Types Of Personal Protective Equipment Research Articles

Personal protective equipment for preventing asbestos exposure in workers.

Personal protective equipment for preventing asbestos exposure in workers.

Knowledge, attitude, and wearing of personal protective equipment among dental hygienists in regions during the COVID-19 era

Objectives: This study aimed to understand the knowledge, attitude, and wearing of four types of personal protective equipment among dental hygienists based on to the COVID-19 infection control guidelines and to provide basic data on the need to wear these equipment by dental hygienists in dental medical institutions. Methods: Between March 31 and April 26, 2022, 285 dental hygienists working at dental institutions in Busan and Gyeongsang Provinces participated in the study. Results: The higher the knowledge on personal protective equipment, the higher the glove-wearing rate; and the higher the attitude toward personal protective equipment, the higher the KF94 mask-wearing rate. Furthermore, the higher the rate of wearing face shields, the higher the rate of wearing gloves and full-body protective suits; and the higher the rate of wearing gloves, the higher the rate of wearing a full-body protective suit. Conclusions: To prevent cross-infection by dental hygienists in dental medical institutions, it is necessary to have the four types of personal protective equipment at all times and to strengthen comprehensive education on these equipment.

Midwives’ experiences with PPE during the COVID-19 pandemic: The Birth in the Time of COVID (BITTOC) study

BackgroundThe COVID-19 pandemic resulted in rapid changes aimed at reducing disease transmission in maternity services in Australia. An increase in personal protective equipment (PPE) in the clinical and community setting was a key strategy. There was variation in the type of PPE and when it was to be worn in clincial practice. AimThis paper reports on Australian midwives’ experiences of PPE during the pandemic. MethodsThis sequential mixed methods study was part of the Birth in the Time of COVID-19 (BITTOC 2020) study. Data were obtained from in-depth semi-structured interviews with midwives in 2020 followed by a national survey undertaken at two time points (2020 and 2021). Qualitative open-text survey responses and interview data were analysed using content analysis. Findings16 midwives were interviewed and 687 midwives provided survey responses (2020 n = 477, 2021 n = 210). Whilst midwives largley understood the need for increased PPE, and were mainly happy with this, as it was protective, they reported a number of concerns. These included: inconsistency with PPE type, use, availability, quality, fit and policy; the impact of PPE on the physical and psychological comfort of midwives; and the barriers PPE use placed on communication and woman centred care. This at times resulted in midwives working outside of policy. ConclusionThese findings highlight the need for future comprehensive pandemic preparedness that ensures policy and procedure recommendations are consistent and PPE is available, of approriate quality, and individually fitted in order to ensure that Australian maternity services are well placed to manage future pandemics.

Analisis Penerapan Penggunaan Alat Pelindung Diri (APD)

The incidence of infection is considered a serious problem that threatens the health and safety of patients and health workers globally. Nosocomial infections are infections that occur in hospitals and attack sufferers who are in the healing process. Personal protective equipment (PPE) is equipment that workers must use when carrying out work that poses a risk of compromising safety and health. The aim of this research is to determine the implementation of the use of personal protective equipment (PPE) in room D of one of the Bogor city hospitals. The type of research is in the form of a case study of nursing management station nurse practice which was carried out October 16 – November 10 2023. Data collection tools used observation and checklist sheets. The results of research on the types of Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) used in room D consist of handscoone, mask, apron, haircap and shoes. The personal protective equipment (PPE) used in room D was found to be incomplete. The implementation of the use of Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) used in room D was found to be poor, because of the 5 nurses only 3 nurses applied it well (70%), the rest were not good (30%). And in conclusion, implementing the use of Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) is very important for health workers, especially nurses, when carrying out medical procedures to avoid nosocomial infections..

Analysis on personal protection in occupational population at high risk for brucellosis and influencing factor in China

Objective: To understand the current status of personal protection in occupational population at high risk for brucellosis in China and provide evidence for the evaluation of implementation of National Brucellosis Prevention and Control Plan (2016-2020). Methods: Four counties in Shanxi Province and Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region were selected to conduct a questionnaire survey in occupational population at high risk for brucellosis from December 2019 to July 2020 by using cross-sectional survey methods. Results: A total of 2 384 persons at high risk for brucellosis were surveyed, and the standardized utilization rate of personal protective equipment (PPE) was 20.13% (480/2 384). The utilization rate of glove, mask, rubber shoe, and work cloth were 38.26% (912/2 384), 31.80% (758/2 384), 32.01% (763/2 384) and 30.87% (736/2 384),respectively. There were significant differences in the utilization rate and standardized utilization rate of the four types of PPE among populations in different age, occupation, educational level and area groups (all P<0.001). The utilization rate and standardized utilization rate of PPE were lower in people over 60 years old, women, farmers, and those with lower educational level. The results of multivariate analysis showed that occupation and area were the influencing factors for the standardized utilization of PPE, the standardized utilization rates of PPE were higher in herdsmen and veterinarians. The standardized utilization rate of PPE in Yanggao County and Huocheng County was significantly higher than that in Zuoyun County and Hunyuan County. Conclusions: The utilization rate of the four types of PPE in occupational population at high risk for brucellosis was not high in China, and the standardized utilization rate was low, lower than the requirement in National Brucellosis Prevention and Control Plan, and there were significant differences among different areas. It is urgent to distribute PPE to occupational population at high risk for brucellosis and carry out health education about PPE utilization. Meanwhile, it is necessary to strengthen information exchange or sharing among different areas.

Study on the distribution characteristics of clearance in clothing and influence on pressure

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to investigate the distribution characteristics of airflow in mine ventilation suits with different pipeline structures when the human body is bent at various angles. On this basis, the stress points are extracted to investigate the pressure variation of a ventilation suit under different ventilation rates and pipeline structures.Design/methodology/approachBased on the three-dimensional human body scanner, portable pressure test and other instruments, a human experiment was conducted in an artificial cabin. The study analyzed and compared the distribution characteristics of clearance under three different pipeline structures, as well as the pressure variation of the ventilation suit.FindingsThe study found that the clearance in front of two pipeline structures gradually increased in size as the degree of bending increased, and there was minimal clearance in the chest and back. The longitudinal structure exhibits a significant decrease in clearance compared to the spiral structure. The pressure value of the spiral pipeline structure with the same ventilation volume is low, followed by the transverse structure, while the longitudinal structure has the highest pressure value. The increase in clothing pressure value of a spiral pipeline structured ventilation suit with varying ventilation volumes is minimal.Originality/valueThe ventilation suit has a promising future as a type of personal protective equipment for mitigating heat damage in mines. It is of great value to study the pipeline structure of the ventilation suit for human comfort.

Inadequate Personal Protective Equipment Factors and Odds Related to Acute Pesticide Poisoning: A Meta-Analysis Report.

Acute pesticide poisoning (APP) continues to affect farm workers, especially in low- and middle-income countries (LMIC). The dose-response relationship between exposure and APP is well-researched, but pesticide exposure assessment in a practical environment is difficult to perform, considering various work practices and protections in place. It is well known that inadequate personal protective equipment (PPE) use is a risk factor of APP. However, it is unknown which types of inadequate PPE use, such as face or other types of general protection, are most harmful. This study aimed to identify if inadequate PPE use is an indicator of APP risk following established specifications for meta-analysis of epidemiological studies. Included studies reported an odds ratio (OR) between PPE use to APP in agricultural workers. Data extracted from selected articles included authors, publication year, country of origin, farm type, population size, method of data collection and time frame of reported symptoms, job task, type of PPE and pesticides used, adjustments made in analysis, OR for APP, and 95% confidence intervals (CI). Meta-analysis was performed using a random effects model, where ORs were pooled to assess an overall estimate for poisoning odds. Our findings suggested that inadequate PPE use was associated with increased odds (OR = 1.57, 95% CI = 1.16-2.12) of having APP. Failure to use general protection and inadequate face protection increased odds of APP by 1.29 times (95% CI = 0.88-1.90) and 1.92 times (95% CI = 1.23-3.00), respectively. The meta-analysis results indicate that improper facial protection and general protection are not differently associated with APP odds. Our study concludes that more robust protection against inhalation and dermal contact are critical because any gaps in comprehensive full-body PPE would put workers and exposed populations at APP risk.

Plastic Pandemic after COVID-19: A Global Health Concern.

COVID-19 pandemic has increased the amount of plastic burden to environment and complexities of plastic waste management. Change in behavioral pattern with advent of this pandemic led to increased practice of hygiene and increased use of different types of personal protective equipment. Unfortunately, rapid rise in production of the PPEs (like Hazmat suit, gloves, etc.) and single-use plastics used in RT-PCR and other testing are the biggest source for increased non-biodegradable plastic waste leading to amplified burden on plastic waste management. A number of measures like prioritizing the policies directed towards changes at behavioral, social and institutional level need to be started. Also, reduction in plastic waste along with proper plastic waste management policies should be implemented. To prevent the transition from one pandemic to other; improvement in government policies with public private partnership are the need of the hour.

“If I blink twice everything is OK” – A qualitative study of Swedish midwives’ strategies for supporting birthing women while working in full personal protective equipment

ProblemMidwives all over the world have had to adapt to the use of personal protective equipment (PPE) during the COVID-19 pandemic. The issue of how they managed to support birthing women, despite the use of PPE, has been insufficiently studied. BackgroundMidwives support birthing women in one of their most life-changing situations. Having COVID-19 at the time of childbirth makes birthing women even more vulnerable. PPE has been shown to impact the ability of providing support to birthing women. AimTo describe midwives’ strategies for supporting birthing women while working in full PPE MethodsA qualitative study based on focus group discussons with Swedish midwives. Data were analysed by inductive content analysis. FindingsTo support birthing women while in full PPE, the midwives adapted existing working methods, increased collaboration with colleagues, unveiled, adapted to the requirements for contagion prevention, addressed women’s concern for the midwife and maintained focus on the birth while remaining mindful of the risk of contagion. DiscussionMidwives adopted strategies in order to uphold provision of support to the birthing women, as well as to address contextual factors related to PPE that hinder provision of support. ConclusionThe respective effects of different PPE types and models on the birth experience should be explored. Explicit strategies for supporting birthing women while working in full PPE must be created and discussed among midwives.

Impact of Personal Protective Equipment on Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation and Rescuer Safety

Background. High-quality cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) is a key element in the rescue of cardiac arrest patients but is difficult to achieve in circumstances involving aerosol transmission, such as the COVID-19 pandemic. Methods. This prospective randomized crossover trial included 30 experienced health care providers to evaluate the impact of personal protective equipment (PPE) on CPR quality and rescuer safety. Participants were asked to perform continuous CPR for 5 minutes on a manikin with three types of PPE: level D-PPE, level C-PPE, and PAPR. The primary outcome was effective chest compression per minute. Secondary outcomes were the fit factor by PortaCount, vital signs and fatigue scores before and after CPR, and perceptions related to wearing PPE. Repeated-measures ANOVA was used, and a two-tailed test value of 0.05 was considered statistically significant. Results. The rates of effective chest compressions for 5 minutes with level D-PPE, level C-PPE, and PAPRs were 82.0 ± 0.2%, 78.4 ± 0.2%, and 78.0 ± 0.2%, respectively ( p = 0.584 ). The fit-factor test values of level C-PPE and PAPRs were 182.9 ± 39.9 vs. 198.9 ± 9.2 ( p &lt; 0.001 ). The differences in vital signs before and after CPR were not significantly different among the groups. In addition, the fatigue and total perception scores of wearing PPE were significantly higher for level C-PPE than PAPRs: 3.8 ± 1.6 vs. 3.0 ± 1.6 ( p &lt; 0.001 ) and 27.9 ± 5.4 vs. 26.0 ± 5.3 ( p &lt; 0.001 ), respectively. Conclusion. PAPRs are recommended when performing CPR in situations where aerosol transmission is suspected. When PAPRs are in short supply, individual fit-tested N95 masks are an alternative. This trial is registered with NCT04802109.

Prevalence and distribution of personal protective equipment (PPE) litter along the shoreline of Charleston Harbor estuary, South Carolina, USA

The COVID-19 pandemic has introduced personal protective equipment (PPE) litter into the environment since early 2020. These items are often made of plastic polymers and can degrade over time. This study quantified PPE litter abundance around Charleston Harbor, South Carolina. Plastic and PPE litter were collected at ten sites in September 2021. Items were weighed and categorized by type and plastic polymer. A total of 286 items of PPE were found, comprising 2.9 % of all plastic litter. Gloves were the most abundant type of PPE (n = 142), and PPE was found at an average density of 0.03 items m−1 and 0.19 g m−1. Compared to other coastal surveys conducted during the pandemic, PPE litter was present at higher proportions in Charleston Harbor. These results establish baseline levels of pandemic-related PPE litter in Charleston Harbor, and future research is necessary to quantify the environmental risks associated with PPE litter exposure.

The Effectiveness of a Novel Air-Barrier Device for Aerosol Reduction in a Dental Environment: Computational Fluid Dynamics Simulation.

The use of equipment such as dental handpieces and ultrasonic tips in the dental environment has potentially heightened the generation and spread of aerosols, which are dispersant particles contaminated by etiological factors. Although numerous types of personal protective equipment have been used to lower contact with contaminants, they generally do not exhibit excellent removal rates and user-friendliness in tandem. To solve this problem, we developed a prototype of an air-barrier device that forms an air curtain as well as performs suction and evaluated the effect of this newly developed device through a simulation study and experiments. The air-barrier device derived the improved design for reducing bioaerosols through the simulation results. The experiments also demonstrated that air-barrier devices are effective in reducing bioaerosols generated at a distance in a dental environment. In conclusion, this study demonstrates that air-barrier devices in dental environments can play an effective role in reducing contaminating particles.

Contamination of SARS-CoV-2 RNA on personal protective equipment and environmental surfaces in nonpatient entry area of a Fangcang shelter hospital.

To determine the extent of contamination of personal protective equipment (PPE) and surfaces by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) in the nonpatient entry area of a Fangcang shelter hospital, the medical staff accommodation area, and the staff transport bus. We collected 816 samples from the nonpatient entry area and floors in a Fangcang shelter hospital, medical staff accommodation area, and scheduled bus, and the five major types of PPE used from April 13 to May 18, 2022. SARS-CoV-2 ribonucleic acid (RNA) was detected by reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction. Overall, 22.2% of PPE samples were positive for SARS-CoV-2 RNA. Boot covers and gowns were the most contaminated types of PPE. The positive PPE contamination rate of staff collecting respiratory specimens was significantly higher than that of the general-treatment staff group (35.8% vs. 12.2%) and cleaner group (35.8% vs. 26.4%), p < 0.01. In total, 27 of 265 (10.2%) environmental surface samples were positive for SARS-CoV-2 RNA. The contamination-positive rates were 26.8% (22/82), 5.4% (4/74), and 0.9% (1/109) for contaminated, potentially contaminated, and clean zones, respectively. SARS-CoV-2 RNA was frequently detected on objects such as mobile phones, tables, computer keyboards and mice, and door handles. SARS-CoV-2 RNA was widely distributed on high-touch surfaces and on PPE in the contaminated zone of the Fangcang shelter hospital, implying a potentially high infection risk for healthcare workers. Our findings emphasize the need to ensure adequate environmental cleaning, improve hand hygiene, and reduce the risk of infection. Additionally, prevention of self-contamination during PPE donning and doffing is complex and needs more research.

Applicability of Human Thermophysiological Model for Prediction of Thermal Strain in PPE

The use of personal protective equipment (PPE) is essential to protect the human body in hazardous environments or where there is a risk of CBRN agents. However, PPE also poses a barrier to evaporative heat dissipation, therefore increasing heat accumulation in the body. In our research, we investigated the applicability of thermophysiological models for the prediction of thermal strain and the permissible working time in a contaminated environment when the usage of protective ensembles is required. We investigated the relationship between the thermal insulation characteristics of four types of PPE against CBRN agents and the induced thermal strain in a set of real physiological strain tests with human probands wearing the PPE in a climatic chamber. Based on the results, we compared the predictions using two thermophysiological models—Predicted Heat Strain Index (PHS) and FIALA-based model of thermal comfort (FMTK)—with the experimental data. In order to provide a user-friendly platform for the estimation of thermal stress in PPE, a user-friendly computational tool, Predictor of Thermal Stress (PTS), was developed. The PTS tool is based on an extensive database of simulated calculations using an FMTK model based on PPE characteristics, environmental conditions, individual parameters, and expected workload. The PTS tool was validated by means of the results from real tests in a climatic chamber. The PTS was shown to be an easy-to-use computational tool, which can be run on a regular PC, based on real data applicable for the estimation of the permissible work time limit with regard to thermal strain in PPE under various conditions.

Substation Safety Awareness Intelligent Model: Fast Personal Protective Equipment Detection Using GNN Approach

Federal regulations require employees to protect themselves from electrical hazards when working at substations. Such protections, commonly called personal protective equipment (PPE), vary with the hazard types and nature of exposure or delivery. Over the past decades, personal injuries and fatalities from electrical hazards have remained relatively common despite regular risk assessments and controls. One reason for this is that adequate PPE is not appropriately used. Easy-to-deploy strategies to detect proper use of PPE for electrical hazards are not available. Here, an intelligent detection model is developed to check whether PPE is appropriately worn or not; warning alarms would be triggered when the usage does not follow safety regulations. Arc-flash analysis is employed to determine a reasonable and safe PPE guideline. Eight types of PPE are considered, which cover the major PPE categories utilized in practice, including medical masks recommended for the Covid-19 pandemic. The model's framework utilizes a few-shot based graph neural network (GNN) technique to detect PPE. In contrast to prior data-driven models, only 50 images were collected for each PPE type, a relatively small number compared with state-of-the-art research. The proposed model was trained with diversified samples within multiple environments, resulting in a robust, efficient, intelligent detection model with probability of similarity in the range of 79% - 100%. To tackle the existing issues of computer-vision based PPE detection models, some technical suggestions on preserving personal privacy and PPE labels are provided.

Front-Line vs Second-Line Healthcare Workers: Susceptibility Prediction to COVID-19 Infection in a Tertiary Care Teaching Institute.

Background Since the beginning of the novel coronavirus disease in Wuhan city of China in 2019 and its spreading worldwide and taking the form of a pandemic, many healthcare workers (HCWs)were affected by coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) infection. Though we have used many types of personal protective equipment(PPE) kitswhile taking care of COVID-19 patients, we have seen COVID-19 susceptibility in different working areas were different. The pattern of infection in different working areas depended on HCWsfollowing COVID-19 appropriate behavior. Therefore, we planned to estimate the susceptibility of front-line HCWs and second-line HCWs to getting COVID-19 infection. Aim To determine the risk of COVID-19 in front-line healthcare workers as compared to second-line healthcare workers. Method and materials We planned a retrospective cross-sectional analysis of COVID-19-positive healthcare workers from our institute within six months. Their nature of duty was analyzed and they were divided into two groups: 1) Front-line HCWs were defined as those who were working or who have worked in screening areas of the outpatient department (OPD)or COVID-19 isolation wards within the prior 14 days and provided direct care to patients with confirmed or suspected COVID-19. 2) Second-line HCWs were those who were working in the general OPD or non-COVID-19 areas of our hospital and did not have contact with COVID-19-positive patients. Results A total of 59 HCWs became COVID-19 positive during the study period, 23 as front-line and 36 as second-line HCWs. The mean (SD) duration of work as a front-line worker was 51 and as a second-line worker was 84.4 hours. Fever, cough, body ache, loss of taste, loose stools, palpitation, throat pain, vertigo, vomiting, lung disease, generalized weakness, breathing difficulty, loss of smell, headache, and running nose were present in 21 (35.6%), 15 (25.4%), 9 (15.3%), 10 (16.9%), 3 (5.1%), 5 (8.5%), 5 (8.5%), 1 (1.7%), 4 (6.8%), 2 (3.4%), 11 (18.6%), 4 (6.8%), 9 (15.3%), 6 (10.2%) and 3 (5.1%), respectively. To predict the risk of getting COVID-19 infection in HCWs, binary logistic regression with COVID-19 diagnosis as the output variable was modeled with hours of working in COVID-19 wards as front-line and second-line workers as independent variables. The results showed that there was a 1.18 times increased risk of acquiring the disease for every one-hour excess of working as a front-line worker, whereas, for second-line workers, it was slightly lower, with a 1.11 times increased risk for developing COVID-19 disease with every one hour increase in duty hours. Both these associations were statistically significant (p=0.001 for front-line and 0.006 for second-line HCWs). Conclusion COVID-19 has taught us the importance of COVID-19 appropriate behavior in preventing the spread of respiratory organisms. Our study has shown that both the front-line and second-line HCWs are at increased risk of getting the infection and proper use of a PPE kit or mask can decrease the spread of such respiratory pathogens.

Assessment of systemic hemodynamic changes in medical workers of PCR laboratories when using personal protective equipment

In the conditions of the COVID-19 pandemic, clinical diagnostic laboratories conducting a test for the presence of coronavirus using polymerase chain reaction (PCR), in most cases, work with significant overload. Performing professional duties in these conditions imposes special requirements on medical personnel. First of all, this concerns the parameters of systemic hemodynamics as an objective criterion of health risk.&#x0D; The study aims to analyze the state of systemic hemodynamics in medical workers of PCR laboratories when working in the conditions of the COVID–19 pandemic when using personal protective equipment against a biological factor.&#x0D; The researchers have conducted the study in the winter period of the year in PCR laboratories for the diagnosis of a new coronavirus infection. The observation group included 33 people aged 32.5±1.44 years and 1–33 months of experience in the PCR laboratory. We have evaluated the key parameters of systemic hemodynamics, heart rate variability and the degree of oxygen saturation in the blood of laboratory staff. The authors have carried out measurements at the beginning and end of the work shift.&#x0D; There was a significant increase in heart rate (by 3.7%), minute heart volume (by 5.2%), myocardial oxygen consumption (by 5.6%) at the end of the work shift compared with its beginning. The values of these parameters of systemic hemodynamics remained within the normal range. At the same time, the increase in the values of these indicators indicates a significant strain on self-regulatory mechanisms and the development of fatigue.&#x0D; When using personal protective equipment against a biological factor, the tension of the systemic mechanisms of hemodynamic self-regulation in medical workers of PCR laboratories increases. The degree of severity of the tension of these mechanisms significantly depends on the features of the functional state of the cardiovascular system and vegetative status. At the same time, it is necessary to provide a physiological and hygienic justification for the duration of the periods of work of medical workers of PCR laboratories when using various types of personal protective equipment against a biological factor, which justifies the relevance of further research.&#x0D; Limitations. The results of this study were obtained on a relatively small sample. Therefore, in order to increase its representativeness, it is necessary to increase the number of participants, which will allow leveling the existing restrictions.&#x0D; Ethics. The study was conducted in compliance with the ethical standards set out in the Helsinki Declaration of 1975 with additions of 2008. The study participants signed a form of "Informed Voluntary consent to conduct a study", developed in accordance with the requirements of the local ethics committee of the Federal State Budgetary Educational Institution of the Volga State Medical University of the Ministry of Health of the Russian Federation.

Silicone passive sampling used to identify novel dermal chemical exposures of firefighters and assess PPE innovations.

A plethora of chemicals are released into the air during combustion events, including a class of compounds called polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs). PAHs have been implicated in increased risk of cancer and cardiovascular disease, both of which are disease endpoints of concern in structural firefighters. Current commercially available personal protective equipment (PPE) typically worn by structural firefighters during fire responses have gaps in interfaces between the ensemble elements (e.g., hood and jacket) that allow for ingress of contaminants and dermal exposure. This pilot study aims to use silicone passive sampling to assess improvements in dermal protection afforded by a novel configuration of PPE, which incorporates a one-piece liner to eliminate gaps in two critical interfaces between pieces of gear. The study compared protection against parent and alkylated PAHs between the one-piece liner PPE and the standard configuration of PPE with traditional firefighting jacket and pants. Mannequins (n=16) dressed in the PPE ensembles were placed in a Fireground Exposure Simulator for 10min, and exposed to smoke from a combusting couch. Silicone passive samplers were placed underneath PPE at vulnerable locations near interfaces in standard PPE, and in the chamber air, to measure PAHs and calculate the dermal protection provided by both types of PPE. Silicone passive sampling methodology and analyses using gas chromatography with mass-spectrometry proved to be well-suited for this intervention study, allowing for the calculation and comparison of worker protection factors for 51 detected PAHs. Paired comparisons of the two PPE configurations found greater sum 2-3 ring PAH exposure underneath the standard PPE than the intervention PPE at the neck and chest, and at the chest for 4-7 ring PAHs (respective p-values: 0.00113, 0.0145, and 0.0196). Mean worker protection factors of the intervention PPE were also greater than the standard PPE for 98% of PAHs at the neck and chest. Notably, the intervention PPE showed more than 30 times the protection compared to the standard PPE against two highly carcinogenic PAHs, dibenzo[a,l]pyrene and benzo[c]fluorene. Nine of the detected PAHs in this study have not been previously reported in fireground exposure studies, and 26 other chemicals (not PAHs) were detected using a large chemical screening method on a subset of the silicone samplers. Silicone passive sampling appears to be an effective means for measuring dermal exposure reduction to fireground smoke, providing evidence in this study that reducing gaps in PPE interfaces could be further pursued as an intervention to reduce dermal exposure to PAHs, among other chemicals.

Intensive care unit nurses’ knowledge, attitudes, perceptions of a safe environment, and compliance with the use of personal protective equipment: a descriptive observational study

Purpose: This study investigated the knowledge, attitudes, and perceptions of a safe environment, as well as self-reported and observed compliance with the use of personal protective equipment (PPE), among intensive care unit (ICU) nurses.Methods: This study was conducted in October 2021 with 55 nurses working in the medical and surgical ICUs of a general hospital in Seoul. A self-reported questionnaire and an observational tool for compliance with the use of PPE were used to collect data.Result: Except for masks, the observed compliance for all other PPE types was lower than the self-reported compliance. Male nurses showed significantly higher observed compliance than female nurses. Self-reported compliance with PPE use, including “when there is a possibility of contact with objects contaminated with blood or body fluids, mucous membranes, damaged skin, or contaminated skin” (r=.23, p=.015) and “when there is a possibility of contact with blood, body fluids, secretions, or exudates” (r=.27, p=.004) showed significant correlations with knowledge of PPE. In the results for self-reported compliance with PPE use, gown use had a significant correlation with knowledge (r=.24, p&lt;.001) and perceptions of a safe environment (r=.15, p=.016) for PPE, and gloves showed significant correlations with attitudes (r=.14, p=.024) and perceptions of a safe environment (r=.18, p=.003).Conclusion: The observed compliance with PPE use tended to be lower than the self-reported compliance among ICU nurses. It is necessary to develop and apply an effective educational program that can enhance improve actual compliance with PPE use among intensive care unit nurses.

Socialization of Occupational Health and Safety (K3) for Workers Construction on Bridge Projects

Construction is hard work which involves many elements, from the use of heavy equipment to the involvement of large amounts of materials. This causes the world of construction to have a higher risk of work accidents compared to other types of work. For this reason, all parties must understand the importance of implementing Occupational Safety and Health (K3) in construction projects. Socialization of the application of K3 was carried out including the bridge project on Jalan Bilal, Medan. The service will be held on January 16 2023 at 11.00 – 13.00 WIB with the lecture and discussion method. In the early stages, the speaker gave a lecture by introducing the types of personal protective equipment and the importance of applying K3. Then a discussion was held, where the presenter gave the opportunity to the participants to ask questions about K3. In-depth knowledge of OSH and awareness of workers to implement OSH is the result to be achieved in this service