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PubMed1996

Injury and illness in the American workplace: a comparison of data sources.

Setting priorities for workplace health and safety research depends upon accurate and reliable injury and illness data. All occupational health databases have limitations when used to summarize the national scope of workplace hazards. The comparison of data from multiple sources may produce more credible estimates of the leading occupational injuries and illnesses. The purpose of this paper is to describe the strengths and weaknesses of six data collection systems that record occupational injuries and illnesses on a national level and to compare the leading estimates from these systems for 1990. The six systems are: 1) National Traumatic Occupational Fatalities database, 2) the Bureau of Labor Statistics Census of Fatal Occupational Injuries, 3) The Bureau of Labor Statistics Annual Survey data, 4) a large workers' compensation database, 5) the National Council on Compensation Insurance data, and 6) The National Electronic Injury Surveillance System. Occupational injuries, as defined herein, predominate over illnesses in terms of the number of cases and the overall costs. Databases that provide information on the antecedents of injuries suggest how these injuries may be prevented and warrant more attention and refinement.

Accidents, Occupational↗
PubMed1998

Denominator choice in the calculation of workplace fatality rates.

The U.S. government currently publishes workplace fatality rates, using employment as the denominator. However, employment may not be a good proxy for worker exposure to risk if groups of workers differ in their hours worked. Using micro data from the Census of Fatal Occupational Injuries and Current Population Survey, this paper presents alternative fatality rates calculated using employment and hours worked. Rates are compared for worker groups defined by gender, age, occupation, and industry. In general, both measures identify the same groups of workers as facing especially high and low fatality risks. The rank correlation of the employment- and hours-based fatality rates for 222 detailed occupations is very high, with a value of 0.99. However, for a few groups, the hours- and employment-based rates may differ more than 10%. Most notably, workers below age 20 and above age 64 have rates that are 60% and 37% higher, respectively, when hours is used in the denominator. This suggests that hours--the conceptually preferable denominator--should be used when possible to calculate workplace fatality rates.

Accidents, Occupational↗
PubMed1998

Workplace violence at government sites.

A government agency and its contractors employing nearly 96,000 workers throughout the country was surveyed for documented incidents of violence in the workplace. Thirty-five occupational medicine and related professionals (36% of those surveyed) from 27 locations returned the questionnaire. Of the responders, 20 individuals reported 74 incidents of workplace violence, with nearly 30% of these occurrences involving weapons, including 11 with guns. In a companion survey of human resource departments from 28 locations, there were 16 responders (57% of those surveyed) with 13 of them documenting 96 additional incidents. No duplicate reporting of the same event occurred between the two surveys. Approximately 70% of the agency workers were employed in locations covered by the 51 responders. Although the data are limited, the number of incidents and level of violence appear to be increasing over time. Of the 108 incidents for which time of occurrence was known, 32 were defined as "very serious," which included physical assault, threat or assault with a weapon, murder, suicide, or stalking. Verbal threats, verbal assaults, and vandalism were defined as "serious" incidents. A Cochran-Armitage trend test for an increasing proportion over time of "very serious" vs. "serious" events was statistically significant, with a P-value of 0.026.

Government Agencies↗
PubMed1999

Gender differences in evaluating social-sexual conduct in the workplace.

Qualitative interviews exploring gender differences in perceptions of sexual harassment were conducted with 100 full-time St. Louis area employees. Women more than men reported that telling dirty/sexual jokes was a non-harassing behavior, qualified behaviors as harassing when they happened in the workplace, and considered behaviors as non-harassing when the man's intentions were not harmful. Men more than women reported that requesting a date was a non-harassing behavior, qualified behaviors as harassing when the woman did not welcome the behavior, and considered behaviors as non-harassing when they did not violate workplace norms. Logistic regression analysis predicted the respondent gender with 86% accuracy. Finally, concept mapping suggested that when women think about harassers they are concerned with power and social aptitude, while men seem to be more concerned about the responsibility and psychological adjustment of perpetrators of sexual harassment. When women think about victims of harassment they are concerned with a woman's assertiveness and work effectiveness, while men are more concerned with the psychological state of the woman and how provocative she is when they think about victims of sexual harassment.

Adult↗
PubMed2001

Working with low back pain: workplace and individual psychosocial determinants of limited duty and lost time.

BACKGROUND: Few studies have identified the risk factors associated with lost time in employees working with occupational low back pain (OLBP) despite the presence of pain. Such data could assist in the development of evidenced-based secondary prevention programs. METHODS: The present investigation was a case-control study (n = 421) of demographic, health behavior, ergonomic, workplace and individual psychosocial factors hypothesized to be associated with lost time in young, full-time employees (i.e., soldiers) with OLBP. Analyses of the burden of OLBP in terms of the number of days on limited duty and lost time status were also computed. RESULTS: Logistic regression analysis indicated that female gender, education beyond HS/GED, longer time working in military, higher levels of daily life worries, no support from others, higher levels of ergonomic exposure, stressful work, increased peer cohesion, and greater perceived effort at work placed a worker at a greater likelihood for OLBP-related lost work time. Lower levels of innovation, involvement, and supervisor support were also associated with lost time. Linear regression indicated that the number of days of lost time and limited duty was associated with lower levels of physical health and higher levels of symptom severity. CONCLUSIONS: The results support the potential utility of interventions targeting ergonomic, workplace and individual psychosocial risk factors in secondary prevention.

Absenteeism↗
PubMed2001

Lung cancer risk, silica exposure, and silicosis in Chinese mines and pottery factories: the modifying role of other workplace lung carcinogens.

BACKGROUND: Aims of our study were to explore whether and to what extent exposure to other lung carcinogens, or staging and clinical features of silicosis modify or confound the association between silica and lung cancer. METHODS: We used data from a nested case-control study, conducted in the late 1980s in 29 Chinese mines and potteries (10 tungsten mines, 6 copper and iron mines, 4 tin mines, 8 pottery factories, and 1 clay mine), that included 316 lung cancer cases and 1,356 controls, matched by decade of birth and facility type. The previous analysis of these data presented results by type of mine or factory. RESULTS: In our study, pooling all 29 Chinese work sites, lung cancer risk showed a modest association with silica exposure. Risk did not vary after excluding subjects with silicosis or adjusting the risk estimates by radiological staging of silicosis. Strong correlation among exposures prevented a detailed evaluation of the role of individual exposures. However, lung cancer risk was for the most part absent when concomitant exposure to other workplace lung carcinogens, such as polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), nickel or radon-daughters, was considered. The cross classification of lung cancer risk by categories of exposure to respirable silica and total respirable dust did not show an independent effect of total respirable dust. Silicosis showed a modest association with lung cancer, which did not vary by severity of radiological staging, or by radiological evidence of disease progression, or by level of silica exposure. However, among silicotic subjects, lung cancer risk was significantly elevated only when exposure to cadmium and PAH had occurred. CONCLUSIONS: Our results suggest that, among silica-exposed Chinese workers, numerous occupational and non-occupational risk factors interact in a complex fashion to modify lung cancer risk. Future epidemiological studies on silica and lung cancer should incorporate detailed information on exposure to other workplace lung carcinogens, total respirable dust, and on surface size and age of silica particles to understand whether and to what extent they affect the carcinogenic potential of silica.

Adult↗
PubMed2005

Societal cost of workplace homicides in the United States, 1992-2001.

BACKGROUND: The Census of Fatal Occupational Injuries (CFOI) reported 8,672 workplace homicide victims between 1992 and 2001. Although rarely calculated, cost estimates are important for prevention and research efforts. METHODS: Societal costs were estimated using the cost-of-illness approach applied to CFOI data. The cost calculation model incorporated medical expenses, future earnings summed from the year of death until the year the decedent would have been 67, and household production losses (includes activities such as child care and housework). RESULTS: Workplace homicide had a total cost of nearly 6.5 billion dollars and a mean cost of 800,000 dollars between 1992 and 2001. The retail trade industry division had the highest number of homicides and total cost, 2.1 billion dollars, for males and 556,000 dollars for females. CONCLUSIONS: Estimates of the cost of work-related homicides can be used to improve occupational injury prevention and control program planning, policy analysis, evaluation of safety and health interventions, and advocacy for a safer work environment.

Adolescent↗
PubMed2006

Ten-year comparison of BMI, body fat, and fitness in the workplace.

BACKGROUND: Overweight, obestity, and lack of fitness in America is reported to be increasing at an accelerated pace. This national trend has serious health and economic ramifications not only for the general population but also directly for industry. Obesity in the workplace has resulted in increased expenses to industry: directly through increased medical costs and indirectly through decreased productivity. The intent of this study is to define changes in fitness and body fat percentage in a working population in an isogeographical area over the past decade. METHODS: Data accumulated during a routine post-offer testing program were divided into two groups composed of new industry hires tested from 1990 to 1992 and from 2000 to 2002. Body fat was measured with a standard skinfold. The body fat percentage and body mass index (BMI) from year 1990 were compared to those from year 2000. Fitness was assessed through an individual's ability to perform a timed maximum number of sit-ups and squats. RESULTS: There was no significant difference in the BMI between the year 1990 group and the year 2000 group (P = 0.132 for females and P = 0.110 for males). There was a significant increase in body fat percentage from the 1990 group to the 2000 group (P = 0.000 for females and P = 0.000 for males). A significant decrease in fitness was observed for both males and females during the 10-year interval of the study. CONCLUSIONS: Percent body fat appears to be a better indicator than BMI for utilization in industry for evaluation of obesity in the workplace. The differences in significance levels between BMI and percent body fat suggest that a decrease in leisure-time fitness activities could potentially contribute to the trend toward obesity. This study demonstrates that strength and/or fitness are important indicators that industry should monitor in order to improve the health and fitness of the workforce. Direct measurement of percent body fat and fitness indices are a more precise means than BMI for monitoring the workforce especially if employers are going to reward healthy behavior.

Adult↗
PubMed2005

Career choices and workplace challenges for individuals with ADHD.

Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) in adults is increasingly recognized as a common disorder that can significantly impact workplace functioning, yet few clinicians or career consultants have training in how to help adults select careers or jobs within a chosen career that are a good match for their strengths, weaknesses, ADHD tendencies, and coexisting conditions. Straightforward career counseling is inadequate to meet the needs of adults who have ADHD, and significant follow-up, brain-based counseling or therapy is often necessary to help these adults implement the recommendations generated by an ADHD career assessment. This article guides the clinician through the multiple steps of clinical interview, assessment, and intervention when working with adults who have ADHD who face challenges in the workplace.

Attention Deficit Disorder with Hyperactivity↗
PubMed2002

Why mentoring in the workplace works.

Workplaces are ideal contexts for mentoring relationships between adults and older youth. To teach the competencies required in contemporary workplaces (many of which are equally useful in other settings), mentors need to use sophisticated teaching behaviors, which the authors characterize as reflective questioning and problem solving.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1993

Workplace strategies for the control of work-related risks.

The prevention of work-related diseases and disorders, including those of neuropsychobehavioral nature, calls for integrated action to improve both job content and the working environment. Recent international labor standards have highlighted the importance of a good safety and health management system that ensures the assessment of risks and the appropriate control of these risks. Internationally, programs to cope with work-related risks place an increasing emphasis on participatory management of preventive measures, practical methods of risk assessment, and immediate improvements with the support of action-oriented training and information. Psychosocial factors, work performance, and job content need special attention. Workplace strategies must be developed by active participation of employers and workers, with their informed consent. These strategies and linked training activities should build on local practice and achievements rather than administrative models and be geared to the real local needs. In coping with the neurobehavioral effects, international sharing of positive experiences is useful especially with respect to: (i) providing information on potential neurobehavioral effects including labeling, safety datasheets, and precautions; (ii) providing practical advice about locally achieved improvements; (iii) providing action-oriented training; and (iv) creating opportunities for participatory workplace improvements.

Humans↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Smoking behavior and attitude toward smoking regulations and passive smoking in the workplace. A study among 974 employees in the German metal industry.

BACKGROUND: Smoking regulations at the workplace have been found to be acceptable and effective in many studies conducted in the United States. There is limited knowledge, however, on acceptance and effects of smoking regulations in European countries, particularly among blue collar employees. METHODS: We conducted a survey on smoking behaviour and attitude toward smoking regulations and passive smoking in a South German metal company. A self-administered questionnaire was mailed to 1,500 predominantly blue collar employees of whom 974 participated in the study (response rate 64.9%). RESULTS: About 30% of the employees were not allowed to smoke at their immediate work area. Among them, about 95% of both smokers and nonsmokers agreed with this smoking policy. More than 60% of nonsmoking blue collar workers were bothered by passive smoking at work whether or not smoking was allowed at their immediate work area. In contrast, the proportion of nonsmoking white collar employees who were bothered by passive smoking varied from 52% if smoking was allowed at their immediate work area to 18% if smoking was not allowed. Prevalence of active smoking and average amount of smoking among active smokers were considerably lower among employees who were not allowed to smoke at work than among other employees. These differences were partly due to confounding by occupation, however, which was strongly related to both smoking habits and smoking policy. CONCLUSIONS: Our results, which confirm and extend previous findings, give further support to the acceptability and potential effectiveness of smoking regulations at the workplace. Particular efforts should be devoted to limit both active and passive smoking among blue collar employees.

Adult↗
PubMed2000

Workplace monitoring of refractory ceramic fiber in the United States.

This paper summarizes data from a comprehensive workplace exposure monitoring program for refractory ceramic fiber (RCF) conducted since 1990, including data collected under a 5-year consent agreement (1993-1998) between the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and the Refractory Ceramic Fibers Coalition. It presents additional data and analyses, which complement an earlier article published in this journal (L. D. Maxim et al., 1997, Regul. Toxicol. Pharmacol. 26, 156-171). As part of this exposure monitoring program, data were collected at plants operated by RCF manufacturers and at customer facilities. Beginning in 1993, at least 720 samples (each sample consisting of one or more cassettes) were collected annually, distributed according to a stratified random sampling plan. The strata consisted of workers in eight functional job categories (FJCs) at manufacturing and customer plants. Time-weighted average (TWA) and task length average data were gathered and analyzed using phase contrast optical microscopy and (for a subset of samples) transmission electron microscopy methods. Data on respirator usage (by type) were also collected. Statistical analysis indicates that there are significant differences in TWA fiber concentrations (exposure) among FJCs (installation, finishing, and removal categories have the highest average concentrations), that workplace concentration data are approximately lognormally distributed, and that weighted average fiber concentrations decreased over the period from 1990 to 1998-although trend curves leveled out as exposures have decreased and further improvements became more difficult. Material differences exist in exposure between RCF manufacturers and their customers (largely because the mix of jobs differ), but these differences have narrowed over the years. Respirator usage varies with exposure. Respirator data are used to derive improved estimates of actual worker exposure. Alternative criteria for selecting FJCs for control efforts are defined and illustrated. Lessons learned for future monitoring efforts are summarized.

Environmental Monitoring↗
PubMed1995

An empirical test of a comprehensive model of intrapersonal empowerment in the workplace.

A comprehensive model of intrapersonal empowerment in the workplace posits that empowerment mediates the relationship between the social structural context and behavioral outcomes. The social structural context is operationalized as perceptions of role ambiguity, sociopolitical support, access to strategic information and resources, and work unit culture, whereas behavioral outcomes are operationalized as innovativeness and effectiveness. The model is examined on a sample of 324 middle managers from different units of a Fortune 50 organization. Survey data are examined using a series of regression analyses to assess the mediating effect of intrapersonal. Results suggest that intrapersonal empowerment mediates the relationship between some elements of workplace social structure and innovativeness, but not effectiveness. Although not a mediating mechanism for effectiveness, intrapersonal empowerment is nonetheless directly related to effectiveness (as assessed by the respondent's subordinates). Implications of the results are discussed as are study limitations and directions for future research.

Adult↗
PubMed2006

Human experimental exposure study on the uptake and urinary elimination of N-methyl-2-pyrrolidone (NMP) during simulated workplace conditions.

A human experimental study was carried out with 16 volunteers to examine the elimination of N-methyl-2-pyrrolidone (NMP) after exposure to the solvent under simulated workplace conditions. The NMP concentrations were 10, 40 and 80 mg/m(3) for 2 x 4 h with an exposure-free interval of 30 min. Additionally, a peak exposure scenario (25 mg/m(3) baseline, 160 mg/m(3) peaks for 4 x 15 min, time-weighted average: 72 mg/m(3)) was tested. The influence of physical activity on the uptake and elimination of NMP was studied under otherwise identical exposure conditions but involving moderate workload on a bicycle ergometer (75 W for 6 x 10 min). The peak times and biological half-lives of urinary NMP and its main metabolites 5-hydroxy-N-methyl-2-pyrrolidone (5-HNMP) and 2-hydroxy-N-methylsuccinimide (2-HMSI) in urine were analysed as well as the interrelationships between exposure and biomarkers. All analytes showed a close correlation between their post-shift peak concentrations and airborne NMP. An exposure to the current German workplace limit value of 80 mg/m(3) under resting conditions resulted in urinary peak concentrations of 2,400 microg/L NMP, 117 mg/g creatinine 5-HNMP and 32 mg/g creatinine 2-HMSI (workload conditions: 3,400 microg/L NMP, 150 mg/g creatinine 5-HNMP, 44 mg/g creatinine 2-HMSI). Moderate workload enhanced the total uptake of NMP by approximately one third. Differences between the estimated and the observed total amount of urinary metabolites point to a significant contribution of dermal absorption on the uptake of NMP. This aspect, together with the influence of physical workload, should be considered for the evaluation of a biological limit value for NMP.

Administration, Inhalation↗
PubMed2000

Workplace drug testing (WDT) likely to increase in Europe. Report from the First European Symposium on WDT including selected abstracts.

Will it take a series of drug-related accidents that have already occurred in the USA before workplace drug testing (WDT) becomes accepted in Europe as a preventive measure? Currently, the development of WDT in most European countries lags some 10-15 years behind that in the USA. Labour authorities in Europe now ought to take initiatives to demand a mandatory programme for accrediting drug analytical laboratories for WDT. Companies should realise that illicit drug use is no longer only a problem at street corners, and that having a testing system in place is important, not just for public health, but also for their reputations as responsible societal actors. Improved networking among police and regulatory authorities is required to keep pace with the rapid appearance and dissemination of new substances of abuse. European research collaboration, including the newly formed European Workplace Drug Testing Group, is needed to assess the impact of drug-testing policies on accidents and other outcome variables, and thereby to convince the general public and politicians that drug testing is beneficial and necessary. A 1993-1994 survey of quality analysis in some 200 European laboratories reported from Institut Municipal d'Investigació Medica (IMIM), Spain, showed good agreement between nominal and found concentrations but that only 10% of the laboratories could both screen, identify and quantify samples. Experiences from Italy show that proficiency testing schemes lead to improved accuracy of results. These were some major conclusions of the First European Symposium on Drug Testing held at Huddinge University Hospital in Stockholm, Sweden, 30 March to 1 April 1998, organised by Karolinska Institute, with participants from 22 countries.

Europe↗
PubMed2005

Smoking cessation at the workplace: 1 year success of short seminars.

OBJECTIVES: In search of less time-consuming methods of smoking cessation Allen Carr' seminars performed at workplaces in Austria were evaluated. METHODS: Of all the 357 smokers attending a seminar in summer 2002, 308 (86%), consented to participate in a repeated health survey, including the SF-36 questionnaire. After 3 months 268 (87%) gave computer-aided telephone interviews and 223 (72%) after 1 year. Analysis by logistic regression was done separately for males and females. RESULTS: The 1-year quit rate was 40% (worst case assumption) to 55% (best estimate). In 96% of quitters an intensive counseling for 6 h without pharmaceutical aid thereafter was sufficient to maintain abstinence for 12 months. A long smoking history or many earlier unsuccessful attempts to quit did not predict failure. The risk of relapse was found higher in young men with a high number of pack-years and in women with good physical fitness but high Fagerstroem score and financial reasons for the intention to quit smoking. While an average weight gain of 3 kg in males was not associated with failure to quit smoking, we found the highest weight gain (4 kg) in females in the group abstinent at 3 months but smoking again at 12 months. In all participants subjective life quality scored by SF-36 improved. In quitters perception of general health improved more. CONCLUSIONS: Group counseling at the workplace was found to be an efficient method of smoking cessation, capable of increasing subjective life quality and health and to smooth the way to smoke-free enterprises.

Adult↗
PubMed2006

Pattern of hexa-valent chromium in air borne respirable dust generated at various workplaces in opencast chromite mines.

The paper presents a study into air borne respirable dust (ARD) concentration at various workplaces in two open cast chromite mines of Sukinda chromite belt, India. One of these mines is mechanised and the other one is semi-mechanised. The study has been conducted in three phases and ARD concentration has been measured at various workplaces in both the mines. Apart from the determination of ARD concentration, the dust samples collected on filter papers were analysed for hexa-valent chromium by colorimetric method and Cr(VI) direct absorption measurement. In addition, the particle size ranges in ARD have been determined by using cascade impactor fitted onto high volume samplers and laser guided particle size analyser. The paper finally presents a comparison between ARD concentration vis-à-vis the presence of hexa-valent chromium concentration in collected samples of both mechanised and semi-mechanised mines.

Air Pollutants, Occupational↗