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Hygiene RSS FeedsThe Flowers That Bloom In The Spring - Tra-la! At last the crocuses have bloomed.There is something about the first flower of spring that changes everything. It signals, to me at least, the beginning of the gardening season.I've been pulling up weeds from the rose beds for a few weeks now. For the most part, the roses themselves seem to have handled the winter well. Rosa multiflora already has leaves. Rosa akransana and Rosa woodsii ultramontana are budding out; the latter of which (which normally do <br /><a href="http://www.wunderground.com/blog/fa/comment.html?entrynum=4">Read More</a>...Feed Source: www.wunderground.com Harmonization of Measurement Strategies for Exposure to Manufactured Nano-Objects; Report of a Workshop -
The present paper summarizes the outcome of the discussions at the First International Scientific Workshop on Harmonization of Strategies to Measure and Analyze Exposure to (Manufactured) Nano-objects in Workplace Air that was organized and hosted by the Netherlands Organization for Applied Scientific Research (TNO) and the Institute for Occupational Safety and Health of the German Social Accident Insurance (IFA) (Zeist, The Netherlands, December 2010). It reflects the discussions by 25 international participants in the area of occupational (nano) exposure assessment from Europe, USA, Japan, and Korea on nano-specific issues related to the three identified topics: (i) measurement strategies; (ii) analyzing, evaluating, and reporting of exposure data; and (iii) core information for (exposure) data storage. Preliminary recommendations were achieved with respect to (i) a multimetric approach to exposure assessment, a minimal set of data to be collected, and basic data analysis and rep... Does Daily Exposure to Whole-Body Vibration and Mechanical Shock Relate to the Prevalence of Low Back and Neck Pain in a Rural Workforce? -
Objectives: To determine whether whole-body vibration (WBV) and mechanical shock exposure from quad bike use are associated with the prevalence of neck and low back pain (LBP) in New Zealand farmers and rural workers.
Methods: Full-day WBV and mechanical shock exposures were gathered from 130 farmers and rural workers. Participants were surveyed for a history of neck or LBP in the past 7 days and in the past 12 months. Anthropometric, personal, and workplace data were also gathered.
Results: Physical exposures (mechanical shocks), employee status, and low levels of workplace satisfaction are all significantly associated with the 12-month prevalence of LBP in this rural workforce that regularly use quad bikes. Both vibration and mechanical shock exposure were strongly associated with 12-month prevalence of neck pain. The 7-day prevalence of neck pain showed a non-significant association with mechanical shock and vibration.
Conclusions: Knowledge of these finding... Electric and Magnetic Field Measurements in a High Voltage Center -
This paper investigates the electric and magnetic fields inside a large high voltage center constituted both of 400/150 and 150/20 kV substation areas. Results of previous field measurements and calculations in substations, made by the authors of this paper or other researchers, are presented first. The basic data distinguishing the examined center from previously examined substations follow. The main results of the field measurements in the areas of the above-mentioned center are presented in relevant diagrams. General conclusions arising from the comparison of the measured field values with relevant reference levels in force for safe public and occupational exposure as well as with the results of previous research are finally given.
... Exposure to Grain Dust in Great Britain -
Airborne grain dust is a complex mixture of fragments of organic material from grain, plus mineral matter from soil, and possible insect, fungal, or bacterial contamination or their toxic products, such as endotoxin. In the 1990s, grain workers in Britain were frequently exposed to inhalable dust >10 mg.m–3 (8 h), with particularly high exposures being found at terminals where grain was imported or exported and in drying operations (personal exposure typically ~20 mg.m–3). Since then, the industry has made substantial progress in improving the control of airborne dust through better-designed processes, increased automation, and an improved focus on product quality. We have used information from the published scientific literature and a small survey of industry representatives to estimate current exposure levels. These data suggest that current long-term exposure to inhalable dust for most workers is on average less than ~3 mg.m–3... Assessment of Exposure to PCDD/F, PCB, and PAH at a Basic Oxygen Steelmaking (BOS) and an Iron Ore Sintering Plant in the UK -
An assessment was carried out at a UK integrated steelworks to investigate the exposure of workers via inhalation to dioxins [polychlorinated dibenzo-p-dioxins (PCDD/F)], polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAH) including benzo[a]pyrene (B[a]P). Investigations focused on a basic oxygen steelmaking (BOS) plant and an iron ore sintering plant. The highest concentrations of PCDD/F and dioxin-like PCB were found at the BOS vessels and sinter strand area at the BOS and sinter plant, respectively. A risk assessment was carried out by comparing the daily intake of PCDD/F and PCB via inhalation with the recommended tolerable daily intake (TDI) proposed by the World Health Organisation (WHO). For the most exposed category of worker in this study (i.e. sinter plant workers inside the strand area), the estimated daily intake via inhalation was estimated to be 0.25 pg WHO-toxic equivalent concentrations (TEQ) kg–1 body weight (bw). Co... Asbestos Exposure During Uncontrolled Removal of Sprayed-on Asbestos -
Asbestos-containing materials in place in buildings, especially sprayed-on asbestos, are still an important health threat. Clearance of these materials has to be operated by specifically trained workers wearing specific individual protection suits after containment of the contaminated area. Good work practices are, however, not always applied. We report the case of two workers hired for ~1 week to remove sprayed-on amosite asbestos during the remodeling of a former industrial hall. Regulatory protective equipments were not used. A legal action was initiated after disclosure of the working conditions. Medical examinations were performed 18 and 22 months after exposure. Workers denied any other asbestos exposure. Lung function tests and chest computed tomography scans were normal. Very high levels of asbestos fibers and bodies were discovered on mineralogical analysis of bronchoalveolar lavage fluid (BALF) by phase contrast light microscopy and analytical electron microscopy. All fib... Asbestos-Related Diseases in Automobile Mechanics -
Purpose:
Automobile mechanics have been exposed to asbestos in the past, mainly due to the presence of chrysotile asbestos in brakes and clutches. Despite the large number of automobile mechanics, little is known about the non-malignant respiratory diseases observed in this population. The aim of this retrospective multicenter study was to analyse the frequency of pleural and parenchymal abnormalities on high-resolution computed tomography (HRCT) in a population of automobile mechanics.
Methods:
The study population consisted of 103 automobile mechanics with no other source of occupational exposure to asbestos, referred to three occupational health departments in the Paris area for systematic screening of asbestos-related diseases. All subjects were examined by HRCT and all images were reviewed separately by two independent readers; who in the case of disagreement discussed until they reached agreement. Multiple logistic regression models w... Oil Mist and Vapour Concentrations from Drilling Fluids: Inter- and Intra-laboratory Comparison of Chemical Analyses -
Objectives:
There are no recognized analytical methods for measuring oil mist and vapours arising from drilling fluids used in offshore petroleum drilling industry. To inform the future development of improved methods of analysis for oil mist and vapours this study assessed the inter- and intra-laboratory variability in oil mist and vapour analysis. In addition, sample losses during transportation and storage were assessed.
Methods:
Replicate samples for oil mist and vapour were collected using the 37-mm Millipore closed cassette and charcoal tube assembly. Sampling was conducted in a simulated shale shaker room, similar to that found offshore for processing drilling fluids. Samples were analysed at two different laboratories, one in Norway and one in the UK. Oil mist samples were analysed using Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), while oil vapour samples were analysed by gas chromatography (GC).
Results:... Development of an Exposure Measurement Database on Five Lung Carcinogens (ExpoSYN) for Quantitative Retrospective Occupational Exposure Assessment -
Background:
SYNERGY is a large pooled analysis of case–control studies on the joint effects of occupational carcinogens and smoking in the development of lung cancer. A quantitative job-exposure matrix (JEM) will be developed to assign exposures to five major lung carcinogens [asbestos, chromium, nickel, polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAH), and respirable crystalline silica (RCS)]. We assembled an exposure database, called ExpoSYN, to enable such a quantitative exposure assessment.
Methods:
Existing exposure databases were identified and European and Canadian research institutes were approached to identify pertinent exposure measurement data. Results of individual air measurements were entered anonymized according to a standardized protocol.
Results:
The ExpoSYN database currently includes 356 551 measurements from 19 countries. In total, 140 666 personal and 215 885 stationary data points were available... Combining a Job-Exposure Matrix with Exposure Measurements to Assess Occupational Exposure to Benzene in a Population Cohort in Shanghai, China -
Background:
Generic job-exposure matrices (JEMs) are often used in population-based epidemiologic studies to assess occupational risk factors when only the job and industry information of each subject is available. JEM ratings are often based on professional judgment, are usually ordinal or semi-quantitative, and often do not account for changes in exposure over time. We present an empirical Bayesian framework that combines ordinal subjective JEM ratings with benzene measurements. Our aim was to better discriminate between job, industry, and time differences in exposure levels compared to using a JEM alone.
Methods:
We combined 63 221 short-term area air measurements of benzene exposure (1954–2000) collected during routine health and safety inspections in Shanghai, China, with independently developed JEM intensity ratings for each job and industry using a mixed-effects model. The fixed-effects terms included the JEM intensity ratings ... Effectiveness of Three Decontamination Treatments against Influenza Virus Applied to Filtering Facepiece Respirators -
Filtering facepiece respirators (FFRs) are recommended for use as precautions against airborne pathogenic microorganisms; however, during pandemics demand for FFRs may far exceed availability. Reuse of FFRs following decontamination has been proposed but few reported studies have addressed the feasibility. Concerns regarding biocidal efficacy, respirator performance post decontamination, decontamination cost, and user safety have impeded adoption of reuse measures. This study examined the effectiveness of three energetic decontamination methods [ultraviolet germicidal irradiation (UVGI), microwave-generated steam, and moist heat] on two National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health-certified N95 FFRs (3M models 1860s and 1870) contaminated with H5N1. An aerosol settling chamber was used to apply virus-laden droplets to FFRs in a method designed to simulate respiratory deposition of droplets onto surfaces. When FFRs were examined post decontamination by viral culture, all th... Protective Facemask Impact on Human Thermoregulation: An Overview -
The use of protective facemasks (PFMs) negatively impacts respiratory and dermal mechanisms of human thermoregulation through impairment of convection, evaporation, and radiation processes. The relatively minor reported increases in core temperature directly attributable to the wearing of PFMs suggest that associated perceptions of increased body temperature may have a significant psychological component or that regional or global brain temperature changes are involved. Modifications in PFM structure, components, and materials might allow for improved heat dissipation and enhanced compliance with use.
... Digital 3-D Headforms Representative of Chinese Workers -
Headforms are useful for designing and testing various types of personal protective equipment used to protect millions of workers from occupational hazards in China. Although the Chinese national standard of head-and-face dimensions for adults was first published in 1981, headforms based on those dimensions were never developed. In 2006, an anthropometric survey of 3000 Chinese civilian workers was conducted. As part of the survey, 350 subjects were scanned with a Cyberware 3D Rapid Digitizer. The manual measurements and 3-D digital scans from this survey were used to develop 3-D digital headforms that represent Chinese workers.
Objective:
The objective of this study was to develop headforms that represent today’s Chinese workers.
Methods:
Ten facial dimensions relevant to respirator fit were chosen for defining a principal component analysis model which divides the user population into five face size categories. Mean facial di... Copyright © 2012, homeworkersbusiness. All Rights Reserved. |