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At least 631 records · Page 35Linked to original sources
PubMed1989

Noise exposure and permanent hearing loss of textile workers in Thailand.

Hearing loss induced by noise exposure in a large scale textile mill (number of workers = 1,611) in Thailand was investigated on the basis of interviews, noise measurements, and audiometric tests. The frequency of subjective symptoms relating to noise exposure was higher in the weavers than among other mill workers and office workers. The average noise levels in the weaving sections and other sections were 101.3 +/- 2.7 dBA and 89.8 +/- 5.3 dBA, respectively. The results of the audiometric tests revealed the significantly higher noise-induced hearing loss among workers in the weaving section compared to other mill workers and office workers (P less than 0.01). Among weavers, hearing levels decreased with the longer years of work. Concerning personal noise protective devices, 38.6% of the weavers never used them. It was concluded that hearing loss status in the workers of the mill was serious. Improvements by means of integrated work organization activities were recommended.

Adult↗
PubMed1993

Individual differences and subgroups within populations: the shopping bag approach.

The aerospace medical research community needs to consider the individual as something other than a statistical entity. The cumulative effects of performance enhancers that are collectively ignored, secondary to statistical analysis of populations, can be significant for individuals. By considering the individual, all aspects of whatever makes humans unique need to be integrated into research. One suggested remedy to the problem of subordination of the individual to the population mean/standard deviation is the use of a "shopping bag" approach. In this approach, each individual may select those performance enhancers that work best for him or her (based on controlled studies). Acceleration protection devices are used as an example. The impact of this philosophy can be readily seen in human factor design strategy as well as in the interpretation of human research data.

Aerospace Medicine↗
PubMed1984

Farm machinery injuries.

Agriculture is the most hazardous occupation in North America, with a work injury death rate higher than that of any other major industry. Farm machinery is involved in approximately half of all farm injuries. A Canadian series of 42 farm machinery injury cases hospitalized in Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, in 1980 showed that tractors were most frequently involved. Injuries resulting from power take-offs and grain augers were particularly severe and disabling. Amputations were the most common injuries associated with power take-offs, while crush injuries and compound fractures of the distal extremities were the most common auger-related injuries. Most of these injuries could have been prevented by the incorporation of automatic protective devices such as safety shields. It is recommended that the federal governments of Canada and the U.S. require manufacturers to equip farm machinery with approved safety features.

Accidents, Occupational↗
PubMed1978

Past and present hazards of working with infectious agents.

Over 4,000 cases of laboratory-associated infection have been recorded. Some of the agents involved often in the past have been less frequently the cause of such infection in recent years, and some agents are more likely to infect those working with them than others. Pipetting, the use of a needle and syringe, and spills have been most frequently involved in accidents resulting in infection, but in the majority of cases no recognized accident occurred. In these instances, infectious aerosols, produced in various ways, are probably the most frequent causes of laboratory-associated infection. The introduction of protective devices and emphasis on safe procedures seem to be reducing the risk of accidental infection. Although work with tumor viruses and recombinant DNA research may not be as hazardous as was originally feared, continued caution and surveillance is advised.

Accidents↗
PubMed1999

Effect of lifting belts on trunk muscle activation during a suddenly applied load.

The National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health suggests there is insufficient biomechanical or epidemiological evidence to recommend the use of back belts in industry. From a biomechanical perspective, previous work suggests that lifting belts stiffen the torso, particularly in the frontal and transverse planes. To determine whether lifting belts stiffen the torso and alter the trunk muscle response during a sudden loading event, we tested the hypotheses that (a) lifting belts alter peak muscle activity recorded with electromyography (EMG) during sudden loading and (b) lifting belts have a larger impact on trunk muscle response when sudden loads are applied asymmetric to the torso's midsagittal plane. A sudden load was delivered to 10 men and 10 women without history of low back disorder via a cable attached to a thoracic harness; motion was restricted to the lumbar spine. Results indicate that gender was not a significant factor in this study. The lifting belt reduced the peak normalized EMG of the erector spinae muscles on average by 3% during asymmetric loading, though peak normalized EMG was increased by 2% during symmetric loading. Lifting belts have been shown to slightly reduce peak erector spinae activity during asymmetric sudden loading events in a constrained paradigm; however, the effects of lifting belts are too small to provide effective protection of workers. Actual or potential applications include the assessment of lifting belts as protective devices in workers based on the effects of lifting belts on the trunk muscle activity.

Adult↗
PubMed1992

Rehabilitative management of injuries to the hand.

Athletic participation after injury may resume when cleared by a physician familiar with hand injuries. It is the role of the athletic trainer or therapist to implement appropriate rehabilitative measures and apply a protective device to lessen the chance of re-injury or delayed healing. The trainer must also educate coaches, athletes, and parents that hand and finger injuries are not inconsequential. Without proper diagnosis and treatment, there may be future pain, disability, and deformity.

Hand Injuries↗
PubMed1998

A hearing conservation program for Wisconsin youth working in agriculture.

Adolescents working in agricultural settings may be exposed to noise levels that result in hearing loss. The article describes the design, implementation, and results of a four-year, hearing conservation program (HCP) conducted at school. Thirty-four schools (753 students) were randomly assigned to either an intervention or control group. The intervention included multicomponent educational strategies and employed features of an industrial HCP. Final compliance surveys indicated 87.5% of intervention students reported using hearing protection devices (HPD) at least some of the time, compared to 45% of control students. The HCP components with the greatest reported influence were distribution of HPDs for use on the farm and yearly hearing tests. Eighty percent of intervention students reported intention to use HPDs in the future. It is feasible to conduct a hearing conservation program with junior high school and senior high school students, and it appears possible to persuade teen-agers to protect themselves from exposure to loud noise while working on a farm.

Adolescent↗
PubMed2000

Nasal model and lung model machine for intranasal stent with filters efficacy evaluation.

Nasal model and lung model machine simulated human respiratory situation with cyclical air flow rate of 2 1/min. They were used to evaluate filtration efficacy of filters in an intranasal stent for laser smoke particles in the Otolaryngology Department, Ramathibodi Hospital from February to June 1998. The filters were three layers of half face mask outer filters. Each of five sets or 10 intranasal stents with filters or Whatman filters was attached at both inlet ends of the nasal model. A Whatman filter collected the maximum particle amount from 10 shots, 10 W and 0.2 s of single pulse mode carbon dioxide laser evaporative field for 5 min which was the same amount passed through filters of the intranasal stent. A high power optical microscope was used to count particle retention in each filter. The mean filtration efficacy of filters in the intranasal stent was 94.4 per cent when compared with that of the Whatman filter. A personal respiratory protective device could be applied in the human nasal vestibule to prevent polydisperse suspended particulate matter in a highly air-polluted area. The nasal model with lung model machine should be tested under different concentrations of laser smoke particles or at the main roadside.

Equipment Design↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Use of mouthguards and headgear in organized sports by school-aged children.

Sports-related orofacial trauma is a serious problem that can be prevented by wearing protective mouthguards and headgear. While this equipment is available, few studies have been done of wearing practices. This study assesses the wearing practices using data from the Child Health Supplement of the 1991 National Health Interview Survey. Results indicate that football was the only sport in which the majority of children used mouthguards and headgear. While statistically significant differences (p<.05) were found in use of the equipment in all sports by grade level, gender, parent's education, ethnicity, and by region of the the country, these differences were not consistent across sports. Healthy People 2000 calls for extending requirements for use of orofacial protective devices to all organizations sponsoring sports that pose risk to injury. Given the complex nature of the findings, multifaceted initiatives that include the promulgation of rules must be developed and tested to determine what approaches are effective in ensuring consistent use.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1995

Hockey helmets, face masks, and injurious behavior.

OBJECTIVE: To educate physicians about factors that contribute to injurious behaviors in ice hockey and to propose that the medical community play a role in advocating change within the sport. METHODS: A review of relevant literature on the topic was conducted, with information drawn from scientific journal publications, conference proceeding, theses, and newspaper publications. RESULTS: The introduction of mandatory head and facial protection has been effective in virtually eliminating ocular, facial, and dental injuries in youth hockey, but it has also been problematically linked with an increase in catastrophic spinal injuries. Players adopt a false sense of security when donning the equipment, leading them to take excessive and unwarranted risks because of the protection they are supposedly afforded. The addition of these protective devices has also altered how officials perceive game situations, leading them to be more lenient in administering penalties. The net result has been an increase in illegal and injurious behaviors, such as checking from behind. CONCLUSION: Physician advocacy may play an important role in effecting change within the sport.

Athletic Injuries↗
PubMed2005

Approaches to difficult filter retrieval in carotid stenting.

The treatment of carotid disease continues to evolve with an increasing number of the lesions being successfully treated percutaneously. A large part of the success of percutaneous therapy has resulted from the use of distal protection devices and their ability to reduce embolization and subsequent strokes. However, device retrieval through implanted stents can be problematic. We describe situations in which difficulty was encountered advancing the distal protection filter retrieval device through the stent, as well as the different approaches to solve this potential problem.

Aged↗
PubMedDate not supplied

[Sensitization and allergic pathology in a group of workers employed in insect breeding for biological pest control].

On the basis of the results of a previous study and immuno-allergological tests, a group of workers employed in breeding insects for biological pest control were studied to ascertain whether any new sensitizations to arthropods recently included in the work cycle occurred and whether any new allergic diseases were observed. The results confirmed a high sensitization to Ephestia kuehniella and to Orius, the latter probably due to contamination; sensitization to Tetranicus urticae and to Planococcus citri were observed, although to a lesser degree. It is concluded that the insects used in biological pest control are highly allergogenic and that the protective devices used up to the present were ineffective; the authors therefore recommend the use of closed or semi-closed cycles along with local ventilation equipment.

Adult↗
PubMed2006

Sharps safety devices.

Injuries from needles or other sharps are a danger to patients and clinicians alike, particularly due to the risk of bloodborne pathogen transmission. One way to reduce the likelihood of such injuries is to implement protective devices as substitutes for more dangerous conventional products. Over the years, Health Devices has evaluated several sharps safety devices. In this issue, we evaluate four new types of protective alternatives: disposable prep razors, epidural needles, ophthalmic knives, and stitch cutters. Our Evaluation discusses whether these sharps safety devices deliver the added safety that they are designed to provide and whether they are effective at performing their intended clinical purposes.

Accidents, Occupational↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Respiratory protection in the health care setting.

Respiratory protection is of increased importance due to the resurgence of tuberculosis. This chapter examines protective devices and regulations and explains how a program can be designed to minimize workplace hazards. Of particular value is a table detailing 12 high-efficiency particulate air respirators that meet criteria set by the Centers for Disease Control and the National Institute of Occupational Safety and Health.

Equipment Design↗
PubMed2004

Yet more pediatric injuries associated with all-terrain vehicles: should kids be using them?

BACKGROUND: Use of all-terrain vehicles (ATVs) has become a popular recreational activity for all ages, yet children suffer a markedly higher proportion of ATV-related injuries and deaths compared with the adult population. Evidence needs to be developed to direct policy to eliminate unnecessary injuries in this population. METHODS: A review of children younger than 16 years old admitted to a tertiary pediatric trauma center with ATV-related injuries over 12.5 years was conducted. Data included demographics, mechanisms of injury, use of helmets, and outcomes. RESULTS: Of 92 patients, 79% were male, the mean age was 12.1 years, 16% were under 10 years old, and 10% had attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (general population prevalence, 1-4%). Flipping/rolling was the most common mechanism of injury (32%) and was associated with sustaining chest and abdominal injuries (odds ratio, 3.7; 95% confidence interval, 1.1-12.9) and an increased Injury Severity Score (ISS). Only 4 of 20 patients with head/facial injuries were using helmets compared with 37 of 40 (odds ratio of head injury with helmet use, 0.02; 95% confidence interval, 0.004-0.101). Forty-five patients had more than one body system injured. The mean ISS was 7.0 (range, 1-35), and high scores were associated with sustaining head and/or truncal injuries. Fourteen percent of cases had an ISS greater than or equal to 12 and two patients died. The median length of stay was 3 days; 12% were admitted over 2 weeks. CONCLUSION: Children continue to sustain a large proportion of preventable and unnecessary injuries caused by ATVs. Although use of protective devices (i.e., helmets) diminishes the extent of injuries, children's smaller size relative to these large machines may contribute to flipping, rolling, and loss of control. Increased risk-taking by those with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder may also play a role. Efforts are needed to lobby for policies to limit the promotion and restrict the use of ATVs by children.

Adolescent↗
PubMed2006

Predictors of hearing protection use for Hispanic and non-Hispanic White factory workers.

The 2000 United States Census reported significant growth in the number of Hispanic workers. The National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH, 1996) has identified noise-induced hearing loss as a significant occupational threat. Current theoretical models need to be evaluated for their utility with Hispanic workers. The Predictors for Use of Hearing Protection Model (PUHPM) is a framework for increasing workers' use of hearing protection devices (HPDs). Using regression analysis, the explained variance in HPD use by the model predictors was examined in a sample of 208 Hispanic factory workers. Explained variance was lower for Hispanics (R2 = .20) than for non-Hispanic Whites (R2 = .37). Further research with Hispanic workers is needed to improve the PUHPM fit.

Adult↗
PubMed2002

OSHA bloodborne pathogens rule--revisions and clarifications.

Recent revisions to the Occupational Safety and Health Administration's Bloodborne Pathogens Rule have clarified requirements for record keeping and engineered sharps injury protection devices. It is important for dental workers, and especially dentists who are employers, to be aware of the changes in the regulatory language and be prepared to modify existing programs to meet these new demands. This article provides an overview of the 2001 Bloodborne Pathogens Rule with an emphasis on the impact on dental offices.

Blood-Borne Pathogens↗
PubMed2004

Noise-induced hearing loss and hearing conservation in mining.

BACKGROUND: Noise exposure is prevalent in mining, and as the prevalence of noise-induced hearing loss has not changed much in the past two decades, hearing conservation is an important issue. OBJECTIVES: To review the literature and highlight important developments in the field. METHODS: A review of the literature using OVID as the primary search engine, using the search terms as: noise, occupational; hearing loss, noise induced; ear protective devices; and mining. RESULTS: A total of 66 articles were found, but only 11 were in the English language and few were published in the past 10 years. This is disappointing, because neither noise exposure nor the consequent risk of noise-induced hearing loss seems to have changed much in the past 20 years. Noise is, however, a generic hazard, and this article reviews current best practice in prevention.

Audiometry↗