Search PubMed⌕ Search

SEARCH · Search PubMed

Results for “Automobiles”

Search indexed PubMed citations on genomics, clinical trials, systematic reviews and public health. Explore titles, authors and supplied subject terms, then open the PubMed record.

Quote a phrase for an exact phrase match. Source license links do not imply unrestricted reuse.

At least 127 records · Page 7Linked to original sources
PubMed1990

Vibration exposure for selected power hand tools used in automobile assembly.

A practical method for assessing vibration exposure for workers operating vibrating hand tools on an automobile assembly line is presented. Vibration exposure is difficult to assess directly using many fast Fourier transform (FFT) spectral analyzers because of long task cycle times. Exposure time cannot be accurately estimated using time standards because of the high variability between operators and work methods. Furthermore, because workers frequently move about and get into inaccessible spaces, it is difficult to record vibration without interfering with the operation. A work sampling method was used for determining vibration exposure time by attaching accelerometers to the tools and suspending a battery-operated digital data logger from the air hose. Vibration acceleration and frequency spectra for each tool were obtained off-line replicating actual working conditions and analyzed together with exposure time data for determining individual worker vibration exposure. Eight pneumatic vibrating power hand tools, representing tools commonly used in an automobile assembly plant, were studied. Spectra for the rotary and reciprocating power tools and had large distinct dominant fundamental frequencies occurring in a narrow frequency range between 35 Hz and 150 Hz. These frequencies corresponded closely to tool free-running speeds, suggesting that major spectral component frequencies may be predicted on the basis of speed for some tools.

Automobiles↗
PubMed2005

Levels of biochemical constituents of fish associated with water dispersed fractions of used automobile lubricants.

The effects of sublethal concentrations of water-dispersed fractions of used automobile lubricant (Mobil oil SAE 50) on some biochemical constituents in fish were investigated under laboratory conditions. The fish exposed was Tilapia zilli (mean weight: 7.15+/-0.01 g), the sublethal concentrations were 125.00, 62.50, 31.25, 15.63, 7.81, and 0.00 ppm and the exposure period was 10 weeks. There was no mortality in the exposed fish throughout the exposure period; however, the biochemical constituents investigated revealed that the various concentrations led to physiological impairment in the fish, which was directly proportional to concentration and exposure period. Severely reduced feed intake was observed in fish exposed to concentrations of 62.50 and 125.00 ppm. Depletion in protein and lipid reserves, anemia and hyperglycemia were observed in all exposed fish. The implications of water dispersed fractions of used automobile lubricants in the aquatic environment and their effects on fish biodiversity are discussed.

Animals↗
PubMed1985

A case of suicidal hanging in an automobile.

A case of suicidal hanging inside an automobile is presented. To our knowledge, hanging has not been previously reported as a cause of death in a motor vehicle driver. The causes of death in automobile-related suicides are discussed.

Aged↗
PubMed1995

Hanging in an automobile: a report on a unique case history.

A "real" case of suicidal hanging in an automobile is presented and discussed. To the best of our knowledge, there does not exist in the medical literature another case history meeting the exact pathological-forensic criteria of a hanging inside an automobile.

Asphyxia↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Burns caused by automobile radiators: a continuing problem.

In spite of the fact that injury warning labels have been placed on radiator caps for the last 15 years, automobile radiator scald burns continue to be a burn prevention problem. The temperature of radiator fluid may be as high as 100 degrees F to 250 degrees F in a properly functioning car and higher in an overheated vehicle. From 1974 to 1990, 100 patients with burns that were caused by automobile radiators have been admitted to the Parkland Memorial Hospital Burn Unit (1.5% of acute admissions). Eighty-two percent of the injuries occurred in the summer months, and 93% of the patients were male. Mean age was 31 +/- 17 years (range, 8 months to 79 years), and mean burn size was 11.3% total body surface area (TBSA) (range, 1% to 32%) with a mean full-thickness burn size of 0.6% TBSA. Length of stay was 7 +/- 7.4 days (range, 1 to 38 days). Burns to the face, neck, and trunk necessitated most admissions. Although there were no deaths, five patients required intensive care for airway monitoring; mean length of stay was 6 days. One patient required endotracheal intubation for a total of 11 days. Ten patients required one or more skin grafting procedures, and three patients required burn resuscitation. Four patients sustained minor ocular injuries. A subgroup of patients demands special review: 10 children younger than 10 years of age (mean age, 4.1 years) of which 70% were boys. Mean burn size was 15.5% TBSA; mean full-thickness burn size was 2.4% (four times larger than the mean burn size for the adult population).(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Adolescent↗
PubMed1977

Experimental automobile-pedestrian injuries.

Fifteen fresh cadaver impacts were conducted in simulation of pedestrian-automobile accidents. The test sled configuration simulated an automobile bumper and hood in "standard" and "nosedive" situations as well as "hard" and "soft" impact surfaces. Instrumentation and film demonstrated large axial compression forces in the struck leg and considerable angular velocity of the torso in all modes. Dissection revealed primary injury at the impact site at low velocities with added remote injury at high velocities. Fracture of the lateral tibial plateau was most common. Lowering the bumper height offered the greatest protection against injury at moderate impact velocities.

Accidents, Traffic↗
PubMed1985

Colon cancer incidence among modelmakers and patternmakers in the automobile manufacturing industry. A continuing dilemma.

Modelmakers and patternmakers in an automobile manufacturing corporation located in the Detroit metropolitan area expressed concern about cancer incidence in their work group. In particular, previous studies among woodworking patternmakers and modelmakers employed in the automobile manufacturing industry found excesses in the incidence of cancers of the colon and rectum. To determine cancer incidence among the study corporation's woodworkers, a computerized record linkage study was performed. Cancer incidence data from the Michigan Cancer Foundation Division of Epidemiology's Metropolitan Detroit Cancer Surveillance System (MDCSS) were linked with corporate records for their woodworkers. In this group of 316 workers, ten cancers were found, four of which were colon cancers. A standard morbidity ratio analysis revealed a statistically significant excess of colon cancer in the woodworkers, compared with a general population group matched for race, gender and age (SMR = 487.0, p less than .01). These results are consistent with observations made in previous studies. The question raised by these findings is whether an occupational exposure contributes to this excess occurrence of colon cancers or whether these groups share some other common attributes, such as dietary habits.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1995

Self-reported physical exposure and musculoskeletal symptoms of the forearm-hand among automobile assembly-line workers.

The aim was to study the prevalence of physical exposures and symptoms of the forearm-hand in a population with highly repetitive jobs. Automobile assembly-line workers (ALWs) (n = 521) and a control group (CG) from the general population answered a questionnaire. Consistent differences were found between the groups. ALWs reported more symptoms from the forearm-hand and higher exposure to repetitive movements, precision movements, and manual handling (< or = 15 kg) than the CG. Female ALWs reported more symptoms and higher exposure to known risk factors for work-related forearm-hand disorders than their male colleagues. In conclusion, automobile assembly-line workers appear to be a high-risk group for work-related symptoms from the forearm-hand. Also, exposure to physical load should be conscientiously analyzed, since women may perform different tasks than men.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1996

Health problems of automobile mechanics in Nigeria.

A questionnaire-based survey was conducted among automobile mechanics and allied technicians in a semiurban city. Three hundred people were interviewed. The questionnaire sought information on health problems associated with work, the presence of chronic illness and where workers seek help when they fall ill. The interview was followed by an examination of the hands for dermatitis. Musculoskeletal disorders were the commonest work-related health problems reported by respondents. Of the 50 respondents who recorded musculoskeletal disorders, 27 (54%) had low back pain. Seventy-five (25%) of the respondents had signs of hand dermatitis: commonest among panel beaters and welders. Hand dermatitis and musculoskeletal disorders are the predominant health problems among automobile mechanics. Recommendations for improved health and safety include health education programmes aimed at eliminating hazardous work practices such as sucking of petrol and poor lifting techniques. This study has shown that workers in small-scale industries are willing to accept assistance and advice on improving the health and safety of their workforce.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1993

High-powered automobile stereos.

We measured the owner-adjusted acoustic outputs of 10 automobile stereo systems, with power ratings ranging between 150 and 600 watts. The sound levels ranged from 107 to 138 dB SPL and 84 to 108 dBA. Most of the high-intensity sound was in the 31, 62, and 125 Hz center-frequency octave bands. The mean computed noise dose, based on the vehicle owners' reported daily duration of exposure, was 108.5%. While there is clearly a risk of hearing damage in the extreme cases according to OSHA standards, the typical listening durations claimed by the stereo owners would seem to lower the risk for the majority to acceptable margins for the automobiles measured.

Automobiles↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Asbestos exposures during reprocessing of automobile brakes and clutches.

Asbestos exposures of workers in three small factories reprocessing automobile brakes and clutches in Japan were investigated. Airborne asbestos was collected on a membrane filter using an air sampler. From 1982 to 1989, asbestos counting was performed on 295 samples (198 personal and 97 stationary), using phase contrast microscopy. Only chrysotile asbestos was detected. Workers who reprocessed automobile brakes and clutches were exposed to asbestos concentrations of 0.025-76.4 fibers/cm3. Geometric mean asbestos concentrations during attaching linings to brake shoes and attaching facings to clutch disks were 0.859 fibers/cm3 and 0.780 fibers/cm3, respectively. Concentrations during stripping worn brake linings and clutch facings were 0.484 fibers/cm3 and 0.382 fibers/cm3, respectively. Machine grinding and leveling of new brake-lining surfaces represent potential sources of heavy asbestos exposures, unless enclosures and local ventilation are efficient.

Asbestos, Serpentine↗
PubMed2005

Exposure to lead, cadmium and chromium among spray painters in automobile body repair shops.

Environmental and biological monitoring of lead, cadmium and chromium levels in spray painters is reported. All of the study subjects worked in automobile body repair shops that had no standard spraying room. They were divided into 2 groups, those who wore an aerosol-removing respirator while spraying (n=20) and those who did not wear the respirator (n=50). Air in the breathing zone of each subject was sampled and analyzed for lead, cadmium and chromium levels. The subjects' blood lead levels and urinary cadmium and chromium levels were also measured along with those of a control group. The mean environmental and biological levels of these metals between the two groups of the painters were not significantly different (p>0.05). However, the biological levels of the metals were significantly higher in the study groups than in the control group (p<0.01). On-site observations revealed that improper use of an aerosol-removing respirator, lack of an isolated spraying room and poor personal hygiene habits caused the failure to prevent heavy metal exposure among the automobile spray painters.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1976

Restraint systems for the prevention of injury to children in automobile accidents.

Highway accidents are the leading cause of child deaths in the United States from the ages of 1-14 years-6,122 such deaths occurred in 1973. In most instances deaths and permanent injuries occurred with the child as a passenger in an automobile. One approach toward alleviating this problem is the restraint of children in automobiles to reduce the likelihood of injury in a crash.

Accidents, Traffic↗
PubMed2000

International regulations for automobile driving and epilepsy.

BACKGROUND: Many patients with epilepsy travel abroad and drive automobiles with the assumption that policies, rules, and regulations on epilepsy and driving are similar to those of their home countries. This paper investigates the driving restrictions and other pertinent information on this issue in foreign countries. METHODS: A questionnaire was sent to 231 neurologists (chosen from American neurological and epilepsy societies) from 84 countries and to 230 official (embassies and consulates) representatives of 134 countries asking for the local rules and regulations and their comments on driving and epilepsy. RESULTS: One hundred and sixty-six responses were received from 96 of 134 (72%) countries. One hundred and six neurologists (of 231 queried [46%]) responded. In 16 countries, persons with epilepsy are not permitted to drive. In the remaining countries, these patients must have a seizure-free period of 6 to 36 months. This period varies according to the type of seizure. In five countries, physicians must report the names of these patients to their local authorities. In many countries, the rules and regulations are being reevaluated and changed. CONCLUSIONS: Patients with epilepsy who plan to drive overseas are advised to contact local embassies and consulates, well before their trips (and keep records of the communications) to obtain the latest information on the rules and regulations governing the driving of automobiles in those countries.

Automobile Driving↗
PubMed1999

Diabetes and automobile crashes in the elderly. A population-based case-control study.

OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study was to estimate the association between diabetes and its complications and at-fault automobile crashes among older drivers. RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODS: This was a population-based case-control study. Case subjects were drivers aged > or = 65 years who had been involved in a crash during 1996 in which they were at fault. Two control groups were selected: 1) crash-involved not-at-fault subjects and 2) non-crash-involved subjects. Telephone interviewers collected information on demographic characteristics, driving habits, diabetes sequelae and treatment, other chronic medical conditions, and visual function. RESULTS: Overall, there was no association between diabetes and at-fault crash involvement. The adjusted odds ratio (OR) for diabetes was 1.1 (CI 0.7-1.9) when case subjects were compared with either control group. However, the adjusted OR for diabetes was 2.5 (0.9-7.2) among subjects who had been involved in a crash in the 4 years preceding 1996, while it was only 0.9 (0.5-1.7) among those who had not. There was no evidence of an association between treatment modalities and at-fault crash involvement. Case subjects were, although not significantly (P = 0.25), more likely (OR 2.4) to report neuropathy compared with both control groups, and retinopathy was not associated with increased crash risk. CONCLUSIONS: This study provides no evidence that older drivers with diabetes are at increased risk for automobile crashes. There remains the possibility that those with diabetes who have more severe disease or have had multiple crashes are at increased risk.

Accidents, Traffic↗
PubMed2001

Exposure-response models based on extended follow-up of a cohort mortality study in the automobile industry.

OBJECTIVE: This report describes the extended follow-up of a cohort of 46 399 automobile manufacturing workers with potential exposure to metalworking fluids (MWF). The outcomes of interest were cancers of the esophagus, stomach, colon, rectum, liver, pancreas, larynx, skin, prostate, and brain, as well as leukemia. Additional follow-up increased the power to detect modest elevations in mortality rates in association with specific types of MWF, including synthetic fluids not in widespread use until the 1970s. METHODS: Standardized mortality ratios (SMR) were computed for the most recent 10 years of follow-up, as well as for the entire study period. Adjusted relative risks (RR) were estimated in Poisson regression models with categorical variables for cumulative exposure to each type of MWF and in proportional hazards models with continuous exposure variables. RESULTS: Associations were found between straight MWF and esophageal, laryngeal and rectal cancer; soluble MWF and cancer of the esophagus, larynx, skin, and brain; synthetic MWF and cancer of the esophagus, liver, and prostate. The elevated RR values were modest in magnitude (1.5 to 2.0). SMR values were increased for stomach, liver, and pancreatic cancer and also for leukemia in the last 10 years of follow-up. The SMR values were also elevated for stomach and liver cancer among the persons recently hired. CONCLUSIONS: The results provide further evidence that exposure to metalworking fluids causes cancer among workers in automobile manufacturing. Although airborne exposures declined over the study period, this study suggests that modest risk of several digestive cancers, as well as prostatic cancer and leukemia, may persist at current levels of exposure to water-based metalworking fluids.

Automobiles↗
PubMed1994

Predictors of automobile crashes and moving violations among elderly drivers.

OBJECTIVE: To identify the factors associated with automobile crashes, moving violations, and being stopped by police in a cohort of elderly drivers. DESIGN: Prospective cohort study. SETTING: Urban community. PARTICIPANTS: All 283 persons who drove between 1990 and 1991, selected from a representative cohort of community-living persons aged 72 years and older in New Haven, Connecticut. MEASUREMENTS: Data on independent variables in five domains (demographic, health, psychosocial, activity, and physical performance) were collected in structured interviews before events occurred. The outcome measure was the self-report of involvement in automobile crashes, moving violations, or being stopped by police in a 1-year period. RESULTS: Of the 283 drivers, 13% reported a crash, a moving violation, or being stopped by police in 1 year. The baseline factors associated with the occurrence of adverse events in multivariable analysis (with adjustment for driving frequency and housing type) were the following: poor design copying on the Mini-Mental State Examination (relative risk, 2.7; 95% CI, 1.5 to 5.0), fewer blocks walked (relative risk, 2.3; CI, 1.3 to 4.0), and more foot abnormalities (relative risk, 1.9; CI, 1.1 to 3.3). These risk factors were combined for assessment of their ability to predict the occurrence of adverse driving events. If no factors were present, 6% of drivers had events; if 1 factor was present, 12% had events; if 2 factors were present, 26% had events; and if 3 factors were present, 47% had events. CONCLUSIONS: In this urban population, several simple clinical measures correlated with the risk for adverse driving events.

Accidents, Traffic↗
PubMed2002

Self-collected breath sampling for monitoring low-level benzene exposures among automobile mechanics.

Automobile mechanics are exposed to benzene through their contact with gasoline vapor and engine exhaust. This study investigated the benzene uptake associated with these exposures. We first evaluated the reliability of self-collected breath samples among a subset of subjects and found good agreement between these samples and those collected under expert supervision (intraclass correlation coefficient 0.79, n = 69). We then used self-monitoring together with a longitudinal sampling design (with up to three measurements per worker) to measure benzene in air and benzene in end-exhaled breath among 81 workers from 12 automobile repair garages in North Carolina. A statistically significant difference (P < 0.0001, Mann-Whitney rank sum test) was observed between non-smokers and smokers for post-exposure benzene concentration in breath (median values of 18.9 and 39.1 micro g/m(3), respectively). Comparing pre- and post-exposure breath concentrations within these two groups, the difference was significant among non-smokers (P < 0.0001) but not significant among smokers (P > 0.05). Mixed effects regression analysis using backwards elimination yielded five significant predictors of benzene concentration in breath, namely benzene exposure (P < 0.0001), pre-exposure benzene concentration in breath (P = 0.021), smoking status (P < 0.0001), fuel system work (P = 0.0043) and carburetor cleaner use (P < 0.0001). The between-person variance component comprised only 28% of the total variance in benzene levels in breath, indicating that differences among individuals related to physiological and metabolic characteristics had little influence on benzene uptake among these workers.

Automobiles↗