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PubMed1983

[Health status of the workers exposed to strong, constant magnetic fields].

Forty two workers underwent examinations under clinical conditions. The workers were affected by the magnetic field of intensities ranging between 112-190 Gauss, depending on the workplace. They underwent internal, ophthalmological, psychological, psychiatric and analytical examinations and the health status of those exposed was compared to that of twenty controls. Most subjects, mainly those of long length of employment in e-m fields exposure, exhibited nonspecific abdominal pains, general weakness, insomnia, increased thirst and conjunctivitis.

Abdomen↗
PubMed2003

Assessment of lung particle accumulation in factory workers by magnetic field measurement.

OBJECTIVES: In industrial settings, minute particles of industrial substances lodge in the lungs and accumulate over decades, often leading to pneumoconiosis. Although these particles have been almost impossible to detect with x-rays, especially initially, we still rely upon them for detection of such deposits. As a result, particle accumulation is not detected early enough, and eventually diagnosed pneumoconiosis is typically irreversible. Accordingly, we investigated an alternative detection method that utilizes the magnetic characteristics of the particles after they are excited by an external magnetic field. Using accumulation of magnetic particles as a surrogate marker for total particle accumulation, our goal was to develop a method that can determine particle quantity and distribution in the lungs of individuals in different types of industrial situations. This method would allow us to identify factors that affect particle accumulation and to detect early such accumulations, before the pneumoconiosis stage. The pilot study reported herein represents proof of principle that such a method is feasible. MATERIALS AND METHODS: After a magnetic field generated by a strong direct current is applied to particles, they continue to generate a weak magnetic field even after the external field is removed (relaxation). We measured relaxation using an external detector (scanning a flux-gate magnetometer, Helmholtz coil). To field test this method. we studied 150 subjects in various industrial settings. We studied a variety of factory workers, including those involved in welding and cutting for different employment durations. A static magnetic field of 50mT to the chest, and the residual magnetic field distribution were measured by scanning a flux-gate magnetometer in a 2-dimensional region covering the whole chest. RESULTS: The strength of the magnetic field from the lungs of our subjects generally increased with the length of employment, particularly after 11-20 years. Welders showed higher particle accumulation than the others. Across all types of jobs, and work durations, smokers had lung particle accumulations substantially higher than non-smokers. CONCLUSIONS: 1. In the study reported herein, we describe application of a novel, portable device for measuring the accumulation of magnetizable particles in the lungs of factory workers. These particles are viewed as a surrogate for determining the extent and distribution of total particles in the lung. This is based on the detection of signal emanating from para- and ferromagnetic particles when they relax after an external magnetic field is switched off. 2. Particle accumulation increases proportionally to employment duration in welders, but may be less severe in other types of workers within the same company. 3. Smoking greatly increases the extent of particle accumulation. 4. Additional studies are now necessary to correlate signal with: (a) particle density at various sites, (b) total particle accumulation in the lungs, (c) lung function, and (d) the severity of lung fibrosis and pneumoconiosis. If correlated, the method may be useful in the early detection of particle accumulation and may allow for the assessment of outcomes following interventions for the treatment and prevention of pneumoconiosis.

Diagnostic Imaging↗
PubMed1984

[Bronchial cancer in anthracosilicosis and silicosis. Study of workers in coal fields in Wallonia].

This study was carried out between 1973 and 1982 on the proportional mortality by lung cancer of a group of workers living either in Brussells or in Wallonia and receiving compensation for silicosis or anthrasilicosis. The majority of patients suffered from anthrasilicosis (more than 96%) and had been exposed to the risk of pneumoconiosis in one of the four coal fields in Wallonia. If, in 13,822 deaths studied the proportional mortality from lung cancer had grown by 0.56% per year reaching 3.7% in 1973 and 9.3% in 1982, it remained below that for a similar Belgian population matched for age and sex. No correlation could be found between the occurrence of this tumour and one or other radiological category as defined by the international classification of pneumoconiosis in 1980. In addition the severity of pneumoconiosis, either from a radiological or functional view, hardly had any influence on the genesis of lung cancer. Finally, the localisation of the tumour and the different histological types do not differ from that reported in the literature among the general population. On the other hand a significant rise in proportional mortality from lung cancer between 1973 and 1982 (p less than 0.001) seemed to be related to two factors, smoking habitis (89.1% of subjects dying from lung cancer were smokers at the moment of death against 68.5% of smokers among other causes of death), and above all the progressive aging of the population of pneumoconioties receiving compensation, the cross section 50-69 rose from 53.17% in 1973 to 73.8% in 1982.

Aged↗
PubMed2001

Nutrition education training of health workers and other field staff to support chronically deprived communities.

This paper focuses on the provision of adequate training in nutrition education to health and other community development workers for their improved performance and achievement. The difficulties encountered and special care needed when dealing with low-income, chronically deprived communities are raised. A brief analysis of past and present trends in nutrition education is presented to show the progress made from restricted, authoritative and not very successful proposals to more comprehensive and participatory approaches. The need to train and update regional and field-level personnel on the new approaches, theories and models offered by nutrition education is highlighted, but the scant availability of resources for training activities may be a great limitation for this undertaking. The contribution of educational, social, psychological and communication sciences, as well as marketing, in improving and broadening the performance of health and nutrition education is recognised. Some successful nutrition education projects, implemented in different regions, using various approaches, have managed to improve the nutrition situation of low-income groups and could be used as good examples to be followed. Recommendations for implementing nutrition education projects or activities need to consider some prerequisites, such as good knowledge and analysis of the nutrition situation, careful selection of the strategies and methods, careful planning and implementation, and clear definition of the procedures and instruments for follow-up and evaluation.

Adult↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Comparison of personal exposure meter placement for the determination of office worker ELF magnetic field exposures.

This article compares extremely low frequency (ELF) magnetic field exposures measured by placing EMDEX Lite personal exposure meters (PEMs) at the head, chest, and waist level for a group of office workers. Twenty-three volunteers were solicited to wear three PEMs simultaneously; one was attached to a baseball cap worn on the head, one was attached to a band and worn around the neck (positioned on the chest), and one was worn in a belted pouch around the waist (positioned on the right side of the hip). The effect of PEM placement was evaluated by comparing full-shift average exposures and daily maximum or peak exposure. The results of this investigation indicate that time-weighted average magnetic field exposures determined at the hip provide the highest mean exposure estimates. Averages of the full-shift mean magnetic field measurements taken at hip and head levels were statistically greater than measurements taken at the chest level by 33 and 22%, respectively. Comparisons of the maximum or peak magnetic field exposures by body position indicate that the hip position produced an average exposure estimate that was 136% greater than the average head-level measurement. Results suggest that for office workers PEM meter placement on the body does not produce large differences in full-shift average ELF magnetic flux density exposures. However, the hip position produced the largest daily maximum or peak exposures. It is recommended that PEMs be placed on the hip for exposure assessments in office environments, because this placement is the most commonly used, the most convenient, and resulted in the highest magnetic field exposures.

Electromagnetic Fields↗
PubMed1981

[Field study of workers with longterm exposure to calcium cyanamide (author's transl)].

"Kalkstickstoff" (calcium cyanamide) is extensively used as a fertilizer and a herbicide and also as a chemical intermediate. Its main compounds are calcium cyanamide (CaCN2) (60%) and calcium oxide (15%). In earlier times cauterized damages of the skin and the mucous membranes caused by the content of calcium oxide were common. A certain effect of CaCN2 is the reaction of intolerance after alcohol intake, which expresses as a so-called burning, a flush with redness and feeling of heat of the head, the neck and the upper part of the body often combined with tachycardia and dyspnea. Further health impairments, sometimes with fatal end, were reported repeatedly in the older literature. Convincing evidences for the causal connections between the exposure to CaCN2 and these damages are missed. They exclusively concerned farmers but not workers in the production of CaCN2. Except of the damages of the skin also diseases of the respiratory and gastrointestinal tract, the kidneys, the nervous and circulatory system as well as favoring of infectious complications and goitrogenic effects are in discussion. Furthermore it was suggested that CaCN2 causes a lack of reduced glutathione in the organism. On the occasion of establishing a preliminary MAC-value for CaCN2 in the F.R.G. an occupationally medical field study was performed on 65 workers of a calcium cyanamide factory with long-term exposure to CaCN2. The maximal CaCN2 concentration measured at the working places was 8.3 mg/m3. No signs of diseases or health impairments, which are possibly caused by CaCN2, were found with the medical examination in the above mentioned organs and organ systems. There also was no decrease of the glutathione content of the total blood detectable. With an alcohol load of 22 voluntary workers 1 till 7 hours after the working shift in 6 cases modest and in 7 cases weak flush reactions were observed. As result of the study an elevation of the MAC-value from 1 to at least 2.5 mg/m3 is proposed.

Adult↗
PubMed1999

Absenteeism and mortality of workers exposed to electromagnetic fields in the French Electricity Company.

The objective of this study was to describe the health status of electricity workers exposed to electromagnetic fields during their job. Two groups of exposed workers were studied from 1978 to 1993: the live line workers (n = 121) and the substation workers (n = 232.7) of the French Electricity Company (EDF). A control group was randomly selected from all the company non-management male employees; one control for each exposed subject was matched for the first year of employment. Absenteeism indices and mortality rates were computed and compared in the exposed and control groups. The absence rates were 1.98% in the substation workers and 2.5% in the control group (p < 0.001) and 2.7% in the live-line workers and 2.8% in the control group (NS). No effect of the length of exposure was found. However the medical causes of sickness absence were different: exposed employees had less psychiatric and respiratory diseases but more accidents at work than their control group. Relative risks of accidents at work were 1.2 95% confidence interval (CI) = 1.08-1.33[ for substation workers and 3.22 (CI = 1.78-5.88) for live line workers. EDF electromagnetic field exposed workers seemed not to be affected by any specific health problems except for an excess of accidents at work.

Absenteeism↗
PubMed1982

[Effect of wide-band modulated electromagnetic fields on the workers of high-frequency telephone exchanges].

Physiological examinations of 63 subjects were performed as well as clinical, functional, paraclinical, etc. examinations of 82 subjects working under the effect of wide-band modulated electromagnetic fields in HFA of telephone exchanges. Some physiological changes were found as regards the level of blood pressure and auditory threshold. Though the intensity of EMF were within the allowable limits, changes in the neuro-vegetological state, genital sphere, were found in some of the examined workers as well as in immunologic reactivity and some paraclinical indices, described to develop under electromagnetic effect, attributed to the specificity of EMF-wide-band, modulated.

Adult↗
PubMed1997

Exposure of welders and other metal workers to ELF magnetic fields.

This study assessed exposure to extremely low frequency (ELF) magnetic fields of welders and other metal workers and compared exposure from different welding processes. Exposure to ELF magnetic fields was measured for 50 workers selected from a nationwide cohort of metal workers and 15 nonrandomly selected full-time welders in a shipyard. The measurements were carried out with personal exposure meters during 3 days of work for the metal workers and I day of work for the shipyard welders. To record a large dynamic range of ELF magnetic field values, the measurements were carried out with "high/low" pairs of personal exposure meters. Additional measurements of static magnetic fields at fixed positions close to welding installations were done with a Hall-effect fluxmeter. The total time of measurement was 1273 hours. The metal workers reported welding activity for 5.8% of the time, and the median of the work-period mean exposure to ELF magnetic fields was 0.18 microT. DC metal inert or active gas welding (MIG/MAG) was used 80% of the time for welding, and AC manual metal arc welding (MMA) was used 10% of the time. The shipyard welders reported welding activity for 56% of the time, and the median and maximum of the workday mean exposure to ELF magnetic fields was 4.70 and 27.5 microT, respectively. For full-shift welders the average workday mean was 21.2 microT for MMA welders and 2.3 microT for MIG/MAG welders. The average exposure during the effective time of welding was estimated to be 65 microT for the MMA welding process and 7 microT for the MIG/MAG welding process. The time of exposure above 1 microT was found to be a useful measure of the effective time of welding. Large differences in exposure to ELF magnetic fields were found between different groups of welders, depending on the welding process and effective time of welding. MMA (AC) welding caused roughly 10 times higher exposure to ELF magnetic fields compared with MIG/MAG (DC) welding. The measurements of static fields suggest that the combined exposure to static and ELF fields of MIG/MAG (DC) welders and the exposure to ELF fields of MMA (AC) welders are roughly of the same level.

Cohort Studies↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Within-day variability of magnetic fields among electric utility workers: consequences for measurement strategies.

Occupational exposure to 50-Hz magnetic fields was surveyed among electric utility workers to investigate (1) components of exposure variability, (2) patterns of autocorrelation between short-term measurements, and (3) imprecision and misclassification due to short-term measurements. Spot measurements every 10 seconds during 81 working days were analyzed for 42 electric utility workers from 10 occupational subgroups and during 8 working days for 4 office workers from the same company. For the 8-hour time-weighted average (TWA) magnetic fields, the variability was partitioned into its components: within workers, between workers, and between groups. For spot measurements of magnetic fields, the within-day variance component also was examined. Autocorrelation functions were determined and numbers of short-term measurements necessary for reliable estimates of 8-hour TWA magnetic fields were assessed. Spot measurements of magnetic fields, as well as 8-hour TWA magnetic fields, were approximately lognormally distributed among workers. The mean exposure to magnetic fields was 0.47 microT (n = 81 days) in electric utility workers and 0.12 microT (n = 8 days) in office workers. A large fraction, 76% of the spot measurements total variance, could be attributed to variability within days. For the 8-hour TWA magnetic fields, between-group variability was small and of the same magnitude as between-worker variability. Significant autocorrelations between short-term averages of 7.5, 15, and 30 minutes were present, when taken within periods of 30 minutes. One-hour averages showed no autocorrelation. Simulations showed that, due to high within-day variability and autocorrelation, a limited number of short-term measurements of magnetic fields in electric utility workers are likely to result in imprecise estimates of 8-hour TWA magnetic fields. Measurement strategies relying on short-term (spot) measurements are therefore likely to result in misclassification of exposure and consequently absent or spurious exposure-response relations.

Electromagnetic Fields↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Within-day variability of magnetic fields among electric utility workers: consequences for measurement strategies.

Occupational exposure to 50-Hz magnetic fields was surveyed among electric utility workers to investigate (1) components of exposure variability, (2) patterns of autocorrelation between short-term measurements, and (3) imprecision and misclassification due to short-term measurements. Spot measurements every 10 seconds during 81 working days were analyzed for 42 electric utility workers from 10 occupational subgroups and during 8 working days for 4 office workers from the same company. For the 8-hour time-weighted average (TWA) magnetic fields, the variability was partitioned into its components: within workers, between workers, and between groups. For spot measurements of magnetic fields, the within-day variance component also was examined. Autocorrelation functions were determined and numbers of short-term measurements necessary for reliable estimates of 8-hour TWA magnetic fields were assessed. Spot measurements of magnetic fields, as well as 8-hour TWA magnetic fields, were approximately log normally distributed among workers. The mean exposure to magnetic fields was 0.47 microT (n = 81 days) in electric utility workers and 0.12 microT (n = 8 days) in office workers. A large fraction, 76% of the spot measurements total variance, could be attributed to variability within days. For the 8-hour TWA magnetic fields, between-group variability was small and of the same magnitude as between-worker variability. Significant autocorrelations between short-term averages of 7.5, 15, and 30 minutes were present, when taken within periods of 30 minutes. One-hour averages showed no autocorrelation. Simulations showed that, due to high within-day variability and autocorrelation, a limited number of short-term measurements of magnetic fields in electric utility workers are likely to result in imprecise estimates of 8-hour TWA magnetic fields. Measurement strategies relying on short-term (spot) measurements are therefore likely to result in misclassification of exposure and consequently absent or spurious exposure-response relations.

Electromagnetic Fields↗
PubMed2006

[Regulation requirements for the protection of workers against electromagnetic fields occurring in the work environment].

In Poland, electromagnetic fields (EMF), one of potentially hazardous physical factors occurring in the work environment, are subjected to compulsory surveillance. In 2001, the Directive issued by the Minister of Labor and Social Policy substantially changed the approach towards the protection of workers against EMF. The Directive regulates the whole range of EMF frequencies and electromagnetic radiation, namely from 0 Hz to 300 GHz, which means the possibility of assessing worker's EMF exposure, determined by exposure index, along with the hygiene assessment of EMF sources, defined by protection zones. In 2003-2005, a number of amended executive and supplementary regulations were issued. However, it should be emphasized that in the process of their elaboration, striving after perfection, numerous incoherent and ambiguous provisions were adopted, which finally created difficulties in the interpretation of individual regulations. This is also linked with doubts and discussions on their practical application by services responsible for control, measurements and monitoring of working conditions under the exposure to EMF. In this work an attempt was made to clarify all issues and arrange them according to the faced problems. The authors also present proposals how to solve all these problems.

Electromagnetic Fields↗
PubMed2005

[Effects of occupational stress on immunological function, glucose and blood lipid of female workers in oil-field].

OBJECTIVE: To study the effects of occupational stress on immunological function, glucose, and blood lipid of female workers in oil-field. METHODS: 900 female workers working in oil-field as observation group and 220 female not working in oil-field in 11 work types of oil industry in oil-field were selected as control group randomly, occupational role, personal strain, and personal abilities of two groups were measured with occupational stress inventory-revised (OSI-R). Then, 100 workers were selected randomly from two groups Blood lipid, blood sugar, and immunological function were measured. RESULTS: Occupational role and strain in observed group are significantly higher than control group (P < 0.05), However, there is no difference on personal abilities in two groups. Blood sugar, IgG, IgA, IgM, IL-6 content in observation group was significantly higher than control group, but CHO, HDL, LDL, IL-2 content was significantly less than control group (P < 0.05). TG content had no significant difference between both groups. There was positive correlation between occupational role, strain and, blood sugar, immunological function but negative correlation between personal abilities (P < 0.05). CONCLUSION: The results show that blood sugar content was increased, CHO, HDL, LDL were decreased and immumological function was changed because of occupational stress. There was positive correlation between occupational role, strain and blood sugar, immunological function but negative correlation between personal resources.

Adult↗
PubMed2003

Changing times: understanding social workers' motivation to be field instructors.

Renewing the profession of social work is historically dependent on social work practitioners volunteering to be field educators for students placed in their agencies. During the past decade, with massive funding cuts to social and health services and changes in professional practice, the availability of field instructors has been threatened. This article reports on social workers' motivations to become field instructors. The findings from qualitative interviews with 20 social workers randomly selected from a range of field agencies indicate that current organizational culture has a powerful influence on social workers' motivations to volunteer to become field instructors. The implications of this shift are discussed in relation to rejuvenating the profession of social work. Collaboration among organizations, professional associations, and schools of social work at the local and national level is critical.

Humans↗
PubMed1989

A study of magnetic field in the lung of workers in an asbestos factory.

Magnetic field at the chest in 93 male workers exposed to asbestos dust in an asbestos products factory in China was studied by local magnetization and flux-gate gradiometry. The average field intensity at 12 measurement points over the anterior chest wall was compared among workers with and without asbestosis and among workers of different working age. The field intensity in workers with asbestosis and those suspected to have asbestosis on the basis of X-ray findings was significantly higher than that in workers without asbestosis. It was also found that the field intensity increased with working age. It is suggested that dynamic measurement of magnetic field in the lung of workers exposed to dust containing ferrimagnetic particles would at least serve as a quantitative method for estimating lung dust loads and be valuable for pneumoconiosis prevention.

Asbestosis↗
PubMed2001

Field conditions for agricultural workers in the El Paso, Texas region.

Agricultural workers labor long hours under difficult conditions in many of the nations fields and orchards. Agricultural workers are primarily minority populations, the most dominant group being Hispanic/Latino. The Rural Coalition and the Environmental and Occupational Health Sciences Institute were funded under the National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences (NIEHS) Environmental Justice Program, to investigate health and environmental issues that impact agricultural workers along the Texas-Mexican border area. A Spanish-language field conditions survey was developed and distributed to the workers entering the Sin Fronteras Organizing Project in El Paso, Texas. There were 841 valid surveys collected and analyzed for the calendar year 1998. Workers age mean was 51, with 18.6 years of work experience in agriculture. In the time period surveyed, workers labored for 7.2 hours per day. The primary crop in which they worked were chilies. Of particular concern were issues concerning food, water, and hygiene. Almost all workers stated they had access to fresh drinking water (97 percent), 20 percent did not have access to food, and 30 percent were offered alcohol for purchase. Almost one-third of the workers did not have water available for hand washing in the field. Only 8 percent of the workers reported pesticides used in the fields in which they were working; this number is lower and may be a reflection of the improved training and caution taken by the workers. Clearly additional research in the area of field conditions and the impact and enforcement of state and federal regulation needs to be carried out.

Journal Article↗