version 5.3 software was used in the meta-analysis to estimate the pooled prevalence of occupational injuries and associated risk factors among workers in the iron and steel industries. The study protocol has been registered with PROSPERO, number CRD42022344258.ResultsOf the 447 articles identified, 15 studies from 9 countries met the inclusion criteria. The pooled prevalence estimate of occupational injury was 0.55 (95% CI: 0.15, 0.93). The pooled results indicated that the odds of having an occupational injury were 4.06 times higher among workers who did not use personal protective equipment compared to those who used such equipment. Likewise the odds of occupational injuries was increased by 1.65 among night shift workers compared to the counterpart.ConclusionsThe global prevalence of occupational injuries in iron and steel industries was 55%. The results indicate that night work shift and the lack of use of personal protective equipment has a higher impact than other factors in the occurrence of occupational injuries in the iron and steel industries.

Occupational Injury and Factors Associated among Employees in Heineken Brewery Share Company, Harar Brewery Share Company, and Awash Wine Share Company, Ethiopia

Occupational injury is a serious global public health issue that causes morbidity, disability, and fatality at work. The food and beverage processing business has the most significant rate of occupational injuries, making it the most dangerous occupation among industrial industries. Various labor hazards have been reported to beverage workers. Against this background, the objective of the research was to assess the magnitude and predictors of occupational injury among employees in the beverage industry in Harar and Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. A cross-sectional descriptive study was conducted at a beverage factory, with 675 respondents chosen randomly. Qualitative data was collected through interviews with key informants. The data was analyzed using Epi-Data statistical software and SPSS. Multiple logistic analysis, descriptive analysis, binary logistic, and crude logistic regression analysis were used. A p-value of less than 0.05 was considered statistically significant. The occupational injury rate is 20.9%, with fingers and hands being the most common type of trauma. Sleeping difficulties, contract employment status, and technical field work are associated with injuries. 28-34-year-olds are 55% less likely, and one year of experience is 85% less likely. Challenges include inconsistent safety measures and a lack of organizational commitment, especially for contract workers. The prevalence of occupational injuries among beverage industry employees was high. Technical departments, contract employment, and the prevalence of sleeping problems were revealed to be risk factors for occupational injuries. At the same time, one year of experience and the age range of 28–34 were found to be protective. Among the study participants, difficulties such as poor use of personal protective equipment and a lack of a consistent supply of personal protective equipment were noticed. As a result, firms must increase occupational safety measures, such as providing and replenishing personal protective equipment, focusing on contract employees.

Epidemiology of Occupational Injuries and Workplace Assessment in Turnery Industries at an Industrial District, Eastern Cairo, Egypt

Background Occupational injury could be fatal or non-fatal with lost work time. Turneries are workplaces in which multiple simultaneous health hazards occur and the most common hazards are mechanical hazards. Objective To measure the frequency and types of injuries among a sample of turnery workers, to identify risk factors of occupational injuries among them, and to describe the environmental conditions at some of these turneries as a part of occupational safety prospective. Methods A cross-sectional survey was conducted on 75 workers in three Industrial areas in Eastern Cairo El-herafeen, Madinat Al-salam and El-Abour. Data were collected using a structured interview questionnaire with both close and open-ended questions, and an observational environmental checklists were filled by the researcher. Results Seventy-five turnery workers were interviewed, (76%) of them reporting injury during the last 12 months. About (46.7%) of operators believing that their work is extremely dangerous. The most significant determinants for occupational injuries (p value < 0.05) were lack of safety training, non-use of personal protective devices and work hazard perception. In environmental assessment, all work stations had non-covered traditional machines, only 2 work stations out of 10 assessed had natural ventilation with open windows; not any of the work stations had regular noise survey neither did any of the workers use hearing protection equipment even though it was available in 2 work stations; only 4 work stations had floors free from protruding nails, splinters, holes and loose boards, goggles were available in 4 stations while gloves and rubber boots were available in 6 stations. Conclusion Most of workers in small scale work stations specialized in turnery industry had occupational injury during the last 12 months. Most of the observed workstations did not comply with advised safety checklist.

Prevalence, Risk Factors, and Economical Cost of Work-Related Injuries Among Olive Workers in the Achaia Region, Greece.

Background Olive gathering involves tree climbing, carrying heavy loads, navigating rough terrain, and using sharp tools. However, little is known about occupational injuries among olive workers. The aim of this study is to evaluate the prevalence and risk factors of occupational injuries among olive workers in a rural Greek area and to assess the financial burden on the health system and insurance funds. Methods A questionnaire was administered to 166 olive workers in the Aigialeia municipality in the Achaia region, Greece. The questionnaire contained detailed information on demographic characteristics, medical history, working environment, protective measures, gathering tools, and type and site of injuries. Moreover, data were recorded about the duration of hospitalization, medical examinations and treatment received, sick leaves, complications, and rate of re-injury. Direct economic costs were calculated for hospitalized and non-hospitalized patients. The associations between olive workers' characteristics, risk factors, and occupational injury within the last year were examined using log-binomial regression models. Results In total, 85 injuries were recorded in 50 workers. The prevalence of one or more injuries in the last year was 30.1%. Factors associated with a higher rate of injury were male gender, age > 50 years, working experience > 24 years, history of arterial hypertension and diabetes mellitus, climbing habits, and non-use of protective gloves. The average cost of agricultural injuries was more than 1400 € per injury. The cost seems to be associated with the severity of the injury, as injuries requiring hospitalization were associated with increased costs, higher cost of medication, as well as more days of sick leave. Losses due to sick leave cause the greatest financial costs. Conclusions Farm-related injuries are quite usual among olive workers in Greece. Injury risk is influenced by gender, age, working experience, medical history, climbing habits, and use of protective gloves. Days off work have the greatest financial cost. These findings can be useful as a starting point to train olive workers to reduce the incidence of farm-related injuries in Greece. Knowledge of risk factors for farm-related injuries and diseases could help the development of proper interventions to minimize the problem.

Factors contributing to occupational injuries among workers in the construction, manufacturing, and mining industries in Africa: a systematic review and meta-analysis.

Personal injuries, illnesses, or deaths resulting from occupational accidents pose critical public health issues with severe social and economic implications. Studies on risk factors for occupational injuries in Africa have been indecisive. This study aimed to identify factors influencing occupational injuries at the regional level and to generate estimates of the contribution of each. Of 603 studies accessed we included 20 that fulfilled the eligibility criteria. Workers with temporary employment and those not receiving safety training had higher odds of incurring occupational injuries [AOR = 2.13, 95%CI (1.06, 3.21) and AOR = 1.98, 95%CI (1.21, 2.76), respectively]. Temporary workers often do not benefit from occupational health and safety services to avoid accidents and injuries at work. Use of proper personal protective equipment reduced the odds of sustaining an injury [AOR = 0.60, 95%CI (0.32, 0.88)]. We suggest focusing interventions on the identified modifiable factors to lessen the burden of work-related injuries.

Risk Factors for Occupational Injuries among Solid Mineral Miners in OSE Local Government of Ondo State, Nigeria

Introduction: The mining industry is known to have a high incidence rate of fatal injuries hence, the knowledge of the risk factors of injury is important. The risk factors of occupational injury are important in the interplay between work and health, and the knowledge of the risk factors can be used in planning preventive measures. The study was done to determine the risk factors for occupational injuries among solid mineral miners. Methods: This was a descriptive cross-sectional study. Consenting staff completed the pretested self-administered questionnaire. Data were analyzed using descriptive and inferential statistics and p ≤ 0.05 was considered significant. Results: A total of 120 workers were recruited with 109 (90.8%) males and 11 (9.2%) females leading the male to female ratio of 9.9:1. The age range was 18-48 years with a mean of 28.9 (5.8) years. More than one-third (35.0%) had a tertiary level of education. Seventy-two (60.0%) had good knowledge of the occupational injury, and it was associated with the level of education (p<0.001) and occupational injury (p<0.001). About 60.8% have had an occupational injury while inhalational injury (30.0%) was the highest type of injury. Hands (34.5%) were the most affected part of the body even though hand gloves (85.8%) were the most common personal protective equipment used. The factors associated with an occupational injury were age, length of services and job tasks. The predictor of occupational injury was the length of service. Conclusion: The respondents had good knowledge of the occupational injury and the major risk factors of occupational injury were the length of services, job tasks and age of respondents of this study.

Investigation on the current situation of safety protection of medical staffs for the prevention and treatment of infectious diseases in medical institutions in Jiangsu Province

Objective: To investigate the current situation of safety protection of medical staffs in medical institutions in Jiangsu Province, and to provide scientific basis for strengthening the safety protection of infectious diseases and protecting the occupational health of medical staffs. Methods: From September to October 2020, 1274 medical staffs in 43 medical and health institutions were randomly selected as the subjects. The self-made questionnaire for infectious disease prevention and protection was used to analyze the pre-job training and exposure to occupational harmful factors of the respondents. The influencing factors of using protective equipment and occupational injury were analyzed by binary logistic regression. Results: A total of 1216 valid questionnaires were collected with effective recovery of 95.4%. There were 312 males (25.7%) and 904 females (74.3%) , with an average age of (35.8±9.2) years and average working years of (13.6±9.9) years. Among them, 1143 (94.0%) had participated in pre-job training, 535 (44.0%) thought they were exposed to occupational harmful factors of infectious disease prevention, 1082 (89.0%) used protective equipment in daily operation, and 462 (38.0%) had occupational injury. According to binary logistic regression analysis, the utilization rates of protective equipment for medical staffs in Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (OR=2.473, 95%CI: 1.327-4.607, P=0.004) , 30-39 years old (OR=1.586, 95%CI: 1.038-2.426, P=0.033) , 40-49 years old (OR=2.257, 95%CI: 1.243-4.098, P=0.007) , 50 years old and above (OR=5.879, 95% CI: 1.755-19.692, P=0.004) and pre-job training (OR=2.580, 95%CI: 1.301-5.116, P=0.007) were higher than their respective control groups. And medical staffs with graduate degree or above (OR=0.342, 95%CI: 0.167~0.699, P=0.003) had lower utilization rate of protective equipment. Female (OR=1.902, 95%CI: 1.364-2.654, P<0.001) , 30-39 years old (OR=1.589, 95%CI: 1.157-2.181, P=0.004) , bachelor degree (OR=2.070, 95%CI: 1.419-3.021, P<0.001) , exposure to occupational harmful factors (OR=2.753, 95%CI: 2.086-3.634, P<0.001) were the risk factors for occupational injury of medical staffs. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (OR=0.129, 95%CI: 0.086-0.194, P<0.001) and wearing protective equipment according to regulations (OR=0.597, 95%CI: 0.431-0.827, P=0.002) were the protective factors for occupational injury of medical staffs. Conclusion: At present, the occupational injury rate of medical staffs in Jiangsu Province is high due to various factors in the prevention and control of infectious diseases. It is necessary to pay attention to occupational safety protection, strengthen pre-job training and actively advocate "standard prevention", so as to reduce the exposure risk of harmful factors and promote occupational health of medical staffs.

Risk factors for occupational injuries in schools among educators and support staff

Introduction: School districts employ a large number of employees who work in educational (e.g., teachers) or other support roles, including educational assistants, custodians, food service, bus drivers, and community and recreation workers. District employees perform a wide array of job tasks and experience a wide spectrum of work-related risks and injuries. Methods: Workers’ compensation data were coupled with Minnesota Department of Education district employee denominator data to evaluate risk factors for injury and severity. Variables included district location and type, employee job classification, age, and gender. Rates of injury and rate ratios were calculated to measure comparative injury risk using negative binomial regression and 95% confidence internals. Incidence and frequency of injury cause, nature, and body part we calculated. Results: Saint Paul and Minneapolis metropolitan area (versus non-metro) districts had higher risk (RR = 1.35, 95%CI = 1.18–1.54) of employee injuries. All job classifications in support roles had increased risk of injury claims versus educators, however food service (RR = 5.14, 95%CI = 4.61–5.74), custodial (RR = 3.85, 95%CI = 3.41–4.34), and transportation (RR = 4.15, 95%CI = 3.38–5.10) exhibited the highest comparative risk to educators; significant risk of lost-time injury was also present in these workers. Males and females had similar risk of injury for all claims, however males had elevated risk of lost-time injury (RR = 1.46, 95%CI = 1.26–1.69) versus females. All age groups >41-years-old exhibited increased risk of injury as compared to 31–40-year-olds. The magnitude of lost-time injury risk also increased with age. Falls and slips (29.1%), strains/sprains/ruptures (45.2%), and upper extremities (31.3%) most frequent cause, nature, and body part injured, respectively. Conclusions: Characteristics of districts, schools, workers, and their jobs tasks and hazards vary. Many categories of support staff in schools have elevated risk of injury, including lost-time injury, as compared to educators. Practical Applications: Injury prevention in schools should be approached by targeting job classifications; high risk jobs can be prioritized for prevention.

Occupational Injuries among Latino/a Immigrant Cattle Feedyard Workers in the Central States Region of the United States.

Agriculture is a dangerous industry with high rates of occupational injuries. Immigrants comprise the majority of the hired agricultural workforce in the United States, and these workers may be at a higher risk for job-related injuries. This study addressed the frequency, characteristics, and risk factors of occupational injuries among Latino immigrant cattle feedyard workers. Data were collected through structured interviews with Latino immigrant cattle feedyard workers in Kansas and Nebraska (n = 243; 90.9% male). Descriptive statistics and logistic regression were used to identify risk factors for injury. Nearly three-fourths of participants (71.2%) reported having experienced one or more injuries in the past while working on a cattle feedyard. The most frequent types of reported injuries, including those not requiring medical care, were bruises/contusions (40%), cuts/lacerations (21%), and sprains/strains (12%). These injuries were mainly caused by animals/livestock (33%), chemicals (23%), falls (12%), and tools (9%). Significant risk factors for injury included male gender (OR 5.9), being over age 35 (OR 2.6), working on a large or an extra-large feedyard (OR 5.4), having 11 or more employees on the feedyard (OR 3.6), and working more than eight hours a day (OR 4.7). Having received safety training was also associated with greater risk of injury in a univariable model (OR 2.6). Cattle feedyard workers are at high risk for injury and require more effective preventive measures.

The Prevalence of Occupational Injuries and Associated Risk Factors among Workers in Bahir Dar Textile Share Company, Amhara Region, Northwest Ethiopia.

Introduction Occupational injuries are occurrences arising out of, or in the course of, work which results in a fatal or nonfatal injury, e.g., a fall from a height or contact with moving machines. They pose psychological, behavioral, social, vocational, and economic problems. No previous studies have been conducted on the prevalence and associated risk factors of occupational injuries among workers in Bahir Dar Textile Share Company (SC). Therefore, this study aimed to assess the prevalence and associated risk factors of occupational injury in Bahir Dar Textile SC, Northwest Ethiopia. Methods A cross-sectional study was conducted among employees of Bahir Dar Textile SC in 2019. Three hundred (195 males and 105 females) employees were selected using proportional simple random sampling from the spinning, weaving, finishing, engineering, and administration sections. Results The one-year and the two-week occupational injury prevalences were 42.7% and 6.7%, respectively. The one-year report from all the respondents shows that abrasion (10.7%) and eye injury (7.7%) were the two top injuries, hands (12.7%) and eyes (7.7%) were the top injured body parts, and machines (22.7%) and falling/slipping (6.3%) caused most injuries. Statistically significant differences in injuries (p < 0.05) were observed due to variations in gender, job category, exposure to vibration, exposure to rays/welding sparks, and labor-intensive work. The weaving section was positively associated with occupational injuries at AOR = 4.497 and p=0.05. Conclusions Occupational injuries prevalence is high over the last year. The major causes of injuries were machines and falling/slipping, while the major injuries were abrasions, eye injuries, sprains, and burns. The factors significantly associated with occupational injuries were male gender, job category, use of vibrating tools, high intensive work, and rays/welding sparks. Occupational safety and health training, use of personal protective equipment (PPE), and shifting employees from intensive works are recommended.

Profile, risk factors and outcome of occupational injuries reported to the emergency department in a tertiary care hospital in South India.

Background:India is an industrialised country and most work is labour intensive. There is very scarce data on occupation related injuriesAim:To evaluate the prevalence, profile, severity and risk factors for occupational injuries presenting to the emergency medicine department of a tertiary care hospital.Materials and Methods:A cross-sectional study was done in the emergency department of Christian Medical College, Vellore among the patients who presented with occupational injuries. The risk factors for occupational injuries like age, gender, shift work, work experience and type of work and their severity and outcome were evaluated.Results:Older age group, working in shift duty, working longer hours were significant risk factors for occupational injuries.Conclusion:Training and use of safety protective measures will decrease occupational injuries.

The Italian National Surveillance System for Occupational Injuries: Conceptual Framework and Fatal Outcomes, 2002-2016

Background. A national database of work related injuries was established in Italy since 2002, collecting information on the injured person, his/her work tasks, the workplace as well as risk factors contributing to accident dynamics, according to a model called Infor.Mo. Methods. The present is a qualitative description of occupational fatal injuries, excluding work-related fatal traffic injuries, that occurred in Italy from 2002 to 2016 (15 years). Results. Among 4,874 victims involved, all were males, mainly of >51 years of age (50.5%), predominantly self-employed (27.8%) or workers with non-standard contracts (25%). About 18.4% and 17.3% of fatal accidents occurred in micro-enterprises belonging to, respectively, Construction and Agriculture. A wide range of nationalities (59 countries in addition to Italy) was identified. 18.9% work related fatal injuries were due to some form of dangerous energy ‒ mechanical, thermal, electrical, chemical ‒ freely present in the workplace. Workers’ falls from height (33.5%), heavy bodies falling on workers from height (16.7%) and vehicles exiting their route and overturning (15.9%) were the accidents causing the greatest proportion of occupational fatal injuries either in the present study (from 2002 to 2016) and in the initial pilot phase, focused on years 2002-2004, with a similar distribution between the latter two time periods. The activity of the injured person made up 43.3% of 9,386 risk factors identified in 4,874 fatalities. Less common risk factors were related to: work equipment (20.2%); work environment (14.9%); third parties’ activity (9.8%); personal protective equipment/clothing (8.0%) and materials (3.7%). The activity of the injured person remained the most relevant contributing factor even when the accident was caused by two or more risk factors. Discussion. Occupational fatal injuries occurred mainly in small size firms featured by deteriorated workplaces and undocumented workers. Small companies generally have less resources to catch up with the continuously evolving health and safety at work regulations; moreover, they tend to be less compliant with occupational health and safety regulations since are less likely to be inspected by occupational vigilance services. As a result, the enforcement of regulations to control the occupational risk factors of occupational injuries is seemingly costly and scarcely effective. Perspectives. An approach that is being introduced in Italy rely on the use of economic incentives to promote safe and healthy workplaces. Randomization of firms to intervention companies and “waiting list” controls could allow an unbiased evaluation of financial incentives to prevent work related injuries.

Incidence, patterns and associated factors for occupational injuries among agricultural workers in a developing country

Background: Injuries are common among agricultural workers, and a large section of the population is employed in agriculture worldwide. We aimed to determine the incidence, patterns and associated risk factors of occupational injuries among the agricultural workers in a developing country. Methods: A cross-sectional study in Hyderabad, Pakistan was conducted from December 2012 to February 2013. Information was collected about incidence, pattern and associated risk factors of occupational injuries from 472 agricultural workers. Injury incidence and patterns for place, severity, type, agent, parts of body affected and work activity were calculated. Analysis was performed using SPSS version 19.0. Multivariate logistic regression was performed to calculate the adjusted odds ratio (OR) with 95% confidence interval, to identify the putative risk factors for occupational injuries. Results: Incidence of occupational injuries was 35.0 per 100 per year (95% CI: 28.9 - 42.7). Cuts (70%) and hand tools (71%) were the most common type and agent for injury, respectively. Majority of injuries occurred during harvesting (55%). Increasing age [AOR 1.03 (95% CI: 1.01 - 1.05)], income <6000PKR/month [AOR 2.27 (95% CI: 1.08 - 4.76)] and driving tractor [AOR 2.58 (95% CI: 1.25 -5.33)] increase the risk for injuries. Conclusion: There was a high burden of injuries among the agricultural workers in Pakistan. Large-scale studies are required to further characterize the risk of injuries and develop preventive strategies to protect agricultural workers.

Detection of Occupational Physical Activities using a Smart Textile System

Detection of Occupational Physical Activities using a Smart Textile System

Obstructive sleep apnea syndrome and sleep disorders in individuals with occupational injuries

BackgroundSome sleep disorders are known risk factors for occupational injuries (OIs). This study aimed to compare the prevalence of obstructive sleep apnea syndrome (OSAS) in a population of patients with OIs admitted to the emergency room (ER) with hospital outpatients as controls.MethodsSeventy-nine patients with OIs and 56 controls were recruited at the University Hospital of Basel, Switzerland between 2009 and 2011. All patients completed a questionnaire and underwent a full-night attended polysomnography (PSG). We considered an apnea–hypopnea index (AHI) > 5 as an abnormal finding suggestive of a diagnosis of OSAS.ResultsPatients with OIs did not differ from controls regarding sex, age, body mass index, and job risk of OI. Patients with OIs tended to have an abnormal AHI (n = 38 [48%] vs. n = 16 [29%], odds ratio [OR] = 2.32 [95% confidence interval (CI):1.05–5.13]), and a higher AHI (8.0 vs. 5.6 events/h; Cohen’s d 0.28, p = 0.028) compared with controls. Patients with OIs also had abnormal limb movement index, arousal index, and signs of sleep bruxism compared with controls. Compared with 36 controls (66%), 70 patients with OIs (89%) had either excessive daytime sleepiness (EDS), and/or an abnormal finding during PSG (OR = 4.32, 95% CI:1.65–11.52). However, patients with OIs did not differ from controls regarding EDS or oxygen desaturation index.ConclusionsPatients treated in the ER for OI had more abnormal findings suggestive of OSAS or other sleep disorders compared with a control group of hospital outpatients. Screening for these conditions should be part of the postaccident medical investigation.

Risk Factors of Occupational Injuries Due to Loss of Control, Falls and Overexertion

Occupational injuries are a major concern globally due to its growing prevalence and its consequences on health. While many of the risks are related to daily routines others are as a result of indi ...

Transient risk factors of acute occupational injuries: a case-crossover study in two Danish emergency departments.

Objectives The objectives of this study were to (i) identify transient risk factors of occupational injuries and (ii) determine if the risk varies with age, injury severity, job task, and industry risk level. Method A case-crossover design was used to examine the effect of seven specific transient risk factors (time pressure, disagreement with someone, feeling sick, being distracted by someone, non-routine task, altered surroundings, and broken machinery and materials) for occupational injuries. In the study, 1693 patients with occupational injuries were recruited from a total of 4002 occupational injuries seen in 2013 at two emergency departments in Denmark. Effect estimates were calculated using the matched-pair interval approach. Results Increased risk for an occupational injury was found for time pressure [odds ratio (OR) 1.6, 95% confidence interval (95% CI) 1.3-2.0], feeling sick (OR 2.7, 95% CI 1.9-3.9), being distracted by someone (OR 3.1, 95% CI 2.3-4.1), non-routine task (OR 8.2, 95% CI 5.3-12.5), altered surroundings (OR 20.9, 95% CI 12.2-35.8), and broken machinery or materials (OR 20.6, 95% CI 13.5-31.7). The risk of occupational injury did not vary substantially in relation to sex, age, job task, industry risk level, or injury severity. Conclusion Use of a case-crossover design identified several worker-related transient risk factors (time pressure, feeling sick, being distracted by someone) that led to significantly increased risks for occupational injuries. In particular, equipment (broken machinery or materials) and work-practice-related factors (non-routine task and altered surroundings) increased the risk of an occupational injury. Elaboration of results in relation to hazard period and information bias is warranted.

Noise and neurotoxic chemical exposure relationship to workplace traumatic injuries: A review

IntroductionMore than 5,000 fatalities and eight million injuries occurred in the workplace in 2007 at a cost of $6 billion and $186 billion, respectively. Neurotoxic chemicals are known to affect central nervous system functions among workers, which include balance and hearing disorders. However, it is not known if there is an association between exposure to noise and solvents and acute injuries. Method: A thorough review was conducted of the literature on the relationship between noise or solvent exposures and hearing loss with various health outcomes. Results: The search resulted in 41 studies. Health outcomes included: hearing loss, workplace injuries, absence from work due to sickness, fatalities, hospital admissions due to workplace accidents, traffic accidents, hypertension, balance, slip, trips, or falls, cognitive measures, or disability retirement. Important covariates in these studies were age of employee, type of industry or occupation, or length of employment. Discussion: Most authors that evaluated noise exposure concluded that higher exposure to noise resulted in more of the chosen health effect but the relationship is not well understood. Studies that evaluated hearing loss found that hearing loss was related to occupational injury, disability retirement, or traffic accidents. Studies that assessed both noise exposure and hearing loss as risk factors for occupational injuries reported that hearing loss was related to occupational injuries as much or more than noise exposure. Evidence suggests that solvent exposure is likely to be related to accidents or other health consequences such balance disorders. Conclusions: Many authors reported that noise exposures and hearing loss, respectively, are likely to be related to occupational accidents. Practical applications: The potential significance of the study is that findings could be used by managers to reduce injuries and the costs associated with those injures.

Long Working Hours and Shift Work as Risk Factors for Occupational Injury

The aim of this review is to examine the effect of extended working hours and shift work on occupational injuries. A calculation based on five studies shows that the risk of occupational injury during afternoon shifts was 6% lower than that during morning shifts. The same kind of calculation showed that the risk of occupational injury during night shifts was 15% lower than during morning shifts. A review of twelve studies showed that the risk of occupational injury was 15% higher for 10-hour working days compared to 8-hour working days. On the other hand, working 12-hour days increased the risk of occupational injury by 38%. When working more than 12 hours per day, four studies showed a 147% increase in involvement in occupational injury. The results of this review showed that shift work considerably increased the risk of occupational injury in the USA, but not in India and Singapore. Extended working hours was related to elevated risk of occupational injury. Thus shift work and long work hours did not suit for all employees.

Do No Harm, Except to Ourselves? A Survey of Symptoms and Injuries in Oncologic Surgeons and Pilot Study of an Intraoperative Ergonomic Intervention

Occupational symptoms and injuries incurred over a surgical career are under- reported, yet they have an impact on daily surgical practice. We assessed the frequency, consequences, and risk factors for occupational injury in oncologic surgeons and evaluated the feasibility of intraoperative foot mat use to mitigate occupational symptoms. Oncologic surgeons completed a survey of demographic information and occupational symptoms and injuries. Multivariate logistic regression was used to identify factors associated with occupational symptoms and injuries. A randomized cross-over pilot study of intraoperative foot mat use was conducted. One hundred twenty-seven surgeons completed surveys (response rate: 58%). The most commonly reported symptoms were fatigue, discomfort, stiffness, and back pain. An occupational injury was reported by 27.6% of surgeons. Of those injured, 65.7% received treatment, with 17.4% of those treated requiring surgery for their injury. In multivariate analysis, factors significantly associated with occupational injury were male sex (odds ratio [OR] 3.00, 95% CI 1.08 to 8.38), mean case length of 4 hours or more (OR 2.72, 95% CI 1.08 to 6.87), using a step to operate (OR 3.06, 95% CI 1.02 to 9.15), and neck pain (OR 4.81, 95% CI 1.64 to 14.12). In the foot mat pilot study (n= 20), mat use was associated with discomfort (OR 7.57, 95% CI 1.19 to 48.00), but no significant differences in leg volume change due to mat use were found. Most oncologic surgeons experience musculoskeletal symptoms from operating. Of the 28% of surgeons with an occupational injury, most required treatment. Intraoperative foot mat use was associated with increased discomfort.