Occupational health and safety

BACKGROUND: Healthcare workers (HCWs) in lower- and middle-income countries (LMICs) face unique, intersectional threats to their mental health at work. Despite the existence of recommendations for multi-tiered interventions to promote and protect occupational mental health for HCWs, there remain significant challenges to implementation worldwide. METHODS: FHI 360, a global development organization, developed a novel technical assistance framework to accompany partners, including government and healthcare leaders to design, implement, improve, or evaluate any mental health and psychosocial support intervention...

Objectives. The purpose of this study was to calculate the dynamic air gap thickness between the human body and the turnout gear. Relationships between the air gap thickness and joint range of motion (ROM) were also explored. Methods . The air gap thickness and joint ROM of 12 male firefighters walking in a control condition with no self-contained breathing apparatus (SCBA) and three varying-strapped SCBAs were measured using three-dimensional (3D) body scanning and 3D inertial motion capture. The interpolation technique was employed to predict the air gap thickness curve during walking...

This study examined the reliability of respirators using hierarchical analysis and multicriteria decision-making. The hierarchical structure, which consists of three assessment criteria and six product assemblies as decision possibilities, reveals that the priority of evaluation criteria follows the trend of cost, complexity and technology. Face-piece, triple-piece and visor assemblies have the highest failure rate, according to an analysis of product reliability at the assembly level. However, according to the analysis at the parts level, the most likely failures are found in the face-piece, upper and lower visor frames, visor, head-harness, exhalation valve disc and exhalation valve seat...

Objectives . This study aimed to investigate the effects of separate and concurrent exposure to occupational noise and hand-transmitted vibration (HTV) on auditory and cognitive attention. Methods . The experimental study was conducted with 40 construction workers who were exposed to noise (A-weighted equivalent sound pressure level of 90 dB) and to HTV (10 m/s2 at 31.5 Hz), and concurrent exposure to both for 30 min under simulated work with vibrating equipment used in construction. Cognitive performance aspects were then evaluated from each individual in two pre-exposure and post-exposure settings for each session...

Objectives . This study aims to compare the work stress and obsessive-compulsive symptoms of nurses and office workers and to determine the relationship between work stress and obsessive-compulsive symptoms. Methods . A total of 127 nurses and 127 office workers participated in the cross-sectional study and comparative study. Data were collected using the perceived work stress scale and the Maudsley obsessive-compulsive inventory. Results . Nurses had higher work stress scores ( p  = 0.003) in general than office workers...

This study aimed to identify the meteorological factors that contribute to dengue epidemics. The monthly incidence of dengue was used as the outcome variable, while maximum temperature, humidity, precipitation, and sunshine hours were used as independent variables. The results showed a consistent increase in monthly dengue cases from 2013 to 2021, with seasonal patterns observed in stationary time-series data. The ARIMA (2, 1, 3) × seasonal (0, 1, 2)12 model was used based on its lowest Akaike Information Criterion (AIC) values...

INTRODUCTION: In 2020, bladder cancer (BC) was the seventh most prevalent cancer in the world, with 5-year prevalence of more than 1.7 million cases. Due to the main risk factors-smoking and chemical exposures-associated with BC, it is considered a largely preventable and avoidable cancer. An overview of BC mortality can allow an insight not only into the prevalence of global risk factors, but also into the varying efficiency of healthcare systems worldwide. For this purpose, this study analyzes the national mortality estimates for 2020 and projected future trends up to 2040...

CropLife Europe collected literature values from monitoring studies measuring air concentrations of Plant Protection Products (PPPs) that may be inhaled by humans located in rural areas but not immediately adjacent to PPP applications. The resulting "Combined Air Concentration Database" (CACD) was used to determine whether air concentrations of PPPs reported by the French "Agency for Food, Environmental and Occupational Health & Safety" (ANSES) are consistent with those measured by others to increase confidence in values of exposure to humans...

This study investigated parental attitudes toward childhood vaccination in Jordan, focusing on acceptance, concerns, and perceptions. A cross-sectional survey conducted from January to February 2024 included 939 parents. Findings indicated that 85.4% ( n  = 802) of respondents received the COVID-19 vaccine, while only 25% ( n  = 229) vaccinated their children. Concerns regarding vaccine safety and efficacy were prevalent, with 63.9% ( n  = 600) expressing worries about side effects and 46...

BACKGROUND: Emergency medical service (EMS) workers face challenging working conditions that are characterized by high stress and a susceptibility to making errors. The objectives of the present study were (a) to characterize the psychosocial working conditions of EMS workers, (b) to describe the perceived quality of patient care they provide and patient safety, and (c) to investigate for the first time among EMS workers associations of psychosocial working conditions with the quality of patient care and patient safety...

Physical fitness is mandatory for public safety officers. Police officers experience elevated levels of cardiovascular disease and associated risks making fitness a peak concern. Officers often have more marked fitness level decreases with aging compared to the general population. This cross-sectional study investigated the cardiovascular health, muscular strength/endurance, and mobility of officers in a medium-sized police department (N = 83); (4 females, 79 males), age (36.82 ± 10 years), height (179...

BACKGROUND: Extended-spectrum cephalosporins (ESCs) are third and fourth generation cephalosporin antimicrobials used in humans and animals to treat infections due to multidrug-resistant (MDR) bacteria. Resistance to ESCs (ESC-R) in Enterobacterales is predominantly due to the production of extended-spectrum β-lactamases (ESBLs) and plasmid-mediated AmpC β-lactamases (AmpCs). The dynamics of ESBLs and AmpCs are changing across countries and host species, the result of global transmission of ESC-R genes...

OBJECTIVE: To assess workplace segregation in fatal occupational injury from 1992 to 2017 in North Carolina. METHODS: We calculated occupational fatal injury rates within categories of occupation, industry, race, age, and sex; and estimated expected numbers of fatalities among Black and Hispanic male workers had they experienced the rates of White male workers. We also estimated the contribution of workforce segregation to disparities by estimating the expected number of fatalities among Black and Hispanic male workers had they experienced the industry and occupation patterns of White male workers...

BACKGROUND: Drowning is a major cause of death in Uganda, especially among young adults with water-based occupations and livelihoods. Information about drowning and other water-related deaths and injuries is limited. To address this gap in knowledge, study partners assessed knowledge, attitudes and beliefs about drowning and drowning prevention interventions in the Mayuge district of eastern Uganda. METHODS: This study consisted of a mixed-methods, cross-sectional community health assessment...

Globally, occupational workers suffer various health impacts due to extreme heat. In this short review, we examined the literature discussing health impacts of heat on occupational workers, and then discussed certain individual and institutional measures needed to address the problem. Though the available literature in the recent decade discusses health impacts of heat on workers as various heat-related illnesses, we found very few studies examining how occupational workers suffer from issues concerning cardiovascular health, neurological health, respiratory health, and mental health...

OBJECTIVES: Manual rolling of heavy objects remains in the workplace. The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) in the UK recommends load weights of <400 kg in the rolling task. However, the association of rolling weights <400 kg with work-related low back pain (LBP) has not been sufficiently investigated. This study examined the effect of rolling loads weighing <400 kg on LBP among Japanese workers. METHODS: A web-based survey gathered information from 15,158 workers in 2022...

INTRODUCTION: Acoustic noise from magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) can cause hearing loss and needs to be mitigated to ensure the safety of patients and personnel. Capturing MR personnel's insights is crucial for guiding the development and future applications of noise-reduction technology. This study aimed to explore how MR radiographers manage acoustic noise in clinical MR settings. METHODS: Using a qualitative design, we conducted semi-structured individual interviews with fifteen MR radiographers from fifteen hospitals around Sweden...

OBJECTIVE: The present study aimed to compare the static and dynamic sitting posture during computer work among symptomatic and asymptomatic office workers in actual work environment. METHODS: Seventy female office workers were divided into two groups: asymptomatic (n = 35) and symptomatic (n = 35). Subsequent to this classification, adjustments to their respective workstations were implemented in accordance with Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) guidelines...

Although there are many forecasts regarding the impact of climate change on the aviation sector, a critical but frequently neglected dimension is the occupational safety risks faced by aviation professionals. This narrative review explores the potential impacts of the changing climate on the health and safety of aviation personnel. Furthermore, we examine the significance of resilience in helping these workers adapt and effectively manage climate-related challenges in their professional lives. Climate change poses increasing threats to the well-being of flight personnel through elevated temperatures, heightened ultraviolet radiation exposure, increased mental workload from extreme weather events, and other psychological stressors...

BACKGROUND: Sawmill workers are at increased risk of occupational injuries due to their exposure to workplace hazards. However, little is known about the burden of occupational injuries among them in Ghana. Understanding its prevalence and associated factors is necessary to design appropriate interventions to improve workers' health and safety. This study sought to determine the prevalence and factors associated with occupational injuries among small-scale sawmill workers at Sokoban Wood Village, Kumasi...